Italian Pot Roast with Penne

By á-174535

Pot roast is such an easy, hearty, and delicious meal...but don't just use the same old recipe every time! This Italian version is a favorite, with flavors like fennel and basil pesto, is sure to impress the family.

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2-pound) boneless beef chuck pot roast
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and cut into thin wedges
• 3 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and bias-sliced in 2-inch lengths (1 1/2-cups)
• 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges (1-cup)
• 1 (26-ounce) jar light tomato basil pasta sauce
• 6 ounces dried penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Trim fat from roast. In a small bowl, combine fennel seed, garlic powder, and pepper; rub into roast on all sides. In a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker, combine fennel, carrot, and onion. Place roast on top, cutting roast to fit, if necessary. Pour pasta sauce over roast in cooker.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Remove roast from cooker and cut into serving size pieces. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and serve along side the roast. Remove sauce mixture and skim off any fat; set aside.

Toss hot cooked pasta with parsley. Serve roast, vegetable mixture and skimmed sauce with pasta mixture.