What Cheese Goes Best with a Roast Beef Sandwich? 12 Delicious Options

A roast beef sandwich is a classic lunchtime favorite for good reason – few combinations beat tender sliced roast beef paired with melted cheese on bread. But with the wide variety of cheeses available it can be tricky to narrow down the best options for your roast beef sandwich.

In this article, I’ll share 12 of my favorite cheeses to use in roast beef sandwiches, along with serving suggestions to create the perfect cheese and beef pairing. Whether you prefer a traditional sliced sandwich or a hot, melty roast beef melt, these cheese choices are sure to please.

Cheddar

Cheddar is one of the most popular choices for roast beef sandwiches, and for good reason. Its tangy sharpness stands up well to the hearty flavor of roast beef. Aged white or orange cheddar provides a nice firm texture that melts beautifully.

For cold roast beef sandwiches, slice or shave sharp cheddar to let the beef flavors shine. To make a hot sandwich or melt, choose a good melting cheddar. Smoked cheddar also pairs wonderfully with roast beef.

Swiss

With its signature holey pattern and nutty, slightly sweet flavor, Swiss cheese is a natural fit for roast beef sandwiches. Its firm yet supple texture melts very nicely.

Swiss cheese pairs well in both cold deli-style sandwiches layered with roast beef as well as hot melts where the cheese beautifully envelops the meat.

Provolone

For an Italian flair, provolone’s mild, milky flavor blends wonderfully with roast beef. Its smooth, creamy consistency when melted makes it ideal for paninis, melts, and other heated sandwiches featuring roast beef.

Aged provolone provides a bit more bite and complexity. But even mild provolone shines with roast beef, especially in sandwiches where you can appreciate the textures.

Blue Cheese

Tangy, pungent blue cheese can give your roast beef sandwich a kick of adventurous flavor. A little bit of blue cheese crumbles or blue cheese spread packs a lot of taste without overpowering the beef.

Blue cheese pairs exceptionally well in hot roast beef melts. It also makes a stellar addition to roast beef salads and charcuterie boards alongside the sliced meat.

Gruyère

With its gruyère pale yellow color, nutty sweetness, and small holes, Gruyère cheese makes a sophisticated pairing for roast beef. It has a velvety texture that melts beautifully.

For an upscale roast beef and cheese melt, Gruyère really shines. It’s also fantastic on charcuterie boards served with cured meats like roast beef. The contrasting flavors are wonderful together.

Havarti

Creamy Havarti with its buttery flavor and texture complements roast beef wonderfully, especially in melt sandwiches. Plain Havarti provides a delicate flavor balance while horseradish Havarti kicks things up a notch.

Horseradish-studded Havarti also pairs well with roast beef in sliced sandwiches or on appetizer platters. Its creaminess mellows the sinus-clearing horseradish heat.

Pepper Jack

Pepper jack cheese infused with spicy peppers can add a flavorful kick to roast beef sandwiches. The creaminess of the Monterey Jack balances the zip of the peppers.

If you like some heat, pepper jack is a tasty choice for spicing up roast beef paninis, melts, or even cold sliced sandwiches. The cheese also provides extra protein.

Muenster

Mild, smooth Muenster cheese makes an excellent melting cheese for roast beef sandwiches and melts. Its subtle nutty flavor pairs wonderfully without overpowering the beef.

Muenster cheese also provides great creaminess and texture when used in cold roast beef sandwiches. Its softness contrasts nicely with the slices of tender beef.

Fontina

Fontina is a deliciously melty Italian cheese that works wonderfully in hot roast beef sandwiches, melts, and other heated dishes. Its semi-soft texture and nutty, creamy flavor complement roast beef beautifully.

Aged Fontina has a little more punch – but even mild, young Fontina cheese shines with roast beef. Try shaved Fontina over rare roast beef for an easy appetizer.

Gouda

With its signature sweet, caramel-like flavor, Gouda cheese makes a unique pairing for roast beef sandwiches. Its creamy texture and wonderful meltability help bring the components together.

Young Gouda is milder, while aged Gouda has a more robust flavor. Both taste delicious with roast beef. For sandwiches, try sliced or grated Gouda.

Brie

Soft, rich Brie cheese provides a lovely contrasting texture and earthy flavor against sliced roast beef. The buttery Brie almost melts into the sandwich, taking it to a new level of luxury.

For an amazing roast beef and cheese sandwich, spread creamy Brie on bread or lightly melt it in a hot sandwich. The smoothness perfectly balances the beef.

American Cheese

Good old American cheese might seem like a basic choice, but its mild flavor and incredible meltability make it a go-to for delicious roast beef sandwiches. American cheese binds the ingredients together into a cohesive, comforting sandwich.

White American cheese is especially versatile. But classic yellow American works great too. The cheese melts beautifully over hot sliced roast beef.

The Takeaway

With so many cheeses to choose from, experiment to find your favorites for pairing with roast beef sandwiches. Varieties like cheddar, Swiss, Havarti, provolone, Muenster, pepper jack and American cheese are all excellent choices.

Let your preferences guide you – pick cheeses you really enjoy the flavor of. The beefiness of the roast beef allows you to get creative with cheese choices while still staying beautifully balanced. A great cheese takes an already delicious roast beef sandwich up to the next level.