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.
I made this for Sunday dinner yesterday and it came out great! I added chopped onion and chopped celery. I also made the gravy on the stove. Everyone loved it! Will be my go to Pot Roast recipe from now on.
Making this today, a little confused I’ve never had the meat sit on top of the cooking veggies and broth, makes me nervous! But— I’m following the video and recipe and am brimming with anticipation! Will be making Yorkshire puddings to go on this side with this yummy gravy.
So how did the veggies turn out really curious to know?
I don’t usually comment on recipes but this deserved it. I’ve never liked how my pot roasts turned out because the liquid was too watery and only the outer edges of the meat had flavor, but the rest was pretty bland. I think the Better than Bouillon made a huge difference. This knocked it out of the park!
The only tweak was I seared the meat with steak seasoning as a previous poster mentioned and placed a quartered onion on top of the meat. The cornstarch wasn’t enough to thicken my gravy (maybe because added water from the onions). I added 3 more tablespoons to a cup of broth from the pot, poured it back in, and it was magic. My husband practically licked the plate clean. Thank you so much!!!!
Yay!! So glad you loved it so much to want to come back and let me know, Alecia. Thanks for the 5 stars.
Delicious! I do not have much experience making roasts but this recipe was very easy and yummy. The only thing I did different was add some Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker.
Made this tonight according to the recipe. Like some others, my family thought this pot roast came out very bland. Next time I would add at least 2 teaspoons of salt/seasoning to the broth and inject the beef after browning.
I am not a fan of pot roast but I thought Id give it a try. It was absolutely delicious. So flavorful. I did not rub thyme on the roast, just added to the broth, used beef stock,a cup of red wine, 4 cloves garlic and made mashed potatoes on the side instead of including potatoes in the pot roast.
i seasoned with montreal steak seasoning, minced garlic and rosemary after browning cut roast in half and browned. added potatoes and carrots at the 4 hr mark. delicious roast lots of flavor
This is my new “go to” recipe for pot roast. I completely forgot about the cornstarch thickening, but it was fantastic without it, (although I’ll try to remember next time!) The searing was absolutely necessary, as I have never had a crock pot roast turn out so good. It was simple to do while I was preparing the vegetables. Thank you for sharing!
Really great flavors. Perfectly done vegetables! A keeper
This is my go to pot roast recipe. My husband told me it probably the best hes ever had! Thank you for sharing!
please help!! i don’t have corn starch but i really want some type of delicious gravy method at the end. is there any alternative that’s equally delicious!? i mean i’m literally halfway through the prep about to put it all in!! i hope you’ll answer me soon!
also i don’t just have needs, i also came with compliments! thank you for always making these so amazing and so doable. i follow your recipes more than you could ever know. and i have fun every time. every time. i don’t have the palate my husband does so we don’t always agree but i at least always agree with everything i make period haha.
lastly, i notice a bunch of men on the comments saying they had negative experiences and the women saying they’ve had amazing experiences. also, don’t people know a recipe can also be used as a basic guideline and you really can do and add and change whatever YOU like to fit your own life and love and happiness and cravings!!?! you’re amazing and don’t ever let anyone make you believe you’re anything but amazing and talented and make damn good food.
Oh no! I’m so sorry I’m just seeing this! I hope it turned out well for you. You can always use flour, arrowroot or even potato starch as substitutes if you don’t have cornstarch.
Lol. That’s because men don’t follow directions and probably are skipping steps.
What a wonderfully second comment! Thanks for adding to a discussion about recipes
I made this the first time with a 25 year old crock pot. Used exact recipe, no changes. Came out wonderful. I’m now gonna try it with a new multi-cooker. The new gadget can be used with pressure closed or open/released. Am I right in assuming that closed pressure just shortens the cook time? Does cooking it longer with open/released come out better? I am in no hurry for time, just want it most tender.
Is that like a instant pot?
I agree with a previous comment that the broth is definitely lacking. Extra salt added after the fact helps some, but overall it’s a meh
Pot roast. Also, the video shows dumping the thyme over the vegetables, meanwhile the recipe calls for adding it to the meat. Could this be where the flavoring error occurs, as I followed the recipe and then watched the video. Can’t figure how this has so many high stars otherwise…
Does anything change if I use a bone-in chuck roast versus the boneless one?
Nope 🙂
Great recipe! It’s my go to for pot roast!
The meat was delicious but the broth didn’t have a delicious flavor. I think the meat was delicious only because it’s beef, and it’s hard for beef to taste bad, especially when slow cooked. I followed the recipe all the way through and it smelled so good…. but it just didn’t taste as great as it looked. ?
Making this now, I used two pot roasts in one big oval slow cooker-stuffed with potatoes and carrots, and I am using 2 cups of chicken broth cuz thats all I had- I thought its just a salt water flavor and throwing caution tot he wind.
