This Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash will be your new cozy meal this winter! Made with few ingredients, it comes together quickly. Then, just leave it in the oven, and forget about it for a few hours! It can also be made ahead of time, for a super fast weeknight meal!
During the winter months, there is nothing I love more than getting a recipe prepared, and throwing it in the oven to cook. It makes meal prep a breeze, and making one pot meals like pot roast also equals fewer dirty dishes in the sink!
On super cold winter nights, I just want to curl under a blanket and nap! BUT, this pot roast changes all of that. It’s like getting a warm hug right in your belly. Plus, the addition of butternut squash in this Dutch oven recipe not only adds something a little different, but it gives a little nutritional leg-up on some other pot roast recipes.
If you love hearty, yet healthy recipes made with butternut squash, you might also like my Butternut Squash Risotto, or my Gluten Free Pasta Bake with Butternut Squash. And for something a little lighter, try my Fall Quinoa and Chickpea Salad!
Jump to:
- What are the Ingredients for Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash?
- How do I make Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash ?
- Recipe Substitutions
- Prep Ahead Options for Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash
- Tips for Perfecting This Recipe
- Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Recipe FAQ's
- Hungry for More?
- Did you like this recipe? Share it!
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash
What are the Ingredients for Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash?
When making this Dutch oven pot roast recipe, you want to be sure the chuck roast is the correct size for the pot. You can always cut it into two pieces if needed.
Avocado oil or grape seed oil is my oil of choice when cooking at a high heat like searing meat. The red wine adds a delicate richness to the roast and the beef broth adds to the flavor as well.
Fresh ingredients, such as thyme, butternut squash, red potatoes, onions, and garlic add so much flavor to a meal. It really is the perfect addition when cooking roast in a Dutch oven.
How do I make Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash ?
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Heat oil in a medium dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chuck roast evenly with salt and pepper. Place in the dutch oven, and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until well browned.
- Once the beef has browned, add the red wine to the pan to deglaze. Add the broth. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and thyme. Cover the dutch oven tightly with aluminum foil, and place in the oven.
- Place in the oven for 3 hours. Remove foil and add the butternut squash. Return foil and place back in the oven for one more hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes to cool slightly.
- To serve, scoop out some potatoes and butternut squash. Gently shred the beef as you are plating. Enjoy!
Recipe Substitutions
- Butternut squash substitutions: Another type of squash or even sweet potato would work incredibly well here. I'd recommend acorn squash, pumpkin, delicata squash, or honeynut squash.
- Red potato substitutions: You can use any type of potato you like. Sweet potato is yummy in this roast, or you can substitute Yukon golds.
- Alcohol free option: If you do not drink, or simply don't have any red wine on hand, you can always substitute a small amount of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Instead of ⅔, I would only use about ¼ cup, and replace the remaining liquid with extra beef or vegetable broth.
- Instead of fresh thyme: This recipe is just as delicious with fresh rosemary or sage, if you would like to use that instead.
Prep Ahead Options for Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash
- This entire Dutch oven roast beef recipe can be made ahead of time. That is one of the main reason I created it! It reheats beautifully. Simply set it on the stove top on low for about 20 minutes, and dinner is ready!
- If you would rather enjoy this Dutch oven pot roast recipe right out of the oven, you can still prep it ahead of time! All the veggies can be cut the day ahead, so when you get ready to cook, it's a breeze.
- Another option to prep this pot roast recipe ahead of time, is to sear the chuck roast, add the red wine and beef broth, top it with all the veggies (except the butternut squash), and cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you get ready to cook, simply follow the remaining recipe instructions. When cooking the chuck roast in the cold Dutch oven, you'll want to add an additional 30-45 minutes of cook time before adding the butternut squash, since the roast is going into the oven cold.
Tips for Perfecting This Recipe
- To avoid a dry pot roast, be sure there is plenty of liquid in the pan. To ensure the pan does not dry out, the cover or lid should be very tight, with no steam escaping out of the top.
- Not cooking the meat long enough will result in a tough pot roast. If the meat is not fork tender, and does not shred easily, it needs to be cooked longer. I recommend adding about 30 minutes at a time.
- Adding the butternut squash too early will result in a mushy texture. To retain the texture of the squash, add it in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Recipe FAQ's
I prefer to use chuck roast, because it is easy to find and cost effective. But, for this recipe, you could also use brisket or a round roast.
If the roast is larger than 3 pounds, it may be necessary to cut it down a bit. Be sure to trim any excess fat off the meat. If you do need to cut the meat into a couple of pieces, simply sear it off individually, and then once it's ready to go in the oven, you can add all the meat back in. You may need to increase the cook time by about 30 minutes per pound.
Additionally, if the roast is larger than 3 pounds, you will need to add additional liquid to the pot when cooking. When looking at the recipe card below, there is an option to double the recipe, by clicking the "x2" square just above the ingredients. Keep in mind, this will require a larger pot as well. If the cut of meat is just a little over 3 pounds, I recommend increasing the liquid to 2-2½ cups of beef broth, and 1 full cup of red wine.
Hungry for More?
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Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Butternut Squash
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
- 1 Set of dry measuring cups
- 1 Set of liquid measuring cups
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or avocado oil
- 2 ½ to 3 pound beef chuck roast
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups beef or vegetable broth
- ⅔ cup red wine
- 2 pounds small red potatoes or yukon gold potatoes cut into 1 ½ - 2 inch pieces
- 1 onion cut into 1 ½ - 2 inch pieces
- 4 medium garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 4 large sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 pound butternut squash cut into 1-inch cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Heat oil in a medium dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chuck roast evenly with salt and pepper. Place in the dutch oven, and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until well browned.
- Once the beef has browned, add the red wine to the pan to deglaze. Add the broth. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic cloves,and thyme. Cover the dutch oven tightly with aluminum foil, and place in the oven. Place in the oven for 3 hours. Remove foil and add the butternut squash. Return foil and place back in the oven for one more hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes to cool slightly.
- To serve, scoop out some potatoes and butternut squash. Gently shred the beef as you are plating. Enjoy!
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