This easy slow cooker pot roast takes less than 10 minutes to load into your crockpot, and dinner practically cooks itself. Make this melt-in-your-mouth tender beef roast for a special family dinner, or any time! Serve with a simple salad and dinner is DONE!
Does your family have a big Sunday dinner?
Maybe you all gather around the table, have a meat-and-potatoes kind of meal, and just enjoy each other’s company.
I love extra time with the family, but do you want to know a secret? I don’t always want to spend a ton of time cooking a big meal for the family on a Sunday evening.
That’s why I love this slow cooker pot roast recipe – it only looks and tastes like it took a lot of effort! But it’s actually super easy to make.
SLOW COOKER POT ROAST RECIPE
This is the BEST crock pot roast recipe and it keeps showing up on our weekly meal plan. Here’s why:
- Hands-off. You dump everything in one pot and cook it.
- Cheap. Chuck roast, potatoes, and carrots are some of the cheapest real foods at the store.
- Great as leftovers.
- 10 minutes of hands-on prep (i.e. dumping everything in the pot).
- Really, really good.
- Tastes like Mom’s cooking. There’s nothing like a classic pot roast!
- Comfort food made easy.
- Perfect for serving to company!
- Freezer-friendly (both for a future freezer meal or as leftovers)
INGREDIENTS FOR POT ROAST SLOW COOKER
- Beef. Boneless chuck roast works the best, but a round roast will work as well. (Brisket is a tougher cut and not ideal for this recipe.)
- Carrots. You can use baby carrots or make this with large carrots cut into 1” pieces.
- Potatoes. Use baby red potatoes or quartered russet potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes are also good.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup. I highly recommend Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup, which takes LITERALLY 5 MINUTES and tastes a million times better than any canned soup ever will. If you’re pressed for time, make it the night before.
- Dry Onion Soup Mix. Again, I highly recommend making the Dry Onion Soup Mix yourself. It takes 2 minutes and it’s WAY healthier than the store-bought packets.
Notice that you DON’T need beef broth, black pepper, flour, olive oil, or garlic cloves (or garlic powder) in this recipe for a roast in the crock pot. All of these ingredients are already in the dry onion soup mix and the mushroom soup!
Psst! Want to kick this recipe for a roast in a crock pot up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!). Add a pinch before serving or incorporate it into your dry spice mix to bring out the drool-worthy savory flavor of your roast!
EASY POT ROAST SLOW COOKER SUBSTITUTIONS
- Don’t like carrots? Try different veggies like parsnips, turnips, daikon radish, rutabaga, yams, or sweet potatoes. Cut whichever veggies you choose into 1-inch pieces.
- Don’t like cream of mushroom soup? Make Cream of Celery Soup instead OR make Cream of Beef (substituting beef stock for chicken stock). If you’re going store-bought, you need one can.
- Don’t want to make dry onion soup mix? Store-bought is fine. You need one packet.
THE BEST BEEF FOR YOUR SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
Grass-fed beef is very important to my family, so we joined Butcher Box a few years ago and LOVE having quality meat shipped to our front door every month.
They offer subscriptions of grass-fed beef, organic chicken, heritage-breed pork, and wild-caught seafood, and you can choose what cuts you want AND how often you want your box delivered. Obviously, you’ll want to choose beef for this slow cooker pot roast!
If you’ve never heard of Butcher Box, read my honest review here and how to make Butcher Box worth the cost here! I love to get large cuts like pork roast and chuck roast!
The search for high-quality meat ends here. Amazing taste. Humanely raised and delivered to your door. Sign up today! Click this link to claim the current offer!
RECIPE FOR POT ROAST IN THE CROCK POT
Step 1. Place half the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker. (If you’re in the market for a slow cooker, this one is highly recommended.)
Step 2. Next, place the chuck roast on top of the vegetables. (There is no need to sear the meat first!)
Step 3. Place the remaining vegetables on top of and around the chuck roast.
Step 4. Pour the dry onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup over the top. (There’s no need to add any water to the slow cooker.)
Step 5. Cover with a lid and cook on low for at least 8 hours, preferably 10, until fork-tender.
Note: I strongly recommend NOT reducing the cook time. In my testing, I made this recipe for pot roast in the crock pot both ways – at a high temperature for fewer hours, and a low temperature for more hours – and the longer cooking time was significantly more meltingly tender and flavorful.
Step 6. Shred meat slightly with two forks and serve hot.
Store leftovers from this slow cooker pot roast recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You may want to put the vegetables in separate storage, as they may soften more when reheating.
RECIPE FOR POT ROAST SLOW COOKER TIPS
- If you cut the pot roast slow cooker recipe in half, keep the SAME cooking time.
