This Gluten Free French dip sandwich recipe makes a great quick dinner to use up roast beef and keep the family happy with flavour while eating leftovers. It is a top 8, dairy and gluten free recipe that is great for busy weeknight meals.
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Why We Like This Recipe
This is a meal I used to order a lot at restaurants when I was a young adult. It seems to be a bit of a staple in North American pub fare and diner restaurants. It is a sandwich that can be served warm or cold and comes with a side of piping hot beef broth for dipping called au jus. Some places use a more gravy-like dip but we stick to the clear au jus that hits the spot for us without being claggy and thick.
Not everyone calls this beef centred sandwich the same thing. In Canada it is commonly referred to as a beef dip but in America it is a French Dip. It is a North American food and not actually a French one at all, even though it has ingredients that sound French like Au Jus.
A Beef Dip is the perfect way to use leftover beef roasts and steaks. We love to use leftovers in our house. It helps to keep our food bills down and grocery costs low. We talk a bit about it in our article “3 Ways to Save Money on Allergy Friendly Food”.
Ingredients
- Plant Based Margarine Spread
- Garlic Powder
- Parsley
- Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns
- Cold Roast Beef
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Salt and Pepper
- Beef Au Jus
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Plant Based Margarine Spread
Any Dairy Free spread or block will work. We usually use Earth Balance soy free spread or Melt Organics spread or sticks.
Garlic Powder
Fresh garlic can be used but for ease and to reduce time and costs we use garlic powder. If a salty garlic bread is preferred use a small amount of garlic salt, but not all garlic salt, in place of garlic powder.
Parsley
Dried is the best and most economical. It is mixed with the melted spread for the garlic butter.
Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns
Little Northern Bakehouse makes great top 8 free, gluten free buns that we use to make our beef dips. There may be other brands nearer to you that do or make your own gluten free buns.
Cold Roast Beef
Thinly shaved roast beef is the best. We aren’t able to use the deli counter meats but ones prepared in a plant that follow allergen controls can be used. Shaved roast beef from leftover beef roasts is the perfect way to use up food while making it fun and different.
Onion
Yellow or white work best in this recipe. Shallots are generally too mild when fried. Sweet onions like a walla walla or vidalia are amazing when used in this recipe but they can be more expensive and if cost is a concern go with the regular onions.
Beef Au Jus
We use au jus from our recipe for Au Jus. It can be frozen in single portions or used straight after making.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
Melt the plant based margarine. In a small bowl mix in the garlic powder and dried parsley. Stir well to combine and make garlic butter. (We find a whisk works really well for this.)
Step 2
Cover a cookie sheet with aluminium foil. If the hot dog buns are not cut, slice them lengthwise, as if for a hot dog, but cut all the way through the bun. Lay the bun flat cut side up on the cookie sheet.
Step 3
Using a basting brush or the back of a spoon, brush the cut side of the bun with the garlic butter. Set aside.
Step 4
Heat the beef au jus in a medium pot over medium heat until it boils and simmers for 5 mins. After simmering for 5 minutes, keep warm.
Step 5
While the beef au jus is heating, in a medium frying pan warm the olive oil. Add in the thinly sliced onion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sautee, stirring often until the onions are translucent and starting to brown. This may take up to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 6
Broil the buns under the oven broiler for 1-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Watch the toasting as it will happen quickly.
Step 7
Slice the beef really thin.
Gluten Free French Dip Sandwiches can be served cold or heated.
To serve cold, layer the beef and the cooked onions on the garlic buttered toasted bun base. Cap with the top bun.
To serve heated, place sliced beef into the au jus before it is reduced to simmer. Simmer the beef au jus with the beef for 5-8 mins or until the beef is heated through. Remove the warmed beef front he aus jus and layer on the garlic buttered toasted bun base. Top with sauteed onions and the top bun.
Step 8
Cut the sandwich in half. Measure out ½ C of au jus into a heat safe bowl for dipping the beef dip into for eating.
Hint:
For best flavour make the sandwiches right before serving as the bread will still be warm and the onions, as well.
Substitutions
- Lettuce - Add lettuce on the beef dip as an extra layer or as a wrap to the dip if gluten free bins are not suitable with your allergies and diet.
- Burger Bun - The hot dog buns can be replaced with gluten free burger buns, bread, or a favourite roll.
- Olive Oil - A neutral oil can be used in place of olive oil for cooking the onions. It only needs to be an oil with a high enough smoking point for cooking at that heat.
Variations /Adaptations
- Spicy - Add a bit of hot sauce to the sandwich to bring the spice up. Slice jalapenos or pickled banana peppers added to the French dip will also pack a punch. If using sliced hot peppers omit the seeds.
- Mushrooms - When the onions are frying up you can also sautee up mushrooms that are either plain with a bit of plant based spread or try a savoury mushroom recipe like our Perfect Sauteed Mushrooms. When sauteed add as a layer to the sandwich.
