This herb-crusted, oven-baked Top Round Roast Recipe has a delicious outer crust of fresh herbs and spices and is moist and tender on the inside. It's the perfect roast beef for any family dinner or holiday celebration.
And if you're hosting a big group for dinner or the holidays, here are some other main dishes you'll want to consider like Prime Rib Roast, Turkey, or Spiral Ham with Ham Glaze.
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Herb Crusted Top Round Roast Video Tutorial
The Best Top Round Roast Recipe
If you love roast beef but are scared of ruining such a large piece of meat, then this recipe is for you! It requires minimal prep and gives great results every single time.
We like to use top round beef because, as one of the more inexpensive cuts of meat, it makes the most tender, juicy, and flavorful roast beef. It’s actually what is most often used for deli roast beef. The compound butter mixture adds a ton of flavor, and keeps the beef moist and delicious!
This Herb Crusted Top Round Roast will taste great served with the roasted veggies included in the recipe, but if you are making this for part of a larger meal, or for a holiday, we have a few suggestions of what you may want to serve it with. Most of these can be made ahead of time, or be prepared while your beef is cooking.
Looking for an easy crock pot roast recipe? Be sure to try this Rump Roast Crock Pot. It's tender and juicy and has the best gravy recipe too.
Key Ingredients
- Beef - this recipe calls for a top round roast - the same cut of beef usually used for London broil. You could also use a sirloin or rump roast if you wanted to really get fancy. You could also use prime rib.
- Butter - it’s important for your butter to be at room temperature so you can easily mix it with your herbs and spices.
- Garlic - you can use fresh minced, or from the jar will work, too.
- Herbs - this recipe uses fresh thyme, rosemary, and sage. However, you can use whatever herbs you find. Fresh herbs are great, but if you can’t find them, you can substitute dried ones.
- Carrots - your carrots should be peeled and cut into 2” pieces.
- Potatoes - I love to roast Yukon Gold potatoes, but Red Potatoes or Russet Potatoes would both taste great.
- Onions - this can just be peeled and quartered, and if you don’t have white onions, you can substitute yellow or even red.
How to Cook a Top Round Roast in the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add your butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage (if using), and onion powder. Mix together using a fork or spatula until well combined.
- Place your top round beef into the center of a 9"x13" baking dish or roasting pan (if there is a large section of fat, place that side face up). Season with salt and pepper on all sides of your roast, then spread the herbed butter all over the top and sides of your roast, using a fork and your fingers.
- In the same medium-sized bowl, add your carrots, potatoes, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and toss to combine. Spoon seasoned veggies around the roast's sides in the baking dish.
- Put into the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 325 degrees and cook for another 90 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 140 degrees in the thickest part for medium-rare.
- Remove from the oven and cover your roast loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with your roasted vegetables. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to get that beautiful browning on the outside, you’ll need to start cooking at a very high temperature for about 30 minutes. After those 30 minutes are up, though, your motto is low and slow! Since we are using such a lean cut, this is the key to keeping things crisp on the outside, and juicy and tender on the inside.
Once you’ve reduced the temperature down to 325 degrees, it will take another 90 minutes or so for a 3-pound piece, so more or less depending on the size of yours.
For a fall-apart top round roast beef, try reducing your oven all the way down to 300 degrees. It will take longer, but if fall-apart beef is what you are going for then it’s the price you’ve got to pay!
For this Top Round Roast Beef Recipe, I recommend you cook it to medium-rare or medium so the roast stays nice and tender. It's best to have an internal thermometer so there is no guessing required and you're sure you don't overcook your roast.
All ovens cook a little different so it's important to keep a close eye on how quickly your roast beef is cooking.
Rare: 125 degrees F.
Medium Rare: 135 degrees F.
Medium: 145 degrees F.
Medium Well: 150 degrees F.
Well Done: 160 degrees F.
Recipe Tips
- Let it rest for at least 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven to let the juices settle and redistribute. If you cut too soon, the juices on your cutting board will run out!
- Pull your beef from the fridge and let it come up to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before cooking. This will help the inside round roast cook more evenly without the outside becoming tough.
- Use an instant-read or meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your roast beef. For medium-rare, you’ll want it to be at 135 degrees F.
- If your beef cut has a larger fat area, make and have that side facing up in your baking pan.
- To chop fresh thyme, hold the top of the sprig with one hand and with the other hand, use your fingernails to pull the thyme leaves down the stem.
Herb-Crusted Top Round Roast Beef
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons thyme fresh chopped
- 2 teaspoons rosemary fresh chopped
- 1 teaspoon sage dried or fresh chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2-4 pounds top round roast beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 whole carrots peeled & cut into 2" pieces
- 4 whole Yukon gold potatoes washed & cut in half
- 1 whole white onion peeled & quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add your butter, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, and onion powder. Mix together using a fork or spatula until well-combined.
- Place your top round beef into the center of a 9" x 13" baking dish or roasting pan—if there is a large section of fat, place that side face up. Season with salt and pepper on all sides of your roast, then spread the herbed butter all over the top and sides of your roast, using a fork and your fingers.
- In the same medium-sized bowl, add your carrots, potatoes, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garlic and toss to combine. Spoon your seasoned veggies all around the sides of the roast in the baking dish.
- Put into the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and cook for another 90 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees in the thickest part.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and cover your roast loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with your roasted vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Beef Recipes To Try
- Carne Asada Chipotle Recipe
- Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Shredded Beef Tacos
- The Best Rump Roast in a Crockpot
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Meatloaf Recipe
- Spicy Italian Meatballs
- More Beef Recipes
- More Holiday Recipes
- More Main Dish Recipes
This Herb Crusted Top Round Roast recipe has a delicious crusty layer on top, full of fresh herbs and spices, and is moist and tender on the inside. It requires minimal prep and makes the perfect holiday roast.
Chelsea
the veggies came out great. I only cooked my roast for 30 mins at 425 and 30 at 325 and it came out well done and very dry. I'll reduce the time next time. also needs more salt and flavor.
Debbie
Wow! The smell is intoxicating!
My 16 year old granddaughter came downstairs, said, what smells so good! What is it. can't wait to taste it. making glazed carrots, string beans cooked down in juice and mashed potatoes which I most likely will load with chives, several grated cheeses & ranch dressing.
Kristin
This was absolutely incredible! Mine was done about 20 minutes early, but ovens vary. I am so, so pleased with this recipe and will be making it again!
Thank you!
KT
This was so DELICIOUS and EASY. Its going to be a favorite recipe I will most DEFINITELY make again. Thank you so much!
Kathleen
Excellent recipe! I mistakenly took the wrong roast out and was stressed about cooking it and it being tough, but, I tried your recipe and it was really good! Our house came with a fancy oven that doesn’t have the standard temperature dial (Verona) that I still can’t figure out, so I cooked it less than your recipe called for but still managed to cook it a tad too long and too hot, but it was still juicy and not tough! The flavor was great. I’ll be using this recipe again and adjusting my cook time accordingly. Thank you!
Jill Baird
Hooray for happy accidents! So glad your roast turned out great!
Bridget
I cooked a 3lb bottom roast it’s this recipe. I was confused with the cooking times listed and ended up taking it after 90 min total time. The breakdown:
Start, 30 min at 425
55 min at 325
I wish I had checked it sooner. I ended up with an internal temp of 155F
Still delicious though!
Andrea
What knife set do you use? I need a good knife and yours looks so easy to cut with
Michele McCollum
Tested this because crock pot went on the fritz, and I had to cook the roast. Absolutely wonderful!! I backed the temp down to 300, and it cooked probably an additional 25-35 minutes, and omg.... My husband's are almost half the roast in one sitting by himself!! ????Thank you for a simple yet DELICIOUS recipe!!!
Patti
Should I cover my pot roast when cooking
Amanda
In the initial information you have cook time of 1h 20 min., but in the instructions you have that it cooks for 2h total?
Joyce
Absolutely outstanding!! Will definitely be making this again!! The vegetables turned out perfect!! I do have one question, what is the best way to reheat what was left over?
Jill Baird
Amanda, I'm so glad you loved this so much! It's a hit at our house too! I usually put the roast in a covered baking dish and warm it in the oven at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes or until warmed through. The microwave works too if it's just a small slice of roast. Thanks again for letting me know!
Amy Pearl
This was very easy and delicious. Thank you.
The Carefree Kitchen
Thank you so much for letting me know! I really appreciate it!
Carol
April 12 2021 In the oven now and smells wonderful! TY got a wonderful recipe ????
Patti
Going to try this tomorrow and will let you know of the results. For my veggies, I'm going to you some butternut squash and sweet potato.
Sue
Your total time of 1 hr 20 min for bake time does not match the 30 min.and then 90 min.
Please clear this up for me.??
Sue