Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Rich Gravy
This Slow Cooker Pot Roast is classic comfort food made easy. Chuck roast is cut into large chunks, seasoned generously, and slow cooked with vegetables in a savory beef gravy until fall-apart tender. The gravy is thickened with cornstarch right in the crock pot for a rich, spoon-able sauce that pulls everything together. Recipe includes Instant Pot instructions!
It doesn’t get more comforting than fork-tender pot roast with gravy and chunky vegetables during the cold, winter months does it? This Slow Cooker Pot Roast truly satisfies.
The prep for this meal starts on the stove top to deliver BIG flavor. The chuck roast is seared to create a crisp crust, then garlic and tomato paste is cooked for a few seconds to bloom their flavors.
From there, the pan is deglazed with beef stock, coconut aminos and Dijon mustard for a rich, flavorful cooking liquid.
The pot roast and vegetables soak up all the flavor as they’re slow cooked in the crock pot, then the liquid is thickened and served as gravy.
Potatoes are included in the recipe, but sometimes I omit them and serve this comfort food dinner over Yukon gold mashed potatoes or garlic mashed cauliflower.
This is a family-friendly dinner that can be made in advance as it tastes even better over time!
Want this meal in a fraction of the time? Be sure to see my handy Instant Pot instructions in the recipe instructions!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- You can’t beat fall-apart tender beef with rich, savory gravy. This is classic comfort food made with simple ingredients.
- It’s an easy slow cooker method that has big flavor payoff.
- This recipe is make-ahead friendly for busy mornings.
- Gravy is thickened with cornstarch right in the slow cooker.
Recipe ingredients
The ingredients for this classic pot roast in the crock pot are fairly common, so hopefully most of them are already in your pantry.
You can certainly customize this recipe to utilize what you have on hand, or simply to suit your tastes.
- Chuck roast. I recommend purchasing a 4 lb. chunk roast (or 2 smaller roasts) as the meat shrinks down significantly. Cutting the roast into (4) large chunks (or even smaller chunks) ensures that it cooks faster.
- Seasonings. Season the beef generously with sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and salt so that it’s nice and flavorful.
- Avocado oil. You’ll be searing the beef in the pot over medium high heat, so it’s important to use a high heat oil. If you don’t have avocado oil, use your favorite high heat oil.
- Mushrooms. The mushrooms are completely optional, but they pair perfectly with the beef and the rich gravy.
- Onion and garlic. Adds aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Carrots. Be sure to cut the carrots into large chunks so they don’t get mushy.
- Baby potatoes. I love baby gold potatoes as they hold their shape well. Leave whole if smaller, or halve them if they’re larger.
- Beef broth. Cooking liquid that imparts flavor to the beef and vegetables as they cook, then it’s thickened and used for the gravy as well.
- Coconut aminos. Adds savory depth of flavor to the dish. Sub with Worcestershire sauce, tamari or soy sauce.
- Tomato paste. Adds rich tomato flavor, or umami to the dish.
- Dijon mustard. Adds a savory background flavor that really makes a difference.
- Cornstarch. Two tablespoons combined with 2 tablespoons of liquid creates a slurry that thickens the gravy beautifully. Add more to achieve the desired thickness.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make crock pot pot roast
This crock pot pot roast is the ultimate comfort food, and it is really quite easy to make. It does require some hands on time on the stove top to develop flavors, then everything goes into the crock pot and you can set it and forget it for hours.
Pro tip: Browning the beef is essential to adding deep, savory flavor to the gravy and makes a noticeable difference in the finished pot roast.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
Instant Pot variation (optional)
This pot roast can also be made in the Instant Pot when you need dinner faster.
- Use Sauté to brown the beef in batches.
- Cook mushrooms with tomato paste and garlic.
- Deglaze with beef stock, coconut aminos, and Dijon.
- Add vegetables and beef back to the pot.
- Pressure cook on HIGH for 35 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release.
- Remove beef and vegetables. If the beef isn’t tender, remove the vegetables only and pressure cook the beef for 10 minutes longer or until fork tender.
- Switch to Sauté and bring the liquid to a simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry, and simmer until thickened to the desired consistency. Season well with salt and pepper.
Note: The slow cooker version produces slightly more tender beef and a more layered gravy, while the Instant Pot is ideal when time is limited.
