Homemade roast beef is tender, juicy, and delicious. It's a lot easier to make at home than you think! Marinated beef is roasted on high heat, and slow cooked on low heat to result in the best texture — perfect browned crust on the outside, and tender, moist, and juicy locked inside. This classic Sunday roast with vegetables is well-seasoned and packed with flavor. If you’ve never cooked roast beef before, this is the recipe for you. It’s easy to follow with tips to help you achieve the best possible roast beef, whether you’re a veteran cook or a novice in the kitchen.

Why You’ll Love Roast Beef
- The perfect roasting technique. For this roast beef, you’ll cook it at a high temperature for a short amount of time to achieve browning and flavor. Then, you’ll switch to the low and slow method for a tender, juicy, irresistible roast beef. Once you try this method, you'll realize that there is no other way to cook roast beef.
- It elevates beef to the next level. Roast beef is a great technique for any cut of meat, but I especially enjoy it with less expensive cuts (you can even use this recipe with a rump roast). Roasting beef this way completely alters cuts known for their chewiness. Instead, you get tender, juicy, delicate, tasty roast beef!
- You can repurpose leftovers easily. Serve this roast beef for a holiday dinner or on a special occasion, but keep leftovers for soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta the next day. i can eat it as a roast or on a sandwich. My favorites are in a Beef Wild Rice Soup or Beef Straganoff.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make juicy and tender Roast Beef, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):
- beef - I recommend round roast or top sirloin.
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- rosemary - you can also substitute with fresh thyme or sage.
- Italian seasoning
- garlic
- vegetables - we roast this beef with vegetables including onions, carrots, and potatoes.
- balsamic vinegar - add flavors to the vegetables.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and roasting pan.
How to Make the Best Roast Beef
- Prepare the beef. Use a paper towel to pat dry the round roast completely dry. Generously rub oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic evenly over the roast. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, it’s ideal to bring the marinated beef to room temperature to achieve even cooking and juicier meat.
- Prepare the vegetables. In a large mixing bowl, add onions, carrots, potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Toss well to coat.
- Bake. Place the roast in a roasting pan with a rack in it and spread the vegetables around evenly. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and continue cooking for 1.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium rare doneness. For medium doneness, the target temperature should be 155 F, about 2 hours. Check doneness using a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat.
- Rest. Remove the roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep the meat moist. Let the beef roast rest for 15-20 minutes. Resting after cooking helps the juices redistribute into the meat as the internal temperature continues to rise a bit while resting
- Serve. Slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.
How to Cook Roast Beef in the Instant Pot
- Turn on the Sauté function on high on the Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and sear the marinated beef until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
- In a large mixing bowl, add onions, carrots, potatoes, oil, salt, pepper and vinegar. Toss well to coat and transfer into the pot.
- Add 1 cup of water or beef broth. Place the roast rack in the pot and arrange the beef on top. Seal the lid and turn the steam release knob to SEAL position. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position.
- Set the instant pot to “Keep Warm" and let the roast beef rest in the pot until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium rare doneness. For medium doneness, the target temperature should be 155 F, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to check the temperature every 5 - 10 minutes using a meat thermometer until you achieve your desired doneness.
How to Serve Roast Beef
This recipe is made with roasted vegetables, but you can choose to skip that part if you want. Either way, you can serve roast beef with almost any side. From potatoes, to rice, to salad. Some of my favorites are:
- Roasted Garlic Parmesan Baby Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Carrots
- Greek Salad
- Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Pesto Green Beans
- Summer Corn Salad
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Keep leftover roast beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- How to freeze roast beef: You can freeze roast beef whole or in portions. I recommend slicing it before freezing and separating it into portioned servings in airtight containers or freezer bags so that it's easier to defrost when you want it. Roast beef will stay good for up to six months in the freezer.
- How to reheat: Place leftover roast beef in a preheated 350F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
More Beef Recipes
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Korean Beef Steak Rice Bowl
- Souvlaki Beef Shish Kebabs
- Slow Cooker Asian Beef Noodle Soup
- Korean Beef Steak Tacos
- 25 Best Ground Beef Recipes
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Recipe
Roast Beef
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Homemade roast beef is roasted on high heat and slow cooked on low heat for the best texture — browned crust on the outside and tender, moist, juicy inside.
Ingredients
For the roast beef:
- 4 pound round roast or top sirloin, excess fat trimmed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
For the vegetables:
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 medium potatoes, quartered
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to pat dry the round roast completely dry. Generously rub oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic evenly over the roast. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. When ready to cook, it’s ideal to bring the marinated beef to room temperature to achieve even cooking and juicier meat.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add onions, carrots, potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Toss well to coat.
- Place the roast in a roasting pan with a rack in it and spread the vegetables around evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and continue cooking for 1.5 hours until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium rare doneness. For medium doneness, the target temperature should be 155 F, about 2 hours. Check doneness using a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat.
- Remove the roasting pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep the meat moist. Let the beef roast rest for 15-20 minutes. Resting after cooking helps the juices redistribute into the meat as the internal temperature continues to rise a bit while resting
- Slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.
Notes
Instant pot instructions: Turn on the Sauté function on high on the Instant Pot and sear the marinated beef until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside on a plate. In a large mixing bowl, add onions, carrots, potatoes, oil, salt, pepper and vinegar. Toss well to coat and transfer into the pot. Add 1 cup of water or beef broth. Place the roast rack in the pot and arrange the beef on top. Seal the lid and turn the steam release knob to SEAL position. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position. Set the instant pot to “Keep Warm" and let the roast beef rest in the pot until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium rare doneness. For medium doneness, the target temperature should be 155 F, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to check the temperature every 5 - 10 minutes using a meat thermometer until you achieve your desired doneness.
How to store: Keep leftover roast beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How to freeze roast beef: You can freeze roast beef whole or in portions. I recommend slicing it before freezing and separating it into portioned servings in airtight containers or freezer bags so that it's easier to defrost when you want it. Roast beef will stay good for up to six months in the freezer.
How to reheat: Place leftover roast beef in a preheated 350F oven for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: America
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