The roast beef sandwich - if you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, look no further than this timeless classic. With tender slices of roast beef piled high on toasted bread and a smear of horseradish mayonnaise, this is a sandwich that never goes out of style. Learn how to make the ultimate roast beef sandwich for lunch or dinner.
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If you're looking for a hearty and delicious sandwich that will satisfy your hunger, look no further than the classic roast beef sandwich. With thinly sliced roast beef, crispy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and horseradish mayonnaise, this sandwich is sure to please any crowd.
It's also quick and easy to make, so it's perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a weekend lunch. Follow these simple steps to create the ultimate roast beef sandwich!
The best roast beef sandwiches are made with quality roast beef. Leftovers from my beef top round roast or smoked beef roast would be excellent here!
🍖 Best Kind Of Beef For A Roast Beef Sandwich
Roast beef straight out of the oven is not necessarily the best choice for a roast beef sandwich, and in this case, the sandwich is cold so leftovers are preferable anyways! Lean cuts of beef are best because they have a slightly earthy taste and a nice 'chew' to them.
A top loin roast is a great choice because it's lean with plenty of flavor, plus all of the fat is near the surface of the meat and can be easily trimmed off after cooking. You can also find this cut of beef under the names 'strip loin roast', 'shell roast', and 'New York strip roast'.
A bottom round roast, top round roast, or eye of round roast are all great economical options. Have a roast beef dinner one night, then refrigerate the leftovers to make sandwiches the next day. It's so much better than using mass-produced packaged deli meat, though that can always be done in a pinch.
🥘 Ingredients
Making a great sandwich is all about the ingredients. Using good quality bread and fresh vegetables will take your roast beef sandwiches from 'just ok' to incredibly delicious!
- Bread - 2 slices of bread, toasted.
- Mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Try to use a high-quality mayo like Duke's or Hellman's (or 'Best Foods' on the West Coast).
- Horseradish - 1 ½ teaspoons of horseradish or a horseradish substitute. You can use more or less to taste. If you are sensitive to horseradish, you can leave it out completely or start by adding a tiny bit and add more as needed.
- Roast Beef - ¼ pound of roast beef (deli sliced).
- Lettuce - 2 leaves of crisp, fresh iceberg lettuce, rinsed.
- Tomato - ½ large tomato, sliced (you can use more or less to taste).
- Salt & Pepper (optional) - Salt & pepper to season the tomatoes.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 How To Make A Roast Beef Sandwich
You will need a small mixing bowl, a spoon or silicone spatula, and a knife and cutting board to get started.
This recipe is for one sandwich, but you can easily scale up the ingredients to make as many as you need.
- Toast the bread. Toast 2 bread slices in a toaster or griddle until lightly golden.
- Make horseradish mayo. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 ½ teaspoons of horseradish. Spread the horseradish mayo on one side of each slice of toasted bread.
- Add roast beef. Place the roast beef slices on top of the horseradish mayonnaise.
- Assemble. Top the roast beef with the 2 leaves of lettuce and however many tomato slices you would like (I typically do 2-4 depending on the size of my tomatoes). If desired, you can season the tomatoes with salt & pepper to taste.
- Close. Place the remaining slice of toast on top of the lettuce and tomato, with the mayo side facing down.
- Slice and serve. Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy!
Whether you are making a roast beef sandwich for lunch or dinner, you can never go wrong with homemade potato chips or homemade french fries! Potato salad or a Greek pasta salad would be tasty too. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- A good roast beef sandwich starts with good bread. Choose sturdy bread to hold the sandwich together that isn't too dense, so it doesn't overpower the flavors of the filling. Sourdough, ciabatta, or a crusty baguette are great options.
- Toasting the bread adds a layer of flavor and texture to the sandwich. Light toasting will also help prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
- Leftover roast beef or thinly sliced deli roast beef is best for a roast beef sandwich. Sometimes pre-packaged or processed roast beef can have a lower-quality taste.
- You can also add some cheese (cheddar and provolone are my favorites), sliced onions, or pickles for additional flavor in this cold roast beef sandwich.
- Use condiments and spreads to add extra flavor to your sandwich. Mustard, aioli, pesto, or even BBQ sauce can give your sandwich an extra depth of flavor.
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🥡 Storing
Leftover sandwiches are best fresh because the bread can get soggy over time. If you aren't going to eat it right away, place it in a sealed Ziploc sandwich bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
❓ Recipe FAQs
This creamy horseradish sauce would be a great alternative to the horseradish mayonnaise, or you could stick with plain mayo and Dijon mustard. BBQ sauce, hot sauce, or aioli would a delicious too!
Outside of the typical lettuce, tomato, sliced red onions, and pickles, you can experiment with more unique toppings and flavor combinations! Add some fried onions, and pickled peppers, or try a different type of cheese!
You can prepare all of the ingredients for a cold roast beef sandwich ahead of time. However, it is important to keep the bread and toppings separate from the roast beef until just before serving. This will prevent the bread from getting soggy and the lettuce from wilting.
🥪 More Delicious Sandwiches
- BLT Sandwich - Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, on toasted bread, a classic.
- Chicken Club Sandwich - A hearty sandwich loaded with 3 slices of bread, seared chicken strips, lettuce, tomato, bacon, avocado, and mayo.
- Tuna Melt Sandwich - Creamy tuna on toasted bread with freshly sliced tomatoes and melted cheddar cheese.
- Lobster Breakfast Sandwich - For a memorable breakfast or brunch, serve a few of these lobster breakfast sandwiches.
- Pinwheel Sandwiches - Super easy finger sandwiches that make tasty appetizers or easy lunches.
- Leftover Prime Rib French Dip - An easy and flavorful French dip sandwich made with roast beef leftovers.
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📖 Recipe Card
Roast Beef Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoon horseradish (more or less to taste, for horseradish mayo)
- ¼ pound roast beef (deli sliced)
- 2 leaves iceberg lettuce (fresh, crisp, and rinsed)
- ½ large tomato (sliced, more or less, to taste)
- each, salt & pepper (optional, to season the tomatoes to taste)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Toast 2 bread slices in a toaster or griddle until lightly golden.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and horseradish. Spread the horseradish mayo on one side of each slice of toasted bread
- Place the roast beef slices on top of the horseradish mayonnaise.
- Top the roast beef with the lettuce and however many tomato slices you would like (I typically do 2-4 depending on the size of my tomatoes). If desired, you can season the tomatoes with salt & pepper to taste.
- Place the remaining slice of toast on top of the lettuce and tomato, with the mayo side facing down.
- Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy!
Notes
- A good roast beef sandwich starts with good bread. Choose sturdy bread to hold the sandwich together that isn't too dense, so it doesn't overpower the flavors of the filling. Sourdough, ciabatta, or a crusty baguette are great options.
- Toasting the bread adds a layer of flavor and texture to the sandwich. Light toasting will also help prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
- Leftover roast beef or thinly sliced deli roast beef is best for a roast beef sandwich. Sometimes pre-packaged or processed roast beef can have a lower-quality taste.
- Use condiments and spreads to add extra flavor to your sandwich. Mustard, aioli, pesto, or even BBQ sauce can give your sandwich an extra depth of flavor.
- You can also add some cheese (cheddar and provolone are my favorites), sliced onions, or pickles for additional flavor in this cold roast beef sandwich.
- To store: Roast beef sandwiches are best fresh because the bread can get soggy over time. If you aren't going to eat it right away, place it in a sealed Ziploc sandwich bag in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
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