Roast Beef Sliders are by far the easiest party appetizer. Ready in 15 minutes and guaranteed to disappear first from the potluck or game day spread. Sweet Hawaiian rolls, juicy roast beef, and melty provolone get an upgrade from quick additions like tangy horseradish mayo and a savory butter sauce. The rolls bake up golden and toasty on top, stay pillowy-soft underneath, and — most importantly — never soggy thanks to a simple assembly hack.
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Why This Recipe Works
Game day at our house means a crowd, usually 15-25 people and a full spread of appetizers. Out of the hundreds of parties we've hosted, these roast beef sliders disappeared faster than anything else I've served (maybe with the exception of my Artichoke Jalapeno Dip). Even my teenager who "doesn't like sandwiches" loved them.
The truth is, I avoided deli-meat sliders for years. Too many party versions I tried were not only bland and boring, but it gets worse — they were soggy. Because of that, I've always leaned toward the heartier slider options like buffalo chicken and pulled pork sliders that can be self-assembled and served straight from the crockpot. But as a professional cook with decades of hosting under my belt, I knew I could make a roast beef slider worth serving to company.
Here's why this recipe works:
Big Flavor | Savory roast beef and provolone stacked against a sweet Hawaiian roll certainly wasn't a bad start, but to make these sliders truly company-worthy, I spruced up the mayonnaise spread with prepared horseradish and Dijon mustard. Then, a savory butter sauce made extra flavorful with simple additions like Worcestershire sauce, garlic and onion powder. Game-changers.
Better Texture | Soggy bread is not welcomed around these parts, no matter how long the party goes on. The assembly order of your sliders matters. By adding a layer of sliced cheese above and below the roast beef, the sliders perfectly toasty all day long.
Fast to make, full of flavor, and built to last through kickoff and halftime, these roast beef sliders are game-day gold. If you're looking for another crowd-friendly, handheld option that always goes over well with a crowd, try my chicken ciabatta sandwich or lightened-up sloppy Joe's next! Both are guaranteed to disappear just as fast.
Roast Beef Slider Ingredients
- King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls | Their subtle sweetness is the perfect counterbalance to the savory roast beef, cheese, and sauces. Because they come connected in a sheet that fits snugly in a 9x13" pan, assembly is quick and easy. And if you accidentally grab the slider version with space between the rolls (like my husband did the other day), no worries — they still toast up and serve perfectly.
- Roast Beef | Thinly sliced deli roast beef, preferably London Broil — a leaner cut with big beef flavor. You can also use this roast beef slider recipe to repurpose leftovers for a quickfix family dinner. Pot roast or braised beef from the night before makes an excellent swap for deli meat and turns this into the easiest family dinner you'll make all month!
- Cheese | Provolone sliced at a 1 or 2 from the deli is a classic choice for pairing with roast beef sliders. It's mild, melty, with a nutty, buttery flavor profile. If you want to try something different, try Swiss, Gouda, Cheddar, Gruyere or even Havarti!
- Mayonnaise-Horseradish Sauce | Every great sandwich deserves a sauce, and this one delivers. Creamy, tangy, and just barely spicy enough to wake up those taste buds, it's not only perfect on these roast beef sliders, but it's also incredible on prime rib sandwich, steak sandwich and our classic roast beef sandwich. The best part? All you need is a simple mix of mayonnaise, prepared horseradish (I use Boar's Head), Dijon mustard, salt and pepper to bring it all together.
- Savory Butter Sauce | Melted butter, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder + salt = a garlicky sauce that transforms plain buns into something a little more gourmet with very little effort.
- Poppy Seeds | These little toppers add a delicate, nutty crunch and give the rolls bakery-style touch everyone loves. It's a little addition that makes your roast beef sliders feel extra special and keeps guests coming back for more.
How to Make Roast Beef Sliders
Add the Meat and Cheese | Add a single layer of cheese slices followed by all of the roast beef.
