Easy French Dip Sandwiches

As I’ve noted before, it’s nice to have numerous easy-to-prepare meals in my repertoire. I’m almost always short on time these days, so meals that don’t take a lot of prep work and cleanup are becoming some of my favorites!

Here’s one that is both easy and tasty. We loved the flavor of these hearty sandwiches when dipped in the flavorful au jus.

Ingredients

(Adapted from this recipe.)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Several dashes salt and pepper
• 1 lb. thinly sliced deli roast beef
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 24-32 oz. beef broth
• 4 hoagie rolls
• 8 slices Swiss or provolone cheese (whichever you prefer)

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté until tender. Add the roast beef and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Cook until thoroughly heated.

Remove the meat and onions from the pan and set aside. Add the flour to the pan and stir into the liquid that remains to make a roux (this will be thick).

Slowly whisk in the beef broth a little at a time (use less broth for thicker au jus, more for thinner au jus). Continue stirring until smooth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer while you assemble the sandwiches.

Set the oven to broil. Cut the rolls lengthwise and place them cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted (watch them closely so they don’t become too crispy). Remove from the oven and set aside the top portion of each roll. Turn the bottoms of the rolls cut side up. Place beef and onions on each roll, then top each with 2 slices of cheese. Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Return the top portion of each roll to its bottom. Move the sandwiches to plates. Serve a small bowl of au jus alongside each sandwich. Yield: 4 sandwiches.

Notes

As you can see, this meal doesn’t take a lot of prep work. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or dishes to prepare. This means that cleanup is also quick and easy! I served a simple salad alongside the sandwiches. This made for a tasty, family-friendly meal.

I like the flavor of Swiss cheese with roast beef, so I used Swiss on my sandwich. However, no one else in my family likes Swiss, so I used provolone on the other sandwiches. Both worked well! I think this would also taste great with cheddar, Monterrey Jack, or even Muenster. Regardless of which type of cheese you use, it is the au jus that really makes this dish special. It has a great savory flavor. It is just slightly thicker than broth, which helps it cling to the sandwich when you dip it. Yum!

Have you prepared any tasty, easy-to-prepare meals lately? If so, I’d love to hear about them!

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Homes, Busy Monday, and Weekend Potluck.