Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar Recipe

Countless food rankings sing the praises of the best fast-crafted cheeseburgers. Yet one of the most renowned fast food sandwiches doesn't even consist of a ground beef patty. The Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar is, in fact, the unsung hero of fast-crafted sandwiches. And now, you can prepare it in the comfort of your home thanks to recipe developer and Chop Happy blogger Jason Goldstein's Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar recipe.

In 12 minutes (prepping and cooking time combined), you can have two copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddars on your kitchen table. Fans of this Arby's favorite can take the guessing game out of "what's for dinner" with this delicious recipe, and you'll be eating a fast-crafted classic in less than 15 minutes. Goldstein describes this recipe as "super easy," and he paid homage to his childhood to concoct it.

"Growing up, when we were allowed fast food, I always ordered the cheesiest, beefiest sandwich I could," Goldstein said. "This sandwich reminds me of those happy comfort food times!"

Gather the ingredients for this copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar recipe

To make this masterpiece, you'll need a pound of roast beef, two onion rolls, a cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese, four slices of American cheese, two teaspoons of garlic powder, two teaspoons of salt, two teaspoons of pepper, half a cup of cream, half a cup of ketchup, and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

You'll also need a pot for heating the cheese, a bowl for mixing the ketchup sauce, plates for the sandwiches, and of course, your appetite.

Cook the cheese

First things first, you'll want to place all the cheddar and American cheese slices in a pot. Next, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper, and half a cup of cream will join the cheese in the pot. Then, you'll turn the stove on to medium — with the pot on top — and let it work its magic.

As the cheese begins to melt, you'll mix the contents until they turn into a thick, orange, and cheesy consistency. This process should take 30 seconds. Set the cheese aside, and do your best not to dip into the cheese until the recipe is finished.

Don't have a stove, or it's on the fritz? Goldstein says a microwave will do the job. "Just cook for 30 seconds at a time and mix." Follow the instructions above, and use a microwave-safe container for the cheese sauce.

Make the sauce

Once the cheese is complete and set aside, the next step is making the sauce. And we're not talking about your everyday sauce here. We're talking about a version of homemade Arby's sauce.

In a bowl, you'll mix the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a teaspoon of pepper. Set the sauce aside next to the cheese you prepared in the previous step.

Assemble the copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar sandwich

By now, you're probably drooling over your creation — and feasting time is luckily only a few steps away because it's time to put everything together and make the sandwich.

Pull apart the onion rolls and place them on plates (or whatever you're eating on). Spread the ketchup mixture on the bottom buns. You'll then top the ketchup mixture with roast beef (in case you're wondering, Goldstein says there's no need to warm up the meat). Next, and this is the fun part, pour on the cheese. Finally, place the top bun on the cheese and enjoy!

If you're craving a side item, Goldstein recommends a "potato sidekick." "Fries, chips, or even a baked potato with extra cheese sauce on top would be good," Goldstein suggested.

Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar Recipe
5 from 59 ratings
The Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar is, in fact, the unsung hero of fast-crafted sandwiches. And now, you can prepare it in the comfort of your home.
Prep Time
10
minutes
Cook Time
2
minutes
Servings
2
servings
Copycat Arby's Beef 'N Cheddar
Total time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated) 
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • ½ cup of cream
  • ½ cup of ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 pound roast beef 
  • 2 onion rolls
Directions
  1. Place 1 cup of sharp cheddar (grated), 4 American cheese slices, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and ½ cup of cream in a pot. Turn on stove on medium and mix until mixture gets a thick, orange, cheesy consistency (approximately 30 seconds). Set aside. 
  2. Mix ½ cup of ketchup, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.
  3. Now, make the sandwich. Spread ketchup mixture on the bottom bun. 
  4. Top with roast beef and then pour on the cheese. 
  5. Finally, top with the top bun and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 1,257
Total Fat 83.9 g
Saturated Fat 44.2 g
Trans Fat 0.8 g
Cholesterol 345.8 mg
Total Carbohydrates 47.7 g
Dietary Fiber 2.1 g
Total Sugars 17.4 g
Sodium 1,730.3 mg
Protein 77.9 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Rate this recipe