Arby's Beef and Cheddar Sandwich Copycat Recipe - Cooking Frog (2024)

Get ready for another culinary journey, this time featuring the delicious Arby’s Beef and Cheddar sandwich, a crowd-pleaser straight from Arby’s menu. This delightfully rich sandwich comprises thinly sliced roast beef layered with creamy cheddar cheese sauce and tangy red ranch sauce. To finish off this masterpiece, it’s served between slices of toasty onion bread, making this sandwich an incredible experience.

If you’re a fan of Arby’s, you may also check this Arby’s Bronco berry sauce recipe, scrumptious chicken salad sandwich, and delicious Jamocha Shake. Let’s jump right into the recipe, but if you want the best results, I highly suggest you read through the whole article.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs of thinly sliced roast beef
  • 1 beaten egg white (for the buns)
  • 1 TBSP of poppy seeds for buns topping
  • 1 TBSP of minced onion, dehydrated (for the buns)
  • Buns

For Arby’s Cheese Sauce

  • 4 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3.5 oz of shredded American cheese
  • 4 TBSP of half and half
  • ¼ tsp of paprika

For Arby’s Sauce

  • 2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp of sugar
  • 1 Cup of Ketchup
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1/3 tsp of paprika
  • ¼ tsp of onion powder
  • ¼ cup of water
  • 1/8 cup of mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp of salt

Instructions

Arby’s Cheese Sauce

  • In a small saucepan, heat medium-low heat. Combine the cheddar cheese (4 oz), American Cheese (4 oz cut into cubes), 1/3 tsp of paprika, and half and half (1/4 cup).
  • Cover the lid, and stir every 5-6 minutes to combine the ingredients nicely. Set at the lowest temperature while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

To Make Roast Beef and Buns

  • Preheat oven to 230F.
  • Wrap the shaved beef in foil and place it in the oven for heating.
  • Place buns on a baking tray.
  • Spread beaten egg white on top of the buns using a brush. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and chopped onion, and bake for about 5 minutes.

For the Arby’s Red Ranch Sauce

  • Heat up the 1 Cup of ketchup, 2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp of sugar, 2 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of garlic powders, 2 tsp of salt, and 4 TBSP of water using a small saucepan.
  • Allow the saucepan to simmer on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.
  • Turn the heat off, add in the 2 tsp of mayonnaise, and stir until well combined.

Assembling Arby’s Beef and Cheddar Sandwich

  • Start by topping the bottom bun with Arby’s sauce. Next, add roast beef to the pile—finally, spoon on cheddar cheese sauce and then more Arby’s sauce. Top the buns with onion and poppy seeds.
  • You can keep the prepared sandwiches warm in the oven at 160° Fahrenheit until you are ready to eat them for up to an hour.

Pin the image below if you like this Arby’s copycat beef and cheddar sandwich recipe!

Arby's Beef and Cheddar Sandwich Copycat Recipe - Cooking Frog (1)

Arby’s Beef ‘N Cheddar Sandwich

There are many famous roast beef sandwiches. Then there’s the famous Arby’s Beef and Cheddar. Arby’s has been making tender, juicy roast beef sandwiches that melt in your mouth since 1978, that’s a little over four decades. The Arby’s Beef & Cheddar Sauce is one of their most popular menu items.

It’s the perfect sandwich with its soft bun, thinly sliced roast beef, cheddar cheese, and red ranch sauce. This beef and cheddar sandwich includes the Red Ranch sauce and creamy cheddar cheese sauce.

Arby’s Beef and Cheddar classic Beef and Cheddar will make you reconsider your decision to eat a roasted beef sandwich at the local deli.

Did you know Arby’s introduced Venison sandwich in 2016 and 2020 for a short period? The good thing is you can make it using this recipe but adding venison instead of beef. Check out this Venison Backstrap recipe!

Why is this Copycat Arby’s Beef & Cheddar Sandwich so Good?

It’s all about the sauces. This Beef ‘n Cheese recipe is more than just putting a little roast beef between two slices of bread and calling it good.

Beef and cheddar by Arby’s take it to the next level with two homemade sauces. Both the sweet and tart flavors of the Red Ranch sauce and the creamy cheddar cheese sauce go together so well that it’s unreal.

No matter what you do, don’t compromise on quality by using pre-made cheese sauces or bottled BBQ sauces because it won’t be Arby’s Beef and Cheddar anymore!

The meat for Arby’s Beef & Cheddar Sandwich

A great roast beef sandwich can’t be made with low-quality meat. That being said, you should not go and make a pot roast in order to make Arby’s beef sandwich. Don’t do that!

Only consider these three things when choosing meat for Arby’s cheddar sandwich:

  1. It must be medium-rare.
  2. Good quality meat.
  3. It must be very thinly sliced.

Be sure to have a knife to slice your roast beef to make this sandwich thinly. You can buy some at the supermarket and ask for thin slices from the butcher.

Arby’s Cheese Sauce

Although the homemade Arby’s cheese-sauce recipe is simple, it requires a specific ratio of ingredients as well as slow melting.

Because the cheese sauce needs to be made slowly, it is best to start with the cheese sauce.

You can prepare the rest of this recipe while Arby’s cheese sauce melts.

Take the block of cheese and slice it.

Take a small saucepan and add in the cheese, half-and-half, heat to medium-low temperature, and add the seasonings.

Cover the saucepan and stir the mixture every 5-6 minutes until it is smooth and melted. Then, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and prepare the rest of your recipe.

You can also use canned cheddar cheese sauce pre-made and heated on the stovetop.

