Easy slow cooker pot roast needs just 15 minutes of hands-on time before it practically cooks itself. Use 5-minute homemade cream of mushroom soup and serve with a simple salad with homemade Italian dressing and dinner is DONE!
This DELICIOUS slow cooker pot roast recipe keeps showing up on our weekly menu.
Here’s why:
- Hands-off. You dump everything in the pot and cook it.
- Cheap. Chuck roasts, potatoes and carrots are some of the cheapest real foods at the store.
- Great as leftovers.
- 15 minutes of hands-on (i.e. dumping everything in the pot).
- Really, really good.
- Tastes like Mom’s cooking.
- Comfort food, made easy.
- Freezer-friendly (both for a future freezer meal, or as leftovers)
Here’s What You Need
- Beef. Chuck roast works the best, but a round roast will work as well. (See note below on beef – brisket is a tougher cut and not ideal for this recipe.)
- Carrots. You can use baby carrots, or you can make this with large carrots cut into 1” pieces.
- Potatoes. Use baby red potatoes or russet potatoes, quartered. (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 dry onion soup mix yourself. It takes 2 minutes and WAY healthier than the store-bought packets.
Psst! Want to kick this up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! Ava Jane’s Kitchen is offering a bag of salt for ONE PENNY! Add a pinch before serving, or incorporate it into your dry spice mix to bring out the drool-worthy savory flavor of your roast! (Get your penny bag of salt on this page.)
Notes on Ingredients
- Don’t like carrots? Try different veggies like parsnips, turnips, daikon radish, rutabaga, yams and/or sweet potatoes.
- 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.
Notice that you DON’T need beef broth, pepper, or garlic cloves (or garlic powder). All three of these ingredients are already in the dry onion soup mix and the mushroom soup!
Quick Note On The Beef
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 to 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’re never heard of Butcher Box, read my honest review here.
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!
Step by Step Instructions for the Crockpot
Step 1. Place half the potatoes and carrots on 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 remaining vegetables on top and around the chuck roast.
Step 4. Pour 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.
Note: I strongly recommend NOT reducing the cooking time. In my testing, I made this both ways – high temp for less hours, and low temp for more hours – and the longer cooking time was significantly more fall-apart tender and flavorful.
Step 6. Shred meat slightly with two forks, serve hot.
Recipe Tips
- If you cut the recipe in half, keep the SAME cooking time.
- If you want to use a larger, 6 lb roast, make sure your slow cooker 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.
- How to Thicken the Gravy: You can take the liquid in the slow cooker and turn it into a gravy on the stove top:
- Pour the gravy into a sauce pan or Dutch oven and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.
- Combine 3 Tbsp of corn starch and 3 Tbsp water in a mug and stir together.
- Pour the cornstarch slurry into the sauce pan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- The sauce will thicken to a gravy to pour over your slow cooker pot roast.
- (Optional, but you can sub red wine for some of the water if you want a richer gravy.)
- 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.
FAQs
No need to brown the roast before putting it in the crockpot.
You do NOT need to add any water to this recipe!
Instant Pot roast is YUMMY…. But it turns out to be less tender when compared to the Crock Pot version.
Any large piece of meat that you use in the crock pot will get more tender the longer it is cooked.
To Serve Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- This recipe feeds my family of 4 and makes at least 2 lunches with the leftovers!
- 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 pot roast!
- Try my easy dinner rolls, or serve with a loaf of simple sourdough bread to pair with this dish. What a feast!
- If you happen to have two crockpots, I definitely recommend slow cooker peach cobbler for dessert.
- Try garnishing with fresh herbs like fresh thyme sprigs or fresh rosemary.
