Grandma’s Pot Roast Dinner {with self making gravy}
124 Comments Mar 24, 2022
Updated May 02, 2025
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This easy Grandma’s Pot Roast Dinner features tender beef, hearty carrots, and creamy potatoes — all slow cooked together with a rich gravy that makes itself!
Can you really own a slow cooker without making a classic pot roast? I don’t think so! This easy Crockpot Pot Roast is a tried-and-true recipe you’ll come back to again and again — just like Grandma used to make.
It starts with a tender chuck roast and includes all the essentials: potatoes, carrots, onions, and a rich, savory gravy that practically makes itself. Add some warm dinner rolls and butter on the side, and you’ve got the ultimate comfort food dinner. I think this recipe tastes just like grandma would make but with very little effort.
We do love a classic pot roast recipe, if you are looking for something different try my Slow Cooker London Broil, Slow Cooker Coca Cola Pot Roast or Slow Cooker Sauerbraten.
Key Ingredients
This recipe is a breeze to put together. You can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- 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 and makes it self!
- 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.
How to make Pot Roast just Like Grandma’s – In 2 easy steps
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. Cook low and slow for 9-10 hours is my preference.
My Serving Suggestions
This one pot meal is perfect for busy nights, see how I serve it:
- 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. Easy as that!
Featured Comment
“This is one of the best pot roasts I’ve had! It has a really amazing gravy sauce that brings this one over the top! Thank you for this one!”
– Ned
Grandma’s Pot Roast Dinner {with self making gravy}
How to Video
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!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Crockpot Pot Roast Recipes
Enjoy rich and hearty flavors with Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast, simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce. Or for a simple Sunday dinner, try my Crockpot Rump Roast with vegetables and gravy.
For a quick and easy option, Slow Cooker 3 Packet Pot Roast brings bold flavor with just a few simple ingredients.
If you love tangy twists, Slow Cooker Dill Pickle Pot Roast is a must-try with its zesty, unique flavor.
Mississippi Pot Roast stays a classic favorite, thanks to its tender beef and irresistible pepperoncini kick.
For a homestyle comfort meal, Amish Pot Roast delivers slow-cooked goodness with simple, traditional seasonings.
I followed the recipe exactly…disappointed. The gravy lacked flavor – perhaps using a reviewer’s suggestion of some worcestershire sauce may help. Needless to say, I won’t try this one again.
It will take quite a bit of salt to flavor the recipe, add at the end of cooking time to taste.
Is a Crockpot the same as a Slow Cooker? I have 2.
Yes, Crock-pot is a brand of a slow cooker. They are the same.
Your video shows cream of bacon soup but nowhere is that even mentioned.
Yes, it’s since been discontinued. In the recipe I suggest cream of mushroom.
My go to recipe for pot roast. It’s delicious and cooked to perfection every time I make it. I like to sear the roast well before adding it to the crock pot. I use baby carrots and mixed colored miniature potatoes. I also add two tablespoons of worcestershire sauce to the soup mixture for more flavor. I add a couple sprigs of rosemary before setting the crock pot to 6 hours on high. I generally use a chuck roast the weighs 3-3.25 pounds. I use my Instapot set to slow cooker for cooking. I love this recipe!
I have made this several times now and its always amazing! So simple and so yummy.
Can I use rib eye roast?
Yes any beef roast works. But your better off coming a rib eye roast in the oven.
Sounds like this recipe would work a treat for beef short ribs also. Since that’s oone of my favorite meats i can’t wait to try it.
I am trying this recipe. I decided to use cream of potato soup as I could not try cream of bacon.I also usef one can of Campbells french onion soup.Also added a lityle Worcestershire sauce.Cant wait to try it.
Hi Sarah
I looked for Campbell’s cream of bacon soup (or mushroom) and Campbell’s French onion soup but they don’t seem to be available in Australia. what alternatives would you suggest?
thank you
I have been using my mom’s tried and true pot roast recipe for years. The past few times I have made it, the magic was gone.
I found this recipe, I decided to test drive it so to speak.
I cooked it on high for 4.5 hours, due to my crockpot cooking hotter than my old one.
The aroma was delightful as it cooked.
The roast came out fork tender, we did not have to slice it, my husband just fork sliced it.
The roast was so tender it melted in your mouth. It was not dry very moist.
The gravy came out perfect, it was rich, with a good body, I used two tablespoons of cornstarch at the beginning of cooking it. When I took the roast out, all I did was give the gravy a couple of good stirrings. The French onion soup, dry onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup are a perfect combination.
I might substitute Golden Onion Soup for the Cream of Mushroom Soup one of these days.
I did not sear the roast, no need to.
My husband loved it, he wanted to know when I was going to make it again.
The left overs will be yummy tomorrow,
This is definitely a keeper recipe!
Instead of mushroom soup what else can I use
cream of celery would work great.
Excellent thank you . I was wondering can i cook just the veggies and potatoes the same without the roast? They turned out great and want to use with othr dishes. Thank you.