Roast beef sliders are easy party sandwiches that are baked in the oven and great for a crowd! Hawaiian sweet rolls get filled with deli roast beef, sweet caramelized onions, melty cheddar cheese, and a creamy horseradish sauce.
The sliders get slathered in butter, topped with sesame seeds, and baked until golden brown and melty. To take things up a notch, serve these sliders with an au jus on the side for a french dip variety.
Hawaiian rolls add a sweetness to balance the two different horseradish elements. The first is a creamy horseradish mayo that's both spicy and rich. The second is horseradish cheddar cheese to hone in on the classic flavor pairing. And the caramelized onions cook low and slow until they are a deep brown packed with flavor.
Packed with flavor in every component, these roast beef sliders are perfect for a game day party or even a casual dinner where they are sure to be a hit!
Try these alongside some Braised Pork Belly Sliders with Asian Slaw or Steak Crostini with Horseradish Cream for more meaty appetizers!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple - Instead of delicately stacking individual sliders, these cheesy roast beef sliders are made by slicing an entire loaf of Hawaiian rolls in half, layering all of the ingredients on top, and baking them in the oven. It doesn't get much easier than that!
Flavor packed - These sliders are not lacking in flavor! They are filled with gooey cheese, horseradish, caramelized onions, and layers of roast beef. They are great as a main dish, an easy dinner recipe, or make the perfect appetizer.
Semi-homemade - This recipe does double duty on store bought items. Sweet Hawaiian rolls and deli sliced roast beef make these easy roast beef sliders come together in no time. And you'll make some key components, like caramelized onions and horseradish sauce, that really make this recipe special.
Ingredients
- Roast beef. Ask for shaved deli roast beef so it's slightly crumbly and piles on nicely.
- Cheese. I love horseradish cheddar on these, but you could also use Swiss, provolone, cheddar, or American.
- Hawaiian sweet rolls. The light sweetness from the rolls is the perfect pairing with the savory insides.
- Horseradish. This gets used in the horseradish spread. Look for prepared horseradish (rather than horseradish cream).
- Beef stock or bone broth. This gets heated up as an au jus to dip the sliders into. Reminiscent of a French dip sandwich, this is optional, but a nice touch!
- Onions. Fresh onions get caramelized, and you can also add crispy fried onions (store-bought) for a slight crunch.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Best Cheese for Roast Beef Sandwich
There are a lot of opinions out there about what is the best cheese for a roast beef sandwich, but there are really several great options.
Swiss cheese is a classic pairing, and provolone is a great melty cheese, particularly a sharp variety. Cheddar also goes great with roast beef. Try classic cheddar, horseradish cheddar for extra spice, or top with a cheddar cheese sauce.
And one of my favorite decadent options is to top a roast beef sandwich with beer cheese. Try this recipe from my Soft Pretzel and Beer Cheese Dip.
Best Cut for Roast Beef Sandwiches
The best deli roast beef is really a personal preference. You'll typically see three varieties of roast beef at the deli counter. Seasoned filet is well done, deluxe is medium, and London broil is rare. Choose whichever you prefer! We went with the deluxe for this recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
- Try brioche buns or pretzel rolls in place of the Hawaiian rolls.
- Buy pre-made horseradish sauce to save a little time.
- Use crispy fried onions from a can in place of (or in addition to) homemade caramelized onions for extra crunch.
- Swap out the horseradish cheddar cheese for other cheese options like swiss, sharp provolone cheese, or regular cheddar cheese.
- Top the rolls with everything bagel seasoning instead of sesame seeds.
💌 Save This Recipe
Send this recipe directly to your inbox and stay up to date with new recipes!
How to Make This Recipe
One: Peel and thinly slice the onions.
Two: Cook in olive oil over low heat until caramelized.
Three: Mix together the mayo, sour cream, horseradish and salt and pepper for the horseradish cream.
Four: Slice the slider buns in half horizontally (use a serrated knife), keeping the buns together.
Five: Spread the bottom half of the buns with horseradish cream.
Six: Layer on the roast beef in an even layer.
Seven: Top the roast beef with the caramelized onions.
Eight: Layer on the slices of cheese to cover completely. Let them fall over the sides slightly.
Nine: Spread on another layer of horseradish cream, then top with crispy fried onions (optional).
