This Air Fryer Roast Beef turns out juicy, tender, and full of flavor with a simple herb rub that forms a nice crust on the outside. It's a great way to make roast beef without heating up the oven, and it only takes about an hour.
I've always loved a good roast for Sunday dinner, especially one that slices up tender and has that rich beefy flavor. And, after making this roast beef in the air fryer, I honestly don't think I'll ever go back to the oven. It's just easier, faster, and still gives you that perfect pink center.
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Why You'll Want to Try This
Easy to make: no fancy steps or hard to find instructions.
Juicy every time: the air fryer locks in moisture.
Great for leftovers: sandwiches, wraps, or even cold slices.
No oven needed: perfect for hot days or small kitchens.
Simple and comforting: just like the kind mom or grandma made.
Ingredients
Beef Roast: I've used top loin, ribeye or eye of round with excellent results.
Spices: I used a blend of my favorite spices to make a dry rub for the roast. Garlic powder, onion salt, parsley, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper.
Olive oil: I use this because it has a higher smoke point. It is used to coat the roast beef before applying the dry rub.
You can mix the herbs up if you want. If you don't have one of them, don't worry. Just use what you've got.
How Long Do You Cook It?
As a general rule:
- Rare: 20 minutes per pound after the sear
- Medium: 25 minutes per pound
- Always check with a thermometer for best results. Every air fryer cooks a little different.
Top Tips That Help
- Always let your meat rest before slicing. It really makes a difference.
- If your air fryer only has set temps (like 375°F), just get as close as you can and check the internal temperature more often.
- Don't skip the sear. That first 15 minutes at 390°F helps seal in the juices and gives you that nice crust.
- Use foil or spray your air fryer basket to help with clean up.
Storing Leftovers
You'll want to save every bite!
- Store it in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Reheat slices in the air fryer at 300°F for a few minutes, or enjoy cold in a sandwich or wrap.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Serve with...
This roast goes with just about anything, but here are some of my favorites:
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Roast Beef with Herb Crust
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Ingredients
- 2 pound beef roast
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion salt
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 2 teaspoons basil
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Let the roast rest on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking. This will help it to cook more evenly.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390℉ for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix up the rub ingredients of garlic powder, onion salt, parsley, thyme, and basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Pat the roast dry, rub it with the olive oil, then rub the herb mixture over the entire roast.
- Put the roast in the air fryer, fat side up if it has one. Cook at 390℉ for 15 minutes to sear it.
- Flip the roast over and lower the temp to 360℉, and cook for about 20-25 minutes per pound. Until roast reaches desired level of doneness.
- Remove roast from the air fryer and let it rest for at least 10 minutes under a piece of foil before slicing.
Tree says
Might want to change the time for cooking per pound to 20 - 25 minutes per pound. You have 20 to 125 minutes per pound. I did cook it exactly as you had it and everyone loved it.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Thank you for trying the recipe and for the heads up! I made the adjustment 🙂 Shelby
Brigette says
My go to for all my roasts! Always perfectly cooked and tastes amazing! Thank you!
Jenny says
Air fryer roast beef. Followed the recipe exactly and my husband and I were MOST impressed with the results. It was a two pound sirloin tip. While it was cooking we were salivating with the wonderful aroma from the rub that permeated the kitchen. I made roasted potatoes in a covered pan on the stove and when I added the drippings from the tin foil the gravy became a welcome addition. If only I could figure out how to periodically check the temperature of the meat without piercing the roast and thereby allowing the juices to escape. When we thoroughly enjoy a meal like we did tonight we say, “well, I would certainly come back to THIS restaurant”. That was definitely the case here. Congratulations Shelby!
Mary says
Hi is it ok to use a top or bottom round roast for this recipe?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
A bottom round is not the most tender cut of beef and is very lean. I wouldn't recommend air frying for that reason. In the ingredients section of this post I do indicate the cuts of meat I would personally recommend.
sandra kynes says
Had to cook it for a bit longer but pleased with the outcome
Kathy says
My go-to for doing the roast in an air-fryer, really love the taste of the rub. It is a keeper!
Terry says
Can you use the rotisserie with air fryer?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Terry, If you have a rotisserie and want to do that, I don't see why not. I sure would! Let me know how it works out for you. Shelby
Nanci says
Just recently came across your penuche recipe. It’s a favorite of this East Coast ended up West Coast gal. I went to print it and hit the wrong button and now it’s lost. Hoping it’s somewhere and you can help. Thank you so much for all of your recipes. Merry Christmas to you and your family
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Nanci, if you click the search bar on the website, you can type in brown sugar fudge and the recipe should pop up. You can click that link and it will take you back to the recipe I hope that helped. If not, please send me an email. Thanks! Shelby
Lucille DeFrank says
The rub recipe is great, but following directions perfectly, the roast was dry.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lucille, if the roast was dry it was either cooked too long or the type of roast used was not they recommended roast. Using a meat thermometer is highly encouraged in this recipe as I share in the post.
Zibby says
Are your minutes per pound suggestions the times AFTER the 15 minute sear or INCLUDING the 15 minute sear?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
The sear is separate. I would read my air fryer manual to see if they have specific instructions as well and an instant read thermometer should be used to test for level of doneness. I would start checking the internal temp of the meat at 40 minutes (after sear), then depending on what the temp is, every 5 minutes after until you have reached the level of desired doneness.
David backus says
Great recipe 👌
Eileen H says
Excellent! My husband loved it.
Trish says
I picked up a couple of eye of the round roasts from Costco. I normally smoke them. Do you think I could use it here? This sounds wonderful!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
You can, but I highly recommend an overnight marinade at least. Eye of round is very lean and air frying it could dry it out.
Liza Jo says
My air fryer has only certain set temps, like 350, 375 and 400. Other than buying a new machine, do you recommend using a higher temperature for less time? Or the next lower temp?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Liza, I would hot sear at 400 then reduce to 350 and make sure to check with the thermometer as instructed in the post/instructions. Shelby
Lisa says
Hello, I'm making this, this weekend. Do you serve a sauce or gravy with this? Do you take the drippings and use those or discard? Thank you!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Lisa, I usually make a gravy with any drippings and add to it if necessary. Hope this helps, feel free to email me directly if you have any more questions before making the recipe. Shelby
Jon says
I tried this recipe to make a roast in my air fryer (Instant Pot Duo Crisp) for the first time. I started with 15 minutes at 390° as suggested then set it to 60 minutes at 360°, however with about 25 minutes left it was already up to 170° temp when I checked the meat so took it out. Not sure why it cooked so quickly, was a little more done than we'd like but was still good! Will make again just keep an eye on the time more or cook at 350°.
Mel says
Hi. This recipe looks amazing. I plan to make this today for my family for Christmas. Would you suggest poking holes in the meat and getting the seasonings in the meat or would that mess up the cooking time? Thanks!
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Mel, I personally would not poke holes in the meat. I'm not sure if it would mess up the cooking time, but the rub itself is enough to season the roast. I hope you try the recipe! Shelby
Terry says
Made this the other day & I guess it was my air fryer that cooks a bit faster but it came out medium well, still tasted great nonetheless. Trying it again with less time to get that medium rare!😊 Thank you for this recipe!