- Dairy Free Cheese - After layering the sandwich shredded or slices of dairy free cheese like Nurishh, Violife, or Daiya can be added. The dairy free cheese can also be broiled to melt it slightly. It will not melt fully though as it is not the same as cheese when melting. Watch it closely. So it doesn’t burn.
- Sweet Bell Peppers - To make a version similar to a philly cheesesteak style of sandwich but with au jus, dip sautee up sweet bell peppers or green peppers. The peppers can be sauteed with the onions. For a spicy kick add a jalapeno without seeds and cook it up a bit. When cooked, add to the sandwich.
Equipment
Frying Pan for frying up the onions.
Small Bowl, a whisk, and a silicone basting brush to mix up the garlic butter and apply it to the buns.
Cookie sheet and aluminium foil for broiling the garlic buns.
Utensils for stirring and serving the au jus and onions
Knife and Cutting Board to cut the onions and shave the beef, if using a precooked roast.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
-Fridge
In the fridge the ingredients will keep for 24-48 hours. They are best stored separately and not as a sandwich. Wrap each ingredient tightly or in a sealed container on its own.
-Freezer
This recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Reheating
-Oven
Wrap the sandwich all made up in aluminium foil tightly. Reheat the bread in the oven under a broiler for 2-3 minutes. Check the middle of the sandwich if heated through. If not, re-wrap and continue to broil for another 2-3 mins with a different side up than the last round.
-Stove Top
Reheat the garlic bread over medium heat with the garlicy side down to recrisp it. It will take 1-2 mins with watching it closely for darkening or burning edges.
The onions can be sauteed with a touch of water in a separate pan at the same time or the same pan after the bread is re-crisped. Over medium heat sautee until the 1-2 Tbsps of water have cooked off and onions are warmed through.
- Microwave
The bun can be warmed in the microwave but it will not crisp up and cn go mushy so we do not recommend it.
Top Tip
This is the perfect way to use up a leftover beef roast. The easiest way to get really thin slices is to cut the meat with a properly sharpened knife with chilled meat. The cold, but not frozen meat will hold together easier to allow for thin cuts. To get ultra thin cut across the grain of the meat to make a beef dip with leftover roast.
What To Serve With
Beef Dip or French Dip sandwiches are excellent as dinners with a salad, for ideas check out some of the salads In our search bar. We have potato and lettuce based salads, Like our Fig and Kale Salad. Of course Au Jus is a must as a dip for french dip sandwiches.
This Roast Beef Sandwich paired with a side like Air Fryer Fries, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Peach Balsamic Asparagus or with a soup like our Low Food Waste Asparagus Soup.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- frying pan
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone basting brush
- Cookie Sheet
- Aluminium Foil
- Utensils for stirring and serving the au jus and onions
- Knife and Cutting Board
Ingredients
- ⅓ C Plant Based Margarine Spread melted
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Parsley dried
- 6 Gluten Free Hot Dog Buns
- 1-2 Lbs Cold Roast Beef shaved or sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion Sliced thinly
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 3 C Beef Au Jus
Instructions
- Melt the plant based margarine. In a small bowl mix in the garlic powder and dried parsley. Stir well to combine and make garlic butter. (We find a whisk works really well for this.)
- Cover a cookie sheet with aluminium foil. If the hot dog buns are not cut, slice them lengthwise, as if for a hot dog, but cut all the way through the bun. Lay the bun flat cut side up on the cookie sheet.
- Using a basting brush or the back of a spoon, brush the cut side of the bun with the garlic butter. Set aside.
- Heat the beef au jus in a medium pot over medium heat until it boils and simmers for 5 mins. After simmering for 5 minutes, keep warm.
- While the beef au jus is heating, in a medium frying pan warm the olive oil. Add in the thinly sliced onion and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sautee, stirring often until the onions are translucent and starting to brown. This may take up to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Broil the buns under the oven broiler for 1-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Watch the toasting as it will happen quickly.
- Slice the beef really thin. It can be served cold or heated.
- To serve cold, layer the beef and the cooked onions on the garlic buttered toasted bun base. Cap with the top bun.
- To serve heated, place sliced beef into the au jus before it is reduced to simmering. Simmer the beef au jus with the beef for 5-8 mins or until the beef is heated through. Remove the warmed beef front he aus jus and layer on the garlic buttered toasted bun base. Top with sauteed onions and the top bun.
- Cut the sandwich in half. Measure out ½ C of au jus into a heat safe bowl for dipping the beef dip into to eat.
- Serve with a side like fries, a salad, or fresh cut veggies.
Notes
This is the perfect way to use up a leftover beef roast. The easiest way to get really thin slices is to cut the meat with a properly sharpened knife with chilled meat. The cold, but not frozen meat will hold together easier to allow for thin cuts. To get ultra thin cut across the grain of the roast. For a Gluten and Dairy Free Au Jus Recipe from Beef Broth check our our recipe.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Jane says
Loved this!