My Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast is the best recipe for mouthwatering, flavorful tender chuck roast with potatoes and carrots. Try it today!
A pot roast is classic American comfort food. This slow cooker version of tender chuck roast is slow-cooked with carrots and potatoes in a rich beef broth. Check out my entire Pot Roast Catalog for more mouthwatering versions like French Onion and Indian Butter.
Table of contents
Ultimate Pot Roast
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
This pot roast is near to my heart and one I’ve been sharing even before I started this website. It’s actually a pared-down version of a recipe I adapted for clients whose children were going off on their own. Just like my classic Pot Roast with Vegetables, I wanted to share some meals they could make that would remind them of the meals I had made for them. This dish delivers on that promise offering a warm, hearty, delicious meal with little cooking knowledge needed. Even without searing the meat, the roast will come out mouthwateringly tender.
The great thing about this Slow Cooker Pot Roast is that it is a whole meal made at once, with veggies, potatoes, and meat. It only takes a little effort in the morning and you come home to the most amazing dinner. You could even prep it the night before to save time in the morning.
Ingredients
- Chuck Roast: This juicy cut is perfect for slow cooking due to its marbling, which breaks down into tender meat.
- Vegetable Oil: This is used to sear and ultimately caramelize the outside of the meat which adds incredible flavor.
- Seasonings: You don’t need much to season this dish, just some dried thyme, minced garlic, salt and pepper. You can use 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder or twice as much fresh thyme.
- Root Vegetables: The potatoes and carrots add delicious earthy flavor plus they turn a roast into a full meal. Feel free to add more root veggies – check out my Variations for ideas.
- Beef Broth: You want to use a good quality broth. My secret ingredient is Better than Bouillon concentrate (with water) and I always add an extra scoop for super beefy flavor.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the rich gravy. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry before adding it to the pot to avoid clumping.
Step by Step Instructions
Time needed: 8 hours and 15 minutes
- Season
Pat the roast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle it with thyme and season with salt, and pepper.
- Brown
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with the oil. (If you have a slow cooker with the ability to brown, you can use it.) Once it’s hot and shimmering, place the roast in the pan. Sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side until it’s deeply browned.
- Cook
Place the peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the minced garlic. Lay the browned beef on top of the vegetables. Pour the beef broth over the meat and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker and set cook time for 8-10 hours on low, or on high for 5 hours.
- Thicken
An hour before it’s done, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, remove the meat and vegetables when done, transfer the liquid to a small saucepan, add the slurry, and cook on high for 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound carrots , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- parsley , chopped, optional garnish
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast with the kosher salt, pepper and thyme (if you are sensitive to sodium, adjust to your taste or you can even leave the salt out altogether since you're adding broth).
- Heat your pan (or if you can brown in your slow cooker, do it in that insert to medium high.
- Add the vegetable oil and when it ripples and is hot add in the roast and brown, deeply, for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- In your slow cooker add the carrots, potatoes and garlic.
- Lay the beef on top, then add the beef broth and cover, cooking on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.
- In the last hour, mix your cornstarch and water and add it to the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. As an alternative you can take the food out when done cooking, then add the leftover liquid to a small saucepan with the cornstarch/water slurry mixture, and cook on high for just 2-3 minutes until the liquid is thickened into a gravy.
- Pour the gravy over the meat and garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: Switch up the Veggies!
This roast is easy to adapt for the season and what veggies your family likes. I love swapping in root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, and sweet potatoes. If I have onions or shallots on hand, I’ll pop them in for some more flavor. In the fall, I love different squash like butternut squash, acorn squash or pumpkin.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
You can season the meat and prep veggies ahead of time and store them separately overnight. However, I want to point out that FDA Food Safety Guidelines recommend against searing meat and cooking it later. Once it starts cooking, meat must reach a food safe temperature before it can be stored or consumed.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Searing: Browning the beef in a pan before adding it to the slow cooker is a step I would not skip if possible. That brown crust adds a delicious depth of flavor and you don’t want to miss it.
- Seasoning: Yes it looks like a lot of salt, but you also have to remember you have 3 pounds of vegetables under the meat you are seasoning too.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the liquid you’ll need some cornstarch. I usually add this in the last hour of cooking. You could also thicken the juices on the stove top with the cornstarch but for me, that’s just one more dish to wash.
- Yukon Potatoes: I love the buttery texture of Yukon gold, you can alternately use russet potatoes here without any problems too.
