This Easy Top Round Roast Beef Recipe is going to become a regular in your house after you see how easy it is to make. Our fail proof cooking method leaves you with a flavorful and tender roast that you prepared in five minutes.
This recipe has become a huge family favorite in the two plus years since it was first published. My kids love how delicious it is and my husband and I love how easy it is to make, which makes it a true winner.
This easy top round roast beef recipe comes together in just five minutes with only five ingredients and that is counting salt and pepper! You will be shocked by how little it takes to make this oven roast beef absolutely delicious.
Absolutely delicious! So easy. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
How to Cook Roast Beef
The best way to cook a lean roast beef like top round is using a wire rack set in a roasting pan. This is actually key to this recipe because it lets the air circulate around the roast.
I bought my roasting pan (which you can see in the video) for $20 at a local department store and it is a great investment. You can also find one here.
How to Make a Tender Roast Beef in the Oven
In addition to the roasting pan, another key to this recipe is cooking the meat at a high temperature for 15 minutes before turning the heat down for slow roasting. This mimics searing the meat without actually searing it on the stove top. It works amazing!
- Season the beef. Rub the top round roast with olive oil. Then rub in the salt and pepper and the crushed garlic.
- Place the roast beef in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. This allows air to circulate around the roast, which is what you want.
- Start with the oven at 450 degrees. This will sear the outside of the roast beef, given it a nice crisp outside.
- After fifteen minutes, reduce the heat to 325. This will let the inside of the roast cook low and slow resulting in a tender roast beef.
- Use an oven proof thermometer to keep an eye on the internal temperature. Remove the top round roast right around 135 degrees for a nice medium rare roast like what you see pictured here. (See below for other temperatures to remove the roast at for different levels of doneness.)
- Remove the roast and tent it with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes. This will prevent the juices from running out when you slice it.
- Thinnly slice the roast beef against the grain.
Using an Instant Read Thermometer
I can’t recommend investing in an instant read thermometer enough. While I can give you a general idea of how long this will need to cook, because the thickness of a top round roast varies greatly, the time it takes to hit 135 will also vary greatly.
I love this instant read thermometer. You can poke the roast as many times as you need until the middle reaches 135. This instant read thermometer has been recommended to me by readers as one that you can leave in the roast inside the oven.
What Temperature is Beef Done?
I recommend pulling this recipe out of the oven at 135 for the medium rare you see here. If you would like the beef more rare, pull it out at 125. Pull it out at 145 for medium, and 155 for medium well. I don’t recommend cooking it past 155.
What is Top Round Roast
Top Round Roasts come from the back end of the cow and are an extremely lean cut of beef. It is sometimes labeled London Broil, which is a bit of a misnomer as that refers to the type of cooking, not the cut of meat.
The leanness of this cut of meat is the reason that it needs to be cooked low and slow as we are doing here. Additionally, you want to cut the meat into very thin slices to enjoy it more, even thinner than you see here.
Roast Beef Left Overs
Assuming you have top round roast beef left overs, though I would not be surprised if you don’t have any, there are so many great ways that you can eat it.
Storing
This roast can be kept in the refrigerator in an air tight container for three to four days.
Reheating
- Slice the entire roast before storing it.
- Put the sliced pieces in a 9×13 baking dish covered with tin foil.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Put the meat in and turn off the heat.
- Warm in the oven for 15 minutes and then enjoy the left overs.
What to do with Leftover Roast Beef
- Make a Roast Beef Sandwich. Layer the reheated thin slices on a French baguette, top with provolone cheese and put it under the broiler until the cheese is melted, watching it closely. Take it up a notch by adding horseradish sauce.
- Make a Steak Salad. This roast beef is perfect on a simple green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and red peppers with some ranch dressing. It would also be amazing on this strawberry spinach salad. It would also be a great way to turn my Caesar Salad into a full meal.
- Use it to make my Philly Cheesesteak Baked Tacos or my Philly Cheesesteak Cassserole.
What to Serve with Top Round Roast Beef
There are so many great sides that would go with this roast beef!
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Oven Roasted Asparagus
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts
- Brown Sugar Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Broccoli and Rice Casserole
If you make this easy top round roast beef recipe or any of my other recipes, please leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Easy Top Round Roast Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pound top round roast
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Fit a rack in a roasting pan and set aside.
- Rub the top round roast with the olive oil. Then spread the salt, black pepper and garlic over it. Do your best to cover not only the top and bottom but the sides.
- Place the seasoned roast on the rack in roasting pan. Roast (uncovered) in the oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 325. Roast for another 45 to 60 minutes or until the a thermometer reads between 135 and 140. Please note that roasts that are less than 3 inches thick will take less time to roast. I highly recommend investing in an instant read thermometer so you know the exact moment to pull it out of the oven.
- Remove from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes. Slice thin, and enjoy. See post for details about reheating and left over ideas.
Serge says
Really easy, great recipe. Turned out perfectly. I used a 3.5 pound cut and put it in the “roast” setting in my Samsung oven, which includes an air fry feature.
I’m so glad you liked it!
Anne says
can I cook potatoes in with the roast? or is there enough time for them to cook
Yes! It all depends on the size of the roast though. A smaller roast won’t yield enough time for the potatoes, but one that is 3 pounds or more should be enough time. Just throw them in the pan after the initial high heat and make sure they don’t crowd the meat so that air can still circulate.
LeAnne says
Turned out perfect! I’ve made these types of roasts before without much luck. Will definitely make this again. Cut the meat thin and made great French Dip sandwiches.
I’m so glad that you liked it!
Rita says
Making the top round tomorrow
Do you have gravy recipes. Thank you.
I do, here it is: Gravy Recipe. Though I’m not sure you will need it with this. You might enjoy this more with my Horseradish Sauce.
Susan S says
Very tasty! We really liked the taste and I enjoyed the simple prep. Will definitely add this to my recipe book. Felt it would be helpful to give some estimate as to length of oven time. I used an almost 3 lb.thick roast which took 75 to 90 minutes.
I totally agree with you! The problem is that sometimes this cut can come three inches thick and sometimes one inch thick, but both cuts will weigh 2 pounds. That will result in two very different cooking times.
Sue R says
Seems only part of ingredients are listed and what is in the bottom of the roasting pan?
I promise all the ingredients are listed. Nothing goes in the bottom of the roasting pan.
Judy says
Loved it! So did my husband. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Sonja says
I noticed You suggested cooking the roast in a roasting Pan with a rack, At the end you show a picture of a cooked roast in a cast iron skillet Did you use a rack with the skillet?
Ignore the cast iron skillet. It was just for pictures, and definitely a mistake in using it because you are not the only one who has had this question.
Carl says
It came out perfect
I’m so glad you liked it!
Mary says
Approximately how long does the beef top round roast cook in the oven to reach 155 degrees
Hi Mary! It is very dependent on the thickness of the roast. I suggest using an instant read thermometer. I also would urge you to consider taking it out earlier than 155. It’s going to be a lot less tender at that temperature.