One of my favorite comfort foods is an open-faced roast beef sandwich. This crowd-pleaser is made with just a few ingredients that provide layers of flavor and texture. I make the roast beef in a slow cooker for an easy, hands-off recipe with minimal prep. It comes out hot, juicy, and perfectly tender!

Open Faced Roast Beef Sandwich on a blue and white plate.

Open Faced Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe

Brace yourselves: I am about to blow your mind with this delicious open-faced roast beef sandwich recipe! Crusty bread is topped with creamy mashed potatoes, slow-cooked roast beef, and a sprinkling of cheese with a drizzle of au jus for the ultimate comfort food meal. I absolutely love the way the bread sops up the au jus!

Recipe Card

Open Faced Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe

4.53 from 51 votes
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 sandwiches
Author: Becky Hardin
open faced roast beef sandwiches on a plate
Made with just a few ingredients, this hot open faced roast beef sandwich is layers of flavor and texture. It's a real crowd-pleaser!
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
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Equipment

  • Crockpot

Ingredients 

  • 5 pounds beef roast such as chuck or rump
  • 4 ounces au jus seasoning mix (2 packages), I usually use McCormick Au Jus Gravy, but any brand will work.
  • 4 ounces dry Italian salad dressing mix (2 packages), I used Good Seasons, but again, any brand will work. In a pinch, Italian seasoning also works.
  • 32 ounces low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 cups mashed potatoes (click for recipe), or make mashed cauliflower as a low carb option.
  • 8 slices bread thick and crusty, such as Texas Toast
  • ½ cup freshly shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions 

  • Spray your crockpot with nonstick spray. Place the beef roast inside and sprinkle with the seasoning.
    5 pounds beef roast, 4 ounces au jus seasoning mix, 4 ounces dry Italian salad dressing mix
  • Pour the beef broth over the roast.
    32 ounces low-sodium beef broth
  • Cook on high for 6-8 hours or until tender.
  • Once cooked, strain the broth into a bowl and reserve.
  • Shred or slice the beef into small bite-sized sections. Discard away any fat and gristle.
  • Prepare the mashed potatoes.
    4 cups mashed potatoes
  • Toast the bread. For extra-thick slices, broil for 2-4 minutes until golden.
    8 slices bread
  • Assemble the open-faced sandwiches by placing the toasted bread on a plate and topping it with mashed potatoes. Add a generous portion of the shredded/sliced beef. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of the reserved au jus over the meat and sprinkle with gruyere cheese.
    ½ cup freshly shredded gruyere cheese
    Roast beef sandwich being prepared with mashed potatoes and toast.
  • Serve with a knife and fork. Enjoy!

Becky’s Tips

Calories: 769kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 64gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 205mgSodium: 2200mgPotassium: 1544mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 175mgIron: 7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make an Open Face Roast Beef Sandwich Step by Step

Seasoned roast beef in a crockpot.
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Cook the beef: Spray your crockpot with nonstick spray. Place a 5-pound beef roast inside and sprinkle with 4 ounces each of au jus seasoning and 4 ounces of dry Italian salad dressing mix.

Beef broth being poured over the roast in a crockpot.

Add the beef broth: Pour 32 ounces of beef broth over the roast, and cook on high for 6-8 hours or until tender.

Straining broth through a colander.

Strain the broth: Once cooked, strain the broth into a bowl and reserve.

Shredding the beef with a fork in a silver pan.

Shred the beef: Shred or slice the beef into small bite-sized sections. Discard any fat and gristle.

Prepare the other items: Prepare 4 cups of mashed potatoes. Toast 8 slices of bread. For extra-thick slices, broil for 2-4 minutes until golden.

Roast beef sandwich being prepared with mashed potatoes and toast.

Assemble the sandwiches: Assemble the open-faced sandwiches by placing the toasted bread on a plate and topping it with mashed potatoes. Add a generous portion of the shredded/sliced beef.

Roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes, gruyere cheese and au jus on a platter with a fork and knife.

Garnish and enjoy: Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of the reserved au jus over the meat and sprinkle with ½ cup of freshly shredded gruyere cheese. Serve with a knife and fork. Enjoy!

How to Store

I recommend storing the components of these open faced sandwiches separately, since they can become soggy if left fully assembled. Store the beef and potatoes in separate airtight containers for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the beef in the microwave and toasting the bread to serve.

Open faced roast beef sandwich served atop creamy mashed potatoes smothered in savory gravy on a pristine white plate.

