Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich with Caramelized Onions filled with beef, melted cheese and au jus (beef broth) for dipping. The perfect weekend crock pot recipe!
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
Sometimes the only thing I want for dinner is a hot sandwich. This Crock Pot French Dip sandwich satisfies that craving and those caramelized onions at the end make it amazing!! And is there anything better than dipping a sandwich in that delicious au jus? I think not!
These sandwiches make the perfect game day meal, start this early in the morning (or night). You’ll need 9 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your roast. Serve them as sliders by serving them on dinner rolls. The onions take about half an hour, you can prep them ahead so they will be ready when it’s time to eat.
This recipe is from my friend Lori’s cookbook The Recipe Girl Cookbook: Dishing Out the Best Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day (affil link). This roast smells amazing simmering all day and the sandwiches are delicious, My husband LOVED them!
I didn’t have to do much to her recipe to make it light, I just used whole grain bread (whole wheat baguette or whole grain rolls) and portion control and they were perfectly satisfying. I highly recommend making the onions and peppers, in my opinion they make the sandwich!
The recipes in her book are perfect for entertaining and she includes menu ideas from everything from football parties, romantic dinners for two, holiday parties, tailgating parties and more, or you can just serve them up any night of the week.
Because this can make several servings depending on the size of the roast you purchase, and the appetites of your guests the nutrition is based on one sandwich using a whole wheat baguette.
What To Serve with French Dips?
- There’s nothing better than a soup and a sandwich! Start with a light soup like Cauliflower Soup or Zucchini Soup.
- Salad also makes a great side, a simple tomato salad or green salad would be perfect.
I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This crock pot is so great, I actually own two!
More Sandwich Recipes:
- Steak and Cheese Sandwich with Onions and Mushrooms
- Roast Beef Sandwich with Melted Cheese and Caramelized Onions
- Turkey Cuban Sandwich
- Shrimp Parmesan Hero
- Roast Beef Arugula and Shaved Parm Sandwich
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
Ingredients
For The Beef:
- 3 to 4 lb beef round roast, trimmed
- 1 tbsp minced garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp dry
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dry
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 to 3 14.5 oz cans Swanson's low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 large onion, cut into chunks
For the Caramelized Onions (makes about 1 cup):
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
For the Peppers (makes about 2 cups):
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced into strips
For the Sandwich:
- Sargento Reduced Fat Provolone or Mozzarella Slices
- whole wheat baguettes or rolls, cut into 2 oz pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl mix garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub the spice mixture onto all sides of the roast, then place in the slow cooker. Pour the broth into the side of the roast then top with onions.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns and bay leaf to the broth.
- Cover and cook on low until the meat flakes apart easily with a fork, about 9 to 12 hours, depending on the size of your roast.
- An hour before the meat is done, prepare the onions and peppers.
- In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and salt and cook until golden, stirring often, reducing heat as needed if the onions are burning or browning too quickly, about 30 to 35 minutes. Add 1 tbsp to the pan if it becomes too dry. The onions should turn golden and the flavor should be sweet.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, then add the peppers to the skillet and cook stirring often until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the slow cooker to a cutting board and shred with a fork or slice with a knife.
- Strain the broth through a fine sieve then place in a gravy separator to remove any fat. Pour 1/4 cup broth into each small ramekin.
- Preheat the oven to broil. Split the bread open and top with 2 ounces of beef. Top with onions, peppers and cheese and broil until the cheese melts. Place on a plate with broth for dipping.
