Rollover Dinners

This Easy Braised Pot Roast Makes Plenty of Leftovers for a Quick Weeknight Stew

Meghan Splawn
Meghan Splawn
Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.
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updated Dec 14, 2020
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Credit: Photo: Meghan Splawn

Welcome to Rollover Dinners, a series to help you make smart use of leftovers. Step 1: Make a family-friendly big-batch recipe for the first night. Step 2: Cook a meal later in the week that transforms the leftovers into a new dinner with minimal extra work.

Pot roast is the epitome of easy winter comfort. While it takes an afternoon to braise in the oven, the process is almost completely hands-off, and it perfumes the whole house as it cooks. Plus, pot roast always makes plenty of leftovers for future meals, which you can easily turn into sandwiches, tacos, or rich and hearty soups.

Credit: Photo: Meghan Splawn

Up First: Melt-in-Your Mouth Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Recipe Number 1: Easy, Melt-In-Your Mouth Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Because very few of us have the patience or time to stand over the stove this season, this Dutch oven pot roast uses a smart shortcut — onion soup and dip seasoning mix — to build a robust broth for braising. Trust me: It tastes like you spent an hour caramelizing onions when all you did was tear open a packet.

While your whole family will love the tender beef and vegetables as dinner on the first evening, be sure to reserve some of the pot roast, potatoes, and carrots to use as the base for a quick weeknight dinner the following night, or later in the week.

Credit: Photo: Meghan Splawn

Roll It Over: Beef, Mushroom, and Farro Soup

Recipe Number 2: Beef, Mushroom, and Farro Soup

This soup, inspired by classic Beef and Barley, starts with a base of browned mushrooms and is studded with chewy farro, a garlicky broth, and your leftover beef and potatoes. All your long cooking efforts from night one make this a 30-minute soup that tastes like it was simmered all day.

Rollover Dinners will win over your whole family with their flavor and ease, and you’ll avoid wasting food and cooking fatigue. Look out for more of these smart, delicious recipes each month here on Kitchn.

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Beef
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stews
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