This savory crockpot pot roast recipe is seriously the best you’ll ever taste! Fall-apart-tender beef, hearty potatoes, and veggies are cooked low and slow in a rich beef gravy. The ultimate set-it-and-forget-it comfort food dinner made easy!
Why This Is The Best Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe
Looking for a cozy and comforting meal that’s easy to make and feeds a crowd? Look no further than this rich and tender crockpot pot roast recipe! Even though we live in Florida and it’s perpetually hot, we’re still ready for some classic comfort food. And there’s really nothing cozier than pot roast, except possibly our tender crockpot beef tips! On those days when the temperature actually does dip below 75°F, I love plugging in my slow cooker for recipes like this one. Check out what makes it such a hit:
- Tender and Juicy: Cooking the roast low and slow, creates fall-apart tender beef and vegetables that practically melt in your mouth!
- Gravy: The beef and vegetables simmer in the rich and thick, homemade beef gravy, allowing them to absorb all the flavor.
- Easy: All you need to do is season the roast, chop the veggies, and whisk the sauce. Then, dump everything in the crockpot and let it do its magic!
- Comforting: Slow cooker pot roast is the perfect hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of dinner most of us crave during the colder months. Each bite is more comforting than the last!
Looking for more easy and hearty beef dinners? Try our crockpot beef stew, easy instant pot beef tips or this classic stovetop beef stew!
Key Ingredients
A beef roast, some veggies and pantry staples are all you need for this crock pot pot roast recipe! Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts!
- Roast: We used the classic chuck roast for this recipe, but you can also use a different cut of meat like brisket or a bottom round roast.
- Vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, yellow onion, garlic and mushrooms are our go-to veggies. Feel free to play around with this combo!
- Beef Broth: Use a bone broth for even more intense beef flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds such a rich umami flavor to the beef and gravy. We definitely don’t recommend leaving it out!
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the gravy at the end. Measure with care!
How to Make Crock Pot Pot Roast
Making this crock pot pot roast recipe is super easy and hassle-free! You don’t even have to brown the meat before adding it to your slow cooker! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions.
- Season: Season all sides of the roast and place it in a 6 or 7 quart crockpot. Surround it with all your veggies (except the mushrooms).
- Gravy: Whisk together the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and all the seasonings. Pour it over the roast.
- Cook: Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 6 to 7 hours, until beef is fork tender. We highly recommend going with the longer cook time on low heat, it will create the most tender results!
- Thicken: 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve, whisk together cornstarch and water and stir it into the crockpot.
- Serve: Add the mushrooms, replace the lid on the crockpot, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes. Then serve and enjoy!
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Roast: Look for a roast that is between 2 to 3 pounds and has marbling running through it. The fat is what creates a juicy and tender pot roast.
- Sear The Roast: If you want to increase the beef flavor, you can sear the roast before adding it to the crockpot. We have tested it both ways and we honestly can’t tell the difference!
- Veggies: Cut the vegetables in similar sizes so they cook evenly. We tend to like larger, chunky cuts of vegetables in a pot roast as they retain their texture better. Aim for just slightly bigger than bite sized.
- Potatoes: Use russet, yukon gold potatoes, or red potatoes, and if you like them peeled, peel them. We usually don’t peel our potatoes – just rinse and chop! If you prefer to serve your pot roast with mashed potatoes instead, skip adding the potatoes to the crockpot.
- Cook on Low: The longer you slow cook this roast the better and more tender it becomes. We recommend cooking on low unless you have a big time crunch.
- Make Ahead: Fully cook the roast, but do not add the cornstarch or mushrooms. Instead, let the roast cool in the crockpot. Transfer the whole crockpot to the fridge for up to 48 hours. 1 hour before you want to serve, reheat over high for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Then finish the dish with the cornstarch slurry and mushrooms as directed.
What to Serve With Crock Pot Pot Roast
Pot roast is a hearty and delicious main course and side all in one! You don’t technically need to serve it with anything, but here are a few ideas:
- Bread: Whenever there’s gravy, we always want a great piece of bread to soak it up with! Any kind of dinner roll will be tasty, but we’re partial to a slice (or two!) of garlic bread or beer bread.
- Veggies: Since there are already root vegetables in the dish, we recommend something light for balance. Try our roasted green beans or roasted broccoli.
- Salad: A simple side salad with refreshing orange salad dressing would be great, but we love a bowl of our strawberry spinach salad!
