This Italian Pot Roast is braised low and slow in a flavorful base of tomatoes, red wine, and aromatic soffritto until the beef is fall-apart tender and delicious. It’s a cozy dinner that will make your house smell amazing!
Served over creamy mashed potatoes, pasta or polenta, Italian pot roast is the ultimate comfort meal that always feels special when it comes to the table.
Along with my Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast and Dutch Oven Pot Roast, this Italian Pot Roast (known as stracotto in Italian) is one of my go-to when the weather turns cooler and all I want is a comforting roast for dinner.
The secret is the rich and flavorful braise: canned tomatoes, red wine, and a classic Italian soffritto of onions, celery, and carrots cooked down into a rustic sauce that soaks into the beef.
After a few hours in the oven, this Italian pot roast always turns out incredibly melt-in-your-mouth tender, with flavors similar to Short Rib Ragu or Rigatoni Bolognese. It’s so good!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Low and slow. This is the secret to the most tender Italian pot roast.
- Bold flavors. Rich tomato and red wine flavors, with plenty of seasoning.
- Super easy! So much of it is hands off cooking time!
- Cozy and comforting. Nothing quite like a hearty roast to warm your soul (and tummy!).
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Ingredient Notes
I have included a few ingredient notes from recipe testing that I hope you find helpful when shopping for what you need.
- Beef chuck roast: A good 4-pound chuck roast serves 6 people. Trim the excess fat beforehand so the braising liquid doesn’t get too fatty.
- Kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil: Used to generously season and sear the beef. This allows the outside to form a crust, sealing in moisture, and giving it extra flavor.
- Canned whole peeled tomatoes and tomato paste: This Italian pot roast is built on a rich tomato braise. Lightly blend or puree the whole canned tomatoes. Try not to use crushed tomatoes – the whole ones usually taste better and are better quality.
- Red wine: Builds an amazing, rich braising liquid. I’d recommend Pinot Noir or Merlot. Substitution – if not using wine, substitute with beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- Beef broth: To build on the braising liquid.
- Onion, carrots, celery: This soffritto is the foundation for the flavors to build on.
- Minced garlic: Lots of it!
- Diced pancetta: A great way to add depth of flavor, especially when the fat renders. You can also use diced prosciutto.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Plus chopped Italian parsley for garnish.
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card down below, as always.
How to Make Italian Pot Roast
Prepping for this Italian Pot Roast takes just 30 minutes, and the rest is just oven time. Let’s make it!
Step 1 | Sear chuck roast
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Season a 4-pound chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear for 5 to 6 minutes per side.
Let it sear undisturbed so it forms a nice, golden brown crust. This is key for maximum flavor! When ready, remove from the pot and set aside.
Step 2 | Sauté soffrito and aromatics
Now it’s time to build the flavors on top of the brown bits left behind! To the same pot, add more oil and saute onions, carrots, and celery until softened. Once they start to sweat, you can use the moisture to deglaze the brown bits (or add a splash of broth as needed).
Push them to the side and saute the minced garlic and pancetta until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and minced herbs until the veggies are coated.
Step 3 | Add the braising liquid
Then add the red wine, scraping to deglaze any remaining brown bits. Add canned tomatoes and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4 | Braise and serve
Return the seared beef into the pot. It should be almost fully covered with liquid. If it’s not, add more broth or wine as needed. Nestle in the sprigs of herbs. Bring back to a simmer, cover with the lid, and braise in the preheated oven for 3 hours.
Once ready, you’ll likely find some of the fat has made its way to the surface. Absorb it with a paper towel or a spoon and discard. Shred into smaller chunks and serve your Italian pot roast with mashed potatoes or your favorite sides.
Tips for Success
- Don’t rush the searing process! This may be the most important step to build flavor. Let the beef sear undisturbed on each side until a golden brown crust forms.
- Deglaze all those brown bits left behind from searing. All the flavor is locked in here! Use a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the pot.
- Use canned whole tomatoes instead of crushed, if you can. Even though they’ll be blended, whole tomatoes are typically higher quality and give better flavor.
