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French Dip Sliders are the warm, melty, savory game day appetizer that disappears off the platter in about three minutes flat, and I started making these for my family one snowy Sunday when Maddie wanted a sandwich and Lizzie just kept stealing the caramelized onions straight out of the skillet. If you love an easy crowd pleaser like our easy Sloppy Joe Sliders recipe, these are your next obsession.
Tender roast beef, melty provolone, sweet caramelized onions, and a buttery onion soup glaze on top of soft Hawaiian rolls, all served with warm au jus for dipping.
French Dip Sliders Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 45 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 60 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 12 sliders
- ⚡ Calories: 320kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Buttery, savory, and beefy with sweet onion notes (perfect for game day)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Reuben Sliders recipe
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crowd pleaser in 60 minutes flat: One pan of these French Dip Sliders feeds 12 people, with most of the time spent in the oven so you can prep the rest of the spread.
- Uses deli roast beef: No slow cooker, no smoker, no roast to babysit. Pre sliced deli roast beef does all the heavy lifting just like our Baked Ham and Swiss Sliders recipe.
- That buttery glaze on top: Melted butter mixed with onion soup mix brushed across the tops of Hawaiian rolls is the move that turns ordinary sliders into something nobody can stop eating.
Key Ingredients
- Hawaiian sweet rolls: A 12 pack of soft sweet rolls is the canvas for French Dip Sliders. Keep the rolls intact and slice across the middle so you have one big top and one big bottom.
- Deli sliced roast beef: 14 ounces of thinly sliced roast beef from the deli counter is the shortcut that makes this recipe weeknight friendly. Ask the counter to slice it on the thinner side so it folds easily into the layers.
- Provolone cheese: 10 slices stack on top and bottom for that melty pull. Swap in mozzarella if you want something milder or our favorite shortcut for cheesy weeknight dinners.
- Onion soup mix and au jus packet: The packet does double duty. Dried onion soup mix flavors the butter glaze on top of the rolls, and the au jus packet plus water makes the dipping sauce.
- Fresh thyme and a sweet onion: Caramelized onions tucked into the middle of the sliders bring slow cooked depth without a slow cook time. Fresh thyme is worth it here but a half teaspoon of dried thyme works in a pinch.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the cheese: Swiss or mozzarella both melt beautifully and pair well with roast beef. Pepper jack adds a kick if you want it spicy.
- Add horseradish or Dijon: Spread a thin layer of horseradish sauce or Dijon mustard on the bottom rolls before adding the cheese for a sharper bite.
- Swap the rolls: Brioche slider buns or pretzel buns both work if you want a different roll. The sweetness of Hawaiian rolls is classic but the recipe is forgiving.
- Try a different filling: Use the same butter glaze and au jus combo with leftover pot roast, deli turkey, or even shredded chicken like our Monterey Chicken Sliders.
- Make them spicy: Add a few dashes of hot sauce to the au jus, or layer in pickled jalapenos with the onions for heat.
How to Make French Dip Sliders
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and coat them in the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes until soft and browned but not burnt.
- Add the thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, take off the heat, and set the onions aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the rolls out of the package, keeping them intact. Slice across so you have the tops and bottoms separated. Place the bottoms cut side up into an 11 by 7 baking dish.
- Top the rolls with half of the cheese. Add the roast beef. Top with the onions, spreading them out. Add the remaining cheese, then place the tops of the rolls back on.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and onion soup mix. Brush the mixture across the tops of the rolls for even coverage, or just pour the butter sauce on top.
- Cover loosely with foil, making sure the foil is not touching the tops of the rolls. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to brown the rolls.
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the au jus per the package directions with the water. Serve the sliders warm with an optional garnish of parsley and a small bowl of au jus on the side for dipping.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Keep the rolls intact when you slice them. Run a serrated knife across the middle of the whole 12 pack so the rolls stay connected on top and bottom. Assembling them as one big slab is the secret to clean slider portions.
- Caramelize the onions slow. Resist the urge to crank the heat. 12 to 15 minutes at medium is the sweet spot for soft, sweet, deeply golden onions without any burnt edges.
- Brush, don’t pour the butter glaze. Brushing distributes the onion soup mix evenly across every roll top. Pouring leaves the seasoning in puddles. Use a pastry brush if you have one, the back of a spoon if you don’t.
- Tent the foil. Foil touching the buttered tops will pull off the seasoning when you peel it back. Crimp the edges loosely so there is a small dome over the rolls.
- Make ahead friendly. Assemble the sliders fully (minus the butter glaze) up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. Brush the butter on right before they go in the oven so the rolls don’t go soggy.
- Storage and reheating. Wrap leftovers in foil and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes to crisp the tops back up. Au jus reheats best on the stovetop.
