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Best Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast

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LIZ DELLA CROCE

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Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast comes together in minutes and will permeate your house with the aromas of rosemary, garlic and red wine while it cooks.

Best slow cooker Italian pot roast.

Whenever I leave town, I like to stock the fridge with plenty of ready-to-eat meals that my husband or babysitter can quickly reheat. One of the not-so-secret reasons Rich doesn’t mind me leaving is because it gives him the opportunity to eat his favorite foods (read: pizza and burgers). To break up the fast food rotation, Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast is one of my favorite meals to prepare for them. Seasoned with fresh rosemary, lots of garlic and dry red wine, this pot roast is always a huge hit and usually lasts at least a couple days.

Ingredients

  • Beef roast: A rump roast, eye of round roast, or chuck roast are all perfect for pot roasts, as they have a very beefy flavor and don’t dry out easy.
  • Kosher salt: The larger flakes help to stick to the beef and enhance natural flavors.
  • Olive oil: A heart healthy oil to help sear and lock in juices of the beef.
  • Garlic: Sweet, nutty, pungent, aromatic flavor added to the beef and broth.
  • Rosemary: Woodsy, peppery, almost piney flavor that pairs great with the beef and sauce.
  • Celery: Doesn’t have a very strong flavor, but does a great job soaking up the flavors around it as it cooks. Celery is also chalk-full of vitamins and nutrients.
  • Carrots: Can cook slowly and not end up too mushy, and they add a slightly sweet element to the roast.
  • Tomatoes: I’ll usually use a can of whole, peeled tomatoes as they add a lot of flavor and acidity to the roast. But you could use Roma tomatoes and do it all from scratch if you wanted!
  • Beef broth: Adds a delicious and flavorful sauce for the roast to cook in.
  • Red wine: Adds acidity, but also helps to tenderize the meat and keep it moist. You can use a pinot noir, merlot, or cabernet sauvignon.

How to Make Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast

Start your Italian beef roast by seasoning the raw beef with kosher salt and black pepper.

Then drizzle some olive oil into a pan on medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides to lock in the juices.

Next add the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.

Followed by the chopped vegetables and peeled tomatoes.

Then pour in the beef broth.

And a bit of a dry red wine. You could also just add more beef broth if you don’t have wine on hand.

Season with some salt and pepper to taste.

Cover with the lid and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4.

To serve, remove the beef and let rest for about 10 minutes before either shredding or slicing against the grain. Serve alongside the vegetables and some mashed potatoes, and top with fresh parsley. Enjoy your Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast!

Shake Things Up

  • Add more veggies. Like any roast, the vegetables you use is pretty forgiving. Add in some onions, potatoes,
  • Use fresh herbs. If you have basil, oregano, or parsley, they’d be great additions to the roast along with the rosemary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you overcook a pot roast in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can overcook things in a slow cooker. It’s why I always recommend cooking on low for a longer period of time, as it lowers your chances of overcooking something!

Why is my roast still tough in the crock pot?

It could come down to a couple things. You might not have used the right cut of meat, it might not have been cooked long enough, or you didn’t use enough liquid!

Can you freeze leftover pot roast?

The beef itself, yes you can! I wouldn’t recommend freezing the cooked vegetables though, as they’ll just get mushy.

More Slow Cooker Meals

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If you need a hearty meal that you can set and then forget, this Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast is the answer to your prayers.

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Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast

4.29 stars average
Liz Della Croce
Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast comes together in minutes and will permeate your house with the aromas of rosemary, garlic and red wine while it cooks.
PREP: 20 minutes
COOK: 8 hours
TOTAL: 8 hours 20 minutes
Pin
Servings8 servings

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 three pound beef roast (chuck will produce the most tender result)
  • 5 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic (peeled left whole)
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 celery stalks (quartered)
  • 2 carrots (peeled and quartered)
  • 32 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine (or additional beef broth)
  • fresh parsley (to serve)

Instructions
 

  • Take the beef roast out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature by sitting on the counter 10-15 minutes.
    1 three pound beef roast
  • Sprinkle roast evenly with 3 teaspoons kosher salt and all of the pepper.
    1 teaspoon pepper
  • Heat a Dutch oven or large pan over high heat (or insert of Slow Cooker with Stove Top Browning) then add olive oil.
    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Sear beef roast on all sides, rotating every 3-4 minutes, so that it forms a golden brown crust on all sides. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker if you didn’t use the stove-top-safe slow cooker insert.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: garlic, rosemary, celery, carrots, tomatoes, beef broth, wine and remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
    4 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 32 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup dry red wine
  • Heat on Low for 8 Hours.
  • To serve, remove beef from slow cooker and let rest 10 minutes. Shred with fork is slice against the grain. Serve with vegetables on the side and fresh parsley.
    fresh parsley

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.8g | Protein: 46.6g | Fat: 13.4g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9.5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1511mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 3.5g


4.29 from 42 votes (39 ratings without comment)

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33 responses to “Best Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast”

  1. Lee M. Avatar
    Lee M.

    I made this for dinner when my in-laws came over. I puréed some of the veg and stock and then added a cornstarch slurry after adding back to the pot to create a more gravy-like sauce. Served over Parmesan polenta. Everyone raved. My Italian MIL, an avid cook, later told me she has “dreamt of that dinner.” We couldn’t believe it was a crock-pot meal. This is my go-to and my husband’s standard for all other pot roasts. Thank you!!

  2. Eva Avatar
    Eva

    This looks YUMMY!
    I’ve never think about making Italian recipes in my slow cooker.
    Can’t wail to try.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I hope you like it!!

  3. Tara Avatar
    Tara

    My husband is on a sodium restricted diet. Does you have any suggestions for replacing the salt but not losing flavor?
    Thanks in advance

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I’m afraid I don’t – you really need salt to bring out the beef flavor. If you could lower the salt that would be fine.

  4. vivian Avatar
    vivian

    I made this for Sunday supper for my family and it was a hit. When I took the meat out, I used the immersion blender to puree the vegetables and added a little cornstarch slurry. Turned the slow cooker onto high for about 10 minutes and we had a lovely sauce to serve with the mashed potatoes. Thanks!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      That is such a brilliant idea! So glad you enjoyed!

  5. Dani Avatar
    Dani

    This pot roast looks beautiful! I can’t wait to try it for an upcoming dinner party!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I hope you love it!

  6. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog Avatar
    Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog

    I love a good pot roast, and this one sure sounds delicious! I also think it’s super nice that you stock the house before you go. Hope you have awesome trips, and can’t wait to see you on one of them ;)

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thank you my friend – can not WAIT to see you!!

  7. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    This pot roast does sound delicious. Hope you have lots of fun traveling.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thanks so much Susan!!

  8. Shawnna Avatar
    Shawnna

    Yummy! I need to get my slow cooker out and start getting used to it!!

  9. TidyMom Avatar
    TidyMom

    I can smell it thru my screen!! Looks fabulous Liz!!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thank you so much Cheryl!