Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich

Nothing beats a warm, tender Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich loaded with melted cheese and served with rich, savory dipping broth to satisfy a serious comfort-food craving. This recipe turns beef chuck roast into fall-apart shreds flavored with garlic, red wine, honey, and fresh herbs in a fraction of the time it takes to braise. Piled high onto crisp toasted French rolls and smothered in bubbly provolone cheese, it delivers a delicatessen experience right to your home kitchen.

For more delicious Instant Pot meals, try these recipes this week: Instant Pot Curry Australian Lamb Shanks, Instant Pot Beef Ragù with Pappardelle, Instant Pot Truffle Lasagna Soup, & Instant Pot Cajun White Beans

The culinary magic here lies in high-pressure flavor concentration and building depth from the start. We start by searing the seasoned roast directly in the pot, deglazing it with a robust red wine, then balancing with rich beef stock, Worcestershire, and a hint of raw honey. Whole stems of fresh rosemary and sage slowly release their aromatics under pressure, seasoning the meat all the way through while producing a tasty au jus that takes every single dip to the next level.

So what exactly is Au jus?

“Au jus” is a French term that means “with juice” or “containing juice.” Serve it on the side with your French Dip Sandwich. Au jus comes from the beef drippings created during cooking. It forms the foundation of the flavor during and after cooking.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this French Dip Sandwich:

• Chuck Roast Beef: The ideal cut for pressure cooking, melting down into tender, juicy shreds.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Crucial for seasoning the beef surface to help it brown and balance the cooking liquid and dipping jus.
• Basil Flakes: Adds sweet, peppery herbal flavor directly to the meat during the initial sear.
• Yellow Onion and Minced Garlic: Builds the aromatic base, adding natural sweetness and richness to the braising broth.
• Red Wine: The essential deglazing acid.
• Raw Unfiltered Honey: Balances the red wine and the saltiness of the beef stock with a subtle sweetness.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Delivers concentrated umami, tang, and savory depth to the cooking liquid.
• Beef Stock: The primary braising liquid that tenderizes the beef and forms the base of the savory dipping au jus.
• Garlic Powder and Ground Thyme: Integrates seamlessly into the liquid for balanced, consistent herb-and-garlic flavor.
• Sage and Rosemary: Whole herbs that infuse piney, earthy aromatics under pressure without muddying the broth’s texture.
• French Roll Buns: Sturdy bread with a crackly crust and a soft interior, designed to absorb the warm juices without falling apart.
• Provolone Cheese: Melts smoothly over hot beef, providing a mild, creamy blanket that anchors the sandwich.

How to make this French Dip Sandwich:

Season the Beef: Turn the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” setting. While it warms, season the chuck roast evenly on all sides with salt, black pepper, and basil flakes.

Sear: Add a splash of cooking oil to the Instant Pot. Once hot, sear the chuck roast for 2 minutes per side until a deep golden-brown crust develops. Remove the beef and set aside on a plate.

Sauté the Aromatics: Add the chopped yellow onions to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until soft and lightly caramelized.

Switch Settings: Turn off the Sauté function. Change the Instant Pot setting to “Pressure Cook” (or Manual High Pressure) and set the time to 45 minutes.

Build the Liquid Base: Add the minced garlic, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, raw honey, beef stock, sage stem, rosemary stems, garlic powder, ground thyme, sea salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.

Pressure Cook: Return the seared chuck roast to the liquid and spoon some seasoned stock over the top of the roast. Close the lid, lock it into place, and set the steam release valve to the sealing position.

Rest and Release: Once the 45-minute cook cycle finishes, let the Instant Pot naturally slow-release for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to manually vent any remaining pressure.

Shred the Beef: Carefully remove the lid. Transfer the beef to a large bowl or cutting board. Shred the meat apart using two forks (or use an electric handheld mixer on low speed).

Toast the Buns: Slice the French roll buns lengthwise. Lightly spread the inside surfaces with butter and toast them under a broiler or in a dry skillet until golden and crisp.

Assemble: Line the bottom of each toasted roll with 2 slices of provolone cheese, then pile a generous portion of the hot, shredded beef right on top so the residual heat melts the cheese.

Finish the Au Jus & Serve: Ladle at least 1 cup of the warm cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, then stir in sea salt. Serve the sandwiches hot with the warm au jus on the side for dipping.

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

Make the ultimate Instant Pot French Dip Sandwich! Tender shredded beef, melted provolone, and rich homemade au jus on toasted French rolls.

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 3-6 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

• 2 lb chuck roast beef
• 2 1/4 tsp sea salt, divided
• 2 tsp black pepper, divided
• 2 tsp basil flakes
• 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 fresh sage stem
• 2 fresh rosemary stems
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 3 French roll buns, toasted
• 6 provolone cheese slices

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Turn the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” setting. While it warms, season the chuck roast evenly on all sides with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, and basil flakes.
2. Add a splash of cooking oil to the Instant Pot. Once hot, sear the chuck roast for 2 minutes per side until a deep golden-brown crust develops. Remove the beef and set aside on a plate.
3. Add the chopped yellow onions to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until soft and lightly caramelized.
4. Turn off the Sauté function. Change the Instant Pot setting to “Pressure Cook” (or Manual High Pressure) and set the time to 45 minutes.
5. Add the minced garlic, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, honey, beef stock, sage stems, rosemary stems, garlic powder, ground thyme, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to the pot. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.
6. Return the seared chuck roast to the liquid and spoon seasoned stock over the roast. Close the lid, lock it into place, and set the steam release valve to the sealing position.
7. Once the 45-minute cook cycle finishes, let the Instant Pot slow-release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to manually release any remaining pressure.
8. Carefully remove the lid. Transfer the beef to a large bowl or cutting board. Shred the meat using two forks (or use an electric handheld mixer on low speed).
9. Slice the French roll buns lengthwise. Lightly spread the inside surfaces with butter and toast them under a broiler or in a dry skillet until golden and crisp.
10. Line the bottom of each toasted roll with 2 slices of provolone cheese, then pile a generous portion of the hot, shredded beef right on top so the residual heat melts the cheese.
11. Ladle at least 1 cup of the warm cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, then stir in sea salt. Serve the sandwiches hot with the warm au jus on the side for dipping.

Equipment

Instant Pot

Buy Now →

(paid link)

Notes

If cooking without alcohol, replace the 1 cup of red wine with an additional ¾ cup beef stock plus 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to provide that necessary acid and deep color.

• Author: Eric Jones
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Category: Sandwich
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 sandwich
• Calories: 890
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 1940 mg
• Fat: 42 g
• Saturated Fat: 19 g
• Trans Fat: 1.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 62 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 64 g
• Cholesterol: 180 mg