Dutch Oven Pot Roast

No one in my family can resist this Dutch oven pot roast recipe. It features slow-cooked chuck roast with tender veggies all simmered in a flavor-packed broth. The meat melts in your mouth!

Love roasts and beef recipes? Try sirloin tip roast, bottom round roast, ribeye roast, and top round roast.

Table of Contents

1. Why I loved this recipe
2. Key Ingredients
3. How to make Dutch oven pot roast
4. Arman’s recipe tips
5. Serving suggestions
6. Dutch Oven Pot Roast (Recipe Card)

Whether I’m trying to stay warm on a chilly winter evening or just need a hands-off weeknight dinner to feed my family, my go-to dish is a Dutch oven pot roast. To make this pot roast, I combine chuck roast, veggies, and broth in a Dutch oven and let it work its magic. What’s left is meat that literally melts in your mouth.

Why I loved this recipe

• Cost-effective. The best meat for pot roast is the cheapest since it’s tough and requires patience to cook properly. Lucky for us, this recipe has the oven doing most of the heavy lifting. 
• One-pot meal. Like my Dutch oven beef stew, this all-in-one recipe comes together with just one Dutch oven, so cleanup is a breeze. 
• Perfect flavor and texture. Between the seared, caramelized exterior of the roast and the buttery smooth interior, this dish explodes with flavor and texture. I mean, the meat melts in your mouth!
• Amazing leftovers. What we love most about this recipe is how good it tastes even a day or two after you cook it. As the beef continues to absorb flavor from the broth, it only gets more tender and flavorful.

Key Ingredients

• Boneless chuck roast. This may also be referred to as stewing beef, and it’s best for slow cooking. I used a 3-pound roast for this recipe, but it’s very easy to adapt to whichever weight your beef is. You can use a bone-in chuck roast, but you’ll need to increase the cooking time by 15 minutes.
• Salt and black pepper. To taste.
• Olive oil. For searing the beef. I tested this recipe with butter too, and found it was a little too much (especially with the remaining ingredients).
• Pancetta. For an irresistible savory element. You can also use bacon.
• Onions and garlic. Essential aromatics for any good pot roast.
• Beef broth (Beef stock). Preferably low-sodium beef broth.
• Beer. The secret ingredient that adds a subtle layer of flavor. The alcohol should cook out, but you can replace it with extra broth if you prefer. Red wine will also work.
• Water. To thin out the broth. 
• Tomato sauce. For flavor and to build the broth. It may also be labeled as tomato purée or strained tomatoes. 
• Worcestershire sauce. Just a touch to really elevate the roast’s natural flavor.
• Fresh thyme. For fresh flavor and herbaceous flavor. 
• Bay leaves. For flavor and to add a delicious aroma. 
• Brown sugar. Just a little goes a long way to elevating the rest of the ingredients.
• Carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stewing vegetables to add flavor and make for a hearty recipe.
• Fresh rosemary. For garnish.

How to make Dutch oven pot roast

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

• Pat dry the meat before searing. It might seem as though this is common sense, but trust me- you want the meat to be completely dry to sear well, which in turn traps in all the juices.
• Sauté the vegetables. After searing the meat, add a little extra oil and sauté the veggies to extract more flavor and get some caramelization. 
• Don’t have a Dutch oven? Swap it for a baking dish wrapped tightly in foil. 
• Cut the vegetables to the same size. So they cook evenly.

Serving suggestions

This pot roast is quite hearty all on its own, though you could easily whip up a few sides to serve with it.

• Air fryer garlic bread
• Cheese biscuits
• Green goddess salad
• Wedge salad

Originally published November 2023, updated and republished December 2024