Nothing quite says Sunday lunch like this tender and juicy Pot Roast Recipe, loaded with large chunks of soft potatoes, carrots, herbs, and of course…flavorful, rich gravy! You are going to love this classic pot roast recipe: it’s a one-pot complete meal that uses simple ingredients and requires very little hands-on time.
Serve this easy pot roast recipe over rice, couscous or even noodles. Otherwise enjoy your roast alongside some freshly made dinner rolls or biscuits and a strawberry feta spinach salad. All of these options are perfect for soaking up the flavor-packed gravy that will leave you coming back for more.
While making a classic pot roast recipe the traditional way may seem intimidating at first, it’s really no more labor intensive than making it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. With just 15 minutes of prep, you can get on with your day while your dinner simmers away in the oven. Plus, you make everything in one pot, so less dishes!!
Now there’s really no excuse for you not to try this delicious recipe!
If you’d like another amazing beef dish to serve to your family, try our Classic Beef Bourguignon. It appears to be a super fancy French dish but surprisingly pretty simple to make.
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🥩 Ingredients:
- 2-3 pound boneless beef chuck roast – chuck roast, brisket, and even round roast can be with this pot roast recipe, my favorite is chuck roast for its extra fat and flavor!
- seasoning for browning the pot roast – all-purpose flour, sea salt, and black pepper – you can add any additional seasonings you want. This basic seasoning provides flavor and a coating for your roast. The flour also helps to thicken the sauce, but we’ll provide instructions to make gravy below.
- 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil – the oil is used to brown the roast before it goes into the oven for its long, slow cooking. Use your favorite cooking oil!
- 1 large onion, cut into large chunks – the vegetables add lots of flavor to both the roast and the gravy. If you don’t have onion available, add some onion powder to the seasoning or add a tablespoon of dried onion flakes to the pot. Sweet white onions or yellow onions both work well here.
- 3 medium carrots – large chunks are best as they’ll be cooking along with the roast over several hours. If your carrot pieces are too small, they will be total mush by the time the roast is done cooking. If you want to use baby carrots or smaller carrot pieces, add them to the pot about 45 minutes before it is done cooking.
- 2 pounds yellow or baby potatoes, cut into large chunks – any kind of potato will work, peel and dice Russett potatoes into large pieces. Baby potatoes, red potatoes, and Yukon gold potatoes don’t necessarily need to be peeled and can be added whole or cut in half.
- 2 ½ cups beef broth – The broth or beef stock provides the necessary moisture for the long, slow cook period. It also becomes the ultimate, flavorful gravy base. Substitute water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth if you don’t have beef broth available. Water plus beef bouillon is also suitable.
- 1 