Serving Suggestions

These hot roast beef sandwiches are a pretty hearty dish on their own. Piled high with mashed potatoes, slow cooked beef, cheese, and au jus sauce, you have a full meal here. But you could serve up extra mashed potatoes on the side, make some potato wedges, add some baked beans, or add spicy broccoli to get your veggies in. As a bonus, any leftovers can be used for beef au jus sandwiches!

more sandwich recipes to try

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.53 from 51 votes (45 ratings without comment)
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18 Comments
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Beth
Beth
January 23, 2023 8:58 am

Recipe specifies to cook on HIGH 6-8 hours. Is a LOW setting for a longer period of time (if so how long) not recommended & if so, is it because the meat will be too dry? I’m out of the house for 9 hours a day during the week so 6-8 hrs does not work since my crockpot does not have the delayed cooking option. Recipe still looks amazing & I definitely going to try.5 stars

Samantha Marceau
January 23, 2023 9:21 am
Reply to  Beth

Low for 9 hours should work!

Guy Trynacook
Guy Trynacook
November 30, 2022 10:06 am

Wow! I could almost read the recipe. I was hoping maybe you could cram some more crap on this page so that there were 0 pixels with the actual recipe. Absolute deumoster fire.3 stars

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Samantha Marceau
November 30, 2022 2:41 pm
Reply to  Guy Trynacook

Hi! As you can see in the picture, there is a “jump to recipe” button that will take you directly to the recipe card! Hope that helps!

Guy Trynacook
Guy Trynacook
November 30, 2022 9:10 pm

I tried to update my post because it was a really good recipe and I honestly don’t want to hurt your business with a bad review.

But man, the site is frustrating. I found that button and it took me to the attached view. There is roughly 15% of the screen available for reading.

Feel free to delete my original comment to up your rating.5 stars

B48B4BFA-15B6-485B-B095-5AF2C793E04A.jpeg
Last edited 2 years ago by Guy Trynacook
Samantha Marceau
December 1, 2022 10:55 am
Reply to  Guy Trynacook

We’re sorry for your frustration! The “jump to recipe” button does take you to a place just above the recipe card, so you do have to scroll just a little bit more to get there. Once at the recipe card, you can print or save it so that you have an ad-free version for next time!!

Roxane
Roxane
July 9, 2024 7:48 am
Reply to  Guy Trynacook

Click on the AA and it goes into reader mode for anything you are looking at on the ol interweb. Just an fyi so you don’t have to leave comment like this anymore 😉5 stars

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Betsy
Betsy
January 22, 2025 1:44 pm
Reply to  Guy Trynacook

You don’t have to be rude.5 stars

Rosanne
Rosanne
October 16, 2022 1:41 pm

If I wanted to use an instapot instead of a slow cooker would it work as well?

Samantha Marceau
October 17, 2022 9:28 am
Reply to  Rosanne

We think so! We would probably do 1½-2 hours on the stew function.

Barbara Kelley
Barbara Kelley
May 22, 2021 9:15 am

Would you mind sharing your favorite brand names of Italian seasoning packets as well as you au jus packets? I’d love to try the exact ones you use if possible.

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
June 2, 2021 2:42 pm
Reply to  Barbara Kelley

I use ones that I find at my local supermarket so the brand may not be where you are! All are great!

Shirley
Shirley
March 29, 2019 8:21 pm

Looks amazing I can’t wait to try5 stars

Courtney Minor
April 1, 2019 6:27 am
Reply to  Shirley

Thanks Shirley!

caitlin
caitlin
July 17, 2014 1:38 pm

I am making this right now! One question… shouldn’t the meat be fully covered with fluids? I’m using a serloin roast and its only about half submursed in the broth. Should I add water, if so how much? Thanks!

becky gall hardin
becky gall hardin
July 17, 2014 2:55 pm
Reply to  caitlin

Hey Caitlin, yes you could either add more water or more broth so that its covered. Hope that helps! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jeanette
Jeanette
February 24, 2014 10:41 am

I’m making this recipe right now. You mention a “box” of beef broth, but not a size. Is it one of the big boxes (32oz) or the smaller size like from Swansons?

Susie
Susie
February 24, 2014 11:11 am
Reply to  Jeanette

Hey Jeanette,
I use the 32 oz. box of broth. Thank you for trying one of our recipes and please let us know if you have further questions. Susie (Becky’s mom).