Roast Beef and Cheddar Sliders are 12 soft sweet rolls baked in one sheet, filled with thin-sliced deli roast beef and extra sharp cheddar, with a butter glaze of Worcestershire, Dijon, poppy seeds and dried onion poured over the top. They bake under foil so the rolls stay soft, then uncovered for a few minutes so the tops brown. Below you’ll also find the sauces that go under the beef or on the side, and how to get soft or crisp tops.
How to make them: Slice the whole tray of rolls in half without pulling them apart, layer roast beef, cheddar and more roast beef on the bottoms, and put the tops back on. Pour the melted butter glaze over, let the pan rest 10 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 20 minutes covered and 5 to 8 minutes uncovered.
Why You’ll Love Them
- One pan, 12 sliders: the rolls stay joined, so you fill them all at once.
- The glaze does the seasoning: butter, Worcestershire, Dijon, poppy seeds and dried minced onion soak into the tops.
- Soft or crisp, your call: the foil decides it.
- Easy to change: swap the cheese, add a spread under the beef, or put a dip on the side.
Ingredient Notes
Sweet rolls: One 12-count package of Hawaiian-style rolls, still attached to each other. Slider buns, brioche rolls or potato rolls also work.
Roast beef: 3/4 pound of thinly sliced deli roast beef. It is sold cooked, so it only needs to heat through. That is about 1 ounce per slider, so plan on a side dish if these are dinner.
Cheddar: 3/4 pound of extra sharp cheddar, thinly sliced so it melts evenly. Mild, medium or sharp cheddar all work too.
Butter glaze: 1 stick of melted butter whisked with 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon of poppy seeds, 2 teaspoons of dried minced onion, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 package (12 count) Hawaiian-style sweet rolls, rolls attached
- 3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
- 3/4 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Roast Beef and Cheddar Sliders
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Split the rolls. Keep the rolls joined. Open the package, slide out the tray and slice the rolls in half horizontally, so all the tops stay in one sheet and all the bottoms in another. Set the bottoms in the pan.
3. Layer the filling. Layer half of the roast beef over the bottoms, then all of the cheddar, then the rest of the roast beef. Set the sheet of tops on top.
4. Make the butter glaze. Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, about a minute. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, dried minced onion, salt and pepper. Pour it evenly over the tops of the rolls.
5. Let it soak. Cover the pan with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes so the rolls soak up the glaze.
6. Bake. Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, until the tops are brown, the cheese is melted and the sliders are hot all the way through.
7. Slice and serve. Cut into individual sliders and serve.
Tip: A serrated knife splits the whole sheet of rolls in one pass without squashing them.
What Goes on Roast Beef Sliders: Sauce Ideas
The butter glaze is the only sauce in the recipe above, and it goes on top. You can add a second sauce in one of three places: under the beef, over the meat, or in a bowl on the side for dipping. Here is what works and where each one goes:
| Where it goes | Sauce | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Spread on the bottom rolls | Horseradish sauce or horseradish cream | A thin layer, up to 1/2 cup |
| Spread on the bottom rolls, milder | Mayonnaise or mustard | A thin layer |
| Tossed with the beef | Barbecue sauce | 1/2 cup |
| Inside the top half | Sweet barbecue sauce | 1/4 cup |
| Instead of sliced cheese | Cheddar cheese sauce | 1 cup, in dollops on each slider |
| On the side | Sour cream horseradish dip, au jus or extra barbecue sauce | For dipping |
Sour cream horseradish dip: Stir together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Chill it until you serve.
Other Glazes for the Tops
- Brown sugar glaze: butter, brown sugar, Dijon, Worcestershire and poppy seeds, brought to a boil and poured over. It pairs well with the barbecue sauce filling.
- Paprika glaze: 3 tablespoons of butter with Dijon, Worcestershire and paprika.
- Sweet onion glaze: 3 tablespoons of butter with brown sugar and salt, then dried minced onion sprinkled over.