My crock pot has settings–low,high and warm should i do this pot roast on low??
Yes 🙂
Love this recipe made it over 5 times and comes out great!
I like to pair it with rosemary olive oil bread and dip it in the juice!
My only question is what is a technical serving size?
Thank you! (:
I’m so glad you love it so much! A serving size is about 1/2 pound meat with 3/4 cups of vegetables, roughly.
I deglazed the browning pan with white wine and urged over top. Yum!
i don’t want to sound super dumb but my cooking level is less than 0 – after i cook this in the crock pot for the time, do i slice the big piece of roast up? do i need to shred it up before the time is up? i totally get the recipe sounds level 0 easy but after i cook all this and pour the gravy on top then what do i do lol
The meat will cook down and you can either slice it up or it will be tender enough to fall apart. I really hope you give it a try.
simple and delicious!!!
Besides a great pot roast that uses familiar ingredients, what a cool idea to have hyperlinks to start a timer while you’re using the recipe. Now I can get rid of my timer!
I cook this without any vegetables. I use about a 3# chuck roast and 1 can of Low Sodium Swanson Beef Broth. I let it cook in crock pot about 9 hours. I remove the meat (it is falling apart by now); pour the remaining broth through a strainer into a pot. Then add the cornstarch/water mixture to the broth for a thickener. I’ve even made this a day in advance: when meat is cooked it is removed, cooled then covered and refrigerated. When ready to serve, slice cold meat, put it in a skillet and pour additional beef broth over the meat to warm it up. ( I don’t use the thickened beef broth drippings for warming up the meat because I want to save all that delicious thickened broth for gravy to go over rice or potatoes).
Made my FIRST a corned beef Pot roast with your recipe… was EXCELLENT… Now making my FIRST post roast using chuck … AND I had bought the slow cooker crock pot… BUT not the one that is digital and allows browning….
Does it brown because it has heating elements in the bottom as well as the sides? Because the non-programmable , large oval shapped crock pot sides get to 250-270 but the bottom only gets to about 150…. (measured with laser temp sensor)…
I have a aluminum insert for my slow cooker that allows me to brown the meat directly inside the pot or I can use the insert on a gas or electric stove.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe so much.
How would you reheat this so it’s not dry?
You can add a bit of water or stock to the dish when reheating.
Can i use sweet potato?
Sure 🙂
Do yout stil cook as long with a 2.5 to 3 lb roast?
Hello! Can I cook this in the oven? If so what type of fish & temp, time. I’m assuming covered. 🙂
You can cook it in a dutch oven for 3-4 hours at 325. Enjoy!
Besides a great pot roast that uses familiar ingredients, what a cool idea to have hyperlinks to start a timer while you’re using the recipe. Now I can get rid of my timer!
I made this for the first time last weekend. I never used a slow cooker before, and never made a pot roast myself. Tbh, I never really ate pot roast too much growing up so I wasn’t even really sure what to expect. Due to my lack of experience in this, I followed the spirit of the recipe pretty accurately. I could only find a 3 lb chuck roast, but I had 3 pounds of potatoes and a little more than a pound of carrots to make up for it. I also quartered a yellow onion and several extra cloves of garlic. I heavily seasoned both the meat and veggies with the s&p, plus lots of garlic powder, onion powder, and the thyme. I’m super lazy so I was not happy with the idea of searing but seems it was the right call and wasn’t difficult.
Some of the comments kind of made me nervous about over or under cooking, so I kept checking up on the roast and veggies, but overall the timing in the recipe was right on. Due to the smaller roast I cooked on low for 6 hours with veggies and an additional hour of just the meat and broth (I could have probably gotten away with 6 hours total but I didn’t have a thermometer and was unsure about the meat). I did make the mistake of putting in extra broth (about 3.5 cups) but it didn’t affect the texture of the meat or veggies, just ended up with more gravy than needed.
I was a little concerned about the veggies getting too mushy so that’s why I took them out about an hour before the meat. A couple pieces were mushed but overall the texture was GREAT. Soft, but still had a firm bite. I did leave the potatoes and carrots into pretty big pieces so that may have contributed to the success.
Overall it was a hit with the BF and I’m planning on making it again this weekend. Since I feel a bit more comfortable now I am using other inspirations for the seasonings and will add in mushrooms and zucchini the last hour (our faves) but I am still using this recipe’s method for cooking.
Thank you very much for a straight forward recipe. I honestly worried too much for nothing. It came out fine and made yummy left overs. If you are like me and nervous about making it for the first time, just follow the recipe as is other than adjusting to your family’s favorite seasonings and I think it’ll turn out great!! Don’t waste your time worrying, just try it!
I’m so glad you decided to give it a try, Denise.