Make the Sauce | Stir together the mayonnaise, prepared horseradish, Dijon, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Spread evenly over the roast beef with a spoon or spatula.
Add More Cheese + Top Buns | Finish with the remaining layer of cheese slices, and place the top half of the rolls over the filling.
Brush with Butter Sauce | Whisk together the melted butter, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Brush generously over the top of the buns and sprinkle evenly with the poppy seeds.
Bake | Cover loosely with aluminum foil and transfer to a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 15 minutes, covered. Then, remove the foil and bake 5 minutes more until the tops are golden and the cheese is melty.
Serve | Remove from the oven and allow to cool about 10 minutes (this makes slicing cleaner). Cut into individual sliders with a serrated knife and serve warm.
Make-Ahead and Reheating Instructions
Make-Ahead | Assemble the sliders up to 24 hours in advance in your baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and keep covered in the refrigerator. Wait to add the savory butter sauce until right before baking so the buns don't get soggy.
Keep Warm | After baking, you can keep sliders warm in the oven at 200°F for up to 45 minutes. Tent with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out.
Reheat | The best method for reheating sliders is in the oven. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Quicker reheating methods would be the air fryer and microwave. Ready your air fryer to 320°F and cook for 3-4 minutes. If using the microwave, place sliders on a microwave safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel and reheat at 30-second intervals until warmed to your liking.
FAQs
By far the most popular cheese for pairing with roast beef is Provolone. However, Cheddar, Swiss, or Gruyere would all work well here.
According to food safety guidelines, 2 hours is the maximum amount of time to leave out sliders. If outdoors, you have closer to a 1-hour window. Due to the dairy components, avoid leaving sliders out in the heat or in direct sunlight.
Yes! Reheat sliders in a preheated 350°F oven, covered with aluminum foil for about 10-15 minutes. You can also reheat them in the air fryer at 320°F for 3-4 minutes. Lastly, you can reheat sliders in the microwave. Place on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and reheat at 30-second intervals until warmed to your liking.
The best way to prevent sliders from getting soggy is to create a barrier between moist ingredients (like deli meat and sauces) and the bread. The best way to do this is with a layer of sliced cheese both on top and bottom.
What to Serve with Roast Beef Sliders
If you're serving roast beef sliders for game day or at a potluck holiday party, first of all — congratulations. You've made an excellent choice and your friends and family will be pleased. In our experience, these sliders disappear fast, so it's a good idea to round out the spread with a few other crowd-pleasers. Here are a few of my go-to pairings:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip | Creamy, spicy, and made easy in the crockpot.
- Velveeta Cheese Dip | Gooey, cheesy, and absolutely addictive.
- Texas Trash | The salty, crunchy snack mix that keeps everyone munching and happy.
- Corn Dip | Cool, cream, and just the right amount of sweet to balance out those savory sliders.
- Mini Pigs in a Blanket | A nostalgic crowd-pleaser with an easy homemade dough guests love.
Roast Beef Sliders
Ingredients
FOR THE SLIDERS:
- 1 package 12-count King’s Hawaiian rolls or soft dinner rolls
- 1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef
- 12 thin slices provolone cheese
FOR THE HORSERADISH MAYO SAUCE:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper
FOR THE SAVORY BUTTER SAUCE:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9x13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil or parchment. Without separating the rolls, slice the entire sheet of Hawaiian rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves in the baking dish.
- Add a layer of cheese slices, slightly overlapping each slice, followed by all of the deli meat.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the horseradish mayonnaise. Spread the sauce evenly over the roast beef with a spoon or spatula.
- Add another layer of cheese slices over the sauce and place the top half of the Hawaiian rolls over the cheese.
- Whisk together all ingredients except the poppy seeds. Brush the glaze over the rolls, then sprinkle with poppy seeds evenly on top.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove the foil and bake 5 minutes more. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes. Slice into individual sliders and serve warm.
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