Delicious Arby's Beef and Cheddar

Whip up an at-home fast food fix with this twist on Arby's beef and cheddar—you'll be diving into juicy roast beef, creamy gooey cheese, and that zippy sauce that everyone's obsessed with. I pulled this idea together after my youngest wouldn't stop asking for Arby's every Saturday. Saving money was the goal, but now our homemade version is the clear favorite: fresh ingredients, stuffed sandwiches, and I actually know what's in them. Honestly, nothing beats watching my family grin with every bite that tastes just like grabbing dinner from the drive-thru.

When my sister came over with her crowd of teens, I doubled this meal and tossed it together for lunch. Even her oldest, who isn’t easy to impress, took a giant bite and said he wanted to pack some leftovers. He copied down how it’s made so he could try it at his dorm—it doesn’t get better than that from a teenager. My sister was shocked at how easy the whole thing was, especially since she thought making cheese sauce would be complicated. Now it’s a regular at her house when the kids start asking for fast food.

Must-Have Ingredients

• Roast beef from the deli, sliced thin: Ask for super thin cuts—they shouldn’t be shy about it at the counter. This is what keeps the sandwich from feeling chewy.
• Cheddar, sharp and shredded: Grab a block and grate it yourself for meltiness. Bagged shreds don’t melt as smoothly and you’ll taste the difference.
• Whole milk: You need the extra richness for a silky, perfect cheese sauce. Skim milk won’t cut it and just gets weird.
• Onion buns (or whatever soft buns you’ve got): Onion is classic, but use what’s handy—brioche or kaiser rolls work if you’re out of the traditional stuff.
• Apple cider vinegar: Trust me, this gives your sauce the distinct tang that sets it apart from just regular BBQ.

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Simple Step-by-Step Guide

First, make that zingy sauce

In a small bowl, toss together ketchup, Worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and brown sugar. Whisk well so the sugar melts and everything blends together. Let this hang out while you work on the rest—it gets more flavorful as it sits.

Cheese sauce, here we go

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium, being careful it doesn’t turn brown. Add flour and keep whisking for about a minute to cook off any flour taste. Once you’ve got a thick paste, slowly pour in the milk while whisking non-stop—dumping it too fast will make lumps and you really don’t want that.

Smooth out your cheesy goodness

Stir the milk mixture over heat until it thickens up a bit (it should coat a spoon in about five minutes). Take it off the heat, then add your cheese in small handfuls, stirring after each until it's all nice and melty. Leftover heat melts cheese smoothly without making it gritty.

Warm up the roast beef the right way

Add beef broth to a big skillet, then heat it to a gentle bubble over medium. Pull your roast beef slices apart and drop them, one at a time, into the hot broth. Don't dump them all together or you'll end up with a beef mound that won't heat evenly.

Quick beef warm-up

Give each roast beef strip about a minute in the broth—just enough to heat and soak up flavor, not cook it. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to pull out the meat, letting the liquid drain off before you build your sandwich. You want warm, slightly juicy beef, not a soggy mess.

Time to build your sandwich

Open your bun and slather both halves with a good amount of your homemade Arby’s-style sauce. Pile on the warm beef (don’t be stingy), then pour on the cheese sauce—let it drip down the sides a bit. Add the top bun and dig in while it’s all toasty and melty.

Getting the Arby's beef and cheddar at home made me feel like I'd figured out a major food secret. When I mixed the sauce just right, the flavor was spot on. It's wild that what tastes so special is just regular stuff from your pantry thrown together in the right amounts.

Cheese sauce tripped me up at first. I made it crazy thick once because I didn’t use enough milk, then lumpy the next go because I dumped milk in way too fast. But after a couple tries, it’s second nature—just whisk and go slow. Now I make it with my eyes closed. Good thing, too, since my family wants these all the time.

What actually blew my mind is how much tastier these are compared to the drive-thru. High-quality roast beef outshines anything the restaurant has. Plus, you can pile on as much cheese or sauce as you want—no more sandwiches that are all bun and barely any filling.

The way you warm the roast beef totally levels up your sandwich game. Cold deli slices straight from the fridge? Not the same. Give them a couple minutes in beef broth, and suddenly you've got a truly crave-worthy meal. Seriously, don’t skip this step.

Timing is everything. The cheese sauce and beef both need to be hot right when you’re ready to assemble, but not sitting around so long that your breads get soggy. It’s basically a quick kitchen dance that gets smoother every time you make these.

Serve ‘Em Up Right

Hand these out as soon as the cheese sauce is melty and the beef’s still hot. I get everything lined up first for quick assembly. Fries or onion rings are the perfect sides, and if you want to go full-on Arby's, grab some frozen curly fries and bake ‘em while you prep everything else. Pour a tall glass of iced tea or soda and enjoy—it’s just like takeout, only better because you don’t have to go anywhere.

Put Your Own Spin on It

Switch things up as much as you want. Sometimes I toss on crispy bacon or slice up red onion for a hit of crunch. If you like spice, toss a little hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne into your cheese. Fresh tomato slices are amazing in summer, even though it’s not classic. And don’t forget—extra sauce keeps well for fries or whatever needs dipping later on.

Staying Fresh

Honestly, these are tastiest when you eat them fresh from the kitchen. If you need to make things ahead, whip up the sauce in the morning and stash it in the fridge, so it gets extra flavor. Cheese sauce can be made in advance too—just reheat it gently and add a little milk if it tightens up. The roast beef will keep in the fridge for a couple days; just dunk it back in hot broth for a quick, delicious sandwich anytime.

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Making these beef and cheddar sandwiches has turned into a family tradition. We get all that comforting drive-through flavor, but eat it at home and skip the guilt. The kids help out, and now it’s our go-to for special weekend lunches, especially when we want something fun and cozy without going out. There’s a real joy in making something this familiar for each other, and giving it just a little homemade upgrade.

Recipe FAQs

→ What’s the trick to getting smooth cheese sauce?

Keep whisking non-stop while you pour the milk in. Remove it from heat before stirring in the cheese so it stays silky.

→ Could I swap the roast beef for something else?

Of course! Thinly sliced deli roast beef is ideal, but feel free to use any sliced beef as long as it’s cut super thin for the best texture.

→ What gives the sauce that classic Arby’s flavor?

It’s the mix of ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce that nails that tangy-sweet balance Arby’s is famous for.

→ Are the sauces okay to make ahead?

You can prep the tangy sauce ahead and pop it in the fridge. The cheese sauce is better fresh since it doesn’t reheat well.

→ Why heat the beef in broth?

This keeps the meat moist and adds extra flavor, making it taste just like the version you'd get at Arby’s.