Name: Traditional Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 190 min
Ingredients: 1 3 -4 lb. Beef Roast (May use chuck roast, but my preferred cut is sirloin tip or bottom round); 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil; Salt; Pepper; 1 Envelope Dry French Onion Soup Mix; 2 cups Beef Broth; 5-6 Small to medium red-skinned new potatoes (It is best to leave whole, but may be halved); 4-5 Small yellow onions, peeled (May be halved if large); 4-5 Large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

It’s the perfect time of year to start talking about comfort dishes, cozy kitchens, gift ideas, and as a bonus — today’s post ties all those fall and holiday feels together! I’m sharing some of my favorite cool weather meals, one pot dinner possibilities, and some gift ideas for those extra special occasions or people in your life. My kitchen remodel (Phase II) hasn’t yet begun, but even in its current state, it’s feeling totally fit for the season and the holidays ahead!

*This post is published in partnership with Wayfair, one of my favorite home retailers. As always, all opinions, concept, and creation are my own. Posts on KelleyNan.com may contain affiliate links. Click HERE for full disclosure.

Form Meets Function: When Last Night’s Dinner Cookware Doubles as Today’s Kitchen Decor

Over time, I’ve built a full collection of the cornerstone of today’s post — my Le Creuset ® cookware. From a big ‘ol stock pot; to the perfect sized, universal Dutch oven; to the more petite braiser, I’ve got all my bases covered. And while I don’t typically display them all at once, any single piece is pretty enough to show off on the stovetop.

Styling the kitchen with your best, pretty, functional pieces gives it the feeling that it’s an actual, working, regularly used kitchen which in turn, gives it a nostalgic feeling of family dinners and dishes of comfort. While I don’t love cluttered countertops, I do love displaying my prettiest and most used tools (something we’ve chatted about many times before). With a kitchen full of organic materials — lots of wood and marble — I’ve kept my Le Creuset ® collection to a single tone in all white. It’s timeless, easy to coordinate, and never gets old. Here’s a look at the staple pieces in my collection.

(L-R) Stock Pot | Dutch Oven | Braiser

Keeping your special cookware out in plain sight is fitting for any time of year, but especially during those cool months when you’re craving comfort everything. While I prefer my cookware to coordinate and to be more subtle, you can also get more creative with a pretty, bold “pop” since Le Creuset ® comes in a ton of colors, from a vibrant red to dark blue and all kinds of hues between. A red Dutch oven can bring instant “Christmas” vibes to your kitchen, in a sea of otherwise neutral decor and wares.

But my favorite piece to keep on display — and my most used piece — is my Le Creuset ® Dutch oven. At 7.25 qt., it’s the perfect size — big enough for a generous one-pot meal or big batch of chili, but not so big that it will only get used during massive gatherings. You can find all the sizes and colors available HERE from Wayfair — they all ship free. Plus, Le Creuset ® is currently offering 20% off, when you buy three or more pieces from Wayfair! You can browse the full Le Creuset ® collection HERE.

And yes — it looks pretty on display in the kitchen and while cooking, but it also is pretty enough to serve from directly.

If feeling like you need to transfer a dish from a pot to a platter is a pain point for you, having a single pretty piece from prep to cooking to serving is so much easier!

The Dutch ovens are enameled cast iron and resistant to chipping, cracking, scratching, and discoloration. And, they cook evenly and insulate so well, you can start something in the morning and keep it on the stove all day. They can even go right into the oven, up to 500 degrees and they’re designed with tight lids that keep the moisture in and recirculate it back into the dish.

And as we step into the cooler months, I thought it would be the perfect time to share a traditional take on an easy, hearty classic… the pot roast dinner.

Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe

It’s easy, it’s rib stickin’, and it’s the perfect dish to start in the AM. I prefer a lean cut of beef, so I usually go for a sirloin tip or bottom round in lieu of a chuck roast. A lot of people tend to gravitate toward chuck roasts since the fat helps make the meat tender, but the Dutch oven will help make even the leanest meat more tender. And, as I mentioned, you can prep, cook, and even serve from the same Dutch oven. For best results, I do start off by searing each side of the roast, after patting each side with salt and pepper.

While I use beef broth and just supplement with water, you can also use 100% broth.

