My Italian Pot Roast is a sensationally tender pot roast braised in a savory tomato sauce that melts in your mouth. It is filled with tons of great Italian flavors and spice. Â
A great bottle of wine makes the best Italian dishes. I consider myself an expert on this. That’s because I think my husband might be Italian, and he just doesn’t know it. No one person can love Italian food so much without having those roots somewhere. Because of this love, we have tried tons of Italian restaurants in Chicago, and I have cooked more pasta and bolognese in my day than most people but this Nana’s Italian Pot Roast is extra special.
Several years ago when my husband and I were still courting (that means dating for all the youngins), we frequented a restaurant in Chicago that served a dish called Nana’s Gravy. The name was the catch for me. Anything with grandmother in the title immediately strikes a cord.
What Is Italian Pot Roast?
This Italian Pot Roast recipe is a delicious slowly braised beef in an indulgent tomato sauce over rigatoni. It is absolutely delicious.
Just imagine beef so tender that it falls off the bone submerged in a decadent crushed tomato sauce filled with caramelized onions, garlic, Italian seasonings, chicken stock and wine.
Key Ingredients
To create a truly tender pot roast Italian style, it really begins with the base sauce. This sauce is almost like a bolognese because the meat braises in the sauce for hours until the beef just falls completely apart, very similar to these Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs. The key ingredients for this Bolognese sauce are:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Red Wine
- Stock
- Italian Seasonings
Starting with the aromatics, they truly add not just additional flavor but nuances of flavor to the finishes sauce. By doing a saute’ of them at the very beginning, they allow those ingredients to truly become one with the sauce as it continues to develop hours later.
For the tomatoes, I use a combination of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. It adds various textures and thickness creating the consistency and thickness I prefer.
The wine is seriously essential here. It really brought out the intense flavors and deliciousness of the beef.
Finally a stock helps to round out the flavor so you don’t taste too much wine. I use chicken stock but feel free to use beef or even vegetable stock if you want.
And finally a mix of Italian seasonings truly brings this home creating the best base you have ever tasted!!
How to Make Italian Pot Roast
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Liberally season both sides of beef with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy. They will need lots of flavor.
- Add olive oil to large pot over medium high heat on stove.
- Once olive oil is hot, add beef to pot and deeply brown on all sides then remove from pot.
- Scrap the bottom of the pan to get the flavor back into the oil. Next add chopped onion and sweat them for a few minutes until they start to soften and turn golden.
- Add in minced garlic and only cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, and chicken stock. Stir in Italian seasoning, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring sauce to a simmer.
- Lastly return browned beef to pot and submerge in the sauce.
- Bake covered for 3 1/2- 4 1/2 hours or until beef is cooked through, tender and falling off the bone and sauce has thickened. This will depend on the thickness of beef.
- Remove pot from oven and gently ladle the oil off the top of the sauce which has settled. Simmer over medium low heat to thicken sauce.
- Cook pasta according to instructions on package and drain.
- Serve completed gravy by adding pasta to serving platter, topping with meat and gravy and garnishing with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.
How to Serve Italian Pot Roast with Bolognese Sauce RecipeÂ
- Serve over pasta like a cooked rigatoni to soak up that flavor.
- Try this deliciousness over a polenta or Creamy Grits!
- These balsamic Brussels Sprouts are a great way to add something green.
- Don’t forget the most perfect Cheese Breadsticks to serve with your Italian dish!
How to Store
To store Italian Pot Roast, let it cool completely, then transfer it into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat it slowly on the stove over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s warmed through. This method ensures the roast stays tender and flavorful, just like when it was first cooked!
Favorite Pasta Recipes
- Italian Sausage Stuffed ShellsÂ
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Lentil Meatballs
- Baked Ziti
- Cheesy Manicotti
Italian Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pot roast beef shanks or short ribs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 15 ounces tomato sauce 1 can
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning and herbs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- Garnish: chopped parsley and parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Liberally season both sides of beef with salt and pepper. Don’t be shy. They will need lots of flavor.
- Add olive oil to large pot over medium high heat on stove.
- Once olive oil is hot, add beef to pot and deeply brown on all sides then remove from pot.
- Scrap the bottom of the pan to get the flavor back into the oil. Next add chopped onion and sweat them for a few minutes until they start to soften and turn golden.
- Add in minced garlic and only cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, and chicken stock. Stir in Italian seasoning, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Bring sauce to a simmer.
- Lastly return browned beef to pot and submerge in the sauce.
- Bake covered for 3 1/2- 4 1/2 hours or until beef is cooked through, tender and falling off the bone and sauce has thickened. This will depend on the thickness of beef.
- Remove pot from oven and gently ladle the oil off the top of the sauce which has settled. Simmer over medium low heat to thicken sauce.
- Cook pasta according to instructions on package and drain.
- Serve completed gravy by adding pasta to serving platter, topping with meat and gravy and garnishing with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese.
Shinee says
This looks and sounds delicious. I love me some hearty food in this cold weather! Going to make this one very soon.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yep its delish!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Until verrrry recently I used the really cheap cooking wine, but I’ve since started using a cheap sauvignon blanc…not sure I would actually drink it, but that’s very good advice! This recipe looks so comforting and delicious! Hope you have a wonderful New Year, can’t wait to see what you have for us in 2015!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
So true Denise! The better the wine, the better the dish!
Tonia from TheGunnySack says
I wish that I could have a dish of this for dinner tonight!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
I wish I could have this every night!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
My grandmother was my nana too. <3 I love this!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Hooray thank you so much Angie!
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
My mouth is watering! Definitely a comfort food must have this winter. 🙂
Have a happy new year, Jocelyn!!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Happy New Year to you too Tina!
Tori@Gringalicious.com says
This looks so good. I’m not old enough to drink yet but I love to use mine in my cooking. Happy New Year!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Haha yep indeed. You can definitely use this in your cooking and the alcohol cooks out of the dish but the flavor remains.
Allie | Baking a Moment says
This is definitely my kinda pot roast! Adding this to my must-make list 😉
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Woot woot thanks boo!
Jessica I A Kitchen Addiction says
Love a good pot roast, and yours look incredible!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Thanks so much Jessica!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
Well, you definitely had me at Nana’s and then I saw pasta and I was a goner. There must be some Italian roots in me somewhere because I live for pasta dishes 🙂
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
Yes pasta is sooo quite addictive Jocelyn!
Chineka @ Savor The Baking says
I love the names of the wines and this pot roast looks amazing. I bet it smells just as good. This is definitely going on my to-cook list for 2015.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
The smell is heavenly Chineka!