16 Toppings To Upgrade Your Roast Beef Sandwich

Do you love the roast beef sandwich at Arby's or Jersey Mike's, but fail to capture that same flavor when you attempt to make one at home? If so, it could be due to a few factors. To troubleshoot, ask yourself a few important questions: Are you picking the right cut of beef for a roast beef sandwich? Are you making your roast beef from scratch (the effort is well worth it) or are you relying on grocery store deli meat, which can really vary in terms of quality?

You must also consider the toppings here. Maybe you're just not getting creative enough with your roast beef sandwich fixings. Sure, you could go classic with melty processed cheese, à la Arby's, or you could stack your sandwich up "Mike's Way" with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and red wine vinegar. However, if you've tried those, and find that something's still missing, it may be time to upgrade your roast beef sandwich with one of these less expected toppings.

While mustard is a staple on many a sandwich, you might not find it on a deli roast beef sandwich unless you specifically ask for it when you order. However, once you try mustard on your roast beef, you may just never go back.

So, which mustard should you choose? After all, you've got yellow mustard, whole grain, Dijon, brown, honey, and more to consider. One good pick that's obvious once you really think about it is spicy mustard. Horseradish is already a supremely popular roast beef sandwich topping, and spicy mustard offers a similar flavor profile. In fact, you can even find hot mustard that contains horseradish. If that spiciness isn't for you, you can still enjoy a classic tang, as well as a little extra texture, via whole grain mustard. 

Love the pairing of beef and mustard? Don't just wait to use this condiment as a sandwich topping. When cooking your roast beef, consider coating it in a mustard-based rub before popping it into the oven.

If you've never heard of chowchow, it could just be that you're not from the American South. This regional favorite is a pickle relish with a sweet and tangy flavor profile, thanks to a combination of vinegar, mustard, and sugar. It typically contains a variety of vegetables, depending on the maker; common ingredients include cabbage, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. While the way chowchow got its name has been debated, it's unquestionably become a staple.

This condiment is tasty on its own, and also as a topping — like on a roast beef sandwich. But while the average home cook may enjoy it, if you've never tried chowchow at all, you might be hesitant. If that's the case, maybe you'll feel a bit better following the advice of a pro. Southern Chef Damaris Phillips of Food Network fame serves up a pot roast sandwich made with chowchow, and even makes her own chowchow from scratch utilizing cabbage, peppers, onions, radishes, and (uniquely) Thai chili. If that's not something you want to undertake, rest assured, you can easily find plenty of jarred options.

If you're not adding Boursin cheese to your shopping list for every single grocery run, you need to develop that habit, stat. Super smooth, and flavorful, Boursin is a specific brand of cow's cheese that comes in a small cylinder, in flavors like Garlic & Fine Herbs, and Shallot & Chive. And it's extremely versatile, enjoyed spread onto crackers, and also as an ingredient. You can add Boursin to soup, and it makes a delicious addition to mashed potatoes. It should come as no surprise, then, to learn that Boursin is also great on a roast beef sandwich.

The rich creaminess of Boursin cheese pairs well with savory roast beef, and the cheese provides such a distinct flavor that you really don't need all that much more on your sandwich. Spread it onto some crusty bread, and then top that with some veggies like lettuce or tomato for freshness before adding your roast beef. If you really want to get wild, you might then add a squirt of mustard, too. Want to get fancy? Make Boursin roast beef crostini by combining the two ingredients atop appetizer-ready, store-bought crostini.

Boursin cheese, for all its benefits, can have a rather strong flavor profile that may not appeal to every single roast beef sandwich connoisseur. Some may find it a tad salty or overwhelming. For those in that camp who still want a creamy, rich cheese to spread on their roast beef sandwich, cream cheese is an easy alternative that will be slightly sweeter, and milder. An added benefit is that, while Boursin can be pricey, cream cheese can come in at less than a third of the cost, for quadruple the amount of product. (Pro tip: If you love Boursin with roast beef, but can't stomach the price tag, you can simply make copycat Boursin by combining cream cheese with garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs.)

Consider making a twist on a bagel with lox — a sandwich that famously requires cream cheese — but swap out the typical salmon for roast beef. Keep all your other traditional ingredients — like capers, tomato, and onion — for an unexpected addition to your next brunch spread.

If you love the heat that horseradish brings to a roast beef sandwich, you'll likely love the kick that wasabi will provide your tastebuds, too. Wasabi, also sometimes called Japanese horseradish, comes from the same plant family as Western horseradish. (Fun fact: Mustard is also in that same family.) Both ingredients get their heat from volatile compounds, but you may find that wasabi gives your roast beef sandwich more of a complicated, and elevated, flavor profile. This is due to its vegetal notes.

To make the most of this topping, don't just grab a tube of wasabi, and start squirting it all over your sandwich. Consider doing as The Pioneer Woman does, and make a wasabi cream sauce with wasabi, sour cream, mayo, and cilantro. To add some crunch to the heat, consider layering some wasabi peas onto your sandwich, similarly to how you might add potato chips to a tuna salad sandwich.

