This Italian Pot Roast takes 15 minutes to prep and turns into a rich, sun-dried tomato and red wine braised beef in the slow cooker. It's finished with a lemon, herb, garlic topping similar to how I finish my Beef Brisket. It's a family-friendly, easy dinner for anyone who wants a main coarse without babysitting the stove.
Italian Pot Roast At A Glance
- 🕐 Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes (15 min prep + 8 hrs cook)
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 🍽️ Cuisine Type: Italian-American, Mediterranean
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory chuck roast braised in a sun-dried tomato and red wine sauce, finished with a bright lemon gremolata
- 📋 Dietary Info: Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free as written
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days; freezes well up to 2 months
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A deeply savory braise that turns an ordinary chuck roast into a dinner special enough for company, no canned tomato required
Save And Summarize This Recipe
OMG Gwen, this recipe was a lifesaver! So easy to prep and my place smelled incredible while I worked.
- Gigi
The backbone of this sauce is your Mediterranean pantry, not a can of tomatoes. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and red wine do all the work. If you are a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, you will love them stuffed into my Chicken Roulade, added to my Italian White Bean Salad, or added to my Italian Tomato Pasta.
Jump to:
Once the roast is done, you will want to soak up all of that yummy sauce. My Smashed Potatoes are a favorite swap for a mashed potato. I like serving it with a side of Roasted Broccoli or spooning it over rice.
Key Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this chuck roast slow cooker recipe:
- Boneless Chuck Roast - Chuck roast is well-marbled and built for long, slow cooking, which is what breaks it down into fork-tender meat. Brisket or bottom round would likely work similarly, but I haven't tested it. Chuck roast keeps this recipe accessible. It is inexpensive and available at any grocery store.
- Oil-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes - These replace the canned tomato base most Italian pot roast recipes rely on. Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes didn't give this recipe any more flavor. Oil-packed clearly won in testing. These tomatoes are Mediterranean pantry staple that lets this sauce skip canned tomatoes entirely.
- Dry Red Wine - Wine adds body and acidity to balance the richness of the meat. I used a Cabernet in testing. If you're choosing a bottle, a fuller-bodied reds like Chianti or Merlot work well.
- Gremolata (Lemon Zest, Parsley, Garlic) The bright finish that keeps this dish from tasting heavy after eight hours in the slow cooker. Orange and lime were both tested and lemon won for its cleaner cut against the rich sauce. For more of this same lemon-parsley-garlic combination, try it on my Roasted Carrots which uses the same lemon-parsley-garlic base on roasted carrots.
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Variations
- Add pancetta or bacon - brown a few ounces in the pan before the onions for a smokier, deeper sauce.
- Swap the potatoes - use parsnips or turnips instead of red potatoes for a lower-carb side built right into the pot.
- Skip the wine - replace it with equal parts beef broth plus a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for acidity.
- More herb, less heat - stir a teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning in with the sun-dried tomatoes.
- Richer finish - stir a spoonful of butter into the sauce right before serving (adds dairy).
- Double the sun-dried tomatoes - This gives a sharper, more concentrated flavor. Kid-tested and vetoed, so save this one for a grown-up dinner.
How To Make This Italian Pot Roast: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Sprinkle the chuck roast with salt and pepper.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then brown the pot roast on all sides before placing it into the slow cooker.
Step 2: Spray the skillet with cooking spray.
Saute the onions in the heated pan until tender before adding the broth and all of the ingredients except the vegetables.
Simmer for a few minutes.
Step 3: Add the mixture to the slow cooker along with the vegetables.
Step 4: Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours before reducing the heat to low for 4 hours. Or, cook on low for 8 hours until fork tender.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the slow cooker and shred the meat.
Recipe Tips
- You'll end up with lots of delicious gravy once the beef pot roast has finished cooking. You can use this to serve with your shredded beef. If you prefer a thicker type of gravy, you can whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch while re-heating it.
- If you are worried about your vegetables becoming mushy in the slow cooker, add them about two hours before your roast is done.
- Taste the cooking liquid before serving and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or any other desired herbs or spices.
Why Searing And Deglazing Is Important
Searing the chuck roast before it goes in the slow cooker adds a deep flavor that you can't get from slow cooking. The golden crust from the hot pan gives the meat extra richness and locks in the juices.
After searing, you will deglaze the pan with the onions by scrapping up all of the "fond" which are the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. It's an extra step but makes a noticeable difference in depth of the dish.
Can I make this dish in an Instant Pot?
The short answer is yes. An Instant Pot has a slow cooker setting on it. With this recipe I have found that using a conventional crock pot makes this pot roast without fail, and using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) requires less liquid and I love the gravy that this recipe makes.
Italian Pot Roast FAQ's
Cover it and give it another hour or two on Low. Chuck roast needs enough time to break down, and tougher pieces sometimes just need more of it.
Italian pot roast doesn't require a canned tomato base, just the classic flavor profile: red wine, garlic, and a rich, savory braise. Here, sun-dried tomatoes carry that same Italian character without a single can.
Yes. Past the 8 hour mark, the meat can start to dry out even on Low. This recipe has enough liquid between the broth, wine, and vegetable juices to stay forgiving, but check it rather than letting it run indefinitely.
More Beef Main Course Meals
Let me know your thoughts on this Italian Pot Roast by leaving a star rating below or by sharing it on Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, or Pinterest!
Thank you!
Gwen
Italian Pot Roast, Slow Cooker with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pot Roast
- 1 boneless chuck roast 2.5 pounds, trimmed
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- cooking spray
- 2 cups onion chopped, about 1 large onion
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun dried tomato halves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large carrots or more to taste, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 pounds small red potatoes
Topping (optional)
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
Pot Roast
- Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper on all sides.1 boneless chuck roast, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.1 teaspoon olive oil
- Coat the pan with cooking spray.cooking spray
- Add the roast to the pan. Cook 5 minutes, turning to brown the meat on all sides.
- Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Re-coat the pan with cooking spray.
- Add the onion to the pan and saute for about 8 minutes, scrapping up the brown bits and cooking until tender.2 cups onion
- Add the beef broth, red wine, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper, thyme, garlic cloves, and the bay leaves to the skillet.1 cup beef broth, ¾ cup dry red wine, ¼ cup oil-packed sun dried tomato halves, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 4 thyme sprigs, 4 garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add the broth mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the carrots and the potatoes to the slow cooker.3 large carrots, 2 pounds small red potatoes
- Cover and cook either on High for 2 hours and then Low for 4 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Make sure to turn over the meat about half way through the cooking time.
- When finished, remove the bay leaves and thyme stems from the slow cooker and discard.
- Remove the roast and shred with forks if desired.
Topping (Optional)
- Combine the parsley, thyme, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl. Serve it on top of the roast.2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 1 garlic clove
Wendie says
So easy and the whole family devoured it!
Michelle says
Turned out great! Good and tender.
Allison says
The pot roast was very tender
Vladka says
I just made it with green salad and it was delicious.
Gigi says
OMG Gwen, this recipe was a lifesaver! So easy to prep and my place smelled incredible while I worked.
Gwen says
I am so glad you liked it!
Anna says
This pot roast turned out so well! The whole family loved it.
Anonymous says
This was delicious!