French Dip Grilled Cheese (Printer-Friendly)

Golden grilled bread layered with juicy roast beef and cheese, served with savory au jus for delicious dipping.

# What You Need:

→ Sandwich

01 - 8 slices crusty bread, such as sourdough or French bread
02 - 8 slices provolone cheese
03 - 12 ounces roast beef, thinly sliced
04 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Au Jus

06 - 2 cups beef broth, preferably low-sodium
07 - 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
08 - 1 teaspoon soy sauce
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and dried thyme. Heat over medium until simmering, then reduce heat and keep warm.
02 - Spread softened unsalted butter on one side of each bread slice. Place 4 slices, buttered side down, on a clean work surface.
03 - Layer each bread slice with 1 slice of provolone, 3 ounces of roast beef, sautéed sliced onions if using, and a second slice of provolone. Top each with a remaining bread slice, buttered side up.
04 - Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grill the sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
05 - Remove sandwiches from the pan, slice each in half, and serve hot with a bowl of warmed au jus for dipping.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Once you dip hot, cheesy bread into cozy, beefy au jus, plain grilled cheese will never cut it again.
  • It’s the absolute champion of fast comfort food when you want dinner to feel special and unfussy.
02 -
  • If the skillet is too hot, your bread will scorch long before the cheese melts through—medium heat is magical.
  • Letting the sandwiches sit for a minute after grilling makes slicing cleaner and keeps the filling intact in the dip.
03 -
  • Softened butter works better than melted for coating bread without making it soggy.
  • Let the sandwiches rest a moment before slicing so the filling doesn’t rush out.
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