Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This slow cooker pot roast is pure comfort food at its best, and it’s incredibly simple to put together. Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, turning out an irresistibly tender, juicy pot roast with perfectly cooked, tender-crisp veggies. Plus, there’s an easy 5-minute stovetop gravy option that takes this meal to the next level!

• Prep time is a breeze! The best part of this recipe is how little active work you have to do. Just sear the roast quickly, sauté the aromatics, throw everything into the slow cooker, and then you’re free to go about your day. When you return home, your house will smell amazing, and dinner will be ready to enjoy.
• Perfect for leftovers and easy meals all week long! This slow cooker pot roast actually tastes even better the next day, making it a family favorite. It also freezes wonderfully if you want to portion out meals for later or share with friends.
• Yes, you can have homemade gravy with your slow cooker pot roast! It takes just minutes to make a rich, silky brown gravy. Simply thicken the cooking liquid with a quick cornstarch slurry on the stove, and you’re all set to drizzle that goodness over your meat and veggies.

This slow cooker pot roast delivers all the cozy, heartwarming flavors you want with hardly any hands-on work. The slow cooker takes over, leaving you with melt-in-your-mouth beef and perfectly cooked vegetables as you get through your busy day.

• Almost no active prep: sear the meat, sauté aromatics, add to slow cooker, then walk away.
• Great for leftovers: reheats well and freezes nicely for easy future meals.
• Full of flavor: searing and sautéing build layers of savory goodness that slow cooking deepens.
• Simple gravy hack: just a cornstarch slurry and a quick simmer turn your cooking liquid into luscious gravy.
• Flexible and budget-friendly: works great with several affordable beef cuts and can feed the whole family or provide leftovers.

Effortless Flavor for Busy Weeknights

If you’re craving an easy, comforting weeknight dinner that tastes like a slow Sunday roast, this recipe is your new go-to. It delivers rich, slow-cooked flavor without complicated steps, plus it offers lots of practical perks that make life easier during hectic weeks.

• Set-it-and-forget-it cooking: After searing and a quick sauté, your slow cooker handles the rest while you take care of other things.
• Deep, homemade flavor with minimal effort: Browning the roast and aromatics adds delicious caramelized notes that only improve with slow cooking.
• Warm, comforting, and convenient: Walk into your kitchen greeted by the smell of a home-cooked meal ready to serve. That quick stovetop cornstarch gravy will have you swooning. For extra-silky results, see our beef tips and gravy method.
• Make-ahead and freezer friendly: Leftovers stay moist and tasty when stored in their juices or gravy, and the recipe freezes beautifully—ideal for busy weeknight meal planning.
• Wallet-wise and adaptable: Uses accessible cuts like chuck or rump roast—try this Crockpot Chuck Roast Recipe if that’s what you have—and fits well in most 6–7 quart slow cookers. Smaller slow cooker? Just cut the roast in half and cook separately.
• Feeds a crowd with ease: Generous portions that work perfectly for family dinners and flexible leftovers for easy lunches or sharing.
• Minimal cleanup: Only one pan for searing plus the slow cooker and a quick saucepan if making gravy—super simple and low mess.

Meat, Veggies, and Pantry Staples

• 3–4 pound chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2” rounds
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 32 ounces beef stock
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3″ chunks
• 2 pounds baby gold potatoes, halved if large
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, optional (for gravy)
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Sear, Sauté, and Slow-Cook the Roast

1. Trim excess fat from the chuck roast and pat the roast dry with paper towels
2. Slice the yellow onion into 1/2″ rounds and smash the garlic cloves
3. Peel carrots and cut into 2–3″ chunks; halve large baby potatoes
4. If the roast won’t fit in your slow cooker, cut it in half so pieces will fit
5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering
6. Season the roast liberally on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
7. Sear the roast in the hot pan on all sides, including edges, about 4–5 minutes per side, then transfer the roast to the slow cooker
8. Reduce heat to medium in the same pan and add the sliced onions with a couple pinches of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes
9. Stir in smashed garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder and a couple pinches of salt and pepper; cook about 1 minute until fragrant
10. Pour in 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and a few splashes of beef stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits
11. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker and add the carrots and potatoes
12. Pour the remaining beef stock (32 ounces) into the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper, and tuck in 4 sprigs thyme, 4 sprigs rosemary, and 2 bay leaves among the veggies
13. Cover and cook on high for 5–6 hours or on low for 8–10 hours, until the roast shreds easily with a fork

