There’s nothing quite like walking into the kitchen and smelling a roast that’s been slowly braising all afternoon. This Dutch Oven Red Wine Pot Roast is fork-tender, simmered in a rich sauce with potatoes and carrots, and roasted right in the oven until everything practically melts in your mouth. It’s one of those cozy, comfort meals we never get tired of. It's simple enough for a weeknight dinner, yet impressive enough to serve when friends come over.

Pot roast in a red wine sauce in a dutch oven garnished with parsley.

I’ve always loved roast dinners, and this pot roast is one of my favorites. Everything comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy dinner. Using an affordable cut like chuck roast, the oven does most of the work by slowly braising the meat until it’s fall-apart tender. I also love how flexible it is. You can use whatever red wine you have on hand and swap in your favorite veggies. Much like my Dutch oven chicken and potatoes, this recipe is hearty, nourishing, and exactly the kind of comfort food I crave on chilly fall nights.

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🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving
Storage & Reheating
More Comfort Food Recipes
Recipe
Comments

🥘Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for pot roast measured and labeled.

See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.

Instructions

Chuck roast after being browned in a pot.

Step 1: Season and sear all sides of the roast until browned. (Make sure to remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before searing). Remove it from the pot.

Cooked onions in a pot with tomato paste.

Step 2: Cook the onion for a few minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.

Step 3: Deglaze the pan with red wine. Add the roast back to the pan with the remaining ingredients, aside from the potatoes and carrots.

Chuck roast in a pot of braising liquid with baby potatoes and carrots.

Step 4: Braise in the oven for 1 ½ hours. Add the veggies and cook for another 1 ½ hours. The meat should be tender and falling apart.

Sarah's Top Tips

Use a well-marbled chuck roast or an overall good-quality cut of beef. The best cuts of meat for pot roast are those that are tough and have a lot of connective tissue, such as chuck roast, shoulder, or rump roast. These cuts will become tender and flavorful when cooked slowly over a long period.
Remove the meat from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking so it can come to room temperature.
Sear all sides of the meat before slow cooking. A good sear gives the roast a delicious crust that results in a more flavorful dish.
Always make sure there’s enough liquid in the Dutch oven to partially cover the roast. This keeps the meat moist as it braises and prevents it from drying out.
Resist the urge to crank up the oven temperature. Braising at a steady, moderate heat is what breaks down tough connective tissue and gives you that fork-tender roast.
Use a heavy cast-iron Dutch oven or another large oven-safe pot with a lid. A large Dutch oven allows for excellent heat retention, resulting in a juicy and more flavorful red wine pot roast recipe.
Let the red wine pot roast rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serving

This red wine pot roast is classic comfort food, and I love serving it with creamy mashed potatoes to soak up all that rich sauce. Add a side of roasted vegetables or roasted carrots and parsnips for a bit of freshness, and don’t forget some crusty bread to mop up the juices. On chilly fall nights, I’ll often pair it with a simple arugula salad and a glass of the same red wine I used in the recipe. It turns dinner into something really special.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store any leftover pot roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The flavors actually deepen as it sits, making the next-day leftovers even better.

Reheat: To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce, or cover and bake in the oven until heated through.

Freeze: This dish also freezes well. Place cooled portions in freezer-safe containers or bags and store for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.