Arby’s Red Ranch Sauce

It is crucial to get Arby’s sauce right. It is very important to cook the spices properly and allow the flavors to combine.

Combine the spices, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, and water in a small saucepan. Let it simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Take off the heat and stir in the mayonnaise.

Arby's Beef and Cheddar Sandwich Copycat Recipe - Cooking Frog (2)

Final Thoughts

If your taste for decadence leads you towards a sandwich so delightful that it practically dissolves on your tongue, then Arby’s Beef and Cheddar Sandwich should be your go-to choice. I’ve poured my heart and soul into recreating this recipe with maximum authenticity, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a close match. If this recipe whets your appetite, don’t forget to explore other delectable copycat recipes on Cooking Frog. Moreover, it would make my day if you could share this with your friends and family, helping spread the culinary love. Thanks a bunch!

3.9/5 (101 Reviews)

Arby's Beef and Cheddar Sandwich Copycat Recipe - Cooking Frog (2024)

FAQs

What is on Arby's beef and cheddar sandwich? ›

About the Sandwich

We took our famous roast beef, topped it with Cheddar cheese sauce and zesty Red Ranch and served it on a toasted onion roll.

What roast beef tastes like Arby's? ›

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.

What does Arby's put on their roast beef sandwich? ›

Arby's tender and juicy, freshly sliced roast beef with Swiss cheese, crispy onions, sliced mushrooms and a deliciously savory spread all on a toasted specialty roll.

What ingredients are in Arby's roast beef? ›

Roast Beef: Beef, Water, Salt, Sodium Phosphates. Roast Ham: Ham Cured With: Water, Salt, Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Erythorbate, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Nitrite. Roast Turkey: Turkey Breast, Turkey Broth, Contains 2% or less of the following: Salt, Brown Sugar, Modified Food Starch, Dextrose, Sodium Phosphate.

Are red ranch and arby's sauce the same? ›

Red Ranch Sauce

Think of it as a less spicy version of the original Arby Sauce. It has the same ketchup base with garlic, onion, and Worcestershire sauce seasoning but omits the cayenne pepper. Red Ranch Sauce pops up on several items on Arby's menu, but it stands out in the Beef and Cheddar.

Why doesn't Arby's serve ham anymore? ›

Of course, whenever a fast food item disappears, most people can guess the reason was lackluster sales, and for Arby's ham, this was indeed the case.

What kind of meat does Arby's use? ›

Arby's uses Beef to make their famous roast beef meat. It's processed in a unique way that yields a sliced product. Their proceed beef includes salt and water and other common additives that help ensure consistency and adhesion. I would say the final product is nearly 97 or 97% real beef.

Why is Arby's roast beef shiny? ›

Meat contains iron, fat, and many other compounds. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colors like a rainbow. There are also various pigments in meat compounds which can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to heat and processing. Iridescent beef isn't spoiled necessarily.

What part of the cow does Arby's roast beef come from? ›

1 Answer. The "Arby's we grew up on" was a Steamship Round. That is the entire "round primal" shown in diagram. However, several years ago they went to a processed version in order to make production more uniform, I believe it is likely still 'mostly' round that has been pressed and shaped.

Is Arby's roast beef good or bad for you? ›

Most Nutritious Option. Arby's classic roast beef sandwich is the most nutritious main menu item. Accompanied by a healthy beverage and a side salad, it can make for a smart meal choice.

What kind of bun does Arby's use? ›

Our classic roast beef is thinly sliced and piled on a toasted sesame seed bun. Try it with our delicious Arby's Sauce®, or for an extra kick go with the zesty Horsey Sauce®.

Which Arby's sandwich has the most meat? ›

Let Arby's introduce you to our largest roast beef sandwich, The Half Pound Roast Beef.

What is on an Arby's beef and cheddar? ›

About the Sandwich

We put a half pound of America's favorite roast beef on this Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar. That doesn't include the weight of the other stuff, though, but we're certain the onion bun, cheddar cheese sauce, and red ranch make it even heavier.

What kind of frying oil does Arby's use? ›

According to Arby's website as of May 2022, the oil Arby's fries are cooked in is a blend of: “Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Canola Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, with Dimethylpolysiloxane (to reduce foaming).”

How does Arby's prepare the roast beef? ›

They found that while some of their meats — like the brisket — get to the store ready to slice and serve, the roast beef is slow-roasted in its strange bag for around four hours.

What is Arby's sauce most like? ›

Arby's Sauce

It is a tangy and slightly sweet sauce that pairs perfectly with their roast beef sandwiches. It's a cross of ketchup and BBQ sauce, so is made with a blend of tomatoes, vinegar, and spices.

What's the difference between Arby's sauce and horsey sauce? ›

Horsey Sauce is essentially just horseradish sauce and Arby's Sauce is a vinegar and tomato-based sauce.

Is Arby's horsey sauce horseradish? ›

Chardonneigh's Arby's Horsey Sauce. A limited-run of Arby's signature horseradish sauce with a chardonnay-flavored finish.

What kind of cheese is on an Arby's melt? ›

Arby's Melt: Roast Beef, Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Sesame Seed Bun.

How much meat is on Arby's beef and cheddar? ›

We put a half pound of America's favorite roast beef on this Half Pound Beef 'n Cheddar.

Does Arby's have beef n cheddar without bun? ›

Arby's Large Beef And Cheddar Sandwich No Bun (1 serving) contains 9g total carbs, 9g net carbs, 15g fat, 16g protein, and 230 calories.

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