I let the meat cook for a few hours and only add the vegetables about an hour before it’s time to serve. I don’t add any supplemental herbs (optional but I love the hint of rosemary) until the very end and then put the lid back on to rest for just a little bit.

Easy Traditional Pot Roast Recipe in a Dutch Oven on the Stove

Traditional Dutch Oven Pot Roast

This is an old and favorite recipe where the entire meal may be cooked and served in one pot. Through the years, the cooking methods and accompaniments may have been changed by many, but this recipe is still one of my favorites!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword beef roast, dutch oven meal, family dinner, one pot meal, roast and vegetables, Sunday dinner

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

1 3 -4 lb. Beef Roast May use chuck roast, but my preferred cut is sirloin tip or bottom round
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Envelope Dry French Onion Soup Mix
2 cups Beef Broth
5-6 Small to medium red-skinned new potatoes It is best to leave whole, but may be halved
4-5 Small yellow onions, peeled May be halved if large
4-5 Large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

Instructions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat.
While oil is heating up, liberally add salt and pepper to both sides of the roast.
When oil is hot, add roast to the Dutch oven. Sear on first side for approximately 5 -6 minutes or until meat is easily lifted from the Dutch oven. Turn over and repeat on the other side. (Note: if the cut of beef is thick, you may also sear the sides for a minute or so.)
Sprinkle French onion soup mix on roast.
Add beef broth around the roast. Lower the stove tem to medium low. Check the roast periodically and add additional liquid, if needed.
After the roast has cooked for at least two hours, add the potatoes, onions and carrots to the broth around the roast. Salt, pepper and/or onion salt may be sprinkled on the vegetables, if desired. (The longer you cook the roast, the better. At a minimum, cook for two hours)
Cook for an additional one hour. Continue to check on the roast periodically to ensure the broth continues to simmer. Add additional broth or water, as needed.
Roast is done when you can easily shred it with an inserted fork.

Recipe Notes

Prior to serving, garnish the roast with rosemary branches and the vegetables with parsley leaves (optional).

While it’s a total family pleaser to serve on a Sunday evening, it’s also special enough to serve to company. There isn’t much labor involved, but it’s so flavorful, it makes it feel like preparing that dinner was your priority for the day.

And my favorite part about pot roast dinners… the leftovers!

How to Use Pot Roast Leftovers

The pot roast is a tender beef and while it’s flavorful, it isn’t too specifically seasoned that it wouldn’t be versatile in its second life. From this pot roast round, I made one of my favorites for lunch — bbq beef wraps.

Just heat the leftover beef in a bowl, add some bbq sauce and mix well until you have a saucy consistency, place on a wrap/tortilla, and garnish with pickles and red onion. DELISH!

I also made a vegetable beef soup (or in our house, “stewp” since we prefer more of a stew consistency). This is my go-to for pot roast leftovers and it always yields enough to even freeze portions, after having a batch for dinner. You can absolutely use your Dutch oven for the stew/soup/”stewp” — I even prefer it — but a stock pot will help with those extra large portions.

Here are a few subsequent dinner ideas, following your initial pot roast dinner.

Leftover Pot Roast Meal Ideas:

Vegetable Beef “Stewp” (recipe below)
Beef Stew
Roast beef hash
French dip sandwiches
Barbecue beef sandwiches or wraps — garnish with pickles and chopped purple onion
Barbecue beef salad — try with Ranch dressing!
Barbecue beef stuffed potatoes
Shredded beef nachos
Beef Stroganoff
Lettuce wraps
Stuffed peppers
Beef quesadillas
Brisket-style tacos with salsa
Turn au jus into gravy and serve with rice

And here’s the easy recipe for vegetable beef “stewp”!

Easy Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe with Leftover Pot Roast

Vegetable Beef "Stewp"

This is a hearty and delicious "stewp" that is based on the leftovers of the Traditional Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe. Why "stewp?" The consistency may be made as thick or liquid-y as you prefer. The thicker the consistency, the more it is like stew. The thinner the consistency, the more it is like a soup. Adding more liquid and less solid ingredients will result in Vegetable Beef "Soup."

Course Dinner, Luncheon, Main Course, Soup, Stew

Cuisine American

Keyword beef roast, hearty meal, leftover, one pot meal

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 8