Air fryer roast beef! Your family's Sunday dinner just got better! Let me show you how to make the best roast beef in your air fryer using a handful of ingredients. It is flavorful, succulent, and delicious, boasting a perfectly golden crust on the outside and a juicy, light pink center cooked to perfection: just the way you like it.
You can achieve any desired level of doneness, and it's ready to eat in under 1 hour.

Why you will love it
It is a foolproof recipe: This recipe is as straightforward as it gets. Season the beef, cook it in the air fryer, flip it, cook it again, rest, and enjoy!
Minimal prep is required.
Tender, flavorful and delicious
Perfect for all occasions: It is a classic centerpiece on your Sunday family dinner or holiday dinner table.
A very convenient way of cooking
What you will need
Roasting beef joint: I used a topside, but you can use any cut of roasting beef you have.
Coarse sea salt
Olive oil
Coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh rosemary
Fresh thyme
Onion
Garlic
How to make air fryer roast beef
Let the roasting beef come to room temperature by bringing it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes prior to cooking.
Preaheat the air fryer to 205C/400F for 5 minutes
Remove the beef from its packaging but leave the netting or twine on as this will help the beef cook evenly and also keep its shape.
Place the beef in a large shallow bowl with herbs, onion, and garlic, and season the meat generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Rub the fresh herbs all over the meat and place some springs in the crevices. Drizzle olive oil over the beef and massage it in. PS: this step can also be done in the air fryer to reduce washing up.
Carefully place the beef in the air fryer basket and add the onion, garlic and herbs.
Cook the roast at 205C/400F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 180C/350F and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes, flipping it halfway through. At 30 minutes total cooking time start checking the internal temperature to determine your desired level of doneness (see below for temperature guidelines).
Once the beef has reached your desired level of doneness, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for a juicier roast.
Serve and enjoy!
Watch how to make it
What to serve it with
I served mine with creamy garlic mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy made with the air fryer pan juice with the roasted and charred onion and garlic (so delicious), Yorkshire pudding, Mixed veggies and roast potatoes. That's your British Sunday classic roast dinner with a twist - cooked in the air fryer instead of the oven.
You can also serve it with roasted vegetables, sauteed peas, broccolini or a side salad, or your favorite sauces (hello horseradish sauce) and dips. This versatile dish pairs well with many sides, making it perfect for any occasion.
Tips
- Make sure your beef fits in your air fryer basket before cooking. Personally, I wouldn't cook more than ⅕kg/3.3lb of meat in my air fryer as any more than that may result in dry and overcooked meat.
- You can use any roasting beef you prefer. Just make sure it fits comfortably in the air fryer basket.
- It's essential to use a meat thermometer for this recipe to ensure accuracy. You can also stop air frying the meat when it's about 5 degrees below your desired doneness, as the beef continues to cook while it rests and will reach your desired doneness then.
- Experiment with different herbs and seasonings.
- The cooking times in this recipe are just a guide. This might vary depending on your air fryer size, make, joint size, or how well you want it done. Do keep an eye on things and adjust as needed to get it just right!
- Add about 2 Tablespoons of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket to stop it from burning.
The internal temperature of roast beef
I like mine medium-well done with a nice crust on the outside and a little pink in the middle.
Medium rare: 130-135°F (55-57°C)
Medium: 140-145°F (60-63°C)
Medium well: 150-155°F (66-68°C)
Well done: 160°F+ (71°C+)
How to store
You can store leftover beef roast in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months in the freezer.
To reheat, add the remaining beef to the air fryer basket, spray it lightly with oil, and cook at 170C/340F for 3-5 minutes or until warm through.
More air fryer recipes you will love
Air fryer boneless turkey breast
Air fryer pork roast with crackling
Air fryer boneless chicken thighs
Air Fryer Roast Beef
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Roasting beef joint (3.3lb) I used a topside
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 Springs fresh rosemary
- 2 Springs Fresh thyme
- 1 large Onion chopped into quaters
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
Instructions
- Let the roasting beef come to room temperature by bringing it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes prior to cooking.
- Preheat the air fryer to 205C/400F for 5 minutes
- Remove the beef from its packaging but leave the netting or twine on as this will help the beef cook evenly and also keep its shape.
- Place the beef in a large shallow bowl with herbs, onion, and garlic, and season the meat generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. Rub the fresh herbs all over the meat and place some springs in the crevices. Drizzle olive oil over the beef and massage it in. PS: this step can also be done in the air fryer to reduce washing up.
- Carefully place the beef in the air fryer basket and add the onion, garlic and herbs.
- Cook the roast at 205C/400F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 180C/350F and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes, flipping it halfway through. At 30 minutes total cooking time start checking the internal temperature to determine your desired level of doneness (see below for temperature guidelines).
- Once the beef has reached your desired level of doneness, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for a juicier roast.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer roast recipe you can make at home in no time. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 stars and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and Facebook and save it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox.
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