Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches - Traditional - Dump and Go Dinner
This Instant Pot version of our simple yet classic French Dip sandwiches yields a mouthwateringly tender roast imbued with rosemary, garlic, and just the right amount of umami to keep you enticed. Easy and freezer friendly, this is a meal that is apt to become a fast favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds quarter Beef Roast
- ⅓ cups Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoons Bouillon, Beef, Granules
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 1 ½ teaspoons Rosemary, Dried
- ½ teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves
- 4 individual Hamburger Buns, White
Containers
Supplies
Cooking Instructions
Freeze For Later Cooking Day Directions
These directions help you cook or prepare this meal PRIOR to being frozen for serving later (see Serving Day Directions when you are ready to prepare it to eat).
Why would I want to freeze this?
- Cut as much of the fat off the roast as you can and place in indicated number of containers.
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Make From Frozen Serving Day Directions
These directions help you cook or reheat this meal AFTER it's been frozen for when you are ready to eat it.
- Prep from frozen
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Make It Now Cooking Directions
These directions are for cooking this recipe to serve immediately and NOT to freeze for later.
- **Due to the nature of pressure cooking there is always room for inconsistency. The times given here are based on 4 servings fresh. If you are using more servings you may need to increase your cooking time.**
- Cut as much of the fat off the roast as you can and place in inner pot.
- Mix together soy sauce, bouillon, peppercorns, rosemary and garlic.
- Pour mixture over roast in inner pot.
- Add enough water to cover roast.
- Lock cover into place and seal steam nozzle.
- Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Release pressure.
- Shred roast with a fork and serve on buns.
Nutrition Facts
- Servings Per Recipe
- 4 Servings
- Serving Size
- 1 sandwich Amount Per Serving
- Calories
- 453
- Total Fat
- 13g
- Saturated Fat
- 5g
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Cholesterol
- 147mg
- Sodium
- 1506mg
- Total Carbohydrates
- 24g
- Fiber
- 1g
- Sugar
- 3g
- Protein
- 56g
- WW Freestyle
- 10
27 Comments
Join the discussionHi! Are the Serving Day instructions correct? Step 1 references a 64 oz container, but the supply list says to use freezer bags. Also, are we not to add water if cooking from frozen? Thanks much!
Hi Danielle, this recipe is adapted from an original recipe where we recommended freezer bags for containers. We recommend the 64oz containers for the Instant Pot version of this recipe because it’s frozen in a perfect shape to drop right into the IP! Either will work fine – it’s your choice! When cooking from frozen you’ll notice the serving day instructions say to add enough water to cover the rest. Enjoy!
It says “Thaw: Prep from frozen” but you mention the shape of containers. If it’s thawed, the shape of the containers shouldn’t matter unless it’s implied you can drop it in frozen.
Can you explain what you mean by “Thaw: Prep from frozen”?
We recently added this instruction that has confused our Instant Pot users, understandably. We are working on a language fix. “Thaw: Prep from frozen” means “This recipe does not need to be thawed”.
We just made this recipe and ran into the same problem. We put everything in gallon freezer bags (per the instructions) and froze it but now it doesn’t fit will in the instant pot. The instructions should be revised to just freeze it in 64 oz containers like all the other instant pot recipes we have followed from OAMM.
Hi Jake,
Sorry for your inconvenience. We will update the container. Often with roasts, especially since it’s been quartered, it would fit in the Instant Pot – so we could use a bag to save precious space in the freezer. Since that isn’t the case we will revise.
What are you dipping it in? A french dip usually has an au jus, hence the name french dip? Am I missing a part of the recipe? Thanks 🙂
The liquid that the roast cooks in makes the au jus. After cooking, I remove the beef and shred separately and strain the liquid it cooked in for dipping.
A family favorite recipe! Just a note, I’ve made this several times in my Instant Pot and it shreds better if cooked longer. I usually cook mine for 60 min. That is with a fresh roast (not frozen) that came from the fridge.
Thank you for your feedback! We’re so glad to hear this is a family favorite!
What kind of beef roast is used for this recipe? Chuck? Bottom Round? Eye Round? We love French Dip…
Chuck roast is the best choice for pressure cooking. You don’t want a roast that is really lean or it will just be tough.
I chose a top round roast for this but next time I will go with a chuck roast. The top round shredded beautifully after 60 minutes from frozen but was a little dry. It seemed like a lot of liquid and I thought the au jus was a little light, personally. I will say we made one container, so four servings. I planned to eat one half of a serving and still couldn’t eat it all. I feel that 2 pounds of roast could easily feed more than 4 unless you are feeding teenage boys. My husband absolutely loved it and I’m looking forward to making this again.
I usually make this recipe with a jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers, a whole onion sliced thin and voila…a beer or two. Yep. Salt, Pepper…(understood).
Everyone probably changes it a little.
Those sound like some great adaptions.
Given that *all* bouillon products on the market contain MSG (yes, even the organic offerings labelled “MSG free”) and other unhealthy additives, and given that liquid is required for pressure cooking anyway, I will omit the bouillon and add liquid broth in an equivalent amount (usually 1 tsp bouillon=1 cup broth).
Great substitution Dana! Let us know how it turns out!
How do you think the meat would taste if I precook the roast, shred and then freeze? If I try that, how long should it take to reheat pre-cooked meat in the InstaPot?
Here are some great resources for helping determine how long for what in the IP:
https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/series/instant-pot/instant-pot-tips-tricks-101/
https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/series/instant-pot/instant-pot-tips-tricks-201/
when you say quarter beef roast, do you mean to pre cut the roast into 4 pieces?
That is correct!
I usually use Better Than Bouillion, rather than actual bouillon cubes. Would this work for this recipe? If so, do I dilute the Better Than Bouillion paste with water, as the normal instructions for cooking with this product? Or leave it as a paste in the frozen zip lock?
HI Michelle! I would suggest diluting it as the normal instructions advise. Let us know how it goes!
What cut of meat should i buy for this?
Hi Beth – We leave the cut of beef up to you as we know you may want to buy what’s on sale or what you prefer – bottom, chuck, round would all work.
What cut of meat should i use?
You can use any cut of beef roast that you prefer – Chuck roast, round roast, rump roast, etc. We are vague intentionally so that you can feel free to use whatever cut of meat you prefer or is on sale.