Sunday Pot Roast with Potatoes, Carrots and the World’s Best Green Beans (or corn)

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The Best Sunday Pot Roast Recipe for a Crowd

Sunday pot roast is one of those meals that smells like home the minute it hits the Dutch oven. I’ve been making this Sunday pot roast for years, and y’all — there is nothing quite like walking through the door after church to a house that smells like a slow-cooked roast has been waiting on you all afternoon. A chuck roast, a pile of carrots and potatoes, a generous hand with Cavender’s, and three hours later dinner is on the table and everybody is heading back for seconds.

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Watch me make my Sunday pot roast from start to finish — or scroll down for the full printable recipe card.

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Why This Sunday Pot Roast Works

As a mom of five and a preacher’s wife, Sunday dinner is sacred in our home. Our table is almost always full — anywhere from 7 to 13 people on any given Sunday — and this Sunday pot roast never lets me down. It feeds a crowd beautifully, it’s incredibly simple to put together, and every single person at the table goes back for seconds.

The secret to this Sunday pot roast is the seasoning. Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning is an absolute game changer — it adds a depth of flavor that you just can’t get from salt and pepper alone. I generously coat the chuck roast before it goes into the Dutch oven, and the results are incredible every single time.

A chuck roast is my go-to for this recipe — it gives you that rich, fall-apart tenderness that everyone loves after three hours in the Dutch oven. If you want leaner and a little more budget-friendly, an eye of round roast works too. Either way, once it’s surrounded by carrots, potatoes, and onions and spending the afternoon in the oven, you’ll have a Sunday dinner that brings everyone to the table. A good Dutch oven makes all the difference here. And those World’s Best Green Beans? They are the stuff of legend in our house. Do not skip them.

Whether you’re feeding your family on a quiet Sunday or hosting a crowd after church, this recipe is for you. It’s simple, it’s hearty, and it never fails. I hope it becomes a staple at your table just like it has at ours. Serve it with crusty bread and you have a complete meal that will have everyone asking for the recipe.

Sunday Pot Roast FAQ — The Questions I Get Every Time

What temperature and how long do I cook Sunday pot roast?

I cook my Sunday pot roast at 325°F for about 3 hours, covered, in a Dutch oven. A 3-4 pound chuck roast will be fall-apart tender in that time, and the vegetables will be perfectly done without turning to mush. For food safety, the USDA says beef roasts need to reach a minimum internal temperature of 145°F with a 3-minute rest — but for pot roast, you’re aiming way past that into the 195-205°F range, where the connective tissue breaks down and the meat shreds with a fork. Trust the fork test more than the thermometer on this one.

Do I need to sear the chuck roast first?

I don’t. And I’ll tell you why — on a Sunday morning before church, I am not standing at the stove with a hot pan and splattering oil. I season the roast generously with Cavender’s, lay it in the bottom of the Dutch oven surrounded by the vegetables, cover it, and put it in the oven. Searing adds a little more depth, and if you have the time go for it. But after three hours in a covered Dutch oven with plenty of seasoning, nobody has ever pushed back from my table saying, “Stephanie, this needed a sear.” It’s excellent without that step.

When do I add the carrots and potatoes so they don’t get mushy?

I put mine in at the start, around the chuck roast, for the full 3 hours at 325°F. The key is cutting them big — I use whole carrots chopped into big chunks (not baby carrots, they get too soft) and quarter my russet potatoes. Big pieces hold up to the long cook and soak up all that gravy without falling apart. If you’re nervous about texture, you can hold the potatoes back and add them at the 90-minute mark, but I’ve never had a problem with mush when I cut them chunky.

Is there gravy with this Sunday pot roast?

Yes, but it doesn’t make itself. As the chuck roast cooks, it releases juices that mix with the water and the Cavender’s seasoning to create the most incredible pan drippings you’ll ever see. I take about two to three cups of the drippings and add it to a butter and flour roux. Simmer until it thickens. If you want my super secret add-in, I add one tablespoon of beef bouillon to my gravy for a really beefy deep flavor. Then add salt and pepper to taste. This gravy is gold.

How do I slice Sunday pot roast after it’s done?

Honestly? I don’t slice it. A properly cooked chuck roast is so tender you’ll fork-shred it and serve it in pulled-apart pieces onto each plate — that’s how I do it and that’s how my family likes it. If you want cleaner slices, let the roast rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes after it comes out of the Dutch oven (resting is important — it keeps the juices in the meat instead of running onto the cutting board), then slice against the grain in thick pieces. Against the grain is the key. Cut the other way and you’ll wonder why your pot roast is chewy.

Can I make Sunday pot roast in a slow cooker instead of the Dutch oven?

Absolutely. I love the Dutch oven version because I can get it in the oven before church and come home to dinner, but the slow cooker works beautifully for the same reason. Same chuck roast, same carrots and potatoes and onions, same generous hand with Cavender’s — cook it on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. My favorite 7-quart slow cooker handles this easily for a crowd. The texture comes out slightly different (a little moister because it’s a sealed environment) but the flavor is every bit as good.

What do I do with leftover Sunday pot roast?

Leftover Sunday pot roast is a gift. I shred whatever’s left, stir it into the leftover gravy, and we eat it three ways that week: over the leftover potatoes with a little extra gravy, piled onto toasted hoagie rolls with peppers and onions for a mock Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, and scooped into warmed tortillas with cheese and onions for the easiest beef tacos you’ve ever made. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. It also freezes well — shredded, with a little gravy, in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

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More Sunday Dinner Favorites for a Crowd

If Sunday pot roast is your kind of recipe, here are a few more that make a table full of people very happy:

• 4 Ingredient No-Peek Chicken and Rice — another Sunday dinner staple that practically makes itself
• Crock Pot Pork Chops — the two-ingredient dinner my family asks for on repeat
• Daddy’s Famous Crockpot Chili — slow cooker perfection with a secret ingredient everyone asks about

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Sunday pot roast — About Stephanie’s Recipes

My recipes are a little bit of everything — treasured old family recipes passed down through generations, dishes I’ve developed and made my own over the years, great finds from church ladies (because if you want a good recipe, ask a church lady!), and inspiration from food bloggers and corners of the internet. Sometimes I flex my culinary muscles and create something spectacular. But most of the time? Quick, easy, and absolutely delicious. Because at the end of the day, I cook for my family and my people — and the best recipe is the one that brings everyone to the table, keeps them there a little longer, and leaves them happy and full.