Added onions and red wine, extra garlic cloves.
A must and I use fresh rosemary, not thyme in my recipe.
I appreciate that the recipe is simple with only a few ingredients. Instructions are simple as well. I added mushrooms and a little red wine. Anyone who enjoys cooking can easily add their own personal touches. I will definitely use this recipe again!
This was simple and delicious. I will make again. Parents LOVED it! Felt like home. I did add more broth. Made this is my All-Clad multicooker. One pot is the ticket.
Can you get away with not searing the roast? I’ve made a tomato based one without searing. I’m just wondering how much of a difference the searing the meat does. Thanks!
You can but I just feel like searing it really locks in the moisture. Good luck!
Searing the meat adds flavor and really is an important step. Don’t wash out the pan and use it to make your gravy after cooking
What oil is best to substitute the canola?
Olive oil.
Why does everyone think that searing “seals in moisture”…it doesn’t, adds ton of flavor, but doesn’t seal in anything…recipe was great, made with 1 whole bulb garlic, left in whole cloves along with some oregano, basil, & bay leaf… simple, delish…worth making
I browned the vegetables in the canola after I removed the roast. Then added to the slow cooker and added broth.
I followed the recipe to the “letter”, but it was EXTREMELY disappointing. The entire meal was “bland”. It had no flavor. More seasonings could have possibly help, but it was so bad I won’t make it again.
Sorry it didn’t live up to your expectations. You can definitely adjust the seasonings to better match your palate.
Can I use a 3.5 pound beef bottom round roast instead of a chuck roast??
Sure 🙂
I just made this. I used the cook on high option. I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I seared all sides of the seasoned round roast in a hot frying pan because that’s the only beef I had. I also used 4 tsp of minced garlic. I rarely use garlic cloves because they’re too much trouble. I also added 2 bay leaves. I used a combo of Red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes. For the broth, I used 4 cups of beef broth instead of the 2 suggested. The reason is that I added more potatoes and carrots and wanted them to cook evenly so I had to add enough broth to reach the veggies at the top. I also added 1/2 large onion by giving it a rustic cut. The most important thing for me was (after searing in frying pan) to add the beef roast 1st in the bottom of the crock pot. Then I added the carrots, potatoes, onions, minced garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and beef broth…in that order. I felt that the beef may not get as much flavor if it is sitting on top of the veggies. I cooked it for 4 hours on high and delicious! Thank you!
Ignore the little seasoning in the video, you have to cover it to make it right.
This is my favorite pot roast recipe. I use an eye-round and less salt, and it still turns out well. I also use steak rub when browning the meat. Yum!
You’re adding the carrots and potatoes for the whole cooking duration? With the meat?
They will turn to mush.
You can add them later in the cooking process if you’re afraid they won’t be the consistency you like. Enjoy!
Tried this today (cooked overnight) and really enjoyed it. Thank you!
Making this tonight, for the first time, for our 49th wedding anniversary since we cannot go out this year. My husband loves pot roast and is very excited to eat it. Hoping it comes out perfect!
Can you brown and season the roast the night. Before?
No.
Can this be made in a instant pot?
I haven’t tested it but I’m sure you can.
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now and it never disappoints. If you’re looking for that wholesome comfort food feeling, this is it. It turns out so tender and perfect. Thanks for sharing Sabrina!
This was an excellent recipe. The only adjustments that I made were instead of thyme I used italian seasoning. Also I sear my roast first in butter with a splash of worcestershire sauce to give it a nice brown color. Roast and vegetables come out perfect. Second time making it and never fails to please.
I love this recipe and have now made it quite a few times, my family loves it, too.
Thank you!
Seriously the best pot roast EVER! My hubby & I both enjoyed it. My only complaint was that we had no leftovers haha….we couldn’t stop eating it!!!
Thank you so much for giving out this delicious recipe. This will be my only pot roast recipe from now on!
Followed instructions to the letter. Turned out very dry
If you followed it correctly there is no way.
I followed the recipe to the letter, and turned out dry and tough.
Mine too!
I followed this recipe exactly but I feel it lacked in the deep rich flavor that a pot roast should have. I thickened the liquid with twice the corn starch and added a variety of seasonings to make it taste better. I wont use this recipe again.
Add a bay leaf or two before cooking, it helps with drawing out that rich flavor.
loved this recipe the only thing i didnt do was the gravy at the end but the meat was so tender and juicy
I’ve made this several times and it is always a hit. I use 5 cloves if garlic and after I brown the meat, I add a tablespoon of tomato paste and cook it for s few minutes, add my broth/wine to deglaze and follow your recipe- there is never enough. I save the skimmed fat in a jar to brown other things in. Saves money, adds flavor. I added Brussels sprouts once but it was a big mistake as it made everything taste odd.