Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

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This Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe perfectly combines tender and juicy beef, flavorful vegetables, and aromatic pot roast seasoning. It's slow-cooked to perfection in your slow cooker creating a cozy home-cooked meal perfect for any day of the week!

Slow cooker pot roast with potatoes and carrots on a oval serving platter.

Pot roast is an iconic American comfort food meal that consists of tender beef and vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions, slow-cooked until tender. This dish has been around for centuries and continues to be a favorite family meal due to its delicious flavor combination and warm and hearty feel.

This dish starts with a chuck roast, a cut of beef that is well suited to make this meal because of its marbling. Carrots, onion, and potatoes are added for additional flavor, nutrients, and texture, making it a full meal. This recipe comes together with homemade pot roast seasoning that combines salty Worcestershire sauce with seasonings like rosemary, thyme, mustard, and sweet tomato paste.

Once the beef is seared on all sides to lock in the flavor, all of the ingredients get placed into the crock pot, where they are slowly cooked for hours, allowing the meat to become ultra tender along with the vegetables.

Serve the roast with a side of fresh steamed vegetables or garlic mashed potatoes for a complete meal!

Why You’ll Love This Roast

The beef breaks down in the slow cooker, making it super tender, and can easily be pulled apart with a fork.
It’s an easy set-it-and-forget-it slow cooker meal that requires minimal prep work.
The seasoning really takes this dish to the next level with a combination of salty Worcestershire sauce and flavorful seasonings that give it a herbed-rich tomato flavor with a hint of tanginess.

Ingredients

Olive Oil - Heats up in the skillet to sear all sides of the chuck roast, creating a golden brown crust that locks in the juices while slow cooking.
Chuck Roast - This inexpensive cut of beef is perfect for slow cooking. You can also use rump roast for this recipe.
Salt & Pepper - A mix of salt and black pepper enhances the natural flavor of the beef.
Pot Roast Vegetables - You'll need peeled carrots, yellow onion, red potatoes, and minced garlic to create a vegetable blend that is hearty and comforting.

Seasoning:

Dried Herbs - A mix of dried rosemary and dried thyme helps give this dinner a herbed flavor.
Beef Broth - Helps complement the natural juices and keeps the chuck roast moist and tender.
Worchestershire Sauce - This salty condiment adds umami flavor to the meat and helps tenderize the meat.
Yellow Mustard - A smidge of this acidic condiment makes the pot roast seasoning zing.
Tomato Paste - A touch of sweetness and tanginess that helps bind all the ingredients together.
Bay Leaf - This dried herb adds a subtle woodsy taste to the pot roast.

How To Make Crock Pot Pot Roast

Sear the chuck roast: Pat the beef dry with paper towels on both sides. Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Place the seasoned beef in the hot oil for three minutes on each side until browned. If needed, add more oil to the skillet.

Arrange the pot roast: Add the seared pot roast to the bottom of the crock pot, then arrange the chopped vegetables around it evenly.

Mix the seasoning: In a medium-sized bowl, add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, and tomato paste. Whisk until well combined and pour over the roast and vegetables. Then, place the bay leaf on top.

Cover and cook: Add the lid to the top of the crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Slice and enjoy: Once fully cooked, remove the bay leaf and pull the roast apart into shreds or slice into thick slices with a knife. Serve the meat over the veggies and pour the juices over top. Enjoy!

A chuck roast in a crock pot with potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Tips For The Best Results

Make sure to sear all sides of the roast for a golden-brown crust that locks in the juices as it slowly cooks.
If you have larger red potatoes, chop them into quarters to ensure they are all roughly the same size.
The safe internal temperature for cooking pot roast is 145°F. Insert a meat thermometer into the middle of the pot roast to check for doneness and safety before serving.
Let the meat rest for 10 minutes after cooking to let the juices redistribute before slicing.
Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf from the pot roast before serving!

Variations

Use red wine instead of beef broth for a more robust pot roast seasoning.
Add celery and mushrooms to the pot roast vegetables for extra texture and flavor.
Substitute sweet potatoes for the red potatoes for a sweeter pot roast.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over the pot roast for a hint of sweetness.
Substitute boneless pork roast for the chuck roast for a delicious pot roast variation.

Overhead look and a pot roast on a plate.

Storing & Freezing

Storing: Once cooled, separate the roast and vegetables into airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freezing: Place cooled leftovers into an airtight container or resealable freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: The best way to reheat pot roast is in the oven on a baking sheet covered with foil. Reheat at 350°F until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave, but it will be less moist than if you reheated it in the oven.

Recipe FAQs

How do I make a gravy from pot roast juices?

Once the pot roast is cooked, pour all the juices from the pot into a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup of cold water and whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture into the pot roast liquid and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened.

What should I serve with pot roast?

Pot roast is great served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cooked rice. A nice green salad pairs well, too.

What other cuts of beef can be used to make pot roast?

Other cuts of beef that can be used to make pot roast include chuck shoulder pot roast, sirloin tip pot roast, blade pot roast, and bottom round pot roast.

Shredded beef roast on a plate with a roll and vegetables.

More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

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