14. Check the slow cooker at about 5 hours (high) or 8 hours (low); if veggies are tender but the roast isn’t shreddable, remove the veggies, continue cooking the roast until shreddable, then return the veggies to warm through

    

15. If making gravy, strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan over medium heat
16. Whisk 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry and stir it into the simmering strained broth
17. Simmer and stir frequently until the gravy thickens, then season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste
18. Garnish the pot roast with freshly chopped parsley before serving

Searing, Veggie Prep, and Timing Tips

• Cut carrots about the same size as potatoes. This helps everything cook evenly so the veggies finish perfectly together. For more detail on sizing root vegetables, see the vegetable prep notes in Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Using baby potatoes you can leave whole or just halve makes prep quick and easy.
• Sear in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet instead of a smaller pot. The bigger pan gives you more surface area to develop a deep, even crust—see how searing builds fond for rich gravy in Crock Pot Steak and Gravy—and makes transferring to the crock pot smoother.
• Don’t skip searing or sautéing the aromatics! The braised flavor throughout relies on these flavor-building steps. It’s a bit more work but so worth it.
• Check your slow cooker at about 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low. If veggies are tender but the roast isn’t shredding yet, remove veggies, let roast cook longer until tender, then add veggies back to warm through before serving. Cooking times vary between slow cookers.

• A 6-7 quart slow cooker is ideal for this recipe. If your pot is smaller, cut the roast in half, sear pieces separately, and cook them together.

Cuts, Substitutions, and Flavor Boosters

Usually, pot roast means chuck roast, but a few other cuts work beautifully in your slow cooker pot roast. Here are my favorites, ranked:

• Chuck roast
• Round roast (bottom round or rump roast)
• Shoulder roast
• Brisket
• Short ribs

Look for well-marbled meat so it stays juicy and tender after the slow cook. The fat melts down during cooking to make that fall-apart texture and rich flavor we’re after. Prefer bite-size pieces instead of a whole roast? Try our slow cooker beef stew for the same melt-in-your-mouth results with a stew-style finish.

How to Store, Reheat, and Make Ahead

• This slow cooker pot roast is one of my favorites because it’s such a perfect make-ahead meal—similar to our BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe. Throw it together on Sunday, then enjoy effortless lunches and dinners all week long.
• The slow-cooked beef reheats beautifully without drying out or losing flavor. The gravy also comes back wonderfully when reheated.

• STORAGE: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week. Store meat and veggies submerged in broth or gravy so they don’t dry out.
• FREEZING: Freeze leftovers in their juices or gravy for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• REHEATING: Warm leftovers gently in a saucepan over medium heat with broth or gravy to keep everything moist. Add veggies and shredded beef and stir until piping hot. Season if needed before serving. These same steps work well for Old Fashioned Beef Stew.

Crock Pot Pot Roast

This slow cooker pot roast is the ultimate comfort food and it’s SUPER easy to throw together. The slow cooker does all the work and delivers a perfectly tender, juicy pot roast with tender-crisp veggies and an optional 5-minute stovetop gravy!

