Love a classic beef and cheddar sandwich? Then this roast beef sandwich with cheddar sauce is for you! Made with thinly sliced, freshly roasted beef sirloin nestled into an onion roll kissed with horseradish sauce, the topped with a warm, homemade cheddar cheese sauce, plus caramelized onions, this roast beef sandwich recipe is irresistibly savory and mouthwatering, and perfectly cozy!
Roast Beef and Cheddar, a Delicious Partnership
When I was a teenager, growing up in Michigan, Hardee's and Arby's were the two places to get savory roast beef sandwiches after school.
I loved the beef and cheddar sandwiches in particular, and appreciated that they were a quick, inexpensive and tasty meal to grab on the way home, or before heading back out for a piano lesson.
I just remember them tasting so good, though I'm pretty sure they weren't the most healthy meal, but definitely a fun indulgence nonetheless.
It's been years since, but I must admit that there are times when one of those roast beef sandwiches sound really enticing...
And me being me, I love to find healthier ways to make some of those beloved indulgences in my own kitchen, and with fresh quality ingredients I can feel good about enjoying.
Enter this roast beef sandwich with cheddar sauce recipe, my homemade take on that ol' favorite fast food goody.
Made with seasoned roasted beef sirloin, sliced as thin as possible, all piled into a toasted onion bun slathered in horseradish sauce, then topped with my homemade, warm and creamy cheddar cheese sauce.
Heck, I even love to add some caramelized onions, but that's just my twist, and a little flavor bonus!
So if you love a hot roast beef sandwich, and with the addition of a savory irresistible cheddar cheese sauce, then this recipe is for you!
My Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe with Cheddar Sauce
While making this scrumptious sandwich takes more time than running out to the local fast food joint, it's totally worth it. You get a number of sandwiches from this recipe, the flavor and quality being really unbeatable!
Starting with the beef, I use a beef sirloin roast (or top sirloin roast), which is the larger cut that butchers make sirloin steaks out of. I like to get a 2 ½ pound piece, so I have lots of roast beef to make lots of tasty sammies out of!
What I like to do is simply season the beef sirloin roast with salt, pepper, granulated onion and garlic, then rub liberally with olive oil. I then roast it at a lower temp until the digital thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers between 125 to 130 degrees for medium rare, or even 135 degrees for medium.
I let the roast beef rest for about 15 minutes before I slice it with a super sharp knife into extra thin slices. (You could even use a deli-style meat slicer if you have one, but I just use my knife.)
And that warm, creamy cheddar sauce...?
That's quick and easy to make using a basic milk sauce (butter and flour to create a roux, with milk whisked in). I add lots of grated sharp cheddar cheese until melted in, then sprinkle in a few seasonings to make it extra savory.
I use good quality store-bought horseradish sauce to spread on the toasted onion bun, but that's optional if you're not a fan.
For even more flavor, I caramelize a couple of sliced, white onions until deeply brown and jammy, because I love caramelized onions on my roast beef sandwich—so wonderfully savory!
Here's a glance at my roast beef sandwich and cheddar sauce recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To get started, I season my beef sirloin roast, then roast in a 325° oven for roughly an hour and 15 minutes, or until the digital thermometer registers between 125° to 135° degrees.
- While the beef roasts, I caramelized my onions (optional), then set those aside to have ready.
- When the beef is done, I allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. And when I slice it up, I slice it into very thin slices.
- Next, I prepare my cheddar sauce and keep that warm and ready.
- To build the sandwiches, I spread some (optional) prepared horseradish sauce on my toasted onion buns, then layer in some roast beef, top generously with some cheddar sauce and caramelized onions, then cover with the top bun, and enjoy!
Recipe
Roast Beef Sandwich with Cheddar Sauce
by Ingrid Beer
This mouthwatering roast beef sandwich is topped with a warm, creamy cheddar sauce and caramelized onions, nestled into an onion bun!
Category: Sandwich
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 6
Nutrition Info: 710 calories per sandwich
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes (for roasting beef)
Total time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Roast Beef Sandwich Ingredients:
- 2 ½ pounds beef top sirloin roast
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 medium white onions, halved and sliced thinly (optional)
- 6 onion buns, toasted
- Prepared horseradish (optional spread for buns)
Creamy Cheddar Sauce Ingredients:
- ¾ ounce butter (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
- ¾ ounce flour (about 3 scant tablespoons)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon granulated onion
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard (powder)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon (slightly heaping) salt
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your roast beef sandwich ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Preheat your oven to 325°, line a baking sheet with foil, and top the baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Place the beef onto a work surface, and rub a little olive oil all over it, then sprinkle over about 2 teaspoons worth of salt, about ½ to 1 teaspoon of black pepper, plus the granulated onion and garlic, and rub into the meat.
- Place the beef onto the wire rack and insert a digital thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, and place into the oven to roast for roughly 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the thermometer registers 125° to 135° for medium-rare to medium doneness. Allow the beef to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing super, super thinly.
- While the beef roasts, if making the caramelized onions, place a skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add the sliced onions (it will seem like a lot, but they will cook way down), a good pinch of salt and pepper, and saute them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until deeply brown and jammy, and very caramelized. Set aside.
- Next, gather and prep all of your creamy cheddar sauce ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- To make the sauce, place small pot over medium-low heat, and add in the butter. Once melted, sprinkle in the flour and stir to blend, and cook this mixture gently, stirring all the while, for about 1 minute or so. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then cook the sauce for about 5 to 10 minutes, whisking frequently, until it begins to gently simmer and thicken up.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and in increments, whisk in the grated cheddar cheese until completely smooth. Then, add in another addition, and whisk again until completely smooth.
- Whisk in the granulated onion, ground mustard, paprika and salt, and check to see it any additional salt is needed. Set the sauce aside and keep warm.
- Once ready to assemble the roast beef sandwich, place a toasted onion bun in front of you, and if using the horseradish sauce, spread some of that onto both top and bottom bun. Onto the bottom bun add some of the sliced roast beef, top with about ¼ cup of the warm, cheddar sauce, then add some of the caramelized onions (if using) over the cheese. Cover with top bun, and enjoy.
Tips & Tidbits for my Roast Beef Sandwich with Cheddar Sauce recipe:
- Beef sirloin (or top loin) roast for the roast beef: Beef sirloin roast (which sirloin steaks are cut from) is a fantastic cut to use when making homemade roast beef fit for sandwiches. It's relatively lean, yet tender, especially when cooked to medium rare or medium doneness. When seasoned well, it yields delicious flavor, and a 2 pound roast will yield roughly 6 (or more) sandwiches.
- Sharp cheddar for the creamy cheese sauce: For lots of savory flavor in this homemade cheese sauce, opt for a nice and sharp cheddar cheese to melt into the base. If you prefer a different flavor of cheese, you can certainly substitute, just make sure it's a highly meltable cheese that will blend well into the sauce.
- Onion rolls, or your favorite type of bun: The onion buns or rolls add more flavor to this tasty sandwich, but you can certainly use Kaiser buns or traditional seeded buns, even a soft, rustic-style roll works great.
Craving more comfy-cozy sandwiches? Check out my recipe for Southwest Sloppy Joes, my recipe for a Portobello Mushroom Burger, a Spicy Chicken Sandwich, a Steak Sandwich, or my recipe for a Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Pesto!
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