Top Round Roast Beef Recipe

A roast beef dinner feeds a crowd, so you usually end up with plenty of leftovers that need to get used up. Instead of eating the same dinner all week long, repurpose the meat. We're highlighting some of the best recipes to transform last night's dinner into something totally new. The end results might even be better than the original dish.

1. Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff | iStock.com

This first recipe from Epicurious proves leftovers really can be a good thing. Beef stroganoff is comfort food in its greatest form, and the recipe is amazingly easy. You'll serve the beef and mushroom mixture over a bed of wide, flat noodles for a complete meal. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of medium to rare roast beef, cut into ½-inch-thick strips
Dash of salt
Dash of black pepper
4 ounces unslated butter, divided
3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 cups no-salt-added beef broth
1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
¼ cup sour cream
¼ red wine
1 large shallot, chopped
6 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Cooked noodles

Directions: In a large, heavy skillet, melt 2 ounces of butter over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms with a dash of salt and pepper for about 5 minutes, or until golden and liquid has released. Remove to a plate.

Add olive oil to the same pan, then add the beef strips. Stir until heated through, then remove to a plate.

Melt the remaining 2 ounces of butter and cook the shallots and garlic until beginning to brown. Sprinkle in the flour. Continue to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Pour 2 cups of broth in the pan and boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and stir in the mustard. Add the meat and mushrooms and remaining broth. Cover and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, or until meat is tender.

Five minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream and red wine. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve over cooked noodles.

2. Roast Beef Salad with Cramy Horseradish Dressing

close-up of a juicy steak served with an arugula and tomato salad

Salad is a great base for roast beef | iStock.com

Looking to lighten up your leftovers? Try this salad from Food & Wine. It's a simple dish that allows the robust taste of your roast beef to shine in all of its glory alongside some bitter escarole and earthy mushrooms. The creamy horseradish dressing gives your salad just the right kick.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons drained bottled horseradish
1 teaspoon red or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
1 large head escarole, torn into bite-size pieces
¼ pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 small red onion, sliced thin
½ pound sliced roast beef, cut into approximately 1½-by-½-inch strips

Directions:In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, vinegar, pepper, and ½ teaspoon of the salt until smooth.

In a large bowl, toss the escarole with the mushrooms, onion, roast beef, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing. Serve the salad with the remaining dressing drizzled over the top.

3. Beef and Vegetable Soup

Beef and vegetable soup

Beef and vegetable soup | iStock.com

If you need something warming, this beef and vegetable soup from Food.com is for you. The recipe is extremely flexible, meaning you can enlist any leftover meat and vegetables you have. Te best part is you don't need to feel guilty about having a bit of meat when so many veggies are involved.

Ingredients:

½ pound leftover pot roast, chopped
1 cup leftover beef drippings or vegetable oil
1 quart beef stock
1 to 2 cooked carrots, sliced
1 to 2 cooked potatoes, sliced
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables
1 (15.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash chili powder
½ onion, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a soup pot. Bring to boil. Reduce eat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with bread.

4. Fajitas with Roast Beef

Beef fajita, peppers, onion and tomato

Beef fajita, peppers, onion and tomato | iStock.com

To really shake things up, try these roast beef fajitas from Food & Wine. You'll add the beef, vegetables, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro, to some flour tortillas for this easy meal. The next time you have leftover roast beef, throw an impromptu fiesta and serve these roast beef fajitas.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces roast beef, sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
¼ cup beef gravy
8 warm flour tortillas

Optional toppings

Salsa
Sour cream
Cilantro

Directions: In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and chili powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat, stirring, until softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and gravy and cook, stirring, until just heated through, 1 minute. Serve the beef and vegetables in warm tortillas with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

5. Ginger Beef Salad

fresh ginger root piled behind a small bowl of dried, ground ginger

Ginger is the star ingredient | iStock.com

This recipe from Delish shows a whole new way to use up roast beef. It's a salad that gets a huge dose of flavor from a vibrant ginger dressing. This meal will be ready in about 15 minutes, and all you have to do is chop, whisk, and toss. The resulting salad is flavorful with a nice crunch, and it's hearty enough to serve as a main dish.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1½ tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
12 ounces roast beef, cut into strips
12 ounces mixed greens
1 cup dried chow mein noodles
6 radishes
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped mint

Directions: In a large bowl, whisk vinegar with fish sauce, canola oil, ginger, and sugar. Add beef, mixed greens, dried noodles, radishes, cilantro, and mint and toss. Serve right away.