{Slow-Cooker} Italian Red Wine Roast Beef

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This Italian Red Wine Roast Beef slowly cooks in the crock-pot creating an unforgettable dinner with almost no effort at all.

This smells absolutely fantastic as it slowly cooks through the day.

Slow Cooker Italian Red Wine Roast Beef

Crockpot Roast Beef

I could hardly wait to taste this pot roast the first time I made it and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Seasoned with a light blend of Italian spices and then cooked in red wine, served with Baby Red Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans this roast is happily eaten by every member of the family.

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I’ve been making this Red Wine Roast Beef for a few years now and it never fails to impress. This recipe was originally inspired by a recipe I found over at allrecipes.com. I’ve simplified it over time and the whole family enjoys it.

The aroma, while it cooks, is almost as amazing as the resulting meat. I could eat this roast beef every week all year long with no complaints.

Italian Roast Beef - in the crock-pot

Red Wine Roast Beef

What really makes this Italian roast beef recipe stand out is the red wine that it cooks in. I use a dry red like cabernet or a merlot to fill this roast with delicious flavor. (Not a big wine drinker? I buy these tiny bottles of wine and stash them in the pantry. I use one small bottle each time we make this roast recipe.)

The red wine gives this meat a whole extra dimension of taste. It tastes better than any roast beef I’ve had at a restaurant but is incredibly simple and easy to make. This is a standard dinner time main dish for us by now but we never ever get tired of eating it.

I first made this pot roast with red wine by baking it in the oven. The meat was perfectly tender and fell apart on the fork easily. I had a feeling the recipe would work well in the slow-cooker, too and I was right.

TIP: Buy small bottles of wine (usually in a four pack) and stash them in the pantry. Use one small bottle each time you make this!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine

Making Italian roast beef in the crock-pot is incredibly easy and fills the house with an aroma that smells almost as good as the meat tastes. Aside from mixing the Italian spices and seasonings together in a small bow, the whole recipe comes together in just one pot.

After pouring the red wine over the beef, the whole thing cooks slowly for at least 8 hours or until the meat is easy to shred. Both the oven method and the slow cooker method taste delicious but I love getting this roast beef ready in the morning and letting it cook throughout the day in the crock-pot.

Whichever way you make this recipe, I know you won’t be disappointed.

Italian Red Wine Roast Beef is such an easy crock-pot meal!

By the time dinner time arrives, we’re all excited to sit down and finally eat the roast beef that we’ve been smelling all day long. Every single member of my family cleans their plate when this is on the menu.

The roast pairs well with so many different side dishes. We always enjoy it with a side of Rosemary Roasted Potatoes or Boiled Baby Red Potatoes. It would also be amazing with our favorite Garlic and Paprika Roasted Cauliflower or Roasted Broccoli.

Leftovers of this roast beef are great to have on hand, too. Enjoy the roast beef cold tossed into salads or stacked on juicy roast beef sandwiches. The meat is also delicious fried up with potatoes for a mouthwatering hash skillet.

Red Wine Roast Beef recipe - for the oven or the crock-pot

Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:

First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.

My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?

For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.

Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.

If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.

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Italian Red Wine Roast Beef is a slow cooker AND an oven roasted favorite!

{Slow-Cooker} Italian Red Wine Roast Beef

4.83 from 40 votes
Seasoned with a light blend of Italian spices and then cooked in red wine, this roast smells incredible as it cooks throughout the day.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients 

  • pounds beef round roast
  • 1 small onion sliced thinly
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup red wine cabernet, merlot, or pinot noir work well
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Stir to combine and set aside. Place the roast in the bottom of a crockpot or dutch oven. Sprinkle the spices all over the roast, turning to coat thoroughly. Top the roast with the onions and pour the wine and water into the bottom of the pot.

Crockpot Directions

  • Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the meat is falling apart. When the meat is done cooking, shred gently and then toss in the juices to keep it moist.

Oven Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the roast and bake for 3 hours. Check the meat and if it needs more liquid, add a bit more water.
  • Cook another hour or so, until the meat is falling apart. When the meat is done cooking, shred gently and then toss in the juices to keep it moist.

Nutrition

Calories: 367kcal · Protein: 51g · Fat: 14g · Saturated Fat: 5g · Cholesterol: 147mg · Sodium: 457mg · Potassium: 444mg · Vitamin C: 0.2mg · Calcium: 11mg · Iron: 4.6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally posted 2/9/12 – photos and recipe notes updated 8/9/22}

Italian Red Wine Roast Beef can be made in the oven or in the slow cooker!

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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  1. Norma says

    I have had this recipe copied for many years and for some reason didn’t get around to trying it until this past weekend. Wow! Cooked it in the oven and it was so wonderful to have the amazing aroma wafting through the house on a chilly day! So delicious and fall apart tender. Also really like that it’s quick and easy to get prepped. I did brown the meat prior, but I think that’s not necessary if in a hurry. Thanks for a great recipe!5 stars

    • Anikka Geistkemper says

      Absolutely PHENOMENAL recipe! I just made this today, and my parents and I love it.

      I was only able to buy a 2lb beef round roast (I bought a bottom beef round roast) instead of a 2.5lb one when I went to the grocery store, and I ended up cooking it on high for 7 hours in my crock pot instead of the 8-10 hours on low, and it was perfect! I also added an additional 1/4 cup of red wine after it was fully cooked because I felt that the red wine taste was a little weak when I only put in 1/2 cup.

      Overall, AMAZING recipe! Adding more red wine after cooking if you need more works well, if you want a stronger flavor.5 stars

  2. Traveler says

    This was very good. I was pleasantly surprised as it didn’t call for tomatoes or garlic as I would have expected in an Italian dish. The recipe didn’t specify dry or fresh herbs, so I used dry. Worked well. I used the oven method.

    A few small changes I made.

    1. Used chuck roast

    2. Browned the meat before cooking (because I almost always brown beef before cooking)

    3. I doubled the amount of sauce. Just didn’t seem like enough as written. Worked very well – not dry at all. When I make it again, I think I will add celery, carrots, and potatoes. If I do, I will quadruple the sauce to have enough gravy to pour over.

    Has anyone ever used garlic and/or bay leaves in this recipe? I almost always use bay leaves in braised beef recipes.4 stars