- Look at the Thyme: If you have fresh thyme, by all means, use it, I just like how easy this recipe is and pantry friendly so I normally use dried thyme unless I already have fresh on hand.
How to Store
- Storing: Keep covered when not serving. You can keep it on Warm for 4 hours or up to 2 hours at room temp. Place any leftover pot roast in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a slow cooker, covered on low, until hot. You can also heat it on the stove top, in the microwave or oven. Stir occasionally to make sure it heats up evenly.
- Freezing: Store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you can substitute the chuck roast with top round, bottom round, or rump roast. You don’t want to use a premium cut, tougher cuts do better with the long cooking time.
Mash together 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl until it makes a paste. Slowly add the cooking liquid while whisking to keep the gravy smooth, until it’s about ½ cup total. Stir that mixture into the crockpot to thicken the gravy.
Overcooking can cause them to get too mushy. Cut them into large chunks. You can even place the veggies on top of the meat if you prefer firmer vegetables. They’ll cook in the broth steam instead of being submerged.
Variations
- Italian Style Roast: Replace thyme with 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of dried basil. Add a can of diced tomatoes (drained) into the broth. No additional cooking time is needed.
- Garlic and Rosemary Roast: Increase garlic to 4 cloves and add 2 sprigs fresh rosemary directly to the broth. Use red potatoes for a slightly different texture. Cook according to the recipe and remove the rosemary sprigs before serving.
- Mexican-Inspired Roast: Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Add an optional can of diced green chilies for spice and a cup of salsa. Slow cook per instructions.
Related Recipes
More Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Hello, I was wondering if I could cook this in the oven. If so at what temperature and for how long?
I would cook it in a dutch oven at 325 degrees for 3 hours. Enjoy!
This was quite good. Made sandwiches with it the next day and was still very good. I would definitely recommend this recipe and will be doing it again.
Got this dish already in my crockpot, I put onions, red& green peppers, kids not to find of carrots & with this dish being a gravy had that idea…Quick question will the 2 cups of broth be enough juice since the roast is on top! Can’t wait to try this later today after shopping for Prom Dresses, my first senior!!!?? Thanks ??
Yes, it’ll be enough. The roast will cook down and release liquid too so you’ll be fine.
Wow, prom dresses…that’s so exciting! Have fun.
Made this recipe today.. Turned out great! I used Brown gravy mix instead of beef broth. Word to the wise if you skip the salt(hubby can’t have it) you Definately need it at the table.5tars
Made this recipe exactly as listed – it was terrific!! The whole family (including a picky 4 year old) devoured this and I served bread on the side for sopping up the gravy.
Yay!! So glad everyone enjoy it! I know how hard it is to please picky eaters.
I just started preparing this and realized my husband bought a rump roast instead of a chuck roast. Do I need to change anything? I seared it and put it in fat side up. (I didn’t want to seat off the fat do I just browned that side for about 1 minute and did the other sides for 5 min each. I don’t have a scale so I guessed on how much potatoes and carrots I put in but probably close to what the recipe calls for. Should I add more liquid or cook on high since it’s a rump roast?
You’re going to have a problem because the rump roast is a much leaner cut of beef. It just won’t ever be as tender. Please just know this going into the cooking process. I have used this in pot roasts for clients who have a very low fat diet as it is needed when I can’t use a chuck, but it isn’t by choice. What I’d suggest is once you’ve cooked it make sure you’re fork tender (this may take longer, the fat in a chuck roast will break down sooner than the muscle in this rump roast). Then in a saucepan add 4 tablespoons of butter and melt it on low heat, whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour until the flour is combined and start adding in 4 cups of the cooking liquid until fully combined and smooth. Cook this liquid until it is thickened slightly like a rich gravy. This gravy will add the needed richness you’re going to be missing from your leaner cut of meat, it will help make up for the tougher chew. Also, cut the meat against the grain for better mouth feel. If all else fails, I’d switch things up and make the French Dip Sandwich method on the site, slicing thinly and making the meat into sandwiches goes a long way with a tougher cut if you find the meat just is too tough to be pleasant to eat.
Hope that helps!
Thank you! I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Hi I have mini gold potatoes and baby carrots and i would be adding onion and celery would i put those on the bottom or on top of the roast since they are baby potatoes and carrots
Thanks
Yes, you’ll want to place them on the bottom. Enjoy!
Amazing!! We loved it, added a lil celery because my wife wanted some. Tender meat and perfect amount of salt/seasoning. I will keep this recipe on my crock pot list. Thanks.
