Description
This Pot Roast Sunday Sauce and Rigatoni recipe features a tender, slow-roasted beef chuck simmered in a rich, flavorful Italian-style tomato sauce made with spicy Italian sausage, aromatic vegetables, red wine, and herbs. Served over perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta and finished with cream, Parmesan cheese, and butter for a hearty and comforting Italian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 (2-3 pound) beef chuck roast, cut into 4 chunks
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
Vegetables and Herbs
- 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
Tomatoes and Liquids
- 2 cans (32 ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups water
- 1 whole star anise (optional)
Pasta and Finishing Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 cup cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Roast: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). In a large, oven-safe Dutch oven, arrange the beef chuck roast pieces at the bottom. Season them generously with salt and black pepper.
- Form Sausage Meatballs: Roll the ground spicy Italian sausage into tiny meatballs and place them around the beef chuck in the Dutch oven.
- Add Vegetables and Herbs: Layer the thinly sliced onions, chopped garlic, carrots, and celery over and around the meat. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and fresh thyme for aromatic depth.
- Add Tomatoes and Liquids: Pour the crushed San Marzano tomatoes over the mixture along with the tomato paste. Pour in the red wine and 2 cups of water. Add the star anise if using, and if available, include a Parmesan rind to enrich the sauce.
- Roast Slowly: Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. Roast for 3.5 to 5 hours, or until the beef is very tender and falling apart. Once done, shred the beef directly in the sauce with forks. Remove and discard the star anise and bay leaves.
- Cook the Pasta: While the meat roasts, cook the rigatoni pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Spoon the shredded beef Sunday sauce over the rigatoni. Add the cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and butter. Toss everything together gently to coat the pasta thoroughly with the rich sauce.
- Serve: Serve the dish immediately with extra Parmesan cheese and optionally crispy herbs fried in butter for garnish. Enjoy your hearty Italian comfort meal!
Notes
- For extra richness, add a Parmesan rind while roasting the sauce to deepen the flavor.
- Star anise is optional but adds a subtle, warm licorice note to the sauce.
- If you prefer a less spicy sauce, substitute sweet Italian sausage for the spicy variant.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Butter-fried herbs like sage or rosemary make an excellent garnish to add crispy texture and aroma.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pot roast, Sunday sauce, rigatoni, Italian pasta, slow roasted beef, spicy Italian sausage, comfort food
