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Italian Beef & Au Jus Sauce Recipe

This post sharing an Italian Beef & Au Jus Sauce Recipe contains affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you. 

My husband grew up in the Chicago area and a local favorite, as well as one of his favorite foods, has always been Italian beef and French dip sandwiches. When we moved to Iowa, we couldn’t find anywhere that offered the authentic Chicago flavor he had grown up with so I was left with no choice but to create my own Easy Italian Beef and an Au Ju Sauce Recipe. 

Easy Italian Beef Sandwiches

When I first started experimenting with the au jus sauce, I was a little overwhelmed. I didn’t know if I should use beef stock, pan drippings, fat drippings, soy sauce, or even Worcestershire sauce. I asked every cook I could find and even tried an au jus gravy mix but nothing delivered that beefy flavor that I was trying to get. 

When I finally mastered this homemade au jus sauce, it has become one of my husband’s favorite recipes and I figured this would be the perfect time to share it with you. The best thing about this beef au jus is that it’s simple, you can just pick up a few items from the grocery store and you are well on your way to making this easy au jus recipe.

You don’t even have to thaw any frozen meats, just keep these simple ingredients in your fridge for when you forgot to take something out in time or for when you want a quick meal with a delicious beef flavor. 

Easy Italian Beef Sandwiches

What You Need to Make this Au Jus Sauce Recipe

These are the ingredients I use to make this Italian Beef and Au Jus Sauce recipe. You can swap out some of the ingredients to include your favorites without changing the flavor too much if you prefer. We use provolone cheese but you can use swiss, mozzarella, or whatever your favorite type may be.

I don’t have any specific brands that I use to make this recipe. I usually pick up whichever brand is on sale or whatever I have in my cabinet already. No need to match the brands I used in these photos, use which products you enjoy most.

Check the variations on this recipe section for more ideas on how to make this recipe your own.

An 8 pack of buns or sub rolls

1 lb. medium Roast Beef, sliced (or whichever cut of beef you prefer)

1/4 lb provolone cheese

1 Small Onion

1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine

16 ounces Beef Broth

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon Basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon soy sauce

How to Make the Italian Beef & Au Jus Sauce Recipe

In a medium sauce pan add beef broth, garlic salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and soy sauce. Bring contents to boil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees while preparing the other ingredients for the au jus sauce recipe. 

Meanwhile, chop the onion and add to a small saucepan along with butter or margarine. Cook on medium heat for about 7-10 minutes or until onions are softened.

The flavor the onions add to the au jus sauce is an important part of the process so skipping this part will alter the taste but if you are not an onion lover, you could add onion powder as a substitute.

easy italian beef recipe

Once the beef broth mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add Roast Beef to the pot. Let cook 3-5 minutes, or until roast Beef starts to brown completely.  Remove from heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add buns. Place a couple of slices of beef on each bun, leaving behind the Au Jus on the stove, to stay warm. Top the meat with onions and sliced cheese. Place top bun back on the sandwich and bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes.

The cook time varies depending on the buns used to make this easy recipe. 

The bread will be toasted and the cheese will be melted. If you have not achieved this, cook another 2 minutes and check.

Serve immediately and scoop Au Jus into Ramekins or other bowls for dunking your Italian Beef Sandwiches. Or if you want these sandwiches to be extra sloppy, pour the juice into the bread before filling with the beef. Keep in mind that this will for sure be the messiest way to serve this recipe but it may also be the most delicious.

How to Double this Au Jus Sauce Recipe

This recipe doubles very easily. If you want to make twice the amount, just double the exact measurements in this recipe for a delicious meal for a crowd.

It really is that simple! If you find that you are using more au jus sauce than this recipe calls for, just double the au jus sauce and keep the same amount of meat. This would be perfect for a deliciously messy dinner that my husband would approve of, he loves it extra sloppy.

Easy Italian Beef Sandwich Recipe

Variations on the Au Jus Sauce Recipe 

There are many different ways to add a bit of extra flavor to your au jus sauce. Sprinkle in some kosher salt and black pepper for a bit of a kick or add a little bit of red wine for a sweeter flavor, more for a thin gravy. Cook on medium-high heat and add a few meat drippings or beef fat and a tablespoon of flour to thicken the beef sauce. 

