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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!
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!
Pot Roast Sunday Sauce and Rigatoni
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 920 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 (2-3 pound) beef chuck roast, cut into 4 chunks
- salt and black pepper
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 cans (32 ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 whole star anise (optional)
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Arrange the roast in the bottom of a large, oven-safe Dutch oven. Season with salt and black pepper. Roll the sausage into tiny meatballs and arrange around the roast. 3. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and thyme. Pour over the tomatoes, add the tomato paste, the wine, 2 cups water, and the star anise (if using.) If you have a parmesan rind, add that too! Cover and roast for 3 1/2 to 5 hours or until very tender. Shred the meat in the sauce, it should be falling apart. Discard the star anise and bay leaves. 4. When ready to serve, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain. Add the pasta back to the pot. Spoon over the Sunday sauce. Add the cream, parmesan, and butter. Toss to combine.5. Serve with lots of parmesan and crispy butter-fried herbs. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on December 4, 2024
Going to the store now for these ingredients!! I don’t mean to sound dense when I ask this question- but I do want to prepare the sauce a day early like you suggested 🙂 does that include all the veggies as well or just the tomato-y things? Thank you! All of your recipes are just 🤌🏼
Hey Elli,
If you prepare this the day before, you can do the whole recipe:) I hope this helps! Have a great weekend! xx
Can’t wait to try this! I just add the cream in cold at the end? Thanks!
Hey Andrea,
I would make sure it’s room temp:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I love your recipes! And I wouldn’t want to change much. However, we don’t eat beef. Would substituting something totally change the flavor?
Hi Erin,
So sorry, unfortunately, I don’t think this is the recipe for you:) Unless, you just did the sausage! Here are some others options you might like:
https://fett-weg.today/spicy-pesto-pasta-alla-vodka/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/tuscan-chicken-pasta/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/one-pan-four-cheese-sun-dried-tomato-and-spinach-drunken-pasta-bake/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xx
Can I make this minus the pasta, cream and cheese … and freeze it?
Hi Robin,
Sure, that will work nicely for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Could the sauce be made ahead of time and frozen?
as someone who makes sauce by the gigantic sauce pot x2, we always make enough to last us for months! We separate the rest out into containers and freeze it, we will freeze the meat separately though (depending on the sauce you make and how the meat is, separating might or might not be doable but thats fine!). I use my great grandmother’s sauce recipe, which takes 8 hours to cook. Freezes great! I imagine this sauce freezes exactly the same way. When we defrost we add a bit of pasta water to it just to thin it out, because sometimes freezing it makes it a thick and sticky consistency so it doesn’t glide and sit on the pasta the right way.
hope that helps!
Hey Julia,
Sure, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
How long in crock pot and what setting?
Hi Laurel,
I would cook on low for 6-8 hours. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hey!
Is there a way to make the meal in a pressure cooker instated of the dutch oven or crockpot?
If so how long should I cook the meat?
Hey Presly,
Sure, I would cook at least 60 minutes on high pressure. I hope you love this recipe! xx
This looks so yummy. I don’t eat pork, what can I substituted the sausage with? Do you think it will effect the flavor if I omit it? TIA
Hi Heather,
I would recommend using a chicken sausage, that would work nicely for you! I hope you love this dish! Happy Holidays! xx
The recipe looks wonderful and my crew is ready to try. However, I dislike the flavors when cooking with wine. Suggestions for that liquid replacement?
Hi Lori,
No big deal, you can use beef broth in place of the wine. I hope you love this dish, let me know how it turns out! xx
Can I substitute something for the canned tomatoes? I don’t like chunky tomatoes but a smooth not chunky sauce would be ok. Any ideas? Thx.
I love to use an equal amount of passata available at Cento as a substitute for crushed or chunky tomatoes.
Hi Christian,
Sure, you could just use tomato sauce if you wanted. I hope you love this recipe! Happy Holidays! xx
What quart size dutch oven do you use? Could this be made in a 3.5 qt dutch oven?
Hi Maggie,
I would suggest at least a 7 quart pot for this recipe, unless you cut it in half. I hope you love this recipe! xx
There is no cream in Sunday sauce. You’re confusing it with bolognese.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Amber. Please feel free to make this recipe to your liking:) xx
Your recipe says to drain the pasta and add back to the pot – do you mean the pot that the pasta was cooked in or into the pot with the pot roast ? The photos are deceiving as they show everything mixed together !
Thank you – my family loves all of your recipes and I look forward to your emails and IG posts ! I also have your cookbooks !
Step 5 preceding the recipe sounds like you put the pasta back in its same pot, then spoon some sauce over it and toss.
Tieghan, this sounds yummy!
Hi Susan,
I add the pasta back to the pot that it was cooked in. I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give this a try! xx
How would you convert this to a slow cooker? Thank you.
Go to the internet. Find a slow cooker recipe for something similar. Use these ingredients and the other recipe’s technique.
I would suggest you use the cooking instructions in Crockpot Sunday Sauce, another Half Baked Harvest recipe. That recipe, Crockpot Sunday Sauce, was included in the two separate “Explore More” suggested recipes in this post.
Hey Kevin,
I would just cook on low for 6-8 hours in the slow cooker. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This looks so yummy. I can’t wait to try it. Is it better to do this in the oven or stove? You mention both in the recipe. Love all your recipes.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks so much!! I like to do this in the oven:) Please let me know if you give this dish a try! xx