Leftover Roast Beef Recipes: 12 Ways to Use Up the Christmas Roast

The best leftover roast beef recipes slice the cold roast thinly and warm it only briefly, in sandwiches, stroganoff, fried rice, salads, curries and pies. Because the beef is already cooked, add it at the very end and heat it just until steaming, so it stays tender.

These 12 leftover roast beef recipes are grouped into sandwiches, quick dinners, summer salads and comfort food, with a quick comparison table and safe storage tips, so the Christmas roast keeps giving well past Boxing Day.

Sandwiches and Rolls

Roast Beef Sandwich with Horseradish Mayo

Thin slices of cold roast beef layered into fresh bread with horseradish mayonnaise and crisp salad leaves. Rostbiff or rump roast is ideal, since lean, even slices stay tender cold. It is the fastest Boxing Day lunch, with no cooking.

Hot Roast Beef Rolls with Gravy

Soft rolls piled with thin slices of roast beef dipped in hot beef gravy made from the roast pan juices. Scotch fillet or rump roast works well. The hot gravy heats the thin slices through quickly, so the beef stays tender.

Roast Beef Cheesesteak Rolls

Cold roast beef shaved paper thin and tossed on a hot plate with onion and capsicum, then smothered in melted cheese inside a toasted roll. Scotch fillet roast gives the richest result. It is a leftover twist on our Philly cheesesteak.

Quick Weeknight Dinners

Roast Beef Stroganoff

A roast beef stroganoff simmers mushrooms, onion, paprika, Dijon and sour cream into a creamy sauce, then folds in strips of leftover roast beef at the end. Any roast cut works, and it is ready in about 30 minutes.

Roast Beef Fried Rice

Day-old rice stir-fried hot with egg, spring onion, peas and soy, with diced roast beef tossed through in the final minute. Rump and rostbiff dice neatly, and cold rice and cold beef are exactly what fried rice needs.

Roast Beef Hash with Fried Eggs

Diced potato and onion crisped in a heavy pan, with chopped roast beef stirred through until hot and a fried egg on top. Any roast cut works, including the ends and offcuts. It turns small leftovers into a hearty brunch.

Summer Salads and Bowls

Thai Beef Salad with Leftover Roast

Cold roast beef sliced thinly and tossed with mint, coriander, cucumber and red onion in a lime, chilli and fish sauce dressing. Rump or eye fillet roast suits it best. Served cold, it is light and fresh for a hot Christmas week.

Roast Beef Rice Bowl

A gyudon-style bowl of thinly sliced roast beef simmered briefly in a sweet soy and onion broth, then spooned over steamed rice. Scotch fillet roast gives the most tender slices, and the beef needs only a minute in the broth.

Roast Beef Tacos

Warm tortillas filled with sliced roast beef crisped in a hot pan with cumin and smoked paprika, then topped with slaw, avocado and lime. Rump or rostbiff works well. Tacos are quick, fun for a crowd and use up small amounts of roast.

Pies, Curries and Comfort Food

Roast Beef Cottage Pie

Diced roast beef simmered with onion, carrot and leftover gravy, topped with mashed potato and baked until golden. Any roast cut works, including the drier outer slices. It freezes well, which makes it ideal for stretching a large roast.

Leftover Roast Beef Curry

Roast beef warmed in a fragrant sauce of onion, garlic, ginger, curry spices and coconut milk or tomato, served with rice. Rump and rostbiff hold their shape. Add the beef at the end and heat it through, so it stays tender.

Roast Beef Stew with Leftover Gravy

Potatoes, carrots and onion simmered in stock and leftover gravy, such as the gravy left from a roast beef rump with red onion gravy, with cubes of roast beef added for the last few minutes. Any roast cut works, and nothing is wasted.

Quick Comparison Table

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Roast Beef

Cool leftover roast beef quickly, refrigerate it in shallow sealed containers and use or freeze it within two to three days. The Food Safety Information Council advises refrigerating leftovers once the steam stops rising and reheating them until steaming hot. Storing meat safely starts with keeping your fridge at 5C or below.

When freezing meat that is already cooked, such as roast beef, plan to use it within 2 to 3 months. Slice it first, pack meal-sized portions with a little gravy, label them and thaw in the fridge. To reheat without drying it out, warm thin slices in hot gravy, broth or sauce until steaming, rather than reheating the whole piece.

Conclusion

For Boxing Day, the quickest leftover roast beef recipes are the horseradish mayo sandwich, hot rolls with gravy and Thai beef salad, while stroganoff and fried rice cover the weeknights after.

Slice thinly, reheat until just steaming and use leftovers within two to three days. Next time, roast a rostbiff with leftovers in mind.