Making Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich at home is more than just the beef and bun. Let me take you through how to replicate this classic in your own kitchen.
"Oh great, the Fox Valley Foodie is going to tell me how to make a sandwich consisting solely of roast beef and a hamburger bun. What ancient cipher did he discover to crack that code?" Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't roll your eyes at me! However, the secret to this Arby's Roast Beef copycat recipe is not the two ingredients needed, but rather how it is prepared.
File this recipe under "because I can." Though I would argue the great thing about learning how to make food at home is that you don't have to eat so much fast food, sometimes it is fun to replicate your favorite fast food flavors just because you can. Plus, it is always a great way to impress your kids. You do want your kids to love you, don't you???
How to Make Fast Food at Home
I'm not going to lie. I get a certain sense of satisfaction from being able to demystify fast food in my own kitchen. The Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich copycat recipe was inspired by my attempt to create Arby's Sauce the other day. However, I have also previously tackled How to Make a Fast Food Burger and Panda Express Chow Mein.
Arby's Roast Beef Copycat Ingredients
It is no secret, the two ingredients needed for this Arby's Roast Beef copycat recipe are roast beef and hamburger buns. However, the type of roast beef you select will make a big difference. Skip the deli counter and head to the refrigerated meat section. You are looking for pre-packaged ultra thinly sliced roast beef. I found Hillshire Farm and Land 'O Frost were two brands that sold ultra thin roast beef with reasonably close flavor to the classic Arby's Roast Beef. Don't bother with the Buddig brand. Along with its curiously pink color, it doesn't taste anything like Arby's... or beef... or meat.
After purchasing a couple sandwiches from Arby's to compare, I weighed the beef prior to eating. Each sandwich has exactly 2.2 ounces of meat (UPDATE: I have been informed by readers who work at Arbys that I should have been given 3 ounces of meat), however, feel free to add more if you desire a bigger sandwich.
The best bun to replicate an Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich is a sesame seed hamburger bun. I found Pepperidge Farm even sold one that has the wavy top, just like Arby's. However, in reality, any sesame seed bun should suffice.
How to Make Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich
Once you have the right ingredients, you can't just throw it together and call it a day. The taste and texture will be completely off. The true Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich is homogeneously warm and tender and to replicate the true experience your sandwich needs to mimic that texture.
The roast beef needs to be heated, just as it is in the fast food joint. To do this in your kitchen, using your microwave or skillet on the stovetop would be the obvious choices. However, the microwave cooks unevenly and will quickly turn portions of your beef rubbery, and you don't want to risk searing or crisping the beef in a hot fry pan. Instead, heat an inch or two of water in a saucepan and dunk the slices of roast beef in the hot liquid for approximately 10 seconds. The meat will be fully cooked through, yet still perfectly tender.
After lightly toasting the buns, the whole sandwich can be assembled and then thrown in the microwave for 11 seconds. This warms the bun and modifies the sandwich's texture to perfectly resemble what you would expect to be served in a fast food joint.
All that is left to do is to act like you hate your life as you serve your family the wrong order.
How to Make Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 hamburger bun with sesame seeds
- 3 ounces ultra thinly sliced roast beef (Hillshire Farms or Land O' Frost are good options)
Instructions
- Add 2 inches of water to a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Heat separate skillet on a different burner over medium-high heat.
- Lightly toast inside of hamburger bun in the skillet until it is just starting to brown, then remove bun from skillet.
- Separating each slice of roast beef, so they are not sticking together, briefly dunk meat in hot water until cooked through and warmed. Approximately 10 seconds.
- Assemble your sandwich by placing the warmed beef on the bun and place in the microwave on high for 11 seconds.
- Serve at your leisure.
Notes
Nutritional Information
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Alice
I made these tonight for dinner. The only minor thing I did differently was add one beef bouillon cube to 2 cups of water to dip the beef, and I only dipped them for about 5 seconds, in the non-boiling broth. These sandwiches were delicious! I dressed them with Swiss cheese and coleslaw and plenty of horsey sauce, on an onion bun…just like the old Swiss Arby that they don’t make anymore, which was my favorite! Hubby and I were both very pleased. The only thing that I was missing was a Jamocha shake! Will definitely do it then again! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It took me back in time for a little while!
Gladys
Huh, prices must have gone down since 2023. I wanted to order from the Wisconsin Ave location and it was $126.60 for 10 pounds (including tax). That's still a bit high so I searched out a recipe and found this. Going to give it a try!
Anthony
I Once I tried to buy 10 pounds of roast beef (at a discount) from Arby's but the manager said no. So if you wanted 10 pounds of roast beef, it would cost you $200. So the trick is to find the Butterball roast beef at
a great price and you should save a lot vs. Arby's Great article!
Plus you will still have to visit Arby's and buy a few sandwiches so you can take as much Horsey sauce as possible and I strongly recommend Arby's BBQ sauce! It reminds me of McRib sauce! Now I am very hungry!!
Sarah Chaya
I have not tried your recipe yet and I'm really excited to in the near future after getting my ingredients.
I just wanted to say that your text is great and I love your sense of humor! It's refreshing after reading so many dry recipes online.
