Marry Me Pot Roast

One bite of this marry me pot roast, and someone might just drop to one knee! Tender, fall-apart chuck roast slow-braised in a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce. It’s the kind of meal that turns an ordinary Sunday dinner into a proposal-worthy meal.

Overhead shot of a dutch oven with Marry Me Pot Roast all cooked and sitting in a rich velvety sauce.

Why This Dinner is Worth Falling For

A New Twist on a Classic: If you love my marry me chicken, just wait until you try this dish! Same flavors, but made with slow-braised chuck roast.
Low Effort, High Reward: Just 15 minutes of prep, a long slow braise, and you pull out something that looks and tastes like you spent all day cooking.
Great for Sunday Dinner or Guests: This pot roast has that “wow” factor, making it perfect for serving to guests, but the steps are simple and the oven does most of the work for you.

Ingredients for Marry Me Pot Roast

Overhead shot of labeled Marry Me Pot Roast ingredients.

Beef Options: Chuck roast is best, but you can also use different cuts of meat like rump roast, brisket, or top round.
Remove Excess Fat: After cooking, you can blot any excess fat with paper towels before adding the cream and cheese.
Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan works best, but finely pre-grated parmesan can be used for convenience.

How to Make Marry Me Pot Roast

This marry me pot roast comes together with minimal effort but delivers maximum flavor every single time. Serve it over mashed potatoes, with fried cabbage, or pile it onto a crusty roll for a sandwich you won’t stop thinking about.

Prep the Roast: Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Pat the chuck roast very dry with paper towels, then generously season all sides of it with salt and pepper.
Sear: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stove, and add the sun-dried tomato oil. Add the roast and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, until a deep crust has formed. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Start the Sauce: Lower the heat to medium, then add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until very fragrant. Whisk in the flour and brown bits to create a sauce with so much flavor.
Add Broth: Slowly whisk in beef broth until smooth and fully combined.
Stir in Remaining Ingredients: Add the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and paprika, and whisk to combine. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes.
Cook: Return the roast to the pot. Cover with lid and cook in the oven for 3.5-5 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily shreds. Remove the meat to a plate, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside. Discard any excess fat that may have accumulated in the pot.
Mix Cream and Cheese: Combine the cream and parmesan in a small bowl.
Add Cream, Shred and Serve: Slowly whisk the cream cheese mixture into the Dutch oven. Return the marry me pot roast meat to the pot, shred, and serve garnished with fresh basil.

Meat seasoned and sitting on a cookie sheet ready to be browned.

Alyssa’s Pro Tip

Adding the Cream & Cheese: You can add the heavy cream and parmesan before roasting, but they will darken and caramelize in the oven. This adds rich flavor, not a burnt taste. If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a splash of beef broth to loosen it up.

Alternative Cooking Methods

Stovetop
1. Simmer: Instead of transferring the pot to the oven in step 7, simmer over medium-low heat on the stovetop for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender and shreddable.
2. Stir: Carefully stir the sauce every hour or so to prevent burning.
Slow Cooker
1. Mix Ingredients: Combine everything except the beef in a large 6 or 7-quart slow-cooker.
2. Sear: Brown the beef as directed in the recipe card, then add it to the slow cooker.
3. Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.