Instant Pot French Dips are sure to become a new family favorite dinner. These easy French Dips are made with super tender pressure cooked shredded beef, a garlic toasted bun, gooey cheese, and a rich au jus, for the best Shredded Beef Sandwich ever!
I love to pair French Dips with a side of Oven Baked Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, or Instant Pot Corn on the Cob. But regardless of what side dish you serve these sandwiches with, your family will agree, they are out of this world delicious!
I am about to make YOUR heart swell with my latest recipe, Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches.
Yes, this recipe for shredded beef sandwiches is so good, your heart literally with swell with joy!
Tender, flavorful beef on top of a garlic-infused toasted bun, smothered in cheese is enough to make anyone happy. Add in a rich au jus for dipping, it is easy to see why French Dips are a family favorite recipe.
And because these simple Shredded Beef Sandwiches take mere minutes of prep work for cook, everyone is happy!
Ingredients for French Dips
- Beef Roast: I strongly recommend chuck roast for this recipe. A bottom round roast, sirloin roast, or top round roast will not become as tender as a chuck roast.
- Beef Broth or Stock: Use low sodium beef stock to help control the added sodium in this recipe. There is a lot of liquid in this recipe–do not be tempted to cut back on the amount used. Not only does it create a delicious dipping sauce for the French Dips, but it also keeps the beef super moist and the cooking time was calculated using the full 4 cups of beef.
- Onion & Garlic: Garlic and onion add to the flavor of the au jus and beef.
- Soy Sauce: Don’t be tempted to omit the soy sauce from these French Dip Sandwiches, that extra flavor adds just the right umami flavor.
- Buns: Use hoagie or sub rolls for an authentic French Dip, but in a bind use hot dog or hamburger buns. Parenting Tip: Use hot dog buns for smaller appetites!
- Provolone Cheese: Use thick sliced provolone cheese for a thick, gooey layer of cheese. Of course, Swiss can be substituted.
How to Make Instant Pot French Dips
Step One: Sear Meat
Searing the meat adds texture to the final shredded beef. Feel free to skip this step if you are on a time crunch. You MUST skip the step of searing if your roast is frozen–you NEVER want to sear frozen meat.
- Turn the pressure cooker to Sauté and allow the Instant Pot to heat up for a couple of minutes. Note: I recommend using high heat to saute the beef, but if you have an 8-quart Instant Pot that seems to overheat easily, adjust the temperature of sauteing to Normal instead of High by hitting saute then the adjust button until normal is lit up instead of high or low.
- Season the roast aggressively with salt and pepper.
- Once the instant pot is heated, add a bit of oil and sear the roast on all sides until golden.
- Turn the pressure cooker OFF and remove the seared beef to a plate in order to deglaze the inner pot.
Step Two: Deglaze Pan
- Add in 1 cup of the beef broth and thoroughly scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of your pressure cooker–do not skip this step or you may end up with a burn notice.
Step Three: Add in Remaining Ingredients
- Add in the remaining beef stock, sliced onion, garlic, and soy sauce to the inner pot.
- Nestle the seared beef into the stock.
Step Four: Pressure Cook
- Place lid on the pressure cooker and turn the valve to sealed.
- Set to high pressure for 60 minutes.
- Allow at least 10 minutes of natural release before finish releasing pressure.
Step Five: Shred Meat
- Remove roast from the pressure cooker and place it in a large bowl and turn the Instant Pot back to saute to allow the cooking liquid to boil and evaporate slowly while assembling the sandwiches.
- Shred with 2 forks or a handheld mixer.
Step Six: Assemble French Dip Sandwiches
- Spread buns with butter and toast in oven until golden. This helps to keep the sandwiches from getting soggy.
- Once the buns are toasted rub with a garlic clove to give the buns a delicious hint of garlic flavor.
- Top buns with shredded beef and sliced provolone cheese and return to oven briefly to melt the cheese.
Step Six: Serve
- Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Ladle up the au jus, straining if desired.
- Serve immediately with the French Dips.
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can still enjoy Easy French Dip Sandwiches, with the help of a slow cooker.
- Sear the meat in a heavy-bottomed skillet in 1 tablespoon oil.
- Once seared on all sides, place the roast into the slow cooker with the broth, garlic, onion and soy sauce.
- Cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 9-10 hours and then follow the instructions for toasting the bun and assembling the sandwiches.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the leftover beef in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 days. I just strongly suggest storing the meat in the leftover au just to keep the roast from drying out.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Ground Beef
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
- Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
These French Dips are picky-eater approved, satisfying, and easy to make! I hope that you enjoy them as much as my family!
Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
These easy French Dips are made with super tender pressure cooked shredded beef, a garlic toasted bun, gooey cheese, and a rich au jus, for the best Shredded Beef Sandwich ever!
Print Pin RateServings: 8 rolls
Calories: 375kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pound Chuck Roast
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tbsp oil canola or olive oil
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 garlic cloves divided
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 8 hoagie buns
- 1 tbsp butter optional
- 16 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Liberally season the chuck roast on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Turn Pressure Cooker to Saute and let heat to hot. Add oil and sear meat on all sides until golden--about 2-3 minutes per side. I recommend using high heat to saute the beef, but if you have an 8-quart Instant Pot that seems to overheat easily, adjust the temperature of sauteing to Normal instead of High by hitting saute then the adjust button until normal is lit up instead of high or low.
- Once the roast is evenly seared, turn the instant pot off and remove the roast to a plate.
- Pour in 1 cup of the beef stock into the inner pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
- Pour in the remaining 3 cups of stock. Add in 2 garlic cloves, sliced onions, and the soy sauce to pressure cooker. Return the beef back to the inner pot.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed. Set cook time for 60 minutes on high pressure by hitting manual or pressure cook and then using the +/- buttons to adjust until the display reads "60."
- Once cooking time is finished, allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for AT LEAST 10 minutes, but 15-20 minutes is best, before manually releasing pressure.
- Remove the roast from the inner pot and place into a large mixing bowl and turn the pressure cooker back to saute. (Hit Cancel/Off THEN Saute).
- Let the cooking liquid saute with the instant pot open, while you shred the beef and toast the buns so that it intensifies in flavor and reduces slightly.
- Use 2 forks or a hand-held mixer to shred the beef.
- Place rolls, opened up, on a sheet pan. Spread a light layer of butter or drizzle with olive oil. Toast for 5 minutes in a 400-degree oven or carefully and quickly using a broiler until just browned. Remove rolls from the oven and rub the garlic clove over inside of the roll.
- Layer meat and 2 slices of cheese on each roll and return to oven until cheese melts--about 3 minutes.
- Turn off the saute function on the inner pot. Lade up the au jus into bowls, straining first if desired. Serve with the french dips.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Total Time: 10 minutes prep, 15 minutes to come to pressure, 60 minutes cook time, 20 minutes natural release: Total time 1 hour 45 minutes.
- This recipe is designed for a 3-pound roast. To use a larger cut of beef, increase the cook time by 20 minutes per additional pound.
- Using Frozen Beef: To make French Dips with frozen beef, skip the step of sauteing the beef and cook for 30 minutes per pound on high pressure instead of 20 minutes per pound. Keep in mind it will take longer to come to pressure as well.
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Sear the meat in a heavy-bottomed skillet in 1 tablespoon oil. Once seared on all sides, place the chuck roast into the slow cooker with the broth, garlic, onion, and soy sauce and cook on high for 6-7 hours or low for 9-10 hours.
- Leftover shredded beef can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For Gluten-Free French Dip Sandwiches, use Gluten-Free soy sauce and serve on gluten-free buns
- Instead of rubbing the toasted bread with a garlic clove, you can still impart garlic flavor by adding 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to the melted butter or olive oil before brushing on the sandwich rolls.
- While optional to brush the bread with garlic butter, I would not skip toasting the buns for a French Dip Sandwich--it helps the bread from getting soggy.
- My husband recommends after toasting the buns, spreading mayonnaise on the buns as well. I personally omit the mayo, but again, the choice is yours.
- Nutrition Facts are based on 1/3 pound meat, 1 rolls, 2 slices of cheese, and 1 cup au jus.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
Amount Per Serving
Calories 375 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 76mg25%
Sodium 600mg26%
Potassium 577mg16%
Protein 40g80%
Vitamin C 0.3mg0%
Calcium 300mg30%
Iron 5.7mg32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
I would love to know how you enjoy this recipe!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram or Facebook - I would love to see!
This post was originally published in 2017 but was updated in 2020 with a new video and tips.
Yum!! I love a good french dip – this one had tons of flavor, and the best part was I didn’t have to wait all day for it to cook.
These are so good! The beef comes out so tender and the sandwiches are so tasty! Loved it!
Did yoy use 3 whole bulbs of garlic that you divided?
Hi Linda. Yes, I used 2 in the french dip broth and then 1 to rub the toasted bread with 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
I was so excited about the ease of this recipe! But my 4 pound roast came out unable to shred all of it (just the edges), and I used 60 minutes. So I put it back in for 20, still using 15-20 minutes for slow release, and the same happened.
