Italian roast beef with root vegetables and just the right amount of Italian seasoning is simple to make in the slow cooker. Simple and easy meals that don't skimp on flavor are my favorite!
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Italian Roast Beef is one of my favorite meals for Sunday dinner. It's so homey and comforting. This recipe is awesome if I do say so myself! The secret shortcut is using an Italian dressing packet and a few other seasonings to add loads of great flavor.
Plus, who doesn't love leftover pot roast? It makes fantastic Italian roast beef sandwiches!
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this family-favorite recipe:
- Beef: Bottom round, top round, or chuck roast will all work for this recipe.
- Carrots: Peel and chop into large pieces. You can experiment with other colored carrots, which all have a slightly different taste.
- Potatoes: Waxy potatoes like Red Bliss or Yukon Gold will work best in this recipe as they hold their shape during long cooking periods.
- Dry Italian Dressing: Look for this boxed seasoning mix in the dressing aisle at the grocery store. This concentrated mixture is what gives the dish its distinctive Italian flavor.
- Fresh Garlic: For bold Italian flavor, it's best to use fresh garlic.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Perfectly complements the beef and adds umami to the recipe.
- Onion: You can use whatever onions on hand. I usually use a sweet onion or yellow onion.
- Additional Seasonings: kosher salt and black pepper, plus fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, or rosemary for garnish (optional).
If you choose to sear your beef roast (recommended!), you will also need a canola or vegetable oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
This meal starts with a good piece of beef, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Choosing the right pieces of meat is the most important part of making any pot roast. The best cuts of beef for slow cooking are:
*chuck roast - the classic choice for pot roast because of it's rich beef flavor
*top round roast - economical and full-flavored cuts
*rump roast, also known as bottom round roast - is lean and inexpensive
The slow cooker is exceptional at trapping steam from the food to cook it slowly and helps keep the roast tender.
However, please note that it does not matter if the roast is covered with liquid. If you choose the right cut of beef, you will have a tender, succulent roast where the meat falls apart.
Serving Suggestions
If you cook your Italian-style pot roast with potatoes and carrots, you have an all-in-one meal that needs nothing more than a light salad or warm dinner rolls. However, you can also make it without the vegetables and serve it instead with creamy polenta or mashed potatoes. It's also delicious with brown sugar sweet potatoes.
Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
Use leftover pot roast to make my favorite Beef Pot Pie Recipe!
You can also make delicious sandwiches. Grab some hoagie rolls and layer them with leftover Italian beef, provolone cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. These are fantastic on game day!
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Next time, try one of our other delicious recipes also made in the crock pot:
Slow Cooker Italian Roast Beef with Potatoes and Carrots
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Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs bottom round chuck roast or top round roast also work
- 2 cup carrots chopped
- 4 large potatoes washed, peeled, and chopped
- 1½ cups beef stock beef broth will also work
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 7oz packets dry Italian dressing
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- ¼ cup onion chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- fresh herbs optional
For Searing the Roast
- 1 cup beef broth red wine or water will also work
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Searing the Roast
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over high heat - I like to use a cast iron skillet for this.2-3 lbs bottom round
- Salt and pepper the roast all over just before you put it into the pan.salt and pepper
- Add 2 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil - it has a higher smoke point than olive oil.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- When the oil is hot and shimmers in the pan, add the roast. Let the beef sear and don't move it for at least 2 minutes. If the beef doesn't easily release from the pan, let it cook a little longer. Adjust your temperature as needed, and add additional oil if the pan is too dry.
- Continue searing the roast one side at at time until all sides are browned.
- Remove the beef from the skillet and set into the slow cooker.
- Add a little bit more oil to the pan, and cook the onions until tender. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more.¼ cup onion, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic
- To deglaze the pan - get all the flavorful bits off the bottom - pour 1 cup of beef broth, red wine, or water to the pan. As the liquid begins to bubble and boil, gentle scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.1 cup beef broth
- Add the onions, garlic, and remaining liquid to the slow cooker.
Slow Cooking the Roast
- Layer the chopped potatoes and baby carrots around the sides of the roast.4 large potatoes, 2 cup carrots
- In a medium bowl, add 1-½ cups beef broth and all seasonings and whisk together.1½ cups beef stock, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 7oz packets dry Italian dressing, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- Pour over the roast and veggies.
- Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours.
- Garnish with fresh herbs before serving (optional).fresh herbs
Notes
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour and cook until smooth.
- Add 1 cup of juices from the crockpot to the saucepan. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring frequently.
- Taste and add additional seasoning such as salt, pepper, or herbs as desired.
- After searing, place the Dutch oven with the lid in a 400F oven and cook for 1 hour.
- Reduce the heat to 300F and cook for an additional 3 hours.
- Cook time may vary depending on the size of the roast.
Meal Planning
Want to add this Italian beef recipe to your meal plan? Download our free printable meal plan here.
This recipe is included in Meal Plan 36 along with:
- homemade Italian meatballs and tomato sauce
- turkey sheet pan dinner
- crispy roasted sweet potatoes
- 40 clove garlic chicken
- apple danishes
- chicken tortilla soup
- meatball calzones
... and more!
Be sure to check out all our meal plan ideas here.
Linda says
LOVE it, thanks for the yummy recipe. My whole family loved it!
Donna says
On a bottom rump roast does the fat go up or down
Ang Paris says
I put the fat cap up.
Mollie Myre says
I love this recipe, thank you for sharing.