A Crazy Simple Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Recipe!

A slow cooker italian pot roast recipe for nourishing, no-fuss dinners

As a health coach (and a busy mom myself), I’m always looking for ways to eat well without adding stress to my already full plate. This slow cooker Italian pot roast recipe is one of my favorite solutions—it’s incredibly simple, full of nourishing ingredients, and perfect for those days when you want a healthy, home-cooked meal without hovering over the stove. Just a few minutes of prep in the morning, and by dinnertime, you’ve got a flavorful, protein-packed dish the whole family will love. It’s a great example of how you can eat well, even on the busiest days.

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How to Make This Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Recipe

You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to nourish your family well. This slow cooker Italian pot roast recipe, which I found in The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, by Mark Sisson with Jennifer Meier, an ebook I received during my Primal Health Coach Certification course, is proof that you can eat healthfully without spending hours in the kitchen. These simple steps will help you feel confident, capable, and maybe even a little excited about what’s for dinner!

Step 1 – brown the chuck roast.

Warm a few tablespoons of oil and brown the chuck roast on all sides. My slow cooker actually has a setting for browning, but if yours doesn’t you can also brown the roast in a big skillet. Browning enhances flavor and keeps the roast nice and moist!

image shows Italian pot roast browned in slow cooker

Step 2 – Add dry ingredients.

Put the roast in the slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, and rosemary on top of the beef.

Italian pot roast in slow cooker with onions, garlic, and rosemary on top

Step 3 – Add liquid ingredients.

Add water, stock, or wine to the pan, if browning was done there, and deglaze. Add liquid to the slow cooker, along with the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. Since I browned my roast directly in my slow cooker, I skipped the deglazing step and added the stock directly to my slow cooker.

pot roast in slow cooker with tomatoes and liquid ingredients

Step 4 – Cook and serve!

Cook covered in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. When done, put the roast on a warm serving platter. Strain the liquid and place the remaining onions and tomatoes on top of the roast. Spoon some of the liquid over the roast.

slow cooker Italian pot roast on plate with fork, ready to eat!

Why I Love this Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast Recipe!

As I said in previous recipe posts, I’m always looking for easy recipes with minimal prep. This recipe has become one of my favorites! It requires just a few ingredients and the prep is done in less than 30 minutes. Then I get to smell the pot roast cooking all day, one of my favorite slow cooker benefits! The clean-up is quick too. I’m confident that you’ll want to add this recipe to your dinner rotation just like I’ve added it to mine.

Below is the recipe that I modified slightly from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, by Mark Sisson with Jennifer Meier. Please note that the exact recipe gives oxtail as an optional ingredient but since I did not use it I didn’t include it here.

slow cooker Italian pot roast on plate with fork, ready to eat!

Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast

An easy meal with minimal prep, loads of flavor, that is packed with nutrients!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Equipment

  • 1 Slow cooker

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lbs chuck roast removed from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for browning
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 4 inch fresh rosemary sprig (or 1 tbsp dried)
  • 1 cup water, beef or chicken stock, or dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups finely chopped tomatoes

Instructions
 

  • Warm a few tablespoons of oil in a big, heavy skillet and brown the chuck roast on all sides. If your slow cooker has a browning setting, you can brown in there instead with the oil.
  • Put the roast in the slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, and rosemary on top of the beef.
  • Add water, stock, or wine to the pan, and deglaze by scraping and dissolving the brown bits on the bottom. Add the liquid to the slow cooker, along with the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes.
  • Cook covered on LOW setting for 8 hours. Remove roast to warm serving platter. Strain the liquid, discarding the rosemary stem (leave the leaves), then place the remaining onions and tomatoes on top of the roast. Spoon some of the liquid over the roast.
Keyword easy, italian, pot roast, slow cooker

This slow cooker italian pot roast is more than just a meal

It’s a step toward nourishing yourself and your family with real, wholesome food. As a busy mom, I know how important it is to find recipes that are both simple and satisfying. This one checks all the boxes: minimal prep, loads of flavor, and packed with nutrients. It’s comfort food that actually supports your health goals—no compromises needed.

Remember, building healthier habits doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, it’s as simple as tossing a few ingredients in a slow cooker and letting it work its magic while you take care of everything else on your plate (literally and figuratively!).

If you’re looking for more nourishing meals that fit into your busy life, be sure to explore my other recipe blog posts:

You’ve got this, mama!

 



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