The Perfect Eye of Round Roast Recipe

Servings servings

Prep 5

Cook 50

We have all the tips and tricks to teach you to make restaurant-quality, juicy, tender Eye of Round Roast Beef that will wow your family and friends. The roast has a flavorful herb seasoning that creates a golden crust, and the beef is extra tender and juicy. The quick pan gravy is infused with wine and a knob of butter for the perfect sauce.

An eye round roast oven roasted and sliced on a cutting board.

They eye of round roast is a budget friendly cut of meat that is very lean and great for any type of dinner.

Looking for specifics on the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on sections of the recipe.

Jump to:

Why you'll love our Tender Eye Round Roast
Ingredients You Need to make an Eye of Round Roast
Equipment
How to cook Eye of Round Roast
Eileen's Tips for Success
Temperatures for Eye Round Roast
Tips for the Juiciest Eye Round Roast
Vary the Seasonings for Eye Round Roast
Storage Tips for Leftover Eye Round Roast Recipe
FAQs about making an Eye Round Roast
What to serve with your Eye Round Roast
Similar recipes to our Eye Round Roast
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Why you'll love our Tender Eye Round Roast

This beef round roast is simple enough for a novice cook, yet delicious enough to impress your dinner guests.
Our eye of round roast is budget-friendly and perfect for Sunday dinners or special holiday meals.
This easy roast beef recipe is foolproof, with the best tips for a perfect roast, every time.
When you serve this perfectly seasoned, tender beef with your favorite sides, you'll have a delicious dinner or holiday meal that your whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients You Need to make an Eye of Round Roast

Ingredients to make eye of round roast beef dinner.

eye of round roast beef - The eye round is a lean cut of beef. It benefits from a marinade and seasonings.
olive oil - Olive oil adds flavor and helps develop a nice crust on the eye of round roast
Kosher salt - The eye of round is very lean. I have found through recipe testing, adding a layer of Kosher salt on the meat up to 12 hours before roasting helps to tenderize the meat.
coarse black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder: These are the base seasonings for a flavor eye of round.
herbs: fresh rosemary or thyme (optional) Herbs add flavor to the meat.

Pan Gravy for Eye of Round Roast

yellow onion: The onion adds flavor to the juices that release from the roast as it cooks. This will flavor the pan gravy.
cornstarch: The cornstarch will thicken the pan gravy.
unsalted butter: The butter will add flavor to the gravy.
red wine: a flavor enhancer for the gravy.
beef broth

Equipment

10" x 7" Roasting Pan with Rack
Measuring Spoons and Cups
Pastry Brush
small whisk
small mixing bowl
carving knife
Cutting Board
Instant Read Thermometer

How to cook Eye of Round Roast

This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.

Place the meat on the counter 1 hour before roasting. If the meat wasn't seasoned the evening before. This is when to add the olive oil and seasonings.

An eye round roast in a pan seasoned with Kosher salt and black pepper with sliced onions.

Coat the beef with olive oil and the seasoning mixture. Place the meat in a roasting pan with the sliced onions. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.

An eye round roast in a roasting pan with a rack under the roast.

Preheat the oven to 500°F and roast the beef for 15 minutes. Turn the heat to 325°F and roast. Once you remove the roast from the oven, allow it to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Eileen's Tips for Success

Allow the beef roast to come to room temperature for one hour before placing it in the oven. This will help prevent the roast from being tough.
Starting this roast beef recipe at a high temperature will help give it a nice crust. Then you need to cook it at a lower temperature to prevent it from overcooking and drying out.
Depending on the size of the roast, you may need to adjust the cook time. A good rule of thumb is to cook 15 minutes per pound.
A roasting pan with a wire rack will keep your beef out of the pan drippings and give it a nice texture on the outside.
Lightly cover the top of the roast with aluminum foil while it rests and the juices settle before slicing the meat. This keeps the meat juicy.
The best way to prevent roast beef from drying out when reheating it is to cut it into thin slices and then warm it in a small amount of beef broth or beef stock for some extra moisture.

Temperatures for Eye Round Roast

Rare - temperature 125°F/52°C

Medium - temperature 145°F/63°C

Medium Well - temperature 150°F/66°C

Well done - temperature 160°F/71°C

Tips for the Juiciest Eye Round Roast

An external meat thermometer gives an accurate internal meat temperature. This is the one I use
The eye of the round can be seasoned the evening before and kept in the refrigerator until one hour before roasting.
Bringing the roast to room temperature allows the juices to redistribute, producing a juicier and more tender eye round roast.
For the most tender results, slice the eye round roast very thin, and against the grain.
Use a sharp carving knife.

Vary the Seasonings for Eye Round Roast

Want to change up this recipe?

Seasonings: Garlic salt can be used instead of garlic powder and salt.
Umami: For extra flavor, add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy.
Spice: If you like a touch of heat, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasoning mix.
Herbs: If fresh herbs are not available, add a teaspoon of dry herbs for 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs. Rosemary and Thyme are my top choices.