- Everything bagel tops: brush on 2 tablespoons of butter mixed with garlic powder and onion powder, then sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Out of that seasoning? Use poppy seeds with sesame seeds, or flaky salt, black pepper, dried onion and dried garlic.
Soft Rolls or Crisp Tops
The foil decides the texture:
- Soft rolls: keep the foil on for the whole bake.
- Soft inside, crisp on top: bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for the last 5 to 8 minutes, as in the recipe above.
- Crisp all over the top: bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tops are brown and crispy. If they brown too fast, lay the foil back over them.
After baking, let the pan sit 2 to 3 minutes so the cheese sets a little before you cut. Keep the rolls pushed together while you slice so each slider holds its shape.
Cheese Swaps
Cheddar is the heart of these sliders. Mild, medium, sharp and extra sharp all work; we use extra sharp for the biggest cheese flavor next to the beef. For a change, use pepper jack, Monterey jack, colby jack, provolone or Swiss, sliced thin like the cheddar. Or skip the slices and dollop 1 cup of cheddar cheese sauce over the beef.
Variations
- Barbecue beef: toss the roast beef with 1/2 cup barbecue sauce before layering.
- Bacon: add cooked bacon slices over the cheese.
- Caramelized onions: spread horseradish cream on the bottoms and add 1/2 cup caramelized onions over the beef. The onions take 30 to 45 minutes to make, so cook them first.
- Different rolls: slider buns, brioche or potato rolls.
- Turkey instead of beef: for a holiday tray with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce under the same kind of butter glaze, see our Thanksgiving sliders.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make ahead: Assemble the sliders, cover the pan and refrigerate. Pour the glaze on right before the 10-minute soak and the bake, or the rolls may get soggy. Keep the deli roast beef at 40°F or colder until you assemble.
At a party: Keep the sliders hot, at 140°F or warmer, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is over 90°F).
Refrigerator: Wrap leftovers well or seal them in shallow airtight containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Frozen leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Cover and reheat to 165°F. A 350°F oven brings the cheese back to melty. Don’t reheat them in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With Them
For a party spread, add pasta salad, baked garlic Parmesan potato wedges or a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. More hot beef sandwiches: Philly cheese steak sloppy joes and patty melts with secret sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sauce is good on roast beef sliders?
A butter glaze on top with Worcestershire, Dijon, poppy seeds and dried onion, like the one here. Under the beef, horseradish sauce, horseradish cream or barbecue sauce are the usual choices; mayonnaise or mustard is milder.
What cheese is best on roast beef sliders?
Cheddar, thinly sliced; we use extra sharp. Pepper jack, Monterey jack, colby jack, provolone and Swiss also work.
What sauce goes well with roast beef and cheddar?
Horseradish and barbecue sauce. For dipping, stir up the sour cream horseradish dip above, or serve au jus or extra barbecue sauce on the side.
Does cheddar cheese go with roast beef?
Yes. It is the pairing these sliders are named for, and it works with both the horseradish and the barbecue sauces in the table above.
Final Notes
Split the whole tray in one cut, don’t skip the 10-minute soak, and pull the foil only at the end if you want crisp tops. If you make them, tell me in the comments which sauce you used.
Roast Beef and Cheddar Sliders
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Ingredients
- 1 package sweet rolls 12 count, Hawaiian-style, rolls attached
- 3/4 pound deli roast beef thinly sliced
- 3/4 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese thinly sliced
- 1 stick butter melted
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- Keep the rolls joined. Open the package, slide out the tray and slice the rolls in half horizontally, so all the tops stay in one sheet and all the bottoms in another. Set the bottoms in the pan.
- Layer half of the roast beef over the bottoms, then all of the cheddar, then the rest of the roast beef. Set the sheet of tops on top.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, about a minute. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, dried minced onion, salt and pepper. Pour it evenly over the tops of the rolls.
- Cover the pan with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes so the rolls soak up the glaze.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 to 8 minutes, until the tops are brown, the cheese is melted and the sliders are hot all the way through.
- Cut into individual sliders and serve.
