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Easy Top Round Roast Beef Recipe

4.91 from 162 votes
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posted: 12/02/21

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

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.

easy top round roast beef recipe garnished with fresh herbs and on a plate of caramelized onions

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.

Reader Review

Absolutely delicious! So easy. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!

front view of whole roast beef recipe on a bed of caramelized onions

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!

  1. Season the beef. Rub the top round roast with olive oil. Then rub in the salt and pepper and the crushed garlic.
  2. 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.
  3. Start with the oven at 450 degrees. This will sear the outside of the roast beef, given it a nice crisp outside.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.)
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

overhead view of sliced roast beef recipe in a cast iron skillet with caramelized onions

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

  1. Slice the entire roast before storing it.
  2. Put the sliced pieces in a 9×13 baking dish covered with tin foil.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Put the meat in and turn off the heat.
  5. 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.
easy roast beef in a cast iron skillet with caramelized onions

What to Serve with Top Round Roast Beef

There are so many great sides that would go with this roast beef!

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!

top round roast beef recipe on a white plate
easy top round roast beef recipe garnished with fresh herbs and on a plate of caramelized onions
4.91 from 162 votes

Easy Top Round Roast Beef Recipe

Serves: 6 people
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
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.

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.
Calories: 384kcal (19%) Carbohydrates: 1g Protein: 50g (100%) Fat: 20g (31%) Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) Monounsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 150mg (50%) Sodium: 701mg (30%) Potassium: 21mg (1%) Vitamin A: 100IU (2%) Vitamin C: 2.5mg (3%) Calcium: 10mg (1%) Iron: 3.8mg (21%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
easy top round roast beef recipe garnished with fresh herbs and on a plate of caramelized onions

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Easy Top Round Roast Beef Recipe

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Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Kris says

    Will this work with a beef shoulder roast?

    • Lisa Longley says

      That wouldn’t be my pick for this. I would instead use it in my Pot Roast. It’s an amazing recipe I think you’ll love.

  2. MJ says

    5 stars
    This recipe is a keeper–followed it exactly and produced a delicious roast. 😍 Used frozen minced garlic, making it easy as possible. My one quibble ended up being with the reheating method. I tried it and overcooked the beautiful medium-rare leftovers. 😬 I have found reheating in the microwave works really well, if done carefully–low to medium power, covered with a moist paper towel–and will stick to that. Otherwise, perfection, and will put it on repeat. 🙌🏼

  3. Jeff Riha says

    4 stars
    Simple, solid recipe that works. Highly recommend a temperature probe in the roast set to 135 degrees. Slice across the gran, if it can be determined. A top round is a more economical cut of meat that may not give you the overall tenderness of other cuts. However following this recipe makes it an enjoyable cut of meat (ideally for a worknight meal).

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Jeff.

  4. Charlotte Gudorp says

    What other recipes could be used with the leftover beef roast? We found the beef to be a bit dry. A sauce or gravy recipe might be helpful.

    • Lisa Longley says

      It sounds like it could have been over cooked a little. When it is cooked to 135, it should be nice and juicy and not need a gravy at all. You might enjoy making these into grilled wraps with your favorite sauce. You could follow the directions listed in my Chicken Wrap recipe. I would recommend slicing it really thin for wraps.

  5. Pat says

    5 stars
    I made it exactly as directed came out perfect

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked it, Pat!

  6. Christine says

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy.. it came out absolutely perfect.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked it!

  7. Leigh says

    Can you tell me how to roast it on the convection roast setting?

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m sorry, we haven’t made this in a convection oven. I can tell you that your best bet with this recipe (and all meat recipes, really) is to go off of internal temperature. This is my favorite one, and it can be left in the meat while cooking in the oven.

  8. Pat says

    First time trying this Roast Beef recipe. Looking forward to the results.

    • Lisa Longley says

      I hope you enjoyed it!

  9. Lisa says

    5 stars
    Absolutely LOVED this recipe! I couldn’t believe how simple and absolutely delicious it was! A definite keeper. Thank you🙂

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so happy you like it!

  10. Sue Hunt says

    What is the green herb/spice on your roast (rosemary?)? What is the veg (?) around the roast (onion and mushrooms?)? It looks wonderful, but, unless I missed something, the recipe doesn’t include the full ingredients.

    • Lisa Longley says

      It’s just garnishment for the photo, I never ever use it when I make it for my family which is why it isn’t included in the ingredient list. But it is parsley on top and rosemary around it.

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