Thank you for the recipe and a few laughs too!
miranda cunningham
Boughta large container of roast beef from sams club $13 a $10 can of cheese sauce (to be used for many other things as well) had leftover bun for hubby and grabbed a $6 loaf of gluten free bread. at $5.19 each we technically (5 yo only wanted the meat and cheese) had 5 sandwiches. so $25.95 total. not at all cheaper but there are other factors. like it would have coast more to go there. Drinks and fries would have been extra purchases, rather than using what we have at home. The cheese sauce will last quite a while assuming it freezes and thaws ok. And Arby's doesn't do gluten free. I think it turned out pretty good. No onion bun for me tho. maybe if I brushed with butter and used onion powder?
Jim
I tried this JUST as written and it turned out as close to if not exactly like Arby’s! I LOVE Arby’s but it has become so expensive to eat out these days. Thank you SO much for posting this!
Jim
I’ve been disappointed in the few attempts I’d made to replicate it previously. This nailed it! I’d been using deli roast beef in the others, but Hillshire Farms was spot on in the texture and flavor of the beef. The only thing I did different was dipping/heating the roast beef in beef broth rather than hot water (didn’t want to risk losing anything of the beef flavor in water). This was perfect. Thank you!
Terri T
Followed this very simple recipe except that I added Arby’s Sauce, lettuce and tomato. It worked perfectly and tasted just like an Arby’s Super to me!
BBlack
You know, as soon as you said “super” you had me. That’s what I used to get before it was discontinued. I can still taste it.
David
Yes! Arby’s will put you in the poorhouse if you mess around and let it! I could eat a whole bag of the Reg. Roast Beef. That’s why I was excited when I came across this little bit of info. I also got a bottle each of the Arby’s Sauce and Horsey Sauce! Ahhhh, so dericious!
MJ
Trying this today & can’t wait! But I’m disappointed they discontinued their potato cakes! Does anyone have a copy cat recipe for those? They were the main reason we went to Arby’s!
shelby
omg i pretty much stopped eating at Arby's since they stopped the potato cakes .. hahah
Wendy Rosenbauer
I was so excited to try this as I've been missing Arby's. I was disappointed 😞. I think it was the water that took away from the roast beef. I'll try it again using roast beef broth instead and see if that helps!
Jon A
We just tried this recipe and it turned out fantastic! We used Hillshire Farms meat and I was stunned how similar it was to Arby's roast beef. We also bought some deli roast beef so we could compare and it was not as good, but okay.
We also used Secret Stadium Sauce for Arby's sauce which is a little spicier but very similar.
Also, for others, the point is not to make a cheaper option to Arby's, it's to see if you can recreate it at home. Plus most Arby's around us are no longer dine in.
Thanks for posting this!
Bob
Hilshire Farms roast beef comes in 7oz tubs for $5. You can either make two sandwiches with 3.5oz each or 3 sandwiches with 2.3oz. In our local supermarket a bag of 8 Pepperidge Farms sesame buns is usually $4 or $.50 each. If you make 2 sandwiches they would cost $3.00 each. Arby’s sells them 2 for $6. Where’s the savings?
Sandy
Have to agree with Bob. I just finished making this using Hillshire Farms Roast Beef. The meat was not good.
However, on the positive side, Pepperidge Farms makes an excellent bun. You can buy an onion roll with sesame seeds. 2 packs for $6 at Food Lion yesterday.
Devyn
I have to drive 1 hour one way to get to Arbys. Roughly $7 for 2 gallons of gas plus 2 hours of my time would be my savings. I'll gladly make drive 5 minutes to Wal-Mart to get these items.
Esther
I don't believe the motivation was about saving money, it's about replicating at home.
I can assure you this going to cost me more to nail this recipe than it would be just drive to Arby's and buy theirs. However, the satisfaction of a perfect duplication is worth more to me than saving a dime. (Specific to this instance; I am quite frugal otherwise.)
Just my two cents 😉
Ste Fra
I’m so glad I found this recipe. We love Arby’s, but where we live there are no Arby’s! Thanks a bunch
Jay
Noticed that Walmart now sells arbys sauce in a bottle which I love. That brought me here after a quick goog. Recipe is very very close. Definitely will be making again. Used hillshire farms btw. Thanks for this
Ruth
Team Onion Bun!!
Sarah
Do you think the sandwiches could be made and frozen? My grandma is not well and love arby’s so I wondered if I could pre-make some for her to pull out of freezer as she needs to eat. Thanks!
Fox Valley Foodie
I haven't tried it, but I do think it may be possible. I would recommend wrapping one in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and test it out.
Bruce Johnson
You can always vaccum seal the meat once it is cooked. When ready, you simply take it out and let it thaw. Then you simply drop the bag in a pot of boiling water for a short time to heat it up, take it out and cut the bag open and then you are ready to go!
Tara
Interesting....the Arbey's in my area use onion buns. That's part of what makes them so great 😊
Sarah
Butterball roast beef tastes the most like Arby's but I've only ever seen it sold at one Piggly wiggly that's like an hour and a half away from me. Not sure if it's sold in your area but I've tried the ones you mentioned and it's so much better.
Jeri
Butterball? I never knew they made anything outside of turkey products. I’ll have to check our piggly wiggly.
Gina
Your so correct on this method. I'm glad someone knows how it's really done. Thanks