Hi ,Can I use a rump roast for this recipe, my husband doesnt like chuck roast and do i need to change any of the recipe
Yes 🙂 No changes needed. I hope you all enjoy it!
I added a cup of merlot and it was delightful! 🙂
We enjoyed the roast but the thyme was too strong for us we will us much less next time.
Made this today following the recipe exactly. Had a 2 lb roast but still kept the other ingredients the same, worked great. Smelled so good cooking and tasted even better!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it!
Is the meat supposed to be submerged in the broth at the beginning? Right now I just started it and it’s sitting on top of the vegetables not even touching the broth.
You’re doing it right. Everything will start to cook and release liquids during the cooking process. I hope you enjoyed it!
Sabrina,
I have made this pot roast recipe 3 times now, it I still wonderful. I add one onion cut in 1” or 2” squares and this last time I added the mushrooms. My family loves it!
OH MY GOODNESS!! My family loved it! This is a rare occasion when it happens! I have 3 kids 14, 11, & 8 and husband, asked for 2nds! Thanks for a great receipt!!
Absolutely delicious!!
I typically don’t add my potatoes until later. 8 hours of cooking time will disintegrate the potatoes. Great recipe however.
Can I use water instead of beef broth my husband is gluten intolerant and most broths contain gluten
I don’t think water will give you the flavor that we’re looking for in this dish. I know they do make gluten free broths so I would recommend using that instead. Hope this helps!
Is there a less expensive cut of meat that can be used?
You could also try round steak. I like to stock up when I see the prices dip and place a few in my freezer to have on hand.
Why not flour instead of cornstarch for the gravy?
You can use cornstarch instead. I try to make a lot of my recipes with pantry items most people have on hand.
Do you use rolled chuck roast?
You can use rolled chuck roast for this recipe. Enjoy!
I’ve made this before and it’s fantastic, but do I need to adjust the cooking time for a 2.5 lb roast?
I’d say 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 on high should work.
This is so simple and delicious! I’ll have to try it with mushrooms next time! 🙂
This was great! I only made a couple of adjustments (the first was suggested by the author, I believe!): I used 1 cup red wine and 1 cup beef broth in place of just 2 c broth, and I played lazy and didn’t peel the gold potatoes. It turned out great! A huge hit with the whole family!
Sorry I didn’t post sooner, I have been making your recipe since October of 2017 when I can across it I’m a young mom age 22 with a 5 year old, and she is a very picky eater as am I, but I love cooking and tying new recipes but around that time I was going through a lot so couldn’t be in the kitchen as much and you recipe helped a lot my whole family loved it and we eat it at almost all occasions now and is also a big comfort food and my daughter can’t get enough, so thank you for that and sometimes I switch it up and add alil red wine and rosemary so good for when I did a date night and made it sliceable??
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. I’m so happy this recipe has been so helpful to you and your family.
Meat was not as tender as expected. Adding cornstarch & water mixture to slow cooker did not turn juices into gravy.
QQ. If I used 3 cups of broth, how much flour (no cornstarch) should I use?
I’d say couple tablespoons mixed with cold broth before adding.
This is my new go-to pot roast recipe. Why do I love it? Like some others mentioned, it didn’t use any pre-packaged mixes, which I feel usually gives it a very salty flavor. This was perfect. You actually taste the ingredients rather than the mix! Only thing I changed was added onion along with the veggies. Thank you for this recipe!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I’ve made this before for my husband & I – we LOVED it!!! 5 star!
If you were to make this as 12 servings, would you recommend using a dutch oven instead? I’m assuming it would be too big for a crockpot. Just curious as to how to make this for a large group? Thank you for the help!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! If you plan on making for a larger group, a dutch oven would be perfect. You don’t want to over crowd a slow cooker otherwise it won’t cook through properly.
Hi ,I have a 2 pound boneless chuck roast, because its just the 2 of us , do i need to cut the recipe in half and how long on low in the crockpot?
Yes, you can adjust the serving amount using the slider tool until you see it match up with a 2 pound chuck roast. I would recommend cooking it in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Hope this helps!
I made this last night with a couple minor changes to the recipe ( 3lb pot roast, 1 tsp salt, no pepper, cooked on low for 7.5 hours) and it came out great! Will definitely make again.
I just made this for my family for Christmas and I was overwhelmed by the amount of compliments I got ! So easy to make and this was my first pot roast. I even impressed myself, this will be a staple from here forward.
