Arby’s Beef and Cheddar

When it comes to iconic fast food sandwiches, Arby’s Beef and Cheddar stands in a class of its own. The perfect combination of tender, thinly-sliced roast beef, creamy cheddar cheese sauce, and their signature red ranch sauce, all served on a toasted onion roll, has been delighting customers for decades. Today, we’re sharing how to recreate this beloved sandwich at home, complete with both signature sauces made from scratch.

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Arby’s Beef ‘N Cheddar Sandwich

There are famous roast beef sandwiches, and then there’s Arby’s Beef and Cheddar. Arby’s has been serving up melt-in-your-mouth tender roast beef sandwiches for decades, and one of the best-selling menu items is the Arby’s Beef and Cheddar Sauce.

There is nothing else quite like it with the sandwich’s soft bun, thinly sliced roast beef, gooey cheddar cheese, and zesty Red Ranch sauce. This beef and cheddar sandwich comes with the Red Ranch sauce, and their creamy cheddar cheese sauce.

Give Arby’s classic Beef and Cheddar a try, and you’ll never settle for a plain old roasted beef sandwich from your local deli again.

What Makes this Copycat Arby’s Beef and Cheddar the Best

• Features both signature sauces made from scratch
• Uses readily available ingredients
• Matches Arby’s unique flavor profile
• The perfect balance of meat and sauces
• Ready in under 30 minutes

Let’s Talk About the Meat

You can’t serve a great roast beef sandwich with just your average meat. But that doesn’t mean you should go through the trouble of cooking a pot roast just to make this sandwich. In fact, don’t!

While your pot roast may be the talk of the neighborhood, what is most important for this sandwich are two things:

1. The meat must be very rare.
2. It has to be really, really thinly sliced.

Unless you happen to have a deli slicer at home, you are just not going to be able to cut your home-cooked roast beef thin enough to do this sandwich justice. So, go ahead and buy some from the supermarket and ask the butcher for extra-thin slices.

Arby’s Beef and Cheddar Ingredients

Here’s a list of what you need to make copycat Arby’s Roast Beef and Cheddar Sandwich:

• Ketchup 
• Water
• Onion powder 
• Garlic powder 
• Worcestershire sauce 
• Salt 
• Apple cider vinegar 
• Milk 
• Cheez Whiz 
• Shredded Cheddar cheese 
• Thinly sliced roast beef (high quality deli roast beef)
• Onion hamburger buns with poppy seeds

How to Make Arby’s Beef and Cheddar

You’ll need to make the sauces first.

Red ranch sauce: Combine ketchup, water, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir to combine.

Cheese sauce: Heat the Cheez Whiz, milk, and shredded Cheddar cheese in a small saucepan. Heat on low until the cheese has melted, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer.

Building a Beef and Cheddar Arby’s Sandwich Like a Pro

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot.
2. Spread the slices of roast beef evenly on the bottom of the pan.
3. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water on top of the roast beef and cover immediately.
4. Turn down the burner to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes until the meat is hot.

5. Meanwhile, spread a thin layer of butter on the inside of the top and bottom onion kaiser roll. Pop in the toaster for a few minutes to toast and crisp up the buns. The butter adds a whole lot of flavor and a little extra protection against the wet roast beef turning the bun into a soggy mess.
6. Next, spoon some red ranch sauce on the bottom bun. Not too much. A tablespoon should be enough.
7. Use tongs to remove the meat from the pan, shake off any extra water, and mound it on top of the Red Ranch sauce.
8. Pour the warm cheddar cheese sauce over the roast beef, add the top bun, and serve with plenty of French fries or onion rings.

Variations

• Add crispy onions
• Use different cheese blends
• Try potato or brioche buns
• Add bacon or mushrooms
• Make it spicy with jalapeños

Storage and Reheating

Sauce Storage:

• Store sauces separately in airtight containers
• Refrigerate cheese sauce for up to 3 days
• Refrigerate red ranch sauce for up to 1 week

Reheating Instructions:

Open foil for last 2 minutes to crisp bun

Cheese Sauce:

• Add splash of milk
• Heat over low heat
• Stir frequently until warm

Complete Sandwich:

• Wrap in foil
• Heat at 350°F for 10 minutes

More Arby’s Copycat Recipes

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Arby’s Beef and Cheddar

You can make a classic Arby’s Beef ‘N Cheddar sandwich at home, we lnclude instructions on how to make Arby’s cheese sauce, and the Arby’s Red Ranch sauce.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Arby’s Beef and Cheddar, Arby’s Recipes, Beef and Cheddar Sandwich

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 568kcal

Ingredients

Arby’s Red Ranch Sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Arby’s Cheese Sauce

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup Cheez Whiz
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Roast Beef Sandwich

• 16 ounces sliced roast beef higher quality lunch meat
• 4 onion sandwich buns
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Arby’s Red Ranch Sauce Preparation

• Combine the ketchup, water, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Make Arby’s Cheese Sauce Preparation

• Heat the Cheez Whiz, milk, and shredded cheddar cheese in a small saucepan on low heat until the cheese has melted. Reduce heat to a simmer.

Roast Beef Sandwich Preparation

• Layer slices of roast beef in a nonstick skillet.

• Sdd 1 tablespoon of water. Place the lid on the skillet. Turn the heat to medium and allow the beef to steam for 3 to 4 minutes.

• In the meantime, slice the onion buns if necessary

• Butter the inside of the buns, and toast in a hot skillet.

• Build the sandwich by spreading about 1 tablespoon of Arby’s Red Ranch Sauce on the bottom bun. Add 1/4 of the roast beef to each sandwich, and top with Arby’s Cheese Sauce. Cover the sandwich with the top bun.

Notes

Pro Tips for Success

• Use very thinly sliced rare roast beef
• Ask your deli to slice the meat “shaved” or “extra thin”
• Don’t skip buttering the buns – it prevents sogginess
• Keep sauces warm but not hot
• Assemble just before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 3306mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 650mg | Iron: 5mg