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French Dip

Name: French Dip
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: Sandwiches
Ingredients: 6 oz thinly sliced deli roast beef; 2 slices provolone cheese; 1 high-quality French roll or baguette (split); 1.5 cups high-quality beef broth or beef consommé; 1 clove garlic (smashed)

Warm roast beef on a French roll, served with a savory au jus for dipping.

20 minutes

Serves 1

Dinner

9 min prep

15 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Wheat

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Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Preheat the broiler. Place the split French roll on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Broil for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted and crisp.
2
In a medium saucepan, bring the beef broth and smashed garlic clove to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the garlic flavor.
3
Using tongs, dip the slices of roast beef into the simmering broth for 30-45 seconds, just until warmed through and tender. Do not overcook.
4
Remove the beef from the broth (letting excess drip off) and pile it high onto the bottom half of the toasted roll.
5
Drape the provolone cheese over the hot beef. Place the sandwich back under the broiler for 1 minute, or until the cheese is bubbling and completely melted.
6
Close the sandwich and slice it in half. Remove the garlic from the remaining broth, pour the au jus into a small ramekin, and serve alongside the sandwich for dipping.

French Dip — plated and served — Serving moment. How French Dip looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

76/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 38

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

470

Calories

50 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

27 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

The French dip was created in Los Angeles in the early 1900s, with both Philippe's and Cole's claiming to have first dunked a roast-beef roll in pan juices. Despite the name it is wholly American; the dish is defined by the au jus served alongside for dipping, which is why the broth is built and the beef is barely warmed rather than boiled.

Listahan note

This version infuses the beef broth with a smashed garlic clove and only dips the roast beef in it for under a minute, keeping the meat tender while reserving the seasoned jus as the sandwich's whole point.

Technique cues

Simmering smashed garlic in the broth for five minutes builds a seasoned au jus without raw garlic bite, since the clove is removed before serving.
Dipping the roast beef for only 30 to 45 seconds warms it through without cooking it tough, which is the difference between tender and dry.
Toasting the roll under the broiler first gives it a crisp interior that holds up to the moist beef and the dunking that follows.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Broil the split roll while the garlic infuses the simmering broth so both finish together.
Make-ahead: Make and refrigerate the au jus a day ahead, then reheat to dip and serve.
Leftover move: Save extra jus to braise vegetables or moisten a next-day beef-and-onion bowl.
Cleanup rhythm: Rinse the broth saucepan promptly so the beefy film does not dry onto the sides.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

deli roast beef

Main protein

Purpose: Thin, rare-roasted beef stays tender when barely warmed and carries the jus.

Handling: Dip briefly in the hot broth just to warm, never to simmer.

Adaptation: Thinly sliced leftover home-roasted beef works and lets you reserve its drippings for the jus.

beef broth or consomme

Au jus base

Purpose: It is both the warming bath and the dipping sauce that defines the sandwich.

Handling: Simmer with garlic to deepen it, then strain and serve hot in a ramekin.

Adaptation: Better-quality beef stock reduced slightly mimics consomme's body.

provolone cheese

Melting layer

Purpose: Draped over the hot beef and broiled, it adds richness that clings as you dip.

Handling: Lay it on the piled beef and broil one minute until bubbling.

Adaptation: Mild Swiss melts similarly with a slightly nuttier note.

French roll or baguette

Structure

Purpose: A crusty roll holds its shape when dunked in hot jus rather than dissolving.

Handling: Split and broil cut-side up to crisp the interior before building.

Adaptation: A sturdy hoagie roll works but softens faster in the jus.

garlic clove

Aromatic

Purpose: It perfumes the jus with savory depth without overpowering the beef.

Handling: Smash and simmer it, then fish it out before serving.

Adaptation: A pinch of garlic powder gives a rounder, milder background if fresh is unavailable.

Technique notes

Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a boil, so dipping the beef warms it without toughening the slices.
Strain the garlic from the jus before serving so the dip is clean and clear, not gritty.
Serve the au jus piping hot in its own ramekin so the sandwich is dipped fresh at the table, not soaked in advance.

Ingredient swaps

Gluten-free direction: Use a gluten-free baguette and confirm the broth or consomme is gluten-free, as some contain wheat.
Dairy-free direction: Skip the provolone and lean on the rich jus, or use a plant-based melting slice.
Lower-sodium direction: Build the au jus from low-sodium broth and season with garlic and pepper instead of salt.

Serve alongside

Crispy french fries
Horseradish on the side
Simple arugula salad
Roasted potato wedges
Dark roasted ale
Cold cola
Dry red wine

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the beef and au jus separately for up to 3 days.
Reheat the jus to a simmer and warm the beef in it briefly; recrisp the roll in the oven.
The au jus freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw and reheat, but assemble the sandwich fresh.

Equipment

Medium saucepan
Broiler-safe baking sheet
Tongs
Small ramekin for the au jus

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