This Pot Roast Slow Cooker Recipe is tender, flavorful and full of hearty vegetables simmered in a rich beef broth. A simple, hands-off meal that transforms a budget-friendly chuck roast into the ultimate comfort food.
It’s the kind of cozy dinner that makes your house smell amazing all day long. Perfect for busy days, Sunday suppers, or cold weather evenings when you want something warm, satisfying and easy to prepare.
For more comforting slow cooker meals, try our Slow Cooker Brisket and Mississippi Pot Roast.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Tender, Juicy Beef: Slow-cooked to perfection for melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
- Hearty Vegetables: Baby potatoes and carrots soak up all that rich flavor (even my picky eater loves them).
- Easy to Make: Just sear, set and let the slow cooker do the rest.
- One-Pot Meal: Protein, veggies and optional gravy all in one dish.
- Perfect for Leftovers: Even better the next day with sandwiches or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
This classic slow cooker pot roast comes together with simple, wholesome ingredients that build deep flavor as they cook.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Beef Chuck Roast: The ideal cut for slow cooking, becoming tender and juicy after long, gentle heat.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: Add rich aroma and depth to the cooking liquid.
- Beef Broth: Provides the base for a savory, flavorful gravy.
- Celery: Adds subtle flavor and aroma to the braising liquid.
- Baby Potatoes and Carrots: Classic vegetables that cook perfectly alongside the roast.
- Cornstarch and Water: Used to thicken the cooking liquid into a smooth, flavorful gravy.
Grab yourself a large skillet or Dutch oven, measuring cups and spoons and a Crock Pot and you are ready to go for this simple pot roast recipe.
Variations
- Add Red Wine: Replace ½ cup of beef broth with red wine for a richer flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: Add rosemary or bay leaves for an aromatic boost.
- Tomato Paste: Stir in a tablespoon for extra depth and slight sweetness.
- Extra Veggies: Try adding parsnips, turnips or mushrooms for variety.
How to Make Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker
Check out how quick and easy it was to make this recipe.
Pat dry roast and season fully with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, then chuck roast. Sear all sides for a few minutes each.
Carefully place into lightly greased slow cooker base.
Return the pan to stove and lower the heat to medium. Cook onions, scraping any brown bits, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
Transfer onions to sit on top of the roast.
Pour stock around the roast and place the celery to the sides at the bottom.
Add the potatoes and carrots around the roast, and top with fresh thyme. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
Remove any butcher’s twine, discard the celery and shred or serve the meat as desired with the carrots and potatoes
If making gravy use 2 cups of broth (strained) and place in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
Make a slurry with cornstarch and water and slowly pour it in. Whisk or stir regularly until thickened as desired.
Hint: Sear for extra flavor. Browning the beef first creates deep flavor and color.
Recipe Tips
- Layer Ingredients Wisely: Keep potatoes and carrots around the roast, not underneath, to prevent mushiness.
- Low and Slow: Cooking on low for 8-10 hours yields the most tender meat.
- Make Gravy Separately: Strain the broth and thicken it with a slurry for best texture.
- Rest Before Serving: If serving the roast in slices, let it rest 10 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
For another easy, flavorful, set-it-and-forget-it meal, try our Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken.
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Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Place cooled pot roast and vegetables in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of broth or water to keep everything moist.
Serving Suggestions
- More Comfort Food Dinners: Boneless Turkey Breast, Beef Tenderloin or Meatball Parmigiana.
- Vegetable Sides: Sautéed Green Beans, Honey and Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, Green Bean Casserole and Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts.
Pot Roast Slow Cooker Recipe FAQs
Yes, but low and slow yields more tender meat. If you're short on time, you can cook on high for about 4-5 hours.
Chuck roast is the best choice for its marbling and flavor, but brisket or round roast also work.
Trim any large pieces of fat, but leave some for flavor and moisture during cooking.
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Pot Roast Slow Cooker Recipe
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
POT ROAST:
- 2 ½-3- pound chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 stalks celery cut in half
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 1 pound carrots cut into 2-3” pieces
GRAVY (OPTIONAL):
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Pat dry roast and season fully with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil, then chuck roast. Sear all sides for a few minutes each.
- Carefully place into lightly greased slow cooker base.
- Return the pan to stove and lower the heat to medium. Cook onions, scraping any brown bits, for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant.
- Transfer onions to sit on top of the roast.
- Pour stock around the roast and place the celery to the sides at the bottom.
- Add the potatoes and carrots around the roast, cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
- Remove any butcher’s twine, discard the celery and shred or serve the meat as desired on a serving platter with the carrots and potatoes.
- If making gravy use 2 cups of broth (strained) and place in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat.
- Make a slurry with cornstarch and water and slowly pour it in. Whisk or stir regularly until thickened as desired.
Notes
- Sear for extra flavor. Browning the beef first creates deep flavor and color.
- Keep potatoes and carrots around the roast, not underneath, to prevent mushiness.
- Cooking on low for 8-10 hours yields the most tender meat.
- Strain the broth and thicken it with a slurry for best texture.
- If serving the roast in slices, let it rest 10 minutes before slicing to retain juices.
Nutrition
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Eva Filer says
Using the slow cooker for pot roast is such a perfect way to have a meal ready to go when you finish a long day! This recipe is so comforting.