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
- The Best Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
- White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Mexican Potato Soup
- Easy Slow Cooker Brisket
30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan
Sign up to get instant access to my 30 Minute Dinners Sample Meal Plan, complete with recipes and step-by-step instructions!Watch How to Make Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Pot Roast is such an easy crock pot recipe. Dump the ingredients in the pot and go! It’s healthy, freezer-friendly, and makes great leftovers!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Total Time: 10 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 1x
- Category: Main meals
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 chuck roast (3–4 lbs)
- 1 lb baby carrots (or carrots, cut to about 1″ pieces)
- 1 1/2 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
Hi, Tiffany. I hope all is well in GA. I made your onion soup mix last night. So tonight, I started this pot roast recipe. I will let it cook like you said for 8-10 hours. (Probably more like ten.) I used a grass fed chuck roast with the excess fat removed. It did not have much fat, so that is a good thing for me. I will chill the roast and gravy in the refrigerator tomorrow so that the excess fat will solidify and I can remove it before reheating for dinner. My weight loss is going well. I have lost 52 excess pounds since taking Grocery Budget Bootcamp with you. You are such an inspiration to me. Saving money and loosing excess weight is a win/win. Thank you ver much.
★★★★★
Betty!! Your work through the course and now your weight loss continues to inspire me – CONGRATULATIONS!! I am SO proud of you and how far you’ve come. These changes you’re making are PROOF IN THE PUDDING that you can achieve anything with hard work and determination. DON’T GIVE UP – and please keep up in the loop with your progress!! Much love to you! ♥♥♥
Thank you, Tiffany. You are an amazing teacher. By the way, your pot roast recipe is delicious!!!
★★★★★
Thanks Betty! That’s one of our favorites too. 🙂
JUST made this (my house now smells amazing) and its DELICIOUS! The homemade cream of mushroom and onion mix were super easy! Thank you!!
★★★★★
My roast is 4lbs and it’s been cooking for about 4 hours and I went and checked and stabbed my roast and a little blood came out and got on some of my veggies ): did I ruin it or will the cooking kill the germs when it’s officially done?
You’ll be fine!
Can I use dry onion soup mix, like Lipton, instead of homemade?
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Yes you can!
I have a 5lb roast and only added one can of cream of mushroom soup. Is that enough, could I add a can of beef broth or would that make too much liquid?
I’d stick with the one can. 🙂
I added cream of celery by the can do I need any water to add if I just put in a can of cream of celery?
Nope – no need to add any water to this recipe. 🙂
Hi Tiffany. I am actually making this tomorrow. Followed your recipe to the tee. I have it all prepped in the fridge and plan on turning it on in the morning before leaving for work around 730am. I should be ready to turn it off by 6pm. But I have an important question, my Crock Pot has only 3 settings…low, medium, and high. Which one should I choose for this 10 hour recipe??? Please help lol
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Low!!
Can I use Lipton soup mix in place of the homemade onion mix?
Yes you can!
If I want to add green beans in the beginning should I use frozen or can?
Thanks
I’d use frozen at the very beginning. Canned beans would likely get too soft after the long cooking time. 🙂
Can I use any frozen vegetables and when should I put them in?
Hi Lori! I’ve never made this with frozen vegetables, but if you wanted to add peas or carrots, I’d add it to the last hour or so of cooking.
Thanks so much, that’s exactly what happened haha. But it came out delicious anyway…. great recipe, thanks! I added celery and onion too….yum!
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Hi, i messed up when adding 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom. I added water for each can. Did i ruin it?
Hi Christina! You didn’t ruin it, but you’ll definitely have a lot of liquid in the end. Next time add the soup, but not the water. When the meat is done, turn the liquid into a gravy!
Thanks Tiffany! I started my roast 6am this morning and its coming along fine. I didnt put any gravy in it to start so what do you think about a little flour and water to thicken the juices near the end of cooking time?
If you want to make gravy Kesha, you can definitely do a cornstarch slurry. I tested that myself and it was fine (I prefer that over flour, but use flour if you know how to!). I would recommend leaving about 1/2 – 1 cup of natural juices with the meat and veggies though, and serving the gravy on the side. I made the mistake of turning all the liquid into gravy and adding it all back in and it made the whole thing too thick. It was still really good, lol, but very, very thick (especially when it reheated). Plus for those who have texture issues (my husband) it wasn’t as nice as the method written. 🙂
Can i use brown gravy in the pack? If so, would i add it at the end?
