The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
This Instant Pot French Dip Recipe is great when feeding a crowd. Chuck roast is pressure-cooked until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and then served on hoagie rolls with Provolone cheese.
For eight servings, this recipe costs about $23.78. That works out to be just $2.97. That is a great price to feed your whole family!
If you want more ideas on what to do with your chuck roast, check out our Christmas Beef Chuck Roast and our Slow Cooker Pot Roast.
These mouth-watering French Dip Sandwiches will quickly become a family favorite in your house. They make an easy weeknight dinner any time of the year.
Serve them as total comfort food during those long, cold winter months. Or serve them during the summer when you want to keep the oven off.
Our French Dip recipe is made using the Instant Pot. Yay for not using the stove or oven!
With a little bit of prep work, you can get out of the kitchen and come back soon for juicy, tender beef that you serve on a hoagie bun and smother in cheese. Then, dip it into the au jus sauce for the final taste bud explosion!
Ingredients and Cost
RECIPE COST: $23.78
PRICE PER SERVING: $2.97
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil – $0.14
- 3-pound chuck roast – $16.41
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – $0.03
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.03
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder – $0.01
- 2 cups beef broth – $0.66
- 1 oz packet dry au jus mix – $0.59
- 12 slices provolone cheese – $2.22
- 8 hoagie buns OR French rolls- $3.68
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
Instructions
- First, set the Instant Pot to the “saute” setting. After the display reads “HOT,” add the olive oil.
- Next, rub the dry seasonings into the roast and set it inside the pot to sear on all sides. Remove when done. Don’t skip this step because searing the meat makes those lovely brown bits of meat.
- Pour the beef broth into the pot. Scrape down any browned bits.
- Add the roast back to the pot and sprinkle the au jus packet over the top. Close the lid and cook on the meat/stew setting.
- Finally, after the Instant Pot has naturally been released, remove the lid and shred the meat. Place on a hoagie bun with cheese before serving and strain the au jus from the pot for dipping the sandwiches.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- You can use a rump roast instead of chuck roast.
- Instead of a hoagie roll, you can use a French Roll, or even French bread cut into sections.
- If you can’t find dry au jus packets, then use a French onion soup mix packet.
- Instead of beef broth, you can use beef stock for these Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches.
Storage Tips
Serve: You can keep the meat our for about 2 hours before it needs to be refrigerated.
Store: Keep the meat covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freeze: Place the shredded meat in an airtight container or freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Freeze this way up to 3 months.
Reheat: Defrost the meat at room temperature for 3-4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Cook’s Tools
- Instant Pot
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- wooden mixing spoon
Recipe FAQ’s
A few of our favorite side dishes to serve with these sandwiches include our Instant Pot Corn on the Cob, Caesar Salad Kit, and our Mexican Fruit Salad.
While they have similar ingredients, au jus is not the same as brown gravy mix. Instead, au jus sauce has a thinner consistency that is closer to broth than gravy.
Au jus is a French word that translates to “with juice.” The term refers to meat served with a liquid that has been made from the fluids of the meat that are released while the meat cooks.
Get Kids Involved
Ages 2-3: Let them help you pat dry the roast and rub the dry rub on all sides of the roast. This is a great opportunity to teach young kids kitchen safety on handling raw meat. You can teach concepts such as not eating raw meat and washing your hands really well before and after handling raw meat.
Ages 4-5: Let your child pour in the beef broth and dry au jus sauce over the roast in the Instant Pot.
Ages 6-8: Teach your child how to turn on the Instant Pot and use the different settings throughout the recipe. It’s also important to teach them safety, especially when turning the valve to release pressure.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
Budget Tips
Look for those sales at your local grocery stores when roasts are buy one get one free and stick one in the freezer. We also like to buy our roasts from Costco to save a few dollars.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
- Honey Baked Ham
- Lasagna
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Popcorn
- Meatloaf
- Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Potato Soup
- Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Refried Beans
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
- Turkey Breast
- Instant Pot Turkey Gravy
Instant Pot French Dip Recipe
Recipe Cost 23.78 Serving Cost 2.97Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Wooden mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 pound chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 oz packet dry au jus mix
- 12 slices of provolone cheese
- 8 hoagie buns
Instructions
PREP INSTANT POT:
- Remove the lid and set the Instant Pot to the “Saute” setting.
- When the display reads “HOT," add olive oil to the pot.
PREP AND SEAR ROAST:
- Season the roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Rub the seasonings into the roast.
- Add the roast to the Instant Pot and sear it on all sides. Remove the roast and set aside.
- Pour beef broth into the Instant pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.
COOK:
- Add the roast back to the Instant Pot and sprinkle the au jus packet over top.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to the meat/stew function.
- Cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes
- After the cooking time is complete, let the pot naturally release for 25 minutes, and then turn the valve to vent to release any remaining pressure.
TO FINISH:
- Remove the lid and shred the meat with forks.
- Place shredded roast on a hoagie bun (toasted or not) with cheese.
- Strain off some of the au jus from the instant pot for dipping the sandwiches.
Sandi says
I haven’t had a French dip in ages. My mouth is watering!
Gina says
French Dip is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a chuck roast – the IP is the perfect way to cook this – so tender and juicy!
Ryan White says
I have a 10quart Instant Pot. What would my conversion of Beef Broth be? Is it usually double?
Jess Jankowski says
Yes, you can double it.
Libby Dee says
I’ve been cooking for my mom during her recovery from hip surgery summer and bought her in Instant Pot. I have tried lots of different recipes to keep things interesting. This one has become one of my family’s favorite meals! So easy and extremely flavorful. Even my nephew (who is the pickiest eater) begs me to make this when
Jess Jankowski says
Libby, this is amazing! We are thrilled our recipe has become one of your family favorites and hope you come back to try some of our other recipes too!
Ruth says
I don’t have an Instant pot what can I use? A slow cooker ok?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Ruth, we have not tested this recipe in a crock pot. You may be able to do it in a crock pot and adjust the time to cook longer. Let us know how it goes if you try it!