Storage Tips for Leftover Eye Round Roast Recipe

Storage: Store leftover beef eye roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Freezing: You can also freeze leftovers by placing them in a freezer-safe plastic bag and storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven in an oven-safe baking dish covered with foil until warmed through.

An eye of round roast sliced on a cutting board.

FAQs about making an Eye Round Roast

Is the eye of a round roast and a rump roast the same thing?

No, they are different cuts of beef. An eye of round is leaner and less tender than a rump roast, which has more marbling.

Is this an inexpensive cut of meat?

Yes, as far as beef prices go, eye of round is an economical cut of beef.

What is an eye of round roast?

This cut of roast beef is from the hindquarters of the cow. A very lean cut of meat that takes well to roasting.
When any cut of meat is lean, it means very little fat is on the meat. Lean cuts of meat, like this eye round, benefit from a dry rub or marinade.

What to serve with your Eye Round Roast

Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Marshmallow Sweet Potato Casserole
Twice Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Oven Roasted Green Beans
Candied Carrots
Sweet Hawaiian rolls
Use leftovers to make Leftover Roast Beef Enchiladas or Tortilla Roast Beef Rollups.

Similar recipes to our Eye Round Roast

I love any comments or questions. Please feel free to leave them below.

Keep up to date with recipes by following me on:

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM PINTEREST TWITTER

Thank you for your continued support. I am forever grateful.

Eileen xo

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Save the Recipe?

Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox to view anytime. Plus the bonus of regular recipes to you for inspiration!

A roasted eye round roast on a cutting board sliced.

Eye Round Roast Recipe

Enjoy an Eye of Round Roast recipe that is prepared with just a few simple ingredients for tender and juicy results. Perfect for any day. Easy to prepare for holidays such as Christmas, New Years, and Easter.

5 from 3 votes

Print (Email Required) Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef eye round, eye round roast

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 50

rest time: 1 30

Total Time: 2 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Eileen Murphy Kelly

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

Equipment Needed:

Ingredients

1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary Note 5
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 pound eye of round roast beef 3 to 3½ pound roast will work for 6 servings
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin

How to make Pan Gravy

pan drippings
3 Tablespoons dry red wine Note 6
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, make a dry rub: whisk together 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Note 3
One hour before roasting time, remove the 3 pound eye of round roast beef from the refrigerator, rub 1 Tablespoon olive oil over the entire roast. Then apply the dry rub seasonings on the roast. Let the roast rest on the counter for an hour before roasting time.
20 minutes before roasting the beef, preheat the oven to 500°F/260C.
Add the 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin to the roasting pan. If using an oven safe internal meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Place the seasoned roast on the roasting rack and place the roasting pan on the center rack of the preheated oven. Roast the beef for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes of roasting at the high heat, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F/165°C. Roast for another 40-45 minutes depending on the preferred level of doneness. See note 7 for meat temperatures.
Once the meat is at your preferred internal temperature, remove the pan from the oven. Place the roast on a cutting board. Cover the meat with aluminum foil to rest about 15 minutes to allow the juices to settle before slicing the meat thinly, and, against the grain.
Serve with pan gravy and enjoy.

Pan Gravy for Roast Beef

While the meat is resting, make the pan gravy by placing the roasting pan over medium heat. Add 3 Tablespoons dry red wine to the pan drippings, use a wooden spoon to scrape the pan to pick up brown bits, continue to stir 1 minute, the red wine will begin to absorb.
Reduce heat to low, stir in 1 cup beef broth to the pan, and simmer while making the cornstarch slurry.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons water until smooth and silky. Mix it into the beef broth. Bring the heat on the stove to medium and frequently stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Taste the pan gravy for seasoning. If needed, add a dash of kosher salt and black pepper to your liking. Serve with the eye of round roast and your favorite side dishes.

NOTES

Be sure to check Expert Tips and FAQs above with important tips and questions that can help make a delicious recipe.

Note 1: One serving of an eye of round roast will average about ½ pound per person for a serving size, along with side dishes .

Note 2: Garlic Salt can be used in place of garlic and kosher salt. In recent recipe testing, I have found that Kosher salt helps develop a more desired crust on the roast.

Note 3: This combo of spices is a basic seasoning. Any combination of seasonings can be used for this eye round roast recipe. Homemade steak seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and homemade seasoning salt are just a few options. If you decide to season the evening before roasting, keep the meat in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, until 1 hour before roasting. Bringing the meat to room temperature allows the juices to redistribute in the meat for the juiciest results.

Note 4: I prefer coarse black pepper for seasoning any roast beef. Ground black pepper or cracked black pepper can also be used.

Note 5: If fresh rosemary is unavailable, use dried rosemary. For every 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried. Other herbs to use can be thyme or parsley.

Note 6: The red wine is optional. I use it to pick up any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. This adds flavor to the gravy

Note 7: The USDA recommends beef be eaten at a temperature of 145°F. I remove the beef from the oven when the internal temperature reads 135°F, as my family prefers medium. The internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests on the cutting board.