- Trim any excess fat from the chuck roast to prevent too much fat from rendering into the braising liquid. Fat add tons of flavor, but too much can make it oily.
- Shortcut for the veggies: Use a food processor to finely chop the onions, carrots, and celery in one go.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make ahead: This Italian pot roast is even better the next day! To make ahead, cook the pot roast as directed and let it cool completely. Refrigerate overnight, covered.
Freezing: Italian pot roast freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Once the roast and braising liquid have cooled, transfer them to freezer bags or Souper Cubes, dividing it into smaller portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight or reheat from frozen.
Reheating: The next day, the top layer of fat will be solid, making it easy to remove before reheating. Reheat on stove top or back in the oven again at 325 F.
Recipe FAQs
For a 4-pound chuck roast, use an 8-quart Dutch oven, or any oven-safe pot large enough to hold the beef and liquid without spilling over.
Low and low at 300 degrees F for 3 hours. You can turn it up to 325F if preferred, but I wouldn’t go higher than that if you want the beef to get ultra tender.
The rich tomato braising liquid will already be thick.
I like Pinot Noir or Merlot for this Italian pot roast recipe.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Along with a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, I like to serve it with a simple house salad or bread. You can also try these fun pairings:
You can also keep it simple with toasted Italian bread or ciabatta, or upgrade to my delicious rosemary focaccia recipe!
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast - excess fat trimmed
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Olive oil - for searing and cooking
- 1 medium yellow onion - finely diced
- 3 medium carrots - finely diced (about 2.5 cups diced)
- 4 stalks celery - finely diced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 4 ounces diced pancetta
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh herbs - (oregano, thyme, rosemary)
- 1 cup red wine - Merlot or Pinot Noir
- 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes - blended, see note
- 1 ½ to 2 cups beef broth - plus more as needed
- 6 sprigs fresh herbs - rosemary, thyme, oregano
- Chopped Italian parsley - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Season the chuck roast with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper on both sides. Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the roast until a golden brown crust forms, about 5–6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Tip: Let it cook undisturbed on each side to get a nice golden brown color.
- Add more oil to the pot (do not wipe clean), and sauté the diced onions, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes, using their moisture to help deglaze the brown bits. If not enough moisture, add a splash of broth to deglaze.
- Push the vegetables to the side, then sauté the garlic and pancetta until fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Stir everything back together.
- Add in the tomato paste and minced fresh herbs, stirring to coat the vegetables. Then, add the red wine and deglaze any remaining brown bits. Stir in the blended canned tomatoes and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the seared beef into the pot, ensuring it’s nearly covered with liquid, adding more broth if needed. Nestle in the herb sprigs, pushing them under the liquid. Bring back to a simmer.
- Once it’s simmering, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven braise for 3 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Once it’s ready, you’ll notice some of the fat on top – absorb it with a paper towel or remove with a spoon and discard.
- When ready to serve, shred the meat into smaller pieces. Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta or pasta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Canned tomatoes: Whole canned tomatoes taste better and are higher quality than crushed canned tomatoes. I’d recommend buying canned whole tomatoes and pureeing it yourself (use a blender).
- Use a large 8-quart Dutch oven for a 4-pound chuck roast and the amount of liquid.
- Searing the beef is a key step for flavor. Let it sear undisturbed for 5–6 minutes per side to form a golden brown crust.
- Veggie prep shortcut: Use a food processor to finely chop onions, carrots, and celery in one go.
- Layer of fat: Once the pot roast is ready, you’ll notice a layer of fat sitting at the top. Simply absorb it with paper towel or remove with a spoon.
- Make ahead: Cook as directed, cool completely, and refrigerate overnight. The flavors actually get better the next day!
- Freezing: Let cool, then freeze in smaller portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat from frozen.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven at 325F until warmed through.
- Red wine: If not using, replace with beef broth plus a splash balsamic vinegar for acidity.
- Pancetta: Diced prosciutto.
- If using dried herbs, use half of the amount called for.
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