This Italian Roast Beef recipe is perfect for Sunday dinner, or make ahead and slice thin for Italian beef sandwiches. Made with a rub of olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and spices, then roasted on a bed of onions, it's easy to make and full of flavor.
This isn't the prettiest thing, is it? But, it's delicious! And the onions that are roasted with the beef make a fabulous side dish paired with carrots or mashed potatoes, or whatever vegetable you like.
What is Italian Roast Beef?
Top round or bottom round roast beef coated with olive oil then rubbed with a mixture of coarse sea salt, coarsely ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, and either fresh minced garlic or garlic powder. I highly recommend roasted garlic powder, it's much more flavorful than regular garlic powder. Bring the beef out of the refrigerator one hour before roasting to come to room temperature.
Thinly slice onions and add them to a baking dish that has been coated with olive oil.
Place the seasoned roast beef on top of the onions fat side up.
Start the Italian Roast Beef in the oven at a high temperature (425 F) for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 325 F for the remaining time. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the roast to check for desired temperature, 125 degrees for rare, 145 for medium, or 160 for well done, removing the roast from the oven when it reaches 5 degrees lower than desired temperature to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Looking for more beef recipes for Sunday dinner or a special occasion? Try these:
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Slow Cooker French Onion Roast Beef
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Italian Roast Beef
Ingredients
- 4 pound top round roast beef
- 1 yellow onion sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic powder
Instructions
- One hour before baking bring defrosted beef out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Coat a baking dish with one tablespoon olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with the sliced onions.
- Combine the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and roasted garlic powder in a small bowl and mix well. Coat the beef all over with the remaining two tablespoons olive oil. Rub the salt mixture all over the beef, pressing hard enough that it sticks. Place in the baking pan, fat side up, on top of the onions.
- Place the pan in the oven, uncovered and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 F and continue to roast for an additional hour for rare to two hours for well done. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the roast to check for desired temperature, 125 degrees for rare, 145 for medium, or 160 for well done, removing the roast from the oven when it reaches 5 degrees lower than desired temperature to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with the roasted onions if desired, or use them to make an onion gravy with beef broth.
Nick says
My Italian grandmother and my mom growing up made this weekly for us in southern New Jersey. Thank you for sharing this recipe so I could get the details and the temperature down! One thing my grandmother used to do was make tiny cuts in the roast before cooking and stuff cloves of garlic directly into the meat as well. I could smell this dish just talking about it. Thanks again!
Michele Eaton says
Delicious, we love our onions, so this was a big hit at Sunday dinner. Easy to prep and the gravy was yummy. :^)
Pat C says
This recipe is spot on. Delicious seasoned beef, tender and juicy. Perfect!
Nausheen says
Looks delicious with the seasoning and sliced onions. I wanted to know if you can make this with another kind of meats too?
Bernadette says
Sure, it would be great with a pork roast or a whole chicken.