Ten: Add the tops of the buns, then press down slightly.
Eleven: Mix together the melted butter and spices and brush or pour completely on top of (and on the sides) of the sliders.
Twelve: Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then bake until warm and melty. Serve with warmed beef stock.
Hot tip! Slightly pull apart the creases in the tops of the buns to allow the butter to seep inside.
Expert Tips
- Use a serrated knife to cut the rolls in half.
- Try to cut the rolls so they are slightly fatter on the bottom. This will help them hold together better once they are served.
- Layer the ingredients the whole way to the sides.
- Place the slices of cheese so it is slightly falling over the edges of the rolls for extra melt factor.
- Pull apart the tops of the buns slightly to help the butter seep in between each roll.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Assemble the sliders, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake them. Remove the chilled sliders while the oven is preheating, uncover, bake, and enjoy.
Very thinly sliced deli roast beef is best so it ribbons nicely onto the buns. One step above shaved or chipped beef is great. But if you have leftovers from pot roast or shredded Italian beef, you can also use those.
To help you at the deli counter, seasoned filet is cooked well done, deluxe is medium, and London broil is rare.
The sliders can either be reheated individually in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute or in a 350℉ oven for 5-10 minutes until they are warmed through.
We love the melty cheese aspect of these sliders, but you can absolutely eat them cold if you prefer!
Storage
These are best enjoyed within two hours after baking. The buns will begin to get soggy, so storing is not recommended.
Assemble the sliders in a pan up to 8 hours ahead of time, store in the fridge, then bake when ready to serve. An additional 5 minutes of baking time may be needed if baked straight from the fridge.
More Meat Appetizer Recipes You'll Love
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
- If you'd like to make the recipe in a different pan, use the pan size converter.
📖Recipe
Hawaiian Roll Roast Beef Sliders
Equipment
- 9x13" pan or sheet pan
Ingredients
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2-4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 Kings Hawaiian rolls or other slider rolls
- 1 lb sliced deli roast beef shaved or chipped
- ½ lb sliced horseradish cheddar cheese or cheddar, swiss, provolone
- ½ cup crispy fried onions optional
- ¼ cup salted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard or spicy brown, dijon
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 cup beef bone broth optional (for au jus dipping)
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel, half, and slice the onions very thinly.2 large yellow onions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and onions and toss to coat. Allow the onions to cook for 5 minutes, toss again, then turn the heat to the lowest setting.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Continue cooking the onions for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the onions are golden brown and turn almost jammy-looking. Once cooked, remove from the heat to cool.
- Note: If the onions are burning at any point, add ¼ cup of water to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. The water will evaporate during the remaining cooking process.
- While the onions cook, whisk together all ingredients for the horseradish sauce. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as necessary.¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, salt and pepper, 2-4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and add parchment paper to a 9x13” pan or small sheet pan.
- Slice the hawaiian rolls in half (lengthwise through the soft centers) keeping the entire loaf in tact. Use a large serrated knife for this.12 Kings Hawaiian rolls
- Place the bottom half of the rolls into the pan, then spread generously with the horseradish sauce.
- Layer the roast beef in mounds all over the buns, then top evenly with caramelized onions, and slices of cheese to fully cover. Allow the cheese to hang over the sides slightly.1 lb sliced deli roast beef, ½ lb sliced horseradish cheddar cheese
- Spread more horseradish sauce on top of the cheese slices, and sprinkle on crispy onions (if using).½ cup crispy fried onions
- Place the lid of the buns on top (be sure it’s even) and gently press down. Gently pull apart the tops so they are slightly cracked open, but not fully removed from each other (so the butter can get in there).
- Melt the butter, then stir in the mustard powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Brush or gently pour the mixture all over the tops of the buns, then sprinkle on the sesame seeds.¼ cup salted butter, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Cover lightly with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until golden.
- While the sliders are baking, heat up the beef stock with the worcestershire. Add salt to taste.1 cup beef bone broth, 1 teaspoon worcestershire, kosher salt
- Use a serrated knife to gently slice through the slider buns, pressing down through the bottoms. Use a spatula to help remove them from the pan. Serve hot with the au jus in cups for dipping.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe? Share it with us! Tag @thecozyplum on Instagram & Facebook and leave a star rating ⭐️ below!
Leave a Reply