My family loved the taste! But I was really sad that it wasn’t shreddable…that’s our favorite.
Any thoughts? I followed the recipe EXACTLY….
Hi Sue. If you did a quick release the first time, your meat may have seized up a bit, making it tougher even with the added time. Also, was your roast a chuck roast or another cut of beef? Chuck roasts are the most tender.
I rarely leave comments because I just don’t……but this recipe was EXCELLENT! I only buy meat from our local butcher shop so the roast I used was locally grown and grain free, and I made my own broth using Better Than Bouillon (beef) so I could adjust the flavor better. This was really really good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed Kathleen and thank you for taking the time to comment.
Hi Kristen, this is my first instant pot recipe ! I was a nervous wreck preparing but was so happy when the countdown began. Some questions, when I sear the meat, I adjust the sauté function to “more” right ? Versus less or normal. Also when you say sear on all sides, does that include the sides of the roast too? You mentioned scraping off the brown bits on the bottom. After I added the beef broth and other ingredients, I couldn’t quite see the bottom and ended up lifting my meat slightly, and did my best to scrape off the hard bits. How crucial is it to scrape off all the bits ? Lastly, after cooking time and naturally release have completed, do I need to shred the meat immediately, or can I let the meat sit on “keep warm”? Just wondering if I get busy and can’t get to the shredding right away. Thank you so much Kristen, I appreciate all your help😄.
Hi Erica! I understand your nerves. For searing, yes you adjust to “more.” And I do dear all sides of the roast–so that is 6 if you count the ends (but this step is not as crucial.) As long as you don’t have a burn notice, you don’t need to worry you did not scrape enough off bottom of inner pot. Sometimes I take the meat out and scrape the pot and then put the meat back in, but I bet my lifting meat, you did a pretty sufficient job 😉 As for shredding, feel free to leave on keep warm for as long as you like before shredding. Sometimes, I will shred the meat and put back in instant pot and leave on warm until ready to serve as well–either option works. I hope you enjoy!
Made this last night and everyone loved it, but my stepmom was not so crazy about the Dr. Pepper. Can that be subbed out? I’ve read you can swap sodas for beer or extra stock in shredded meat recipes, would that work for this?
Well, I don’t use DR. Pepper, I call for beef broth which I find makes a much more flavorful aus jus. I would try that instead 🙂
This was fantastic! I tried to follow the recipe exactly as written, but my hubby insisted on searing the meat in a cast iron skillet – he layered and rubbed in sea salt, garlic powder and pepper. Also, I didn’t have provolone cheese, so I subbed with mozzarella. I WILL be making this again!
I am so glad your husband and you enjoyed! The extra step of searing meat is always a good idea if time persists too–good call there.
I made this tonight with a frozen chuck roast using your recipe plus the cooking time from your recipe with a frozen roast in the IP. At 90 minutes with a natural release, my 3 lb chuck roast came out perfect!
YAY!!! I am so glad this Instant Pot recipe was a success for you! I hope you enjoyed your French Dips 🙂
Can you use top round London broil for this? If so, how long would I cook a 2 lb. piece of meat?
Thanks.
Hi Sue! London Broil does work, you will just need to slice it after cooking, as it does not shred as easy as a chuck roast. I would cook 2 pounds for 40 minutes on high pressure (20 minutes per pound) for tender meat. With london broil, you either want to cook to med-rare or for long period of time in liquid. I hope you enjoy 🙂
Just fixed this for lunch…it was delicious. My husband repeatedly told me I could fix this dish again. Thank you for a great recipe! It was clear and easy to follow and resulted in a delicious lunch ncl as well as a ton of leftovers.
Oh thanks for sharing Jeanette! My husband asks for this meal over and over himself.
Have you ever made this with a frozen roast before, and if so what would you recommend for cooking time?
Hi Kay! For a frozen roast, I would actually cook for 60 minutes in high pressure and 20 minutes NPR. Of your meat does not slice easily, cook for an additional 20 minutes. Most of the time a fresh roast is more than tender in 40 minutes, but sometimes cuts of meat are thicker or less tender and need a full 60 minutes. However, I would start with 60 minutes for frozen. Enjoy
Omg,I just made this tonight for my family. So yummy! Even my hard to please father enjoyed it.
Wonderful comfort food dish for the fall🍁
YAY!! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed this meal!
This was absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing!
I followed the recipe and made in instant pot. There was a ton of liquid, so next time I may try cutting the liquid in half.
I am SO glad you enjoyed Andrea! This recipe does make a lot of liquid, but we love the Aus-Jus in GENEROUS amounts. However, with the leftovers–use it to make Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup–Delicious!