Ingredients

• 3–4 pound chuck roast, fat trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2” slices
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 32 ounces beef stock
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3″ pieces
• 2 pounds baby gold potatoes, halved if they’re large
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, optional (for making gravy)
• Kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
2. Pat roast dry. Season liberally on all sides with Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Add roast to the large saute pan and sear on all sides (including the edges), cooking for about 4-5 minutes per side. Place in slow cooker.
3. Without wiping out the pan, reduce heat to medium, add onion along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or so.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce to the pot along with a couple splashes of beef stock to deglaze the bottom and scrape the yummy bits off.
5. Add the onion and garlic mixture, carrots, and potatoes to the large crock pot. Pour in remaining beef stock. Add a few liberal pinches of salt and pepper. Nestle fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves into the veggies.
6. Put the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours or until the roast shreds easily.
7. To make gravy, if desired, strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Dissolve 3 tablespoons cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir cornstarch slurry into the stock. Bring gravy to a simmer and simmer, stirring frequently for a few minutes or until the gravy thickens to your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Garnish roast with fresh chopped parsley and serve with gravy.

Notes

• Cut the carrots uniformly, about the same size as the potatoes. This will ensure that all the veggies cook evenly and are done at the same time. I like to use baby potatoes that I don’t need to cut or that I just need to slice in half to save on prep time.
• Sear the roast in a large saute pan or large cast iron skillet instead of a large pot. The saute pan will have more surface area which means that you can get a great sear on the entire roast. It will also be easier to move it from the pan to the slow cooker.
• Don’t skip the sear or the saute! Searing the roast is going to add tons of flavor and make it even juicier. Sauteeing the aromatics is going to really deepen the flavors of the overall dish. It’s a little bit of extra work but it really makes all the difference!
• Check the slow cooker after 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low and see how things are looking. If the veggies are fork-tender but the roast isn’t shreddable yet, remove the veggies and let the roast cook until it shreds easily with two forks. Then you can pop the veggies back in once the roast is done to warm through before serving. All crock pots are going to cook slightly differently so the cooking time will vary.
• I find that a 6-7 quart crock pot works best for this recipe. Anything smaller and you likely won’t be able to fit it all in. If your crock pot is smaller and you can’t fit the roast in the crock pot as is, cut it in half and then just sear each half, and then cook them in the crock pot.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/10 of meat, veggies, and broth/gravy
• Calories: 345
• Sugar: 7.7 g
• Sodium: 738.7 mg
• Fat: 11.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 28.9 g
• Fiber: 5.8 g
• Protein: 31.6 g
• Cholesterol: 80.4 mg

Common Questions and Quick Answers

• How long should I cook the roast?

  Cook on high for 5–6 hours or on low for 8–10 hours, or until the roast shreds easily with two forks.

• What size slow cooker should I use?

  A 6–7 quart crock pot works best to fit the roast, veggies, and cooking liquid comfortably. If your crock pot is smaller, cut the roast in half and sear each piece before cooking.

• Can I skip searing the roast?

  Searing and sautéing are recommended because they add a lot of flavor, but you can skip them in a pinch. Expect slightly less depth of flavor if you don’t sear.

• How can I tell when the roast is done?

  The roast is done when it shreds easily with two forks and the connective tissue has broken down. The recipe timing is a guideline since slow cooker temperatures vary.

• Can I make gravy from the cooking liquid?

  Yes. Strain the broth, then dissolve 3 tablespoons cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water and whisk the slurry into the simmering broth until the gravy thickens. Season to taste.

• Can I cook a frozen roast in the slow cooker?

  No. For safety and even cooking, thaw the roast before searing and slow cooking.

• Which cuts of beef work best?

  Best options are chuck roast, bottom round or rump roast, shoulder roast, brisket, or short ribs. Look for good marbling for the best texture and flavor.

• How should I store and reheat leftovers?

  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze in its juices or gravy for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat with some of the cooking liquid to keep the meat moist. Leftover pot roast also makes a delicious base for old-fashioned vegetable beef soup.

• My veggies are done before the roast—what should I do?

  If the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender but the roast still needs more time, remove the veggies, let the roast finish cooking until it shreds, then return the veggies to warm through before serving.

• Can I double the recipe?

  Yes, as long as you have a large enough slow cooker to maintain proper liquid levels and allow ingredients to cook evenly.