Pot Roast Sunday Sauce With Rigatoni.

Pot Roast Sunday Sauce with Rigatoni. Slow braised pot roast with spicy Italian sausage, herbs, and red wine. Toss this Sunday-style sauce with rigatoni pasta, cream, and grated parmesan. Incredibly delicious and easy to make. All it needs is a side of crusty bread to mop up all that sauce, plus a great big winter salad. You simply can’t go wrong with this warming Sunday sauce. Serve on Sunday for a family dinner or at your next gathering with friends. It might be called Sunday sauce, but it’s wonderful any day of the week!

I’ve decided that pot roast is the most underrated meat. It’s often considered more of a cheap meat to work with, but when cooked properly, low and slow, it can be incredibly delicious and versatile.

I’ve been cooking with pot roast so much this past year that it’s really become my secret weapon. I used to prefer slow-cooking short ribs, which I still love and enjoy, but post-roast is easier, more affordable, and can be just as delicious!

You all seem to be loving the recipes, so that excites me! And my family never complains when pot roast is on the menu.

I always knew I wanted to share an Italian-style Sunday sauce this December, but when I was thinking about the recipe during a recent flight, I had the idea to use pot roast instead of short ribs.

It’s definitely not traditional, but I knew it could be a great recipe for us to share with holiday guests and family this winter! I think we’re all looking for more affordable ways to cook this season, so this is a great option! The sauce feeds a LOT of people. You can freeze any leftovers too!

My family, especially my oldest brother, younger sister, and mom, all thought this was so yummy!

These are the details

Ingredients

• beef chuck roast
• garlic
• onions
• carrots
• celery
• Italian seasoning
• bay leaves
• fresh thyme
• San Marzano tomatoes
• tomato paste
• red wine
• star anise – optional, but we enjoyed the spice/warmth this adds to the sauce
• rigatoni pasta
• cream, or use canned coconut milk if dairy-free
• salted butter
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Special Tools

This recipe requires only your favorite oven-safe Dutch oven (on sale for Cyber Week)! You can also easily make this in a crockpot.

Steps

Step 1: the beef and sausage

Use a nice cut of beef chuck roast, then cut it in half or into chunks to help the meat cook evenly. Arrange the meat in a Dutch oven or crockpot.

Season the roast with salt and black pepper.

Have the butcher get you some high-quality spicy Italian-style sausage. I like to use ground sausage and roll the meat into incredibly tiny meatballs. You can also use chopped, uncooked sausage links. Arrange the spicy sausage around the roast.

Step 2: add the remaining ingredients

Now, everything else can be added. As usual, I don’t sear the meat, as I think it’s an unnecessary, very messy step. It’s just not worth the mess to me!

Layer the onions and garlic. Add the Italian seasoning, carrots, celery, bay leaves, and thyme. Next, pour over a couple of cans of crushed San Marzano tomatoes. Add a can of tomato paste, then pour over the wine.

Step 3: time to cook

Cover the pot and begin cooking. Depending on the size of your roast, this will take around four hours.

If time allows, it’s best to start the sauce a day before to allow the flavors to mend. The sauce will be even yummier on the second day!

Step 4: finish the roast

You’ll know the roast has finished cooking when it’s falling apart. Shred the meat in the sauce. Then, keep it simmering on the stove while you cook the pasta.

Step 5: the pasta

Boil the rigatoni, then add it right back to that same pot. Ladle over some of the Sunday sauce. Add the cream, the parmesan, and some butter.

Give the pasta a good tossing, adding more sauce, cream, or parmesan, as desired.

Step 6: serve

I like to serve this with parmesan and butter-fried thyme and sage leaves on top. You can also simply use fresh chopped parsley.

Add your favorite winter salad and some bread on the side.

This recipe feeds a lot, probably way more than you need, so you’ll likely have leftovers.

You can serve it throughout the week with pasta or make cheesy stuffed peppers (our favorite). You can also freeze the leftover sauce—the options are endless!

Looking for more pot roast type dinners? Here’s a few more to try!

Cranberry Beef Bourguignon

Smothered Chicken in Mushroom Wine Pan Sauce

Crockpot Thai Short Ribs with Coconut Rice

Crockpot Short Rib Bourguignon

Lastly, if you make this Pot Roast Sunday Sauce with Rigatoni, be sure to leave a comment and/or rate this recipe! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!