For a distinctly Italian roast beef sandwich, or a Chicagoan roast beef sandwich, for that matter, you're going to want to add giardiniera into the mix. If you're not familiar with this ingredient, it's an Italian blend of pickled vegetables, such as cauliflower, carrots, celery, and peppers. These vegetables may be chopped finely or barely chopped at all, depending on the type you buy. The flavor profile is primarily tangy, thanks to the vinegar, but it may also be slightly spicy.

If you try giardiniera on your roast beef sandwich, and find you're a fan, consider making a giardiniera vinaigrette by mincing the giardiniera, and combining it with mustard, vinegar, oil, and seasonings. You can also reuse leftover giardiniera oil from the bottom of the jar. Just remember that not all giardiniera comes packed in oil or an oil-vinegar blend. If you want the oily version, specifically look for Chicago-style giardiniera. Add that leftover oil to your eggs, grilled cheese, pizza dough, and more.

Japanese Kewpie mayo is a favorite among home cooks and professional chefs alike, for a few good reasons. Compared to your usual store-bought mayonnaise, authentic Kewpie mayo is richer, with a flavor that benefits from the umami kick of MSG. It typically doesn't contain any sugar, though the American-made version does. 

If you already enjoy regular mayo on your roast beef sandwich, consider elevating that classic combo of mayo and beef by upgrading to Kewpie. As for what else to add to your sandwich, you can't go wrong with more mustard, as well as a flavorful cheese like gruyere. You might also combine the mayo with horseradish for a creamy, spicy sauce.

Can't find Kewpie mayo in your neck of the woods? If this condiment is sorely lacking from your local grocery store, you can add a few ingredients to make American mayonnaise taste like Kewpie. Add rice vinegar and sugar, if you're copying American-made Kewpie. For a spicy Japanese mayo, throw some sriracha and lime juice into the mix.

Crème fraîche is often used interchangeably with sour cream and Greek yogurt in recipes, but don't make the mistake of thinking that the three ingredients are identical, or that putting crème fraîche on your roast beef is going to taste like adding sour cream or Greek yogurt. While those last two may produce lackluster results, crème fraîche can be a showstopper. Compared to sour cream, it's higher in fat, milder, creamier, and less acidic. When compared to Greek yogurt, it's richer, and not as tangy.

One Redditor recommended blending crème fraîche with freshly ground horseradish to make a spread for your roast beef — and, if you can first make the crème fraîche yourself, even better. Yes, before you ask, it's worth it to make your own crème fraîche, because all you need is heavy cream, buttermilk, and a little time. Once you learn how to make it at home, you'll find all sorts of ingenious uses for crème fraîche. Along with adding it to a roast beef sandwich, for example, you can use it to brighten potato salad, or elevate tartar sauce.

Coleslaw works well in a variety of sandwiches. You can find it on pulled pork, and similar barbecue sandwiches, as well as on the Rachel, the Reuben's lighter sibling. Coleslaw can also very nicely round out a roast beef sandwich, adding cool crunch, and a light brightness. Of course, not all coleslaws are the same; you'll want to pick your roast beef sandwich slaw with care. In particular, watch the liquid. Regardless of the sandwich, you never want to end up with soggy, slaw-soaked bread.

Coleslaw is wildly versatile, so you can mix and match flavor profiles, finding whatever ingredients fit your fancy. In fact, a handful of the other roast beef toppings on this list also frequently make their way into slaws. If you're looking for some inventive additions, consider using tzatziki in coleslaw, rather than vinegar or mayo. To kick up the heat, add jalapeños to coleslaw.

Right next to the coleslaw at the deli, you'll likely spot another side that pairs well with a roast beef sandwich: potato salad. According to one Redditor, you might be hard-pressed to find an American deli that'll put that potato salad directly onto your roast beef sandwich, but in New Zealand, it's a pretty typical combo.

Just as you should pick your slaw with care when topping a roast beef sandwich, do the same when choosing the right potato salad. Opting for a potato salad with overly large pieces of potato or boiled egg, for example, could lead to an unwieldy, unnecessarily messy sandwich. You could potentially avoid this issue by taking an extra step to improve your potato salad: Smash the potatoes. Rather than boiling your potatoes, and then cutting them into chunks, boil them, smash them on a baking sheet, and then roast them. You'll get the added benefit of more flavor, and a nice texture from the roasting. What's more, the flatter potatoes are more suitable for stacking on a bun.

You've heard of the po'boy, but what about the debris po'boy? While a traditional po'boy can feature a range of fried meats along with lettuce, tomato, and sauce on a sub roll, a debris po'boy specifically includes roast beef. Supposedly created by a restaurant in an effort to use up some leftover beef, it's an excellent take on a roast beef sandwich — and, if you're making it in the style of Food Network's Jeff Mauro, you'll be using a remoulade as the po'boy's requisite sauce.

If remoulade isn't in your sauce repertoire, it's a French creation that starts with mayo or oil, with other ingredients added for texture, and flavor. There are a few regional variations. For example, in Louisiana, home of the po'boy, a remoulade might include mustard, onions, celery, and hot sauce. In contrast, a classic French remoulade incorporates capers, cornichons, and herbs. After you've begun to use this sauce on your roast beef sandwiches, you may find that remoulade works well in tuna salad, and also makes a great topping for burgers.

Stroll down the salad dressing aisle at the grocery store, and it's easy to become overwhelmed by all your options — especially when you consider that some are equally great on sandwiches. Thousand Island is delicious on a Reuben or a Big Mac-style burger, while ranch is always at home on a fried chicken sandwich. And a variety of salad dressings speak to roast beef sandwich connoisseurs specifically. Favorites here include Italian dressing (remember how well roast beef pairs with other Italian ingredients, like giardiniera) as well as Catalina dressing (a tomato-based vinaigrette that has fallen slightly out of popularity), and classics like Thousand Island, and blue cheese dressing.

Want to ensure your salad dressing doesn't soak into your bread, and make for a soggy sandwich? Treat your sandwich toppings like a salad all on their own. Rather than layering tomato, lettuce, onion, and other veggies, then squirting on the dressing, first toss the vegetables in the dressing. Only add them to the sandwich once they're dressed. This not only preserves the sandwich's texture, but also ensures the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Chimichurri is, depending on who you ask, the only sauce worth serving on steak. But this blend of oil, acid, and herbs also works to elevate more affordable cuts of meat. As such, it makes sense that chimichurri would be delicious on a roast beef sandwich, regardless of how high-end (or not) the cut of beef you're using is.

Chimichurri provides so much fresh flavor to a roast beef sandwich that you don't even really need to add much else. Simply pair it with some Swiss cheese, and toast your sandwich until warm and melt-y, or add some processed yellow cheese and onions for a cheesesteak-esque sandwich with a chimichurri upgrade.

If you're not a huge fan of chimichurri, or you've already given this topping a try, it may be time to move beyond the expected. Swap your familiar green sauce for a red chimichurri, which is smokier, and spicier. If you've never had it before, you can taste-test red chimichurri at Chipotle. The chain rolled out its version of the sauce in 2025, and a Takeout reviewer pronounced it "alive in a way no Chipotle condiment has [been] before."

If you're craving a roast beef sandwich, and also something that'll stick to your ribs, you probably don't want one of the lighter sandwich toppings on this list. Instead, it's time for warming comfort food — and in that category, gravy always wins. No, this is not going to be a sandwich that you can eat on the go. You're going to need a knife and fork. But if you're willing to make the effort, you'll find that a piping-hot, open-faced roast beef sandwich smothered in gravy can really hit the spot on a cold day.

Here's how to do it right: Heat the beef and the gravy together, and toast some bread. Add the beef to the bread, top it with cheese, and let it melt. You can go the easy route for this option, and opt for a packet of beef gravy mix or pre-made beef gravy. However, if you have a little extra time, consider making gravy from scratch, either by roasting beef yourself, and using the drippings to make gravy, or by purchasing bones and meat (cheaper cuts will work) specifically for this endeavor.

Another topping that would go great on that gravy-smothered roast beef sandwich? Caramelized onions. But of course, caramelized onions are an awesome roast beef topping all on their own. They're delicious on a hot roast beef sandwich, made decadent with melty cheese on toast, but they work equally well on a lighter option, like a cold roast beef sandwich with spinach, and apple slices.

If you've previously overlooked this topping because you simply don't have time to spend an hour caramelizing onions, we've got good news. There's an easy trick to caramelize onions faster. In fact, you can cut the cooking time by more than half. All you need to do is, early in the cooking process, add a bit of water to your pan, just enough to cover the onions halfway. Let the water boil, cover the pan, and let the onions cook down for 10 minutes. After the water is reduced, the onions will begin to brown, and the overall cooking process will be much faster due to this shortcut.

Compound butter provides so much flavor to so many meat dishes, including a roast beef sandwich. It's as versatile as it gets, really. You can pretty much make compound butter with anything delicious: fresh herbs, spices, honey, finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, or even another condiment like mustard, chimichurri, or pesto. 

To make compound butter, all you need to do is allow your butter to soften until it's easily mixable. Then, begin adding your ingredients of choice, tasting as you go, so that you reach your desired flavor profile without needing to re-soften the butter later. Roll the butter into a log, cover it in plastic wrap, and let it re-harden in the fridge until you're ready to use it. As a bonus, when adding compound butter to a roast beef sandwich, you can spread the butter right onto your bread before toasting it (or don't even toast it — that's up to you) to avoid the messiness of a sauce.