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I guess you could Kesha, but add everything at the beginning.
My roast was so over cooked it was inedible and I only left it in for 7 hours. Really disppointed, it also had no favor.
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I’m sorry to hear that Jaime – did you follow the recipe exactly as written? I’ve made this recipe at least twice a month since sharing it and it always comes out perfect every time!
What is a batch of soup?
Without any additional information Bill, I believe you’re referring to the homemade cream of mushroom soup referenced in the post and recipe.
Sounds like a great recipe! Just wanted to point out a possible error in this question from above
*****
Can I reduce the cooking time on this pot roast recipe?
I strongly recommend reducing the cooking time. In my testing, I made this both ways – high temp for less hours, and low temp for more hours – and the longer cooking time was significantly more tender and flavorful.
*****
I’m guessing you want a negative in that first sentence. 🙂 And I definitely agree on low and slow for as many hours as possible.
Oh and I have done a pot roast in the IP and it’s fabulous! I use a 3-4lb grass fed roast, cut up in chunks, add 1-1 1/2 cup(s) of water (depends on which IP I’m using), a cut up large onion, all sorts of herbs and spices, a handful (or two) or dried mushrooms, and 1-2 large bell peppers, sliced. I pressure cook on high for 60-70 min. Then I let it slow cook for another hour or two. ohmyword! soooo yummy 🙂
★★★★★
Oh and I’m curious if you’ve ever tried US Wellness Meats? I wanted to do Butcher Box (badly!) but I don’t like that they choose what comes. :/ I know that’s picky but it’s pretty pricey when I’m getting a bunch of the cheaper cuts.
I’ve heard good and bad about Zaycon so I’ve stayed away for now. But I’ve got 2 growing boys and I need to find a good source of 100% beef. And I don’t have room for a 1/2 steer right now 🙁
Oh my, yes! That should read “I strongly recommend AGAINST reducing the cooking time… ” Oh goodness, lol. Trying this in the IP is on my list!!
Is there something else I can sub in for the cream-of-anything soups? I need a nondairy version.
You should be able to use almond milk for non-dairy cream of anything soup Tan.
Unfortunately my kids don’t like anything ‘creamy.’ I know, right? 😉 Would you recommend a can of french onion soup in addition to the dry mix? Or what kind of non-creamy canned soup would you use?
Hi Michelle! Well, the soup is really for flavor… the end result isn’t anything creamy, per se. You’ll have juices, which you can either set aside or turn into gravy, but the soup itself will be basically non-existent in the end. If you absolutely must skip the soup, I’d do 1 1/2 cups beef stock + 1 cup chopped mushrooms and salt/pepper to taste at the end. 🙂
I messed up and added water! Is it still going to be okay?
Yes! You’ll just have extra liquid to make gravy. 🙂
How do you make the homemade mushroom soup?
The link is in the recipe Danielle, but here you go: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2017/03/homemade-cream-mushroom-soup/!
Could you use pork shoulder roast instead of beef roast?
Hmmm… I bet you could. Although if I have pork, I’d make this recipe instead: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2017/01/best-slow-cooker-carnitas/
Will this get dry if it cooks longer than 10 hours? My crock pot switches to warming after the allotted time is up but the last few times I’ve used it the meat (chicken usually) gets very dry and the vegetables get mushy by the time we’re ready to eat. I have to be at work by 7am so I am setting it around 6:30am and I usually don’t get home until 6:30pm. Even though the crock pot cuts off and just keeps the food warm I’ve noticed things aren’t tasting as good. I was really excited to find a crock pot recipe that takes longer than 8 hours!
Hi Charlotte! I’m pretty sure I’ve let this sit for longer than 10 hours before without a problem. The meat will make juices, so as long as you shred the meat and then stir back into the pot, you should be fine. You can also add a 1/2 cup stock at the very end too, if it does feel a bit dry.