Love Chicken Marsala? These 4 Italian Roasts Belong on Your Sunday Table

If you’ve ever ordered chicken Marsala, you already know what Italian cooks do best with meat: they let wine, butter, and pan juices turn into a glossy sauce that makes every bite better. In Italian homes, that same idea goes into the Sunday roast, cooked slowly in a heavy pot or in the oven until it’s tender enough to slice thin. A couple of these recipes never go near the oven at all, which comes in handy when it’s already full. Here are five to try, starting with the one that tastes most like your favorite takeout order.

Marsala roast veal is the closest thing to a Sunday-sized chicken Marsala. The wine cooks slowly with the meat for well over an hour, reducing into a deep, slightly sweet sauce that clings to every slice. Veal has a mild flavor that lets the Marsala take center stage, which is exactly why the pairing works. It’s the roast to make when you want something a little elegant without leaving home cooking behind.

Pro tip: if veal is hard to find, pork loin is the most natural swap. Keep an eye on the cooking time, since a different cut won’t cook in exactly the same way.

Skillet roast veal is proof that a roast doesn’t need an oven. Cooked slowly on the stovetop, the meat stays moist while the pan juices thicken into a creamy, fragrant sauce. In Italy the last step is non-negotiable: a piece of bread dragged through whatever is left on the plate, a habit called fare la scarpetta. When the oven is already busy, this is the roast that saves dinner.

Pro tip: use a heavy-bottomed pan. It holds steady heat and keeps the juices from scorching during the long cooking time.

Pressure cooker roast gives you a slow-cooked result in about 40 minutes of cooking. The meat simmers on a base of celery, carrots, and onions with white wine, rosemary, sage, and bay leaf, the same aromatics Italian cooks have always used for a Sunday roast. By the time the lid comes off, they’ve cooked down into a rich sauce to spoon over each slice. It’s the version that makes a Sunday-style dinner possible on a weeknight.

Pro tip: let the roast rest for about 10 minutes before slicing, so the juices settle back into the meat and the slices hold their shape.

Roast beef may have English roots, but Italians adopted it long ago and made it a Sunday classic of their own. The Italian version is cooked so the inside stays rosy, then sliced thin and served with its pan juices. It’s the simplest roast in this collection, and that’s its strength: good beef, well seasoned, cooked just right. It’s also the easiest to serve, since it’s just as good at room temperature.

Pro tip: slice it as thin as you can, against the grain, and save any leftovers for sandwiches the next day.