3 All-Star Cheese Picks For A Classic Roast Beef Sandwich

Though ham and salami certainly have their place, there's nothing quite like biting into a rich, meaty sandwich filled with tender, slow-roasted beef. This is particularly true if you're eating roast beef made from eye of round or top round, which are the best cuts of beef to use for a mouthwatering sandwich. But while you can enjoy the flavor of roast beef in a sandwich without too many additions, you'll probably enjoy it more with cheese.

The key to pairing cheese with roast beef is matching strength with strength. Roast beef's bold, salty, umami flavor and meaty texture allow you to go for some stronger cheeses. To this end, you've got plenty of options. Three of the best choices, though, are wildly different from each other — potently sharp aged white cheddar; salty, nutty gruyère; and earthy, tangy goat cheese. Each cheese brings something different to the table, but all of them taste great with tender slices of roast beef.

A nice aged cheddar cheese with that irresistible sharpness might be the first thing you picture when you think of cheese. Aged white cheddar has a strong, sharp, nutty, pungent flavor that is great on its own, but might overwhelm other ingredients. This isn't a problem with hearty roast beef, which is more than capable of standing up to aged white cheddar. The sharp acidity and tang of aged white cheddar complement the savory umami of the beef, making it an excellent match.

Gruyère is another great choice, as it has a nutty flavor with a complex blend of saltiness and sweetness, along with some funk. All of these notes pair with beef's umami and richness, which is why gruyère and beef are frequently allies in a fondue spread. That brings us to another gruyère advantage — it melts spectacularly well. This is why gruyère is one of the best cheeses to cook with; when gruyère melts it maintains its smooth, creamy texture, and doesn't become oily. It is a great choice for grilled cheese sandwiches for this reason. So why not make a roast beef grilled cheese, or an open-faced roast beef sandwich topped with melted gruyére?

There's another option you can go with when picking cheese for your classic roast beef sandwich: Chèvre, a kind of goat cheese. Though there are numerous types of goat cheese, the one you're most likely familiar with is fresh chèvre, the soft, crumbly variety. Although it's not aged very long, fresh chèvre's tart, earthy, tangy flavor stands apart from cheese made with cow's milk, and that earthy quality matches up particularly well with roast beef. Since fresh chèvre is so soft it can be spreadable, you can schmear a layer right on the bread. And if you want an extra flavor you can mix in chopped fresh herbs like tarragon, rosemary, or thyme — all of which taste great with roast beef.

Though these are three great choices for a classic roast beef sandwich, they aren't the only strong cheeses at your disposal. Going bold is generally a great guideline for roast beef sandwich pairings, so feel free to experiment with your favorite strong cheeses.