This Easy Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast Dinner has tender pot roast, carrots, and potatoes. The gravy is made at the same time!
Can you own a slow cooker without trying Slow Cooker Pot Roast? I think not! This is an easy but classic recipe for pot roast that you will make over and over.
This crockpot pot roast recipe uses a chuck roast and has the standard potatoes, carrots, and onions. My recipe also includes a self-making gravy! Just add dinner rolls and butter and your comfort food dinner is served.
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef – Chuck Roast has been my favorite for years. The slow cooker makes the chuck roast melt in your mouth tender. If you can’t find a chuck roast my second favorite is a bottom round roast or blade roast, they are not as fatty but the meat shreds very nicely.
- The Gravy – Cream of mushroom soup, French Onion soup and cornstarch. This pot roast recipe has a self-making gravy. The canned soups, beef juices along with the cornstarch make a gravy while the roast simmers away. I’ve made this recipe many times and the gravy is always a perfect consistency.
- Vegetables – You’ll want to use these root vegetables; red potaotes (or russets), carrots and white onion.
- Salt and pepper to taste – To season the gravy when ready to serve.
Step-by-Step Directions
This recipe is very easy to dump in the slow cooker once you cut the potatoes, carrots and onion.
Step One – Add 2/3 of the vegetables on the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the meat on top. Arrange the remaining vegetables around the roast.
Step Two – How to make gravy; in a medium sized bowl, add the cream of mushroom soup, french onion soup and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved. Pour this gravy mixture over the roast and vegetables.
Step Three – Cook low and slow for 9-10 hours is my preference. Great for days you are working or away. If you are on a time crunch this recipe can set to high, I recommend 6 hours on high for a fork tender pot roast and veggies. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
How to serve:
- Serve directly out of the slow cooker, no need to put on a serving platter.
- Use tongs to serve the meat and veggies.
- Add salt and pepper to the gravy to taste.
- Ladle the gravy over the meat and veggies once plated.
- Place a basket of dinner rolls and a stick of butter on the table for a complete meal.
Recipe FAQs
You certainly can! Beef and red wine go great together. Add a half cup of your favorite red wine to the soup mixture and add a tablespoon more cornstarch to the mix.
I chose not to brown my chuck roast before adding to the slow cooker for this recipe. This recipe has the caramelized onions in the French onion soup, which adds so much flavor. And I like easy for this recipe. You certainly can sear your roast in a skillet on the stove-top (in olive oil or canola oil) and follow the exact directions of this recipe. This is true for most slow cooker recipes; if you prefer to brown, do what makes you happy!
Yes, and I highly suggest you do if you have family members who don’t love onions. Use one can of Campbell’s Beef Consume, beef broth or an additional can of cream of mushroom. You can add a touch of onion powder, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce to make up for the flavor of the French onion soup.
Yes, use one packet of onion soup mix instead of the Campbell’s French onion soup. Add one cup of water as well.
You most likely did not cook long enough, it’s not because you overcooked it. Place the lid back on the slow cooker (and keep it on). And cook for an additional 2 hours or more.
I think this recipe tastes just like grandma would make but with very little effort. Truly the slow cooker does all the work but we can take credit. Enjoy this easy weeknight recipe as my family has for years.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs. Beef Chuck roast
- 10.5 ounce can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup (or bacon) do not add water
- 10.5 ounce can Campbell's French onion soup do not add water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 pounds red potatoes (or russets) cut into 2 inch chunks
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks (or 1 pound baby carrots)
- 1 large white onion diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Add 2/3 of the vegetables to the bottom of the slow cooker (the potatoes, onions and carrots).
- Add the roast on top of those veggies. I do not brown my roast in a skillet, but you can at this point if desired.
- Add the remaining vegetables around the pot roast.
- Whisk together soups and cornstarch in a medium bowl, pour over roast.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 9-10 hours. Do not open the lid during the cooking time. This can be done on high for 6 hours on high but I recommend low and slow.
- When the cooking time is done, I like to degrease the top of the gravy before serving. I do this by taking paper towels and laying over the grease. Pull up quickly and just the grease will be on the paper towel.
- Shred or slice the pot roast.
- Add salt and pepper to the gravy to taste.
- Serve the pot roast with the veggies and drizzle over the gravy. Enjoy!
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Gin Barinecutt says
Can you use stewing beef instead of a roast for this? Thanks for your assistance.
Sarah Olson says
Yes, but it will end up more like stew. It will be good though
Gin Barinecutt says
Thanks so much for your quick reply. Was unable to get a roast, so went with the next best thing. Will let you know how it turned out!
KJK says
Hi! Wanting to add green beans. Should I add them later since they don’t cook at the same rate as potatoes and carrots? Thanks?!
Sarah Olson says
Are you using fresh? If you add them at the beginning they will be as tender as canned. If you want a little bite to them, add them the last hour.
Louise Thomas says
Can you cook this on high for half the time
Sarah Olson says
It will take 6-7 hours for it to get done on high.
Xema Jacobson says
I have almost 5 pound chuck roast. Should I cook it longer? Add. More soup? Please help
Clint says
Hi, I could only get a 3.17 pound chuck roast. How long should I cook it for?
Sarah Olson says
You’ll have to do 9 hours still for the vegetables to cook.
Clint says
First, that’s pretty unbelievable that you answered me in four minutes! The roast turned out perfect. Next time, I’ll probably go for a little leaner cut. I was able to spoon about 10 TBSP of oil off the top.
Sarah Olson says
Yeah, that tends to happen with a chuck roast. Glad you liked it!
Susan Thompson says
Putting the vegetables in the same time as the meat and cooking for so long…the veggies won’t be overcooked and mushy?
Sarah Olson says
No, potatoes and carrots take a very long time to cook in the slow cooker. In fact sometimes the meat becomes tender before them.
Deb says
My roast turned out nice, but I’m not a fan of cream soup type gravy. I love the French Onion. Any suggestions on replacing the cream of bacon soup?
Jean Larson says
We use a can of coke and dry onion soup mix!
Heather says
I might try this also with lamb/mutton. What do you think?
Sarah Olson says
I think it would be great, if you are used to the taste of lamb.
John Liebler says
I love this recipe!! The only change I made was 2 cans of cream of mushroom instead of one,we like a lot of gravy. I can’t get over how good the paper towel fat removal trick works! Brilliant!!
Maggie Dennis says
Hi, can this be frozen? I cook for myself only and hate to waste food but don’t like having to eat same meal ev’ry day,
Sarah Olson says
I think it should do ok in the freezer. Sometimes potatoes don’t do so well after being thawed though.
Wendell Hayman says
Hi, my Wife doesn’t like onions. What soup can I replace instead of the French Onion Soup for the gravy?
Sarah Olson says
Hi Wendell! I would try beef consumme from Campbell’s or do a can of cream of celery.
Judy Hubbert says
Very hardy great taste