Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

This Greek-style beef roast is a one-pot wonder. Chuck roast slow-cooked in a tomato (kokkinisto) sauce with potatoes, shallots, and Mediterranean herbs until everything is melt-in-your-mouth tender. Unlike the classic roast served with gravy and mash, this version is cooked slowly in a red sauce, making it hearty and rustic.

Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Mum’s Beef Chuck Roast – Greek Style

There’s something about a slow-cooked beef roast that feels like home. In my family, this dish was a staple – mum’s beef roast, Greek style. She would always prepare it the traditional way, tucked into the oven for hours, simmering in a rich tomato sauce known as kokkinisto. The whole house would fill with the irresistible aroma of sweet tomatoes, herbs, and beef slowly melting into tender perfection.

Unlike the roasts you might know served with gravy and mash, this Greek version is all about the red sauce. The beef is cooked until it falls apart, then paired with golden potatoes and sweet shallots that have soaked up every drop of flavour. It’s rustic, hearty, and incredibly comforting – the kind of dish that makes you linger around the table just a little longer.

This recipe takes time, yes, but it’s mostly hands-off. Once the meat is in the oven, the magic happens on its own. By the time it’s ready, you’ll have tender beef, vegetables infused with Mediterranean flavours, and a sauce so good you’ll want to mop it up with bread or spoon it over pasta.

It’s one of those meals that connects you straight back to tradition, to family, and to the comfort of mum’s kitchen. A true Sunday lunch, Greek style.

Watch How to Make It

Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Helpful Tips

For the Perfect Greek Slow Cooked Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots:

• Choose a well-marbled cut: Chuck roast is my mum's choice here. The marbling (fine streaks of fat) keeps the meat juicy and tender during long cooking. Avoid lean cuts, which can dry out.

• Long roasting is key: The longer and slower you cook, the more fall-apart tender the beef becomes. Don’t rush it – the last hour is when the magic happens.

• Cover securely: Even if your dish has a lid, add a layer of baking paper and foil. The more tightly sealed it is, the better it traps steam and ensures the beef stays moist.

• Aromatics make a difference: Fresh thyme, oregano, and bay leaves infuse the sauce with layers of flavour. For extra depth, optional to rub the beef with herbs and seasoning a few hours before roasting.

• Use good tomatoes: Quality crushed tomatoes are key for a rich, balanced sauce.

• Serve it right: Pair with rustic bread or pasta to soak up every drop of sauce, and finish with a crumble of Greek feta for the perfect touch.

Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Meal Prep Tips for Greek Slow Cooked Chuck Roast

• Cook once, eat twice (or more): This recipe makes enough for about 6 servings. Enjoy it fresh for dinner, then portion the rest into airtight containers for easy meals throughout the week.

• Storage: Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze portions for up to 3 months. Always allow it to cool before storing, and make sure it’s sealed well to keep the sauce rich and flavourful.

• Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The beef becomes even more tender after resting overnight.

• Versatile serving options:

  • Serve with rice, pasta, or crusty bread for a different base each time.

  • Shred the beef and stuff it into wraps, pita bread, or sandwiches with feta for an easy lunch.

• Batch cooking: You can easily double the recipe and freeze half, saving yourself a ready-made family dinner for busy nights.

Other Beef Recipes you'll LOVE

Greek Meatballs in a Tomato Sauce (Soutzoukakia)

Biftekia (Greek Meat Patties)

One Pan Roast Beef with Vegetables

Beef Noodle Salad Bowl

More Beef Recipes

Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Prep: 15 mins 

Cook: 4 hrs 30 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Chuck Beef Roast

1.4 - 1.5 kg chuck beef roast

(choose well-marbled with visible fat for best flavour and tenderness)

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ cups beef or vegetable broth

Vegetables:

1 x 400 g can crushed tomatoes

1kg baby potatoes, quartered (or halved if quite small)

12+ small red shallots, peeled

8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon dried oregano

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

To Serve:

Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Fresh parsley, to garnish

Greek feta, to serve

Rustic Bread (gluten free) - optional

Or Pasta (gluten free) - optional

Instructions

1.   Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C fan forced.

2.   Season and begin roasting: Place the chuck roast in a deep roasting tray or baking dish and season all sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and pour in the beef broth around the meat. Cover with baking paper and then foil (or baking paper and a lid) and roast for 3 hours. Even if your dish has a lid, add a layer of baking paper and foil on top. The more tightly sealed it is, the better it traps steam and ensures the beef stays moist.

3.   Add potatoes and tomato: Remove the tray from the oven. Add potatoes, shallots, crushed tomatoes, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and oregano. Season lightly again with salt and pepper. Gently stir the vegetables into the tomato mixture, keeping the beef in the centre. Cover and return to the oven for a further 1½ hours (if needed, add more beef broth).

4.   Shred and finish roasting: Uncover the dish and use two forks to shred the beef into large, tender pieces gently. Toss the meat and vegetables through the juices. Optional to caramelise the top by return the baking dish to the oven, uncovered, for a final 15 minutes.

5.   Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and scatter with fresh parsley. Serve straight from the tray with thick slices of creamy feta on the side or, just the way my father loves it, with a hunk of rustic bread to soak up all those delicious juices.

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Slow Cooked Greek Chuck Roast with Potatoes and Shallots

Margaret Pahos @CreateCookShare