Roast Beef Sandwich
This epic Roast Beef Sandwich recipe features a buttery, toasted bun piled high with layers of roast beef and cheese, plus fresh tomatoes, onions, and leafy greens – all with a creamy, tangy sauce. This classic sandwich is endlessly adaptable, and I offer lots of suggestions for mixing it up!
The Best Roast Beef Sandwich
This Roast Beef Sandwich recipe showcases the simple, satisfying deliciousness of a classic sandwich in an epic way! A sturdy bun is buttered and toasted, then piled high with thin layers of roast beef and cheese, plus fresh goodies like tomatoes, onions, and leafy greens. A creamy, tangy sauce finishes it off. Enjoy this gorgeous handheld meal with a cup of soup, alongside a fresh salad, or with some fries. And you know me, pickles go with EVERY meal – and especially with a sandwich!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This roast beef sandwich has a lot to offer. Here are a few good reasons why you’ll love this recipe:
- Endlessly adaptable. Use this recipe as your jumping-off point to create the roast beef sandwich of your dreams. Enjoy a hot roast beef sandwich, or a cold one. Want to include a different cheese or sauce? Go right ahead. I’ve included a list of topping ideas below – pick your favorites!
- Excellent for leftovers. If you have leftover roast beef, this is the perfect way to enjoy it after that initial meal. While this recipe is written to make 4 sandwiches, you can absolutely scale it down to make an individual roast beef sandwich anytime you want.
- Pack it up or enjoy it at home. A sandwich is the ultimate handheld meal to pack up for lunch at work or for an outing at the park. I adore a soup & sandwich meal (so fun for dipping the sandwich!), so when I’m at home, I like to make a pot of homemade soup. My creamy tomato bisque and squash soup recipes are particular favorites with this sandwich.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make a really awesome roast beef sandwich. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Buns – Kaiser buns are sturdy and flavorful, perfect for an overstuffed sandwich. You could also use brioche or your favorite hamburger buns.
- Butter – For toasting the buns. So good!!!
- Mayonnaise + tartar sauce – This easy condiment combo offers a creamy spread that’s big on flavor.
- Roast beef – I layer the sandwiches with thin, tender slices from my roast beef recipe.
- Onion – Raw red onion gives a satisfying crunch and peppery, spicy flavor to the sandwich. For those who aren’t particularly fond of raw onion, I recommend slicing the onion super thin and incorporating just a little bit (or omit the onion entirely).
- Tomatoes – This is a super fresh, juicy complement to the roasted beef.
- Cheese – I most often make this sandwich with Swiss cheese, but we also like sharp cheddar. You can ultimately use whatever you like best.
- Arugula + microgreens – This combination of fresh greens go so well together. Arugula is sturdy and adds peppery flavor. And microgreens, otherwise known as vegetable seedlings, are super tender and flavorful. You could also use baby spinach or your own favorite leafy greens.
How to Make a Roast Beef Sandwich
Follow along with the photos and instructions below to help you make your own perfect roast beef sandwich.
- Toast the buns. Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Then spread butter on the cut sides of each bun. Toast the buns, buttered side down, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat.
- Add the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the mayo and tartar sauce. Spread this over the bottom halves of the toasted buns.
- Layer on the roast beef. Now, layer the thinly sliced roast beef on top of the sauce on each bottom bun.
- Finish assembling the sandwich. Then top the roast beef with slices of red onion, tomato, and cheese, followed by the arugula and microgreens. Add the top half of the toasted bun.
- If you wish, toast the sandwich. If you’d like a hot roast beef sandwich, with melty cheese, just heat the assembled sandwich in a preheated oven at 350°F. Place the sandwich on a rimmed baking pan/dish and heat until the cheese is melty and the sandwich is hot to your liking.
Topping Ideas
Go ahead and customize your sandwich with a variety of toppings. Here are a few tasty suggestions:
- Add pickles. Homemade pickles, or store-bought, are fabulous on a roast beef sandwich. Try my mom’s simple sweet pickles. Or dill pickles, bread & butter pickles, or sweet & spicy pickles!
- Swap the raw onions for pickled onions. So many people love my easy quick pickled red onions recipe – a perfect addition to a roast beef sandwich!
- Or add some heat. One more pickle recipe for you! My pickled jalapenos are amazing if you like some heat. You could also use fresh jalapeno slices.
- Add mustard. Beef + mustard is a classic combination. I like all kinds of mustard, including Dijon, whole grain, and the standard yellow mustard we squeeze over hotdogs.
- Try a different cheese. Swiss cheese pairs well with roast beef, especially when it’s heated, as it has a lovely melty texture. But you can absolutely switch this up with one or more of your favorite cheeses. Blue cheese, cheddar, asiago, gouda, fontina – there are ENDLESS cheese options!
- Slice some avocado. Creamy, earthy avocado is lovely with roasted beef.
- Use a different sauce. Swap out the creamy sauce in the recipe card for roasted garlic aioli or honey mustard sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce. Another popular condiment, Worcestershire sauce is a blend of sweet and savory.
- Horseradish. If you like the peppery bite of arugula and red onion, take this sandwich one step further and add horseradish. Horseradish has a very pungent, peppery flavor and is often served alongside roast beef.
Do You Eat Roast Beef Sandwiches Hot or Cold?
You can eat a cold roast beef sandwich or a hot roast beef sandwich – there is no right or wrong answer to that question! It just depends on your preference.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Store leftover roast beef sandwiches in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in foil, in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can eat your leftover sandwiches cold, at room temperature, or warmed in the oven or toaster oven.
Roast Beef Sandwich
Ingredients
- 4 sturdy buns, sliced in half (we use Kaiser buns)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup
good quality mayonnaise
- ¼ cup tartar sauce
- 24 ounces roast beef, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large tomato, thinly sliced
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 cup arugula leaves
- ½ cup microgreens
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
- Spread butter on the cut sides of each bun. Place the buns, buttered side down, on the preheated skillet. Toast the buns until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and tartar sauce. Spread this sauce on the bottom halves of the toasted buns.
- Layer thinly sliced roast beef on top of the sauce on each bottom bun.
- Top the roast beef with slices of red onion, tomato, and cheese.
- Add arugula and microgreens on top of the cheese.
- Cover each sandwich with the top halves of the toasted buns – and enjoy right away.
- If desired, to make a hot roast beef sandwich: heat the assembled sandwiches in a 350°F preheated oven for a few minutes to warm the sandwich and melt the cheese.
