If french rolls have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 18 recipes to try them in.

What are french rolls?

French rolls are oblong, crusty white rolls, basically a small loaf of French bread sized for one sandwich. They have a thin, crackly golden crust and a soft, open, slightly chewy crumb inside.

That contrast is the whole point. The sturdy crust holds up to wet fillings and hot juices, while the airy interior soaks them up without turning to mush.

You will also see them sold as French sandwich rolls or torpedo rolls, and they are first cousins to the longer hoagie and sub rolls.

Most are made simply from flour, water, yeast, and salt, with no fat or sugar, which is why they crisp up so well and go stale so fast.

How to Use French Rolls

The crust is the reason to reach for these.

Split a roll and pile it with sliced roast beef, meatballs, sausage and peppers, or shaved steak, since the crust gives you something to bite through while the crumb cushions the filling.

They are the natural vessel for a French Dip, where the roll is meant to be dunked into hot beef jus. A good French roll drinks up the broth and softens just at the edges while the crust keeps the whole thing from falling apart.

Warm them before serving. A few minutes in a hot oven, or a quick pass under the broiler after splitting, revives the crackle and brings back that fresh-baked smell.

Beyond sandwiches, they make excellent garlic bread. Split them lengthwise, brush the cut faces with garlic butter, and toast them under the broiler. They also crisp into crostini or, torn and dried, into rustic croutons and breadcrumbs.

This is the roll that builds a Philadelphia Cheese Steak Sandwich (Lower Fat) and carries the saucy filling of Lisas' Hot Italian Meatball Sandwiches without collapsing.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

French rolls were made for hearty, juicy, savory fillings. Italian sausage with peppers and onions, hot meatballs in tomato sauce, and deli meats with provolone all suit the sturdy crust, as does the muffuletta-style stack of meats and olive salad.

The most common mistake is using a stale roll. These have almost no fat, so they dry out within a day, and a dried-out roll shatters and crumbles instead of folding around the filling.

Buy them the day you need them, or refresh a day-old roll with a quick warm-up in the oven.

The second slip is the soggy sandwich. With a very wet filling, toast the cut faces first or spread on a thin fat barrier of butter or mayonnaise so the crumb does not go to paste before you take a bite.

Slicing too deep is the last one. Cut most but not all of the way through so the roll keeps a hinge and holds its contents instead of splitting into two pieces.

Substitutes

No French rolls on hand? The closest swap is a length of a French baguette cut into roll-sized pieces, since it is the same lean, crusty dough.

Hoagie, sub, or kaiser rolls all stand in well for sandwiches, though each is a little softer and less crackly than a true French roll. Portuguese or Italian rolls are nearly interchangeable.

For a French dip in particular, choose a sturdier roll over a soft one. A soft burger-style bun will dissolve in the jus, so reach for a ciabatta roll or a chunk of baguette if French rolls are out.

Buying and Storage

Look for rolls with a deep golden, crisp crust that sounds hollow when tapped and gives a little when squeezed. A pale, soft crust means an underbaked roll that will go stale even faster. Bakery rolls are usually crustier than the bagged supermarket kind.

Because they are lean, French rolls are best eaten the day they are baked. Keep them at room temperature in a paper bag, not plastic, which traps moisture and softens the crust. They will be past their best within a day or two.

Do not refrigerate bread, since the fridge actually speeds staling and dries the crumb. To keep rolls longer, freeze them: seal them airtight and freeze for up to three months, then reheat straight from frozen in a hot oven for a few minutes to bring back the crust.

A day-old roll that has gone soft is not a loss. Sprinkle it with a little water and warm it in a hot oven for five minutes, and the crust crisps right back up.

Quick facts

In Chinese

法国卷

British (UK) term

French rolls

en français

rouleaux français

en español

rollos francés

Recipes using french rolls

There are 18 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 18 recipes