- If you want to use a larger, 6 lb roast, make sure your slow cooker is large enough to handle that size roast (like this 8.5 qt slow cooker, or an 8 qt Instant Pot with a slow cooker function). Double everything else and cook for 10 hours!
- Don’t add any milk or water – it’s not needed.
- Make this crock-pot pot roast in the Instant Pot using my slow cooker to Instant Pot conversion guide.
- If you don’t want to make cream of mushroom soup or dry onion soup mix, store-bought is fine. You need one can of soup and one packet of seasoning.
MAKE A SLOW COOKER POT ROAST WITH GRAVY
You can take the liquid in the slow cooker and turn it into a brown gravy on the stovetop:
- Pour the gravy into a saucepan or Dutch oven and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.
- Combine 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons of water in a mug and stir together.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan, and whisk constantly.
- The sauce will thicken to a gravy to pour over your slow cooker pot roast.
- If you like, you can substitute red wine for some of the water if you want a richer gravy.
TO SERVE SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
- This recipe for pot roast in the slow cooker feeds my family of 4 and makes at least 2 lunches with the leftovers! We usually pair it with an Easy Dinner Salad.
- Try garnishing with fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary. (If you have extra herbs after you garnish your crockpot chuck pot roast, freeze the herbs for another time – here’s how!)
- Use your Instant Pot for Steamed Broccoli on the side and dinner practically cooked itself! (I know you love your slow cooker, but curious if the Instant Pot is right for you? Read my review.)
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, Sautéed Green Beans would go great with this slow cooker pot roast!
- Try my Easy Dinner Rolls or serve with a loaf of Simple Sourdough Bread. What a feast!
- If you happen to have two crockpots, I definitely recommend this Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler for dessert.
SLOW COOKER POT ROAST FAQS
Do you have to brown the roast before putting it in the crock pot?
No need to brown the roast before putting it in the crockpot. Some say it helps lock in the flavor, but I’ve made this slow cooker pot roast many times and it’s always been delicious! There’s no need to dirty another pan or skillet!
How much water do you add for slow cooking a beef roast?
You do NOT need to add any water to this recipe!
Is it better to make a beef chuck roast in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot?
Instant Pot roast is YUMMY…but it turns out to be less tender when compared to the crock pot version. I like how a crockpot chuck pot roast turns out better.
Does slow cooker pot roast get more tender the longer it cooks?
Any large piece of meat that you use in the crock pot will get more tender the longer it is cooked. Cooking for 8-10 hours at a low temperature will give you melt-in-your-mouth tender roast beef!
MORE DELICIOUS SLOW COOKER RECIPES
- The Best Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
- White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Mexican Potato Soup
- Easy Slow Cooker Brisket
Freezer Cooking: Dump Dinner Recipes
Sign up to get instant access to my step-by-step Freezer Cooking: Dump Dinner Recipe plan, complete with recipes, supply list, and shopping list!WATCH HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
This easy slow cooker pot roast takes less than 10 minutes to load into your crockpot, and dinner practically cooks itself. Make this melt-in-your-mouth tender beef roast for a special family dinner, or any time! Serve with a simple salad and dinner is DONE!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Main meals
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 chuck roast (3–4 lbs)
- 1 lb baby carrots (or carrots, cut into about 1″ pieces)
- 1 ½ lbs potatoes (any variety, cut into about 1″ pieces if necessary)
- 4 Tbsp homemade dry onion soup mix
- 1 batch homemade cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Place half the potatoes and carrots on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Next, place the chuck roast on top of the vegetables.
- Place remaining vegetables on top and around the chuck roast.
- Pour homemade dry onion soup mix and homemade cream of mushroom soup over the top.
- Cover with a lid and cook on low for at least 8 hours, preferably 10.
- Shred meat slightly with two forks, serve hot.
Notes
- Don’t add any additional liquid – it’s not needed.
- A longer cooking time is best – aim for 10 hours on low.
- Chuck roast tastes best for this recipe, but a shoulder roast will work in a pinch.
- If you don’t have time to make dry onion soup mix or cream of mushroom soup, you need one packet of dry onion soup mix and one can of cream of mushroom soup.
Nutrition
- Calories: 1137
Keywords: slow cooker pot roast
Amber
It seems kind of dry, was I supposed to mix the dry onion soup in something? I did not mix the canned soup with anything as explained in the directions. It’s cooking now but just doesn’t seem right…
Tiffany
Hang in there Amber – if you added the soup and dry onion mix (no additional liquids), just let it cook. By the time you get to 10 hours, it’ll be amazing!
Nicole
Will a 4 quart crock pot be big enough for this recipe?