You can make your own beef broth from beef bones or use beef gravy among other beef items to increase the flavor in this simple recipe. 

Instead of serving this easy recipe on hamburger buns, you can serve on sub rolls or Italian bread. These options will allow the au jus sauce to soak in the bread while keeping the Italian beef from ripping it apart. Although a messy sandwich is always a welcome meal at my home, the messier the better in my opinion.

Want More Easy Recipes?

Learn how to make a garlic butter sauce for bread to serve these Italian Beef sandwiches on. If you are looking for a poor boy recipe similar to Merichka’s Po Boy Sandwich, this one is perfect. 

If you are interested in trying some delicious low-carb dinner ideas you have come to the right place. I have worked hard at transforming all of my favorite recipes and making them low carb as well as keto-friendly. One way I simplify traditional recipes is by making them in the crock pot. I especially like to create keto dump meals in the slow cooker that the whole family enjoys. They are simple to make and save me so much time, feel free to explore all of my recipes here. 

Don’t forget to follow along on social media and sign up for the free newsletter so that you never miss a post again. Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment letting me know how you enjoyed this easy recipe. 

Easy Italian Beed & Au Jus Sauce Recipe

Italian Beef & Au Jus Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

  • 8 pack of buns
  • 1 lb. medium Roast Beef, sliced
  • 1/4 lb provolone cheese
  • 1 Small Onion
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 16 ounces Beef Broth
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

In a medium saucepan add beef broth, garlic salt, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and soy sauce. Bring contents to boil.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Meanwhile, chop the onion and add to a small saucepan along with butter or margarine. Cook on medium-high heat for about 7-10 minutes or until onions are softened.


Once the beef broth mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add Roast Beef to the pot. Let cook 3-5 minutes, or until roast Beef starts to brown completely. Remove from heat.


Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add buns. Place a couple of slices of beef on each bun, leaving behind the Au Jus on the stove, to stay warm. Top the meat with onions and sliced cheese. Place top bun back on the sandwich and bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes.

The bread will be toasted and the cheese will be melted. If you have not achieved this, cook another 2 minutes and check.

Serve immediately and scoop Au Jus into Ramekins or other bowls for dunking your Italian Beef Sandwiches.




About Thirty Something Super Mom

Melissa Dixon Thirty Something Super Mom
Thirty Something Super Mom | Website

My journey started after a Crohn's disease diagnosis, inspiring a commitment to well-being. This site shares my distinctive approach to healthy living with my collection of nutritious recipes that boast authentic flavors, mimicking the indulgence of traditional dishes. I love sharing guilt free recipes for low carb, keto, gluten-free, paleo, and the specific carbohydrate diet. I also share tips on natural living, including homemade cleaners and cleaning hacks. I also share my experience as a veterinary technician and pet groomer, to integrate pet health tips, homemade dog food recipes, and grooming insights to ensure your pets thrive.

Roger

Friday 25th of August 2023

As a follow up, as some Italian seasoning, a half tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a half tablespoon of red wine and then it's spot on! I thought I was back in Chicago.

Melissa

Tuesday 29th of August 2023

I am glad you were able to add some things into this recipe to improve the flavor that was more to your liking. Thanks for the tips, maybe some other users will give this variation a try. Thanks for stopping by.

Roger

Friday 25th of August 2023

Not sure where you've been getting your Italian beef from, but my opinion is that while this au jus is somewhat close, it's still got a lot more to go. Also post the recipe on a site where you can actually just skip to the recipe instead of having to read a 10 page essay.

Melissa

Tuesday 29th of August 2023

When I lived in the Chicago area, I tried a lot of different Italian Beef spots out. This is my favorite recipe for homemade au jus, it's about as close as we can get to the real thing without having to make a four hour drive. I am sorry you weren't a big fan of the recipe and the ads are there to help monetize my site so I can continue to offer free recipes. I will take your comments into consideration and look through my site to see if I can improve the user experience. I appreciate you stopping by, trying the recipe and leaving feedback.

Helga

Saturday 8th of January 2022

French dip sandwiches are one of my favorites to order at a diner. I love the au jus sauce.

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