French Dip Sandwiches Recipe (With a Twist)
Quick, easy, and deliciously tender and juicy, my family and I cannot get enough of this French dip sandwiches recipe (with a surprising twist)!
Oh my goodness gracious, this easy French dip sandwiches recipe is DELICIOUS and just the thing after a long day when you want something good to eat but don’t feel like cooking. Is anyone there with me? Seriously. As much as I love to cook, I don’t LIVE to cook, I live to spend time with my family, so I love anything that speeds up the process for me.
I have a few recipes like this where you stop at the grocery store on your way home, grab a few things, head to ye olde homestead, and have supper ready to pop in the oven five minutes later. These hearty, crusty, flavorful sandwiches are a hit in my family (especially with the menfolk) so I thought I’d offer up the recipe to you, too! The best part is, you can serve this recipe for a hearty supper or as an appetizer at your next potluck or gathering.
So, what ingredients do you need to make my beloved pull apart French dip sandwiches? Tender beef slices, Worcestershire sauce and a few other seasonings for flavor, provolone cheese slices for that melted cheese goodness, crusty Italian bread, and Au Jus gravy mix for double-dipping (did I say that?!). If y’all tuned in for my French onion soup you are probably starting to see that I love this little packet of Au Jus gravy mix! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite shortcuts to add a depth of flavor to any dish.
Now, it sounds like a lot of ingredients, but I promise this French dip recipe will be ready in no time. I hope your family loves it as much as mine!
Recipe Ingredients
- Italian bread
- Herbs (dried oregano or dried thyme are great options).
- Garlic powder (or a blend of garlic powder and your favorite herbs).
- Onion powder
- Butter
- Au Jus gravy mix
- Provolone cheese slices
- Worcestershire sauce
- Roast beef from the deli (have them slice it kinda thin).
Place butter, 1 tablespoon of Au Jus mix, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and stir until well blended.
If your butter isn’t soft enough you can microwave it a bit but try not to melt it fully. Don’t fret if you do, though. The world will keep on spinning and supper will still be good.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Set a loaf of bread in the center and cut it into 3/4-inch slices nearly all the way down. But don’t cut all the way through to the bottom, just close.
Using a small spatula or butter knife, divide about 1/4 of your butter mixture evenly between each cut of the bread.
Place a folded piece of roast beef and 1/2 piece of provolone cheese between every other cut of the bread.
Make sure you don’t stuff every slice so that you can have pull apart sandwiches.
Spread another ¼ of the butter mixture onto the top of the bread and fold up the aluminum foil to enclose it completely.
Repeat with the other loaf of bread.
Once both loaves are securely wrapped, place them in the oven at 400 degrees on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is crispy.
While the sandwiches are in the oven, combine the rest of the Au Jus gravy mix with 2 cups of water or beef stock in a small saucepan and stir.
Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then bring it down to a simmer to thicken a bit until the bread is done.
Serve your herb French dip sandwiches with a bit of the Au Jus gravy for dipping.
Enjoy this hearty and flavorful supper!
Storage
This is one of those recipes it’s best to eat fresh, as the bread will go soggy if stored. But it’s so easy to half this recipe for two or you could even adapt it for one and instead of a pull-apart recipe, you simply add the ingredients to a traditional hoagie roll and broil until the cheese melts.
Recipe Notes
- Most French dips are made with chuck roast, rump roast, or beef brisket. However, I find the roast beef slices work best for this recipe. But do whatever works for you!
- Substitute the provolone for gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese slices if you like.
- Traditional French dip jus sauce includes sherry. So you can definitely add 1/4 cup of dry sherry or white wine to the saucepan alongside the water or beef broth.
- Another ingredient you can add to the butter mixture for added flavor is 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.
- Speaking of added flavor… quickly caramelize a sliced onion and layer the slices with the beef and cheese.
- Serve your French dip sandwich as a with salad (maybe coleslaw or potato salad), roast vegetables, and/or a side of fries, like our parmesan oven fries.
You may also like these other scrumptious recipes:
Bama Steak and Cheese Sandwiches
Steak Sandwiches: Worlds Easiest Supper
Cheesy Bacon Pull-Apart Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 loaves Italian bread with a thick crust
- 1 stick butter, at room temp or 1/2 cup
- 1 packet Au Jus gravy mix
- ¾ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp herb and garlic powder You can also use a little garlic powder and your favorite dried herb
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 lb deli roast beef
- 1 packet sliced provolone cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, place the butter, 1 tablespoon of Au Jus mix, garlic and herb mix, Worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Stir until well combined.1 stick butter, at room temp, 1 packet Au Jus gravy mix, 1 tsp herb and garlic powder, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp onion powder
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set a loaf of bread in the center and cut it into 3/4-inch slices nearly all the way down the length of the loaf. But don't cut all the way through to the bottom, just close. Using a small spatula or butter knife, divide about 1/4 of your butter mixture evenly between each cut of the bread.2 loaves Italian bread with a thick crust
- Place a folded piece of roast beef and 1/2 a piece of provolone cheese between every other cut of the bread. Make sure you don't stuff every space so you can make pull-apart sandwiches.1 lb deli roast beef, 1 packet sliced provolone cheese
- Spread another ¼ of the butter mixture onto the top of the bread and fold up the aluminum foil to enclose it completely. Repeat with the other loaf of bread.
- Once both loaves are securely wrapped, place them in the oven on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted thoroughly and the crust is crispy.
- While the sandwiches are in the oven, combine the rest of the Au Jus gravy mix with 2 cups of water or beef stock in a small saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and then bring it down to a simmer to thicken a bit until the bread is done.
- Serve your herb French dip sandwiches with a bit of the Au Jus gravy for dipping and enjoy this hearty and flavorful supper!
Nutrition
I just happened to notice the cook time on the top of recipe. I know it’s a typo because this is a quick fix supper and 4hours is just not right! Haha
Thanks for pointing this out. I really appreciate the help so I can fix what is sometimes missed. Really appreciate you 🙂
Cooking these wonderful sandwiches again tonite for supper.
Wonderful choice!! One of our favorites!!
Make these at least once each month. Really an awesome sandwich.
I am so glad you like them Larry!! We like them here too!!
Dear Christy, I love to read and try your recipes! You are the greatest. Whenever I need inspiration to cook I turn to your site. I am looking forward to fixing this sandwich. I also love your scriptures for the month. What a blessing you are!
Thank you so much Mimi!! You just made my day!!
Oh goodness, these were so good. I followed the recipe, but instead of slicing through, etc. I ended up slicing individual slices of bread. I “buttered” the insides with the yummy mixture, then layered the meat and cheese, and lightly buttered the outsides with the rest of the mixture. Wrapped sandwiches in foil and baked as directed. I knew my family could not eat a whole loaf of this, so I made three nice sized sandwiches instead, using half the recipe and half of one loaf. So good, thank you very much.
I am so glad you liked them Teresa!! Thank you for trying them!!
Oh wow… My family loves French Dip, I KNOW this will be a huge hit! This would be perfect to add to my Sunday dinners files: fast on the table, low on mess. : ) Can’t wait to make it!
Oh my!! Yummy!!