★★★★★
Tiffany
Ooh…. I think that might be cutting it close Nicole. 🙁
Jude
My traditional Pot Roast Recipe calls for 2-4 halved large onions which are added at same time as other vegetables. Would you add onions at beginning…or after Roast has cooked a while?
Tiffany
I’d add them at the beginning. 🙂
Maura Fay
How do I get these amazing recipes so I won’t lose my place online
Tiffany
I’m not sure what you mean Maura… they’re available all the time?
Donna Cole
If I want to add mushrooms, would 8 oz. sliced be enough? And will they hold up for the entire cook time? This recipe will be made Sunday. Can’t wait.
★★★★★
Tiffany
Hi Donna! Yep, they’ll hold up the whole time!
Nicole
Can I set up the crockpot the night before and refrigerate until the am? Then wake up and let it cook throughout the day.
Tiffany
Absolutely!
Brittany
Can this be done in an instant pot pressure cooker?
Tiffany
I’m sure it can Brittany, but I haven’t tested that recipe myself yet.
Craig
Want size can and how many does this feed ? I would like to made this for a meeting . Thanks
Tiffany
I didn’t realize canned cream of soup came in different sizes, LOL. Whatever a “normal” soup can is – maybe around 12-15 ounces?
Tara
If i dont have time to make the cream of mushroom, how much would it be if i used canned?
Tiffany
One can!
Kate
I have a 1.84 lb chuck roast, how long should I cook it?
Thank you!
Tiffany
Check it after about 6 hours Kate, but you want a long cooking time for sure!
Chris
If i use canned cream of mushroom do i add the milk, as stated on the can?
Tiffany
No – just the soup itself.
Jenn
Can I use something instead of cream of mushroom soup?
Tiffany
Sure! Cream of celery or cream of chicken would work well. If you want to make your own, you can even do cream of beef (sub beef stock for chicken).
Uina
If l want to add a can of cream o mushroom would one can be enough?
Tiffany
If you want to sub a can of soup for the homemade, then yes, one can is enough.
Stephanie
Just pulled a chuck roast out of the freezer — but it’s 6lbs! Can I still use it?? And do I double anything else in the recipe?
Tiffany
Hi Stephanie – that’s a big roast! Before you do anything, I’d see if your slow cooker is big enough to cook a 6 lb roast. If not, cut it in half and save for later. If so, double everything!!
Stephanie
Right?! LOL. We bought 1/4 beef and that’s how it came. If I cut the roast in half can I refreeze the other half or do I need to cook it?
Tiffany
Personally, I’d re-freeze, but I do know some moms will disagree with me. 🙂
Abby
If I cut the recipe in half, do I also cut down the length of time to cook in half? I’m using a roast that’s a little over 2.5 lbs.
Tiffany
Nope – same cook time Abby!
Megan
Hey! Sorry if I missed this in the article, but how many servings does this recipe make?
Tiffany
Hi Megan! This makes a lot… definitely 6 for dinner, and then some leftover. When I make this, I get dinner for the 4 of us (including seconds) and 2-3 lunches!
Linsey Sauers
Could this work with a Venison Roast?
Tiffany
I don’t see why not Linsey!
Randy
So no adding extra water?
Tiffany
Nope, no added water Randy!
Nivia
Thought atleast 1/2 cup of water. Then put veggies n meat in top.
Tiffany
No water Nivia!
Jasmine
Can this we done in 5 hours ?
Tiffany
I wouldn’t recommend it Jasmine – it really needs the full time in the recipe.
Catherine
What could I substitute the cream of mushroom with? I’m not a big fan of mushroom.
Karen @ Team Crumbs
Hi Catherine!
You could just use beef stock rather than the cream of mushroom. Flavor it with some thyme, garlic and onions like the cream of mushroom is flavored. Let us know how it comes out! 🙂 Thanks for the question.
Cassie
Hi Tiffany!
I love this recipe so much it’s going to be my first slow cooker attempt! I was just wondering if you had any other suggestions for possible vegetables to put in as opposed to potatoes and carrots. (Try to stay low carb). Thanks!
Tiffany
Hi Cassie! Hearty veggies would work best – bell peppers, cabbage, onion (little pearl onions are so cute!), parsnip, turnip, green beans, mushrooms, and sweet potato would be a great alternative to potatoes. As a rule of thumb, if it cooks quick on the stove (zucchini, squash, etc.) don’t use it because it’ll get mushy If it takes a little bit, add it when you’re 1-3 hours out from eating (if possible). If it takes a while to cook, the beginning is fine. 🙂 I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Robert
I’m using about 5lb chuck roast. Would 10hr still be good?
★★★★★
Tiffany
Yep!
2pots2cook
Cannot go wrong with these ingredients ! Thank you so much for your creation !
★★★★★