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My mouthwatering ribeye roast is seasoned with a simple dry rub and savory garlic butter. It’s an impressive main dish perfect for special events or just an elegant dinner.
Love foolproof roast beef dinners? Try my sirloin tip roast, bottom round roast, eye of round roast, and chuck tender roast next.
If I want to impress my dinner guests, I usually stick to a few beefy classics. But when the occasion calls for an extra elegant entree, nothing compares to a show-stopping ribeye roast. It’s the ultimate centerpiece for any holiday dinner table or special occasion.
My beef ribeye roast recipe is seasoned with garlic butter and a dry rub, then roasted low and slow in the oven. In the end, you’re left with a slab of mouthwatering and perfectly seasoned meat that slices like butter.
Ribeye roast vs. prime rib
Ribeye roast can sometimes be mistaken for prime rib roast. While the terms are often used interchangeably and the cuts are both taken from the rib section, prime rib refers to a typically bone-in standing rib roast while ribeye roast is usually boneless.
The roast is not to be confused with ribeye steaks either, which are cut from the raw boneless ribeye roast.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Simple ingredients; big flavor. The well-marbled beef is naturally moist and meaty. Coating it in a layer of luscious garlic butter, deeply savory dry spices, and brown sugar elevates it to the next level.
- Easy to make. This is a restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly easy to make (seriously, even my sister, who usually burns toast, can make it). All you need to do is season the meat before letting the oven take care of the rest.
- Juicy, tender, and delicious. Yes, it is a slightly pricy cut of meat, but as soon as you take that first mouthwatering bite, you’ll understand that it’s worth every penny.
- Holiday favorite. Similar to the above point, because it’s pricy, I typically only make this for my family for special occasions, including Christmas dinner. I know that sounds a little different, but everyone who comes loves the change from your standard turkey or ham.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“This Rib Roast came out so Nice and Juicy and Tender, Delicious” – Lorraine
Ingredients needed
- Beef ribeye roast. Look for a fresh ribeye roast that is well-marbled with fat, has a vibrant red color, and has an even thickness. I recommend buying this particular cut directly from a butcher because their cuts are generally more well-balanced and thicker than anything in a grocery store. Also, if it’s too big (3 pounds is the ideal size for this recipe), you can always use the off-cuts for my shaved steak or garlic butter steak bites.
- Garlic. To mix with the melted butter. Please use fresh garlic because the flavor is unmatched.
- Butter. The butter is melted, infused with garlic, then brushed over the meat to give it a rich flavor.
- Dry spices. The meat is seasoned with a dry rub made from kosher salt, pepper, paprika, and Italian herbs. It’s short, simple, but boasts big flavors.
- Brown sugar. Adding brown sugar to the dry rub adds a balancing sweetness to the meat and encases it with a caramelized crust. Don’t worry though, this roast won’t taste sweet.
How to cook a ribeye roast
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Brush with garlic butter. Stir the melted butter and garlic together in a small bowl, then brush it on all sides of the roast.
Step 2 – Add the dry rub. Mix spices in a separate bowl then use your hands to rub the mixture all over the meat.
Step 3 – Sear, then slow-roast. Place the meat and fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Sear it in a hot 500ºF oven until the surface is nicely browned. Afterward, reduce the temperature to 350ºF and bake to your desired doneness.
Step 4 – Rest, slice, and serve. Remove the ribeye roast from the oven, tent it with foil, and let it rest before slicing and serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. This helps the meat cook evenly. I recommend 30-40 minutes before starting the cooking process.
- Ribeye roast is best when it’s cooked medium-rare or medium. Use a reliable meat thermometer to check that it’s cooked to the ideal internal temperature: 115ºF to 120°F for medium rare (125ºF to 130°F after resting) or 125ºF to 130°F for medium (135ºF to 140°F after resting). Of course, if you prefer your red meat more cooked, just cook until 160°F (medium well done) or 170ºF (well done).
- Adjust the cooking time based on weight. The general rule is to cook the roast for 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 350ºF (after searing).
