Roast Beef Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Make gourmet Roast Beef Sandwiches at home, layered with sun-dried tomato pesto, baby arugula, and shaved asiago cheese. A great recipe for using leftover roast beef or serving at Game Day parties!

One of my favorite lunches to order in bistros and delis is a roast beef sandwich. They’re such a simple thing, yet when the beef is cooked just right, and the toppings are on point, there are few sandwiches I enjoy more.

They’re also incredibly easy to make at home and customize with your favorite cuts of beef and condiments. One of my favorite ways to adorn roast beef sandwiches is with Pesto Rosso (Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto). The sweet-tangy sauce is such pairs so well with tender, juicy slices of beef.

Layer in a few slices of crisp red onion, peppery baby arugula, and shaved asiago (or parmesan), and you’ll have a gourmet roast beef sandwich that will knock your socks off!

What Kind of Beef Should I Roast for a Sandwich?

You can use just about any beef roast you like best for these sandwiches. Since you’ll be serving this sandwich with cold or just slightly warm meat, I’d avoid overly fatty cuts, and go with something you can cook to a nice medium-rare.

These sandwiches are great with leftover roast beef from your trimmed Prime Rib, Beef Tenderloin, or eye round. Cut the meat against the grain into slices about ¼-inch thick, or thinner.

Want to read more about different types of beef roasts? Check out this article from Epicurious. 

I’ve also made this recipe with roast beef from the deli counter, and it’s been delicious. I like to look for rare to medium rare offerings and ask them to slice the beef thinly, but not shaved so that the sandwiches have the substance of a sliced roast.

Choosing a Bread

Just about any crusty artisan bread will work well for these sandwiches, from French baguettes to ciabatta rolls (my personal favorite). Ciabatta’s crispy crust and airy interior works well with the sauce and hearty sliced beef, without weighing the sandwich down.

I tend to stay away from really bready loaves. A friend and I made them with a thicker focaccia one afternoon. While they were delicious, they were so filling, we could only fit half a sandwich each.

If I find myself with a loaf of bread that’s on the denser side, I’ll often pull out some of the interior before assembling the sandwich. There’s so much going on with the fillings here, you don’t want a really heavy bread to overpower it all.

What to Serve with Roast Beef Sandwiches

Since these sandwiches are quite filling, I like to serve them with a few kettle chips or shoestring fries. All you need is a little something crispy for a side nosh between bites. I tend to find picnic fare, like heavier potato salads, a bit too much with such a substantial sandwich.

In addition to being one of my favorite ways to use my beef leftovers, these Roast Beef Sandwiches are a fantastic choice for Game Day menus. They’re a little different than the usual sandwich fare, and you can easily make them on longer loaves of bread to serve a crowd.

Pair these sandwiches with your favorite glass o’ something cold, and enjoy!