The One-Ingredient Pot Roast Enhancer That's Bursting With Bold Italian Flavors

There are a few select tips you need to cook pot roast and one of them is to be adventurous with your seasonings. If you would like to serve pot roast with a burst of Italian flavor, there's one particular method that works well, even if you're in a rush. Once you've chosen the best meat and done the basic preparation, you can just add a special one-ingredient flavor enhancer and then let your roast cook before sitting down to a delicious and comforting meal.

Make a flavorful pot roast using a zesty Italian salad dressing and marinade packet. The technique is similar to using French onion soup in the cooking liquid to add flavor to your pot roast with minimal effort. Essentially, once you brown the roast and add it to a slow cooker or Dutch oven, with your choice of vegetables and cooking liquid, toss in the dry dressing mix. The zesty Italian blend adds flavor by infusing the meat with garlic, onion, sugar, and spices. However, it also contains salt, which pulls the juices out of the meat and makes it tasty. In addition, depending on the brand, the Italian dressing mix may contain citric acid, which can help tenderize the meat, working in a similar manner to an acidic marinade like citrus juice or vinegar.

On its own, Italian dressing mix is a versatile ingredient for seasoning foods besides pot roast. Using it to cook chicken, potatoes, and other vegetables is a time-saver that can deliver ultimate flavor across many of your recipes with minimal effort.

If you'd like to try using an already-mixed Italian dressing, that also works wonders as a marinade and flavor enhancer. Use a bottle of Italian salad dressing to marinate steak for the juiciest dish. It works similar to cooking pot roast with the Italian dressing packet, with the acid from the dressing's vinegar and citrus juice working with the oil and seasonings to make the steak tender.

If you enjoy the process of using dry seasoning packets in your pot roast, you might also consider amplifying the flavor by adding three different seasoning packets to your pot roast. In addition to an Italian dressing mix, add a ranch dressing mix and dry brown gravy mix to the broth and let the roast cook for 8 hours on low or about 4 to 5 hours on high in a slow cooker.