- Let the roast rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This gives the juices time to soak back into the meat and make every bite more tender and juicy. I know it’s extra time added when you could be digging right in but trust me, it is worth it!
- Slice against the grain. As with carving any large cut of beef, you must slice the roast against the grain to retain its tenderness and beefy juices. Also, the leftover slices of meat are begging to be made into roast beef sandwiches.
- Drizzle with beef broth. Or beef stock. This is my secret trick when I’m waiting to serve this beef. A drizzle of this before slicing will ensure the meat is extra juicy and never dry.
What to serve with this dish
I always keep things simple with just a drizzle of horseradish sauce, dijon mustard, or an au jus made from pan drippings. It really lets the natural richness of the beef shine.
Of course, standard sides are also great. Serve each slice with warm crusty bread or dinner dolls and holiday-worthy sides, like scalloped potatoes, baked sweet or white potatoes (for a speedy solution, try my microwave sweet potato or microwave baked potato!), sauteed brussels sprouts, and of course, roasted root vegetables.
Storage instructions
To store: Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then wrap the whole roast or individual slices in plastic wrap or foil. Store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
To freeze: You can also freeze ribeye roast for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: Place the leftover ribeye roast in a baking dish and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
I find it’s best to cook ribeye roast uncovered to achieve a flavorful, browned crust around the outside. However, if you notice the surface is browning too quickly, you can cover the pan loosely with foil to prevent burning.
In my experience, this 3-pound roast easily feeds my family of four with some leftovers. Of course, I pair it with several sides, including vegetables and potatoes.
More elegant beef dinners
- Beef tips and gravy
- Beef Wellington
- Mississippi pot roast
- Rump roast
- Smoked beef tenderloin
- Oven baked tri tip roast
- Or any of my beef recipes
Ribeye Roast
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pound ribeye roast
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine melted butter and garlic.
- Brush the meat with this mixture from all sides.
- Combine the salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl and rub it all over the roast, pressing firmly to make sure the rub sticks to the meat.
- Place the meat fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan and preheat the oven to 250C/500F. Cook the roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F and cook for 1 hour.
- Remove the roast from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes, covered with foil. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published June 2023, updated and republished September 2024
Made this yesterday night for dinner with a 6 pound roast and turned out perfect. The seasoning was spot on and this is now going to be my go to roast recipe.
The prime rib roast recipe was awesome! It was so tender and juicy. Seasoned perfectly! Thanks.
So welcome, Glenn!
My roast came out perfect!!! Only suggestion is to specify Kosher salt in the recipe not just in the blog…I didn’t see it until after it was too late.
Oh yes, I will do. Thanks Tracey- I hope you have a fabulous holiday season.
I didnt know ribeye can he so huge like this. At home usually we had only fillets lets say, smaller.
I can’t wait to cook ours.
This look amazing!! Thank you!!!
Just made this for Friday night dinner and my Gosh- Arman, your ribeye roast is amazing!
Only one time in my life I bought rib eye steak. But this time I will make this recipe.
This is so juicy and so good!!
Thanks, Marlene!
This Rib Roast came out so Nice and Juicy and Tender, Delicious 😋 😍
Can you use bone in rib eye roast for this recipe?
Absolutely, just increase the roasting time by about 20 minutes.
Thank you so much -never made one of these ever…and using your recipe it turned out PERFECTLY. Best Xmas Diner ever for my husband.
Love that!!!
Made this Christmas Day today. It was 6 lbs and wanted it Med so cooked it until 148 degree’s, took about 2 hours once oven was at 325 and rested 30 minutes – it was perfect!!! (I did 325 and not 350 as my guest were running late)
This was incredible!!!!
Hi! Regarding your Ribeye Roast, you say under “ingredients needed” that brown sugar is included. However, your recipe does not include the brown sugar. Please provide the amount of brown sugar in your recipe.
Thanks for your recipe and all of your help.
I’m so sorry Greg- It is 1 tablespoon! I’ll fix it now
No brown sugar listed in recipe. How much?
sorry it’s 1 tablespoon I’ll fi it now 🙂