This really is one of my all time favorite recipes and one of my go to-s. So glad you loved it, thank you for coming back to leave a review! And on Christmas day, I so appreciate it. 🙂
I’m personally not a fan of pot roast but my family wanted me to make this for Christmas dinner so I did. I’m grateful for the feature to change the portions since there was no way my slow cooker could fit 8 portion size meal.
The only things I forgot to do was make the gravy part and I forgot to get fresh garlic so I used dried mince garlic instead as an alternative. I did everything else.
My family LOVED the pot roast. Even I thought it was pretty good. I would definitely make this again if they asked me.
Christmas dinner is a big meal to live up to so I am so glad it did!
So glad you loved it, thank you for coming back to leave a review! And on Christmas day, I so appreciate it. 🙂
Making this right now. Didn’t have mushrooms, but I did add a whole onion. I also used Better than Boulion for the beef broth. Can’t wait to dig in!! ??
I followed the instructions to the T, but after three hours on high heat, my roast was already super tough and could not be salvaged. I recommend steering people away from the fast cook option, because mine is now ruined.
Sounds great, but I suggest also searing the veggies first and set them aside before searing the meat for even better flavor.
Delicious easy recipe! I’ve had my slow cooker forever but I’ve only used it once or twice. Wow was I missing out! This is the best pot roast I’ve ever had, why have I been making this in the oven all these years?? Thank you so much much for the recipe, I’ll be trying some more for sure!
I made this for last night’s dinner – perfect roast, ready to eat once I got home from work! The beef is delicious, preparation is easy and yay for the leftovers! I added some onion, celery and parsnip, but no potatoes – just used up what was at home and it worked really well.
Do you need to submerge the roast completely or can it nestle a bit above the veggies and broth?
No need to submerge it.
Enjoy 🙂
How would you adjust for a 6 pound chuck roast?
The cook time might be a bit longer, cook on low 9-11 hours.
Thank you. I pretty much know how but I never remember how long. For how many lbs. Of meat . again ty?
This recipes calls for 4-5 pound chuck roast. Enjoy!
This pot roast was excellent. Used regular russet potatoes and threw in some celery. In less than 8 hours the meat was so tender I couldn’t pick it up with a fork. And the veggies in the bottom they were perfectly cooked and seasoned. For ur first time my sons family kept e on how perfect it was made exactly as the recipe was written. Thank you good call!
This was awesome. I reserved some of the broth and I thickened some of the broth with corn starch. I did this cause some of the people liked it without thickened broth and others liked the broth thickened. Very successful both ways. It also gave me a lot of time to work on other stuff.
Thank you for this, my husband and I fixed yesterday and we love it. We added red onion and used garlic powder instead of fresh and it was delicious. We’re eating the leftovers for lunch today. We served ours over couscous, so tasty.
I’m excited to make this on Monday night, but I have a quick question.
I don’t like super soft carrots, I like them to still be little firm when I eat them. Can I add them last, part way through the process? And if so, when would be a good time to add them?
I’d say if you like them to be firmer, I would add them in for the last 2 hours of cooking. Enjoy!
So I did a dry rub (salt, pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder, cumin, italian seasoning, and chili powder) on the roast this morning and will start everything tomorrow morning. Chopped the veggies and sprinkled in some italian seasoning to sit overnight. Is that all going to complicate the flavor or does that seem ok?
I am getting ready to make this roast. I plan on making it as the recipe is written, but I was wondering if the beef broth by itself would be a better flavor or doing 1 c. broth and 1 cup wine? For red wine, I have Cabernet Sauvignon. How would the taste be with the wine?
I think it sounds like a delicious idea!
The post roast had no flavor at all. I’m actually shocked at how many people enjoyed this! I’m not sure what it’s missing, but it’s missing something! Money and time wasted.
Just came across this recipe this morning and made it today for dinner. This was by far the tastiest pot roast I’ve ever made! I followed your recipe almost exactly; just added half an onion. And let me tell you: browning the seasoned roast beforehand was KEY!! Thank you so much for this recipe, it will become a staple in my house.
I made this last night and it was excellent! Best pot roast I’ve ever made. Meat was flavorful and tender and the gravy was perfect. I was really nervous about adding the cornstarch/water mixture directly to the crock while it was filled with meat and veggies. I’ve never done that before. But it was perfect! I followed the recipe exactly, including using Better than Bullion. The only thing I did differently was not peeling the potatoes because I was short on time (and it worked out fine). Highly recommend this recipe. Thank you!
Made this for dinner and it was a hit! We had ours with the gravy and it was so good. Nice and soft! Perfect for the cold weather!