Description

This Harissa Pot Roast features a tender boneless beef chuck roast slow-cooked with aromatic spices, harissa paste, and vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and chickpeas. The dish culminates in a richly spiced, flavorful sauce perfect for serving over couscous, rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles, making it a hearty and comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess surface fat
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Vegetables and Legumes

1 pound large carrots (2 to 3), peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
8 ounces small yellow or Yukon gold potatoes (6 to 7)
1 (about 15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced

Spices and Flavorings

3 tablespoons to 1/3 cup harissa paste
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 medium lemon)

Garnish and Serving Options

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Serving options: cooked couscous, steamed rice, mashed potatoes, cooked egg noodles

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Instructions

Season the Roast: Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season all sides generously with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and the ground black pepper, pressing the seasoning into the meat.
Sear the Meat: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the roast and sear on all sides until well-browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the roast and set aside.
Sauté Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Add Spices and Harissa: Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander, and harissa paste (start with 3 tablespoons and adjust to taste). Cook for 1-2 minutes to deepen the flavors.
Make the Sauce Base: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onion and spice mixture, stirring constantly to coat and cook the flour for about 2 minutes, which will help thicken the sauce.
Deglaze: Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 to 2 cups of low-sodium beef or chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate the flavor into the sauce.
Return Roast and Add Vegetables: Place the seared beef roast back into the pot. Add the carrots, potatoes, and drained chickpeas. Nestle them around the roast evenly.
Simmer and Braise: Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it gently braise for about 8 hours (or 3-4 hours if cooked on a stovetop at low simmer), until the meat is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Finish With Lemon Juice: Once cooked, remove the roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Stir the tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice into the sauce remaining in the pot to brighten the flavors. Adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
Serve: Slice or shred the beef and serve it with the vegetables, ladling the harissa sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Serve with couscous, rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles to complete the meal.

Notes

Tender braised beef in a rich, spiced sauce with deep North African flavors.
Adjust the amount of harissa paste to control the heat level of the dish.
For faster cooking, use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot and adjust cooking times accordingly.
Leftovers store well and flavors often improve the next day.
Use fresh lemon juice at the end to brighten the dish and balance the spices.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
Calories: 627 kcal
Sugar: 7.4 g
Sodium: 1060 mg
Fat: 36.4 g
Saturated Fat: 13.7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 22.7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 34.8 g
Fiber: 6.8 g
Protein: 41.7 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg