Looking for a delicious Christmas Beef Roast recipe? This healthy and easy eye of round beef roast is perfect for your Christmas dinner menu. The savory beef is roasted with fresh herbs, tender veggies, and covered in a rich pan gravy. A delicious and elegant meal – all in one pan – and ready in just over an hour!
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My All-Time Favorite Christmas Beef Roast Recipe
If you’re looking to switch up the holiday ham and roast turkey, this Christmas beef roast is the perfect option for your holiday table.
The flavors are different enough to change things up, yet it all comes together in one pan so it will truly make your whole meal easier. Best of all, it looks absolutely elegant and always gets a big response!
To make it, you basically just sear the beef in oil, slather it in herbs, then roast it in the oven with carrots and potatoes. Let it rest, then top it with homemade gravy, and slice and serve. Perfect for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve dinner party, or for all your special occasions!
Ingredient Notes
For the Roast
- Eye of round roast: The eye of round cut of beef is located on the hind quarters. It gets a lot of movement and is therefore a leaner cut of meat. This makes it less tender but also more budget-friendly. It’s one of our favorites for roasting!
- Seasonings: We’re focusing on herbs and simple seasonings here, like rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Plus some fresh garlic cloves for extra flavor!
- Olive oil: Olive oil provides a boost of healthy fats, locks in the moisture in our pot roast and helps the herb mix stick to the beef roast. Feel free to use butter if you prefer!
- Carrots and red potatoes: To roast with the beef to soak up flavor. You can also try parsnips, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, green beans or asparagus.
For the Beef Gravy
- Butter: The base of the gravy is made from a roux, which uses melted butter.
- Shallot and garlic: These are sauteed in the butter first to release their flavors.
- White whole wheat flour: To thicken the gravy. Whole wheat, white whole wheat, or all purpose flour can be used.
- Red wine:Red wine is optional, but it adds a rich deep flavor and help break down some of the toughness in the beef roast.
- Beef broth or stock: To finish the gravy. I’m partial to reduced sodium beef broth, although you can also use veggie stock.
How to Make Beef Roast for Christmas
Step 1 – Prepare Beef Roast and Vegetables
- In a small bowl, mix together the fresh rosemary and thyme along with the salt, pepper, garlic and teaspoon of olive oil.
- Pat the beef roast dry with a paper towel. Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Heat a large heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle the hot pan with olive oil, and sear the beef roast for 3 minutes on each side to a rich golden brown.
- Toss the veggies in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture and a drizzle of olive oil. Brush the remaining herb mixture over the entire roast.
- Place the vegetables around the pot roast in the pan. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a meat thermometer shows an internal temperature of 135℉. (The total time will vary depending on the size of roast.)
- Remove the eye of round beef roast from the oven and place on a carving board to rest. Tent the roast with aluminum foil and let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.
- Place the roasted vegetables on a serving platter and cover to keep warm. If the vegetables are not fully roasted, place them on a greased sheet pan and continue roasting for 10-20 minutes while the gravy is prepared.
Step 2 – Make the Gravy
- Using the same pan used to roast the eye of round beef roast, place it on the stove over medium heat and melt the butter. When the butter is melted, add the shallots and remaining garlic clove. Cook for one minute, then add the flour and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes. If using, whisk in the red wine, and whisk constantly for one minute.
- Add the beef stock and bay leaf to the red wine sauce and whisk to create a smooth gravy. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until gravy has thickened.
Step 3 – Assemble and Serve!
- After the Christmas beef roast has rested for 20 minutes, use a very sharp knife to carve thin slices of beef. Serve immediately with roasted vegetables, gravy and a garnish of fresh herbs.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Beef Roast
- Round roast is a very lean, tough cut of meat. The secret is to not overcook the roast. If your guests like their roast more well done, put their slices in the pan of hot gravy for 30 seconds to gently cook through.
- Carve the roast as needed/on demand if practical. If there is a piece of leftover roast, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will be very easy to slice when it’s cold, then just gently reheat in warm gravy on the stovetop.
- If preferred, you can also roast just the meat with the seasonings and serve with mashed potatoes, or cauliflower mash.
How to Store
Store pot roast in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Store the gravy and vegetables in separate air-tight containers.
How to Reheat Beef Roast
To reheat beef roast, heat a small amount of gravy on the stovetop. Add a slice of beef roast and heat until warmed throughout.
Recipe FAQs
Eye of round beef is excellent for roasting since it tends to be a tougher, leaner cut of beef. The process of searing the beef, roasting it at a high temperature and letting it rest, all combine to create a deliciously juicy and tender beef roast dinner.