- Freezer notes. French Dip Sliders freeze well wrapped tightly in foil and frozen up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through, similar to how we freeze our Baked Spaghetti and Meatball Sliders.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
French Dip Sliders pull double duty as the centerpiece of a game day spread or the easiest weeknight dinner you can serve a hungry family. Set them out hot with a small bowl of warm au jus per person for dipping, plus napkins (lots of napkins).
For a full appetizer board, pair the sliders with our Ultimate Game Day Nachos, a bowl of Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a tray of popcorn chicken. Add fresh cut veggies and ranch for a balanced spread that disappears in minutes.
For weeknight dinner, French Dip Sliders go great alongside a simple tater tot bake or our green bean stir fry for something lighter. Either pairing turns the sliders into a complete meal in under an hour.
French Dip Sliders FAQs
Yes. Assemble the French Dip Sliders fully (minus the butter glaze) up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. Brush the butter and onion soup mix on right before baking so the rolls do not go soggy.
Soft sweet Hawaiian rolls are the favorite for French Dip Sliders. Brioche slider buns and pretzel buns also work well if you want a different texture.
Absolutely. Thinly slice leftover pot roast or prime rib and layer it the same way. Pre sliced deli roast beef just keeps French Dip Sliders weeknight friendly.
Wrap leftovers in foil and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes to crisp the tops back up. Warm the au jus on the stovetop in a small pot.
Yes. Wrap fully baked French Dip Sliders tightly in foil and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until warmed through.
Provolone is the classic for French Dip Sliders because it melts well and pairs perfectly with roast beef. Swiss, mozzarella, and pepper jack all work as easy swaps.
Other Recommended Slider Recipes
If you made these French Dip Sliders, leave a star rating and a comment below. We love seeing what your family thinks and your reviews help other home cooks find this recipe. Tag us on Instagram @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen so we can see your sliders too.
Easy French Dip Sliders Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 12 sweet rolls
- 10 slices provolone cheese
- 14 ounces sliced deli roast beef
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried onion soup mix
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix
- 3 cups water
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and coat them in the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes until soft and browned but not burnt.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add the thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, take off the heat, and set aside.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the rolls out of the package, keeping them intact. Slice across so you have the tops and bottoms separated. Place the bottoms cut side up into an 11 by 7 baking dish.
- Top with half of the cheese. Add the roast beef. Top with the onions, spreading them out. Add the remaining cheese, then place the tops of the rolls back on.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and onion soup mix. Brush the mixture across the tops of the rolls for even coverage, or just pour the butter sauce on top.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Cover loosely with foil, making sure the foil is not touching the tops of the rolls. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to brown the rolls.
- While the rolls are baking, prepare the au jus per the package directions with the water. Serve the sliders warm with an optional garnish of parsley and a small bowl of au jus on the side for dipping.3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Video
Notes
- Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh, just cut the amount in half.
- You can use any slider buns you’d like but sweet rolls are our favorite.
- Provolone and mozzarella are our cheeses of choice for this recipe.
- The au jus is optional, but just ads that much more flavor when consuming.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
Nutrition
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Thank you I agree – I could eat those all day long sooooo good.
Loved it and so did our guests. Easy to make and delicious. Great for a meal or heavy appetizer.
Made these Christmas 2024. It’s my “GO-TO” for sliders now. Just built a pan for Christmas Eve tonight. MERRY CHRISTMAS or HAPPY HOLIDAYS .
Wow! These have the perfect flavor. I used sweet slider buns instead of the rolls. The whole family loved them.
These were so easy to make and delicious! I left the onions of a couple and my son even ate them.I’ll absolutely make these again.
I absolutely love these! My family devours the whole dish every time I make it 🙂
I made these tonight for our guests and I used my own homemade sourdough dinner buns to make them!! Everyone loooooved them!! So good! I will definitely be making them again. And it was so easy to follow and make!
Fantastic! This was a great, inexpensive, crowd pleaser at the firehouse. I substituted the cheese for a smoked Gouda and Gruyere blend, and it was absolutely phenomenal. Will be using this again!
Excellent !
I Cut the butter in Half for the topping – Glad I did .. they were plenty buttery
Yes you can!
Can these be assembled the night before?
Great recipe will definitely cook again!
I made a few adjustments to the recipe this evening to better suit my tastes. First, I marinated finely sliced onions and mushrooms in low-sodium Dale’s Sauce before sautéing them in 3T butter until they were soft. I split the buns and spread a thin layer of Boar’s Head Horseradish Sauce on the top and bottom buns. I layered the cheese and topped it with the layer of roast beef. I spread the layer of sautéed mushrooms and onions on top of the beef and then added the remainder of the cheese. I added the top of the buns and then lightly brushed melted butter across them. For my au jus, I warmed up a can of Progressive French Onion Soup. I feel like the sodium in Lipton’s French Onion Soup Mix and the au jus powder is too much. This method is much more flavorful.
They were a crowd pleaser. I didn’t do the au jus and added peppercinni peppers in with the onions. So good
Delicious and easy to prepare