French Dip Squares
If you love a classic French Dip Sandwich, you’re going to love these layered French Dip Squares! Simple and fun to make, it’s the perfect dinner!
AN EASY LAYERED FLAVORFUL DINNER
Want a simple, filling, easy weeknight dinner idea? These French Dip Squares are just what you need to whip up! They’re like your favorite beef dip sandwiches except made into handheld bites of deliciousness! They make it easy to slice and serve! These squares are insanely simple to make and are super flavorful, just like the sandwiches that you and your family love. The flavorful glazing on the dough really adds so much extra flavor and of course you gotta dip it in some au jus! Trust me, you’re in for a delicious meal!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
French Dip Squares are basically like a French Dip sandwich but without that sandwich. Instead, all the best parts of the sandwich are layered together into a layered casserole-like dish and cut into squares that are served with au jus gravy for dipping. You’ll love how easy these serve up!
I know it seems like a wasted step, but trust me, it’s worth it. Even when you turn the heat off of a skillet, the onions will keep cooking and onions go from cooked to burned so fast! It’s just smarter to transfer them from the skillet to a plate so they can stop the cooking process. If you skip this, you can easily end up with a burnt onion mixture, throwing off the flavor of the whole dish.
While you can always trade out the meat, keep in mind that this is a French dip type recipe that typically uses roast beef. If you change the meat, you change the overall flavor so keep that in mind if you want to change it up.
Certainly. Provolone is what is usually served on many French Dip sandwiches. You can use other cheese varieties that you prefer, but again, this will change the overall flavor profile of the dish.
Try white cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere, swiss, or gouda.
You bet! You can make it from scratch or even skip the au jus altogether if it’s not your thing. But, I think it’s the perfect complement to this dish!
Nope, it’s completely normal to have some liquid when you first cut into the baking dish. Juices are good but if you don’t enjoy those extra juices, just use a paper towel to soak up what you can.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
Reheat leftovers in the oven or in an Air Fryer until warmed through. Avoid the microwave because it can make the squares soggy. When using the oven to reheat leftovers, just cover with foil so you don’t brown the squares too much.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- salted butter
- onion
- granulated sugar
- black pepper
- crescent dough sheets
- sliced provolone cheese
- deli sliced roast beef
- egg
- dried onion soup mix
- dried parsley flakes
- dried thyme
- au jus gravy mix
- cold water
HOW TO MAKE FRENCH DIP SQUARES
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, sugar, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine.
Continue cooking, frequently stirring, until the onions turn a golden brown color. Take off the heat and place it on a separate plate until ready to assemble the squares.
Unroll one of the crescent dough sheets and press it into the prepared baking dish. Make sure it goes up the sides of the dish about 1 inch.
Lay half of the provolone cheese on top of the dough.
Layer the roast beef on top of the cheese.
Spread out the onions on top of the roast beef.
Place the remaining cheese on top.
Unroll the second crescent dough and place it on top. As good as you can, pinch the two doughs together along the seams to form a pocket, and tuck the excess dough under the bottom.
Whisk together the egg, onion soup mix, parsley flakes, and thyme in a medium-sized bowl.
Brush the egg mixture all over the top of the dough, and use it all.
Cover with nonstick foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown on top.
Let cool for 10 minutes. While the squares are cooling, make the au jus gravy per the directions on the back of the package.
Cut into squares and serve with au jus for dipping.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
French Dip Squares
Ingredients
For the onions:
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cups small-diced onion
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For the squares:
- 2 tubes crescent dough sheets
- 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese
- 14 ounces deli sliced roast beef
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried onion soup mix
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
To serve:
- 1 ounce packet au jus gravy mix
- 3 cups cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons salted butter. Add 3 cups small-diced onion, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the skillet and stir to combine. Continue to cooking, frequently stirring, until the onions turn a golden brown color. Take off the heat and place it on a separate plate until ready to assemble the squares.
- Unroll one of the 2 tubes crescent dough sheets and press it into the prepared baking dish. Make sure it goes up the sides of the dish about 1 inch.
- Lay half of the 8 ounces sliced provolone cheese on top of the dough.
- Layer 14 ounces deli sliced roast beef on top of the cheese.
- Spread out the cooked onions on top of the roast beef.
- Place the remaining provolone cheese on top.
- Unroll the second crescent dough sheet and place it on top. As good as you can, pinch the two doughs together along the seams to form a pocket, and tuck the excess dough under the bottom.
- Whisk together 1 large egg, 1 ½ tablespoons dried onion soup mix, 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme in a medium-sized bowl.
- Brush the egg mixture all over the top of the dough, and use it all.
- Cover with nonstick foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and bake an additional 15-20 minutes until deep golden brown on top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes.
- While the squares are cooling, make the 1 ounce packet au jus gravy mix per the directions on the back of the package (using the 3 cups cold water).
- Cut into squares and serve with au jus for dipping.
Notes
- If you don’t enjoy onions, just skip that step.
- Allow these to cool a bit before slicing. They slice much easier when they aren’t so hot straight out of the oven.
- When you first cut into them, some juice will release from the inside, that’s normal. If you don’t like extra juices, just soak it up with a paper towel.
- Other cheese that would be good, white cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere, swiss, or gouda.
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- I suggest reheating leftovers in the oven until warmed through. You could even use an air fryer. Microwaving them may make them soggy. Keep an eye on them, you may need to cover with foil if the top begins to brown more.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Can this be scaled down to fit a 7×11 dish/pan and use one roll of dough, in other words, halved?
Hey Nancy, I haven’t personally tried it but I don’t see why you couldn’t do that 🙂