To ensure the roast does not become tough, don’t overcook it. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the roast to check for doneness. After the beef roast is cooked, the resting period is crucial to allow the roast to continue to tenderize and redistribute the juices throughout.
Side Dishes for Roast Beef Christmas Dinner
This Christmas Beef Roast goes well with classic sides like Yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, Greek yogurt mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.
You can also mix it up with some french green beans with bacon, a Christmas wreath salad, coconut milk sweet potatoes or air fryer butternut squash. Really, it will go well with all your favorite holiday sides, and is just as versatile as ham or turkey.
What to Do with Leftover Roast Beef
Leftover roast beef makes excellent sandwiches and wraps, think hot roast beef sandwiches, roasted peppers and beef wraps, or cold beef slices with spinach, Dijon mustard, mayo and cheese.
Some other ideas include stroganoff, beef pot pie, enchiladas, or a pasta skillet. The possibilities are endless!
This cut of beef is very economical, so it’s perfect to serve for a more formal holiday meal. Then use the leftovers to meal prep weeknight meals.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different cut of beef: Try a chuck roast or brisket in place of the eye or round cut. A beef tenderloin would be lovely, too, but would need a much shorter cooking time.
- To thicken the gravy without flour: Don’t add the butter, bring to a boil and add a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup COLD water or beef stock). Let boil for 1 minute, whisking, until thickened and glossy.
- To serve pan sauce without thickener: Reduce sauce by about ½ or until thickened, add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl in to create a glossy sauce. This will create a smaller amount of a very flavorful gravy.
More Holiday Entree Recipes
If you want to keep your holiday meal a little more traditional while still keeping things simple, try this slow cooker turkey roast, which keeps your oven open for all your favorite sides.
You can even make a slow cooker whole chicken with vegetables, which I love doing when I’m feeding a smaller crowd.
Or, try this juicy slow cooker ham with pineapple. The maple, honey, and Dijon glaze is incredible!
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Christmas Beef Roast Recipe
Ingredients
For the herb rub:
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the beef and vegetables:
- Drizzle of olive oil
- 2 1/2 pound eye of round roast
- 1 pound small or baby carrots
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cubed
For the gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour *see notes for alternatives
- 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth or stock
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
For the oven beef roast and vegetables:
- Mix the rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, 3 cloves of the garlic, and teaspoon of olive oil together in a small bowl using a fork. Set aside.
- Pat the roast very dry with a clean paper towel. Preheat the oven to 425℉. Heat a large heavy ovenproof skillet or braiser (such as cast iron or stainless steel) over medium high heat. Drizzle the hot pan with olive oil and carefully add the roast, leaving undisturbed for 3 minutes. Sear all sides of the roast to a rich golden brown.
- In a large bowl, toss the veggies with a drizzle of olive oil and a teaspoon of the herb mixture. Brush the roast with the remaining herb mixture. Place the seasoned veggies around the roast in the pan and roast until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 135℉ when tested with an instant read thermometer, about 30-40 minutes.
- Remove the roast to a cutting board to rest, tented with foil for 20 minutes. Place the veggies on the serving platter and cover to keep warm. If the veggies are not tender yet, roast them 10-20 minutes longer on a greased sheet pan while you make the gravy.
To make the gravy:
- Place the empty hot pan on the stove top over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the shallots and reserved garlic clove, cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes. Carefully add the red wine, if using, and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and bay leaf, whisking to create a smooth sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until gravy has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve:
- Once the roast has rested for at least 20 minutes, use a very sharp, large knife (serrated works well) to slice the roast as thin as you can, the thinner the better. Serve immediately with roasted veggies, and gravy, garnished with more fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- *You can use whole wheat, white whole wheat, or all purpose flour to thicken the gravy.
- To thicken the gravy without flour: Don’t add the butter, bring to a boil and add a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup COLD water or beef stock). Let boil for 1 minute, whisking, until thickened and glossy.
- To serve pan sauce without thickener: Reduce sauce by about ½ or until thickened, add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl in to create a glossy sauce. This will create a smaller amount of a very flavourful gravy.
- Round roast is a very lean, tough cut of meat. The secret is to not overcook the roast. If your guests like their roast more well cooked, put their slices in the pan of hot gravy for 30 seconds to gently cook through.
- Carve the roast as needed/on demand if practical. If there is a piece of leftover roast, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will be very easy to slice when it’s cold, then just gently reheat in warm gravy on the stovetop.
- If preferred, you can also roast just the meat with the seasonings and serve with mashed potatoes, or cauliflower mash.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in December 2022 and the text, formatting and ingredient shot were updated in December 2025.
This is such a great recipe! The photos are beautiful as well!
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for returning to leave a review :)