Make-ahead “dump and go” option (great for busy mornings)
You can prep this recipe through Step 4 to help save time on busy mornings.
- Brown the beef.
- Cook the mushrooms with tomato paste and garlic.
- Deglaze the pan with beef stock, coconut aminos, and Dijon.
- Let everything cool slightly, then store together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
- In the morning, dump everything into the slow cooker, add the vegetables, and cook as directed.
This makes mornings effortless while still delivering full flavor.
Serving suggestions
This is a hearty enough meal on its own, but there are some side dish options below to take this dish to a new level.
- Spoon over yukon gold mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.
- Serve with one hour rosemary focaccia bread or crusty bread to soak up the gravy.
- Pair with a fresh side of Italian tricolore salad or arugula and fennel salad to lighten the meal.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Browning the beef is essential to adding deep, savory flavor to the gravy and makes a noticeable difference in the finished pot roast.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare the recipe through Step 4 and store in the fridge so you can simply dump everything in the slow cooker and go on busy mornings.
- Customizations. The vegetables can be customized based on what you have — omit the mushrooms entirely or swap in parsnips or extra carrots if you like.
- Storage & freezing: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months (for best texture, freeze without the potatoes).
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. chuck roast
- 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil sub with another high heat oil
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced thickly; optional (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos sub with Worcestershire sauce, tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 large yellow onion halved and sliced (or chop as desired)
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into 1.5" chunks
- 1 lb. baby gold potatoes halved if larger
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water or beef stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and cut it into (4) large chunks. Combine the sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper and season the roast pieces on all sides.4 lbs. chuck roast, 1.5 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Brown the beef. Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Working in batches as needed, sear the beef until browned on all sides, then transfer to the slow cooker.2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Cook the mushrooms. In the same skillet, sauté the mushrooms until they release their liquid and become golden. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. If the brown bits in the pan look like they're beginning to burn, add a bit of water to the pan and scrape them from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add the mushrooms to the slow cooker with the beef.8 ounces mushrooms, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 3 cloves garlic
- Deglaze the pan. Pour the beef stock into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add the coconut aminos and Dijon mustard and whisk to combine. Add to the pot used to brown the beef and scrape up any brown bits or fond from the bottom and sides of the pan, then pour the liquid into the slow cooker with the roast and vegetables. Make ahead option: Stop here and place the beef, mushrooms and liquid in a container and cool completely. Cover and store overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, place everything in the slow cooker and cook as instructed.2 tablespoons coconut aminos, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 cups beef broth
- Cook the pot roast. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes to the slow cooker over the beef mixture. Cook on low for 8+ hours or high for 4-6 hours until the beef is fork tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a cutting board and place the vegetables on a platter. Cut the beef into chunks, then place on the platter with the vegetables. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the gravy.1 large yellow onion, 4 large carrots, 1 lb. baby gold potatoes
- Thicken the gravy. Turn the slow cooker on HIGH and bring the pot roast liquid to a simmer. Whisk together cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then slowly stir the cornstarch slurry into the hot liquid. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning until the gravy is very flavorful, then serve the gravy over the roast. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons cold water or beef stock, salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instant Pot instructions
- Press the Sauté button and add the olive oil to the Instant Pot. Sear the beef on all sides, then remove from the pot and cook mushrooms. Add the tomato paste and garlic to the mushrooms and cook 30 seconds, then stir in the coconut aminos, Dijon mustard and beef stock.
- Add the beef back to the pot along with the onion, carrot, and potatoes. Pressure cook on HIGH for 35 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release. Remove the beef and vegetables from the pot using a slotted spoon. If the beef isn't tender, bring back to pressure and cook another 10 minutes or until fork tender.
- Switch to Sauté mode and bring the liquid to a simmer. Add the cornstarch slurry, and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Notes
- Pro tip: Browning the beef is essential to adding deep, savory flavor to the gravy and makes a noticeable difference in the finished pot roast.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare everything to Step 4 and store in the fridge so you can simply dump everything in the slow cooker and go on busy mornings.
- Customizations. The vegetables can be customized based on what you have — omit the mushrooms entirely or swap in parsnips or extra carrots if you like.
- Storage & freezing: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months (for best texture, freeze without the potatoes).
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
