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.
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 actually to 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. If you want a hands-off version, my Cozy Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast turns chuck roast into fall-apart tender beef with a rich tomato and red wine sauce.
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
See the recipe card below for quantities and remaining ingredients.
Instructions
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.
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.
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.
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Dutch Oven Whole Chicken and Potatoes1 Hours 45 Minutes
- Steak and Onion Pie (British Pub Style)1 Hours 45 Minutes
- Bone-In Chicken Soup1 Hours
- One-Pot Coconut Curry Chicken Thighs (Dutch Oven Recipe)50 Minutes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Red Wine Pot Roast
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Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
- 1 large yellow or white onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup red wine, (Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 pound baby or creamer potatoes
- 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Rub the chuck roast on all sides with salt and black pepper.
- Sear the roast to brown on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove it from the pot and add the diced onion.
- Cook for about 2 minutes, then add in the garlic, paprika and tomato paste. Deglaze the pan with the Worcestershire sauce and wine. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the beef broth and add the chuck roast back to the Dutch oven. Turn off the heat.
- Add in the bay leaves and thyme, cover the Dutch oven and put it on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for 1 ½ hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven, add the potatoes and carrots. Cover, place back in the oven and cook for another 1 ½ hours until the potatoes are tender and the chuck roast falls apart.
- Let cool for a few minutes and serve.
Sarah's Tips
- Wine: I love the depth that red wine brings, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Merlot, cabernet sauvignon, or pinot noir all work beautifully.
- No Wine Option: If you'd rather not cook with wine, simply replace it with an extra cup of beef broth. You'll still get a rich, comforting sauce.
- Broth Alternatives: Beef broth gives the boldest flavor, but chicken or even mushroom broth makes for a lighter twist.
- Herbs: Rosemary and oregano add an earthy note, but you can play around with thyme or bay leaves too.
- Vegetables: Swap baby potatoes for sweet potatoes, parsnips, or even turnips for a seasonal spin.
- Dietary Swaps: Use a gluten-free broth if needed. For a vegan version, skip the Worcestershire and use soy sauce or tamari for umami.
- How to make slow cooker pot roast: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large skillet. Season the roast on all sides with salt and black pepper. Sear for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer it to a slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and slow cook on low for 8 hours.
- How to make Instant Pot (pressure cooker) pot roast: Set the pot to the Sauté function and add oil. Once hot, season and then sear the meat on all sides for about 2 minutes per side. Turn off the cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients and pressure cook on high for 60-70 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally for 15 minutes then manually release the remaining pressure.
Mary "Tynee" Horton says
Our family gives a 5 Star. Have made this 4x so good.
Sarah Hill says
Wow, I love this! Thank you so much
Sarah Holt says
Thanks!
Marq says
its in the oven now but I ran out of thyme so I added some rosemary. so far it smells amazing!!
Sarah Hill says
Hi Marq, great idea to use rosemary as a substitute. I will make sure to add that into the post! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Claude c says
Missing the amount of beef broth and no mention of the paprika aside from the ingredient list.
Sarah Holt says
Sorry about that Claude, thanks for catching my mistake!