Yield: 6 servings
Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe
Easy crockpot recipes will never go out of style, and this crock pot pot roast is one of the best you'll ever taste! Fall-apart-tender beef, hearty potatoes, and veggies are cooked low and slow in the most amazing rich beef gravy. The ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal!
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds chuck roast
- 1 pound potatoes, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
Instructions
- Season the roast with salt and pepper and place in a 7 quart crockpot. Add the potatoes, carrots and onion around the roast.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine the beef stock, Worcestershire Sauce, minced garlic onion powder, oregano and thyme. Pour over the roast and vegetables.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 6 to 7 hours. The slower cook time over low heat is best for extra tender results!
- 15 minutes before you are ready to serve, whisk to combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour the slurry into the crockpot and stir until blended.
- Add the mushrooms and replace the lid. Cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until gravy is thickened. Serve warm!
Notes
Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat: The microwave is quickest way to reheat pot roast. Place a paper towel over the bowl and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, giving it a good stir in the middle.
Freeze: Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Just remember, veggies and potatoes can get a little mushy after being frozen. Thaw the roast overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make Ahead: If you need to prepare this ahead, fully cook it but do not add the cornstarch or mushrooms. Instead, let the pot roast cool in the crockpot then transfer the whole crockpot to the fridge for up to 24 hours. 1 hour before you want to serve, reheat over high for 45 minutes and then finish the dish with the cornstarch slurry and mushrooms as directed.
Sear The Roast: If you want to increase the beef flavor, you can sear the roast before adding it to the crockpot. We have tested it both ways and we can’t tell a difference!
Veggies: Cut the vegetables in similar sizes so they cook evenly. We tend to like larger, chunky cuts of vegetables in a pot roast as they retain their texture better. Aim for just slightly bigger than bite sized.
Potatoes: Use russet, yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, and if you like them peeled, peel them. We usually don’t peel our potatoes – just rinse and chop! If you prefer to serve your pot roast with mashed potatoes, skip adding the potatoes to the crockpot.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 455kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 130mg, Sodium: 725mg, Potassium: 1358mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 5140IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 6mg
WOW! What taste!! I used a moose roast instead of beef and it was delicious. Next time I would add more beef stock to have more gravy. Made for a great and mess free Sunday supper. Did a bread duff in the oven to top off the meal
I just made this pot roast, and it tasted great! The only thing I would’ve liked is more gravy. After the beef cooked for 8 hours I put cornstarch in to thicken the gravy, but there wasn’t much liquid in there. What do I need to do next time to have extra gravy?
Hi Karyn! With 1 cup of broth and the juices from the meat, you should have had plenty for gravy! However, you can absolutely add more broth for even more gravy later, you will just need more cornstarch to thicken it! I would taste and see at the end if you need any more salt or additional seasonings and add them to taste before serving. Hope this helps!
Karen, try adding more beef stock. It shouldn’t change the flavor pattern. The more liquid the more gravy
Can I use a top round roast instead of a chuck roast? Would I need to adjust the cooking time for this?
Hi Jamie! Yes you can, a top round roast is usually less fatty, so it may be a little less flavorful and a little less tender, but it should still cook within the 8 hours. I would definitely recommend going with the lower and slower cook time with a top round roast to ensure it’s tender! Hope this helps!
Best pot roast I’ve ever had! Maybe I’m being partial because I made it lol!! The only thing I didn’t do was put the corn starch and mushrooms in it. I also added a little more bone broth just to help cover everything .. In all seriousness though it was very good. I will definitely be making this again!! Thank you for the recipe..
Question, I’ve never done this before, so if my roast is more like 3.5 pounds. Do I need to add more seasoning? Very excited to try because this recipe is simple
Hi Danielle! If you hit the PRINT button, it will take you to a version of the recipe that you can scale up to serve more people. If you change it to 9 servings, it will be for a 3.75 lb roast and will adjust all the other ingredient amounts as well! Hope this helps! 🙂
If I wanted to pair this with mashed potatoes would it alter much if I left out the potatoes from the roast itself?
Hi Glorie! No, it will still be delicious without the potatoes and is great served with mashed potatoes. We do it that way often! 🙂
Perfect. Easy recipe that came out great. Thx!
To hot out for the grill. Too big for ninja. Perfect size and timing for crock. Followed to tee. So positively delicious. Used Yukon gold tatoes. Think they added a buttery vide.
Wonderful flavor and tenderness. I have a recipe we really like but wanted to try something new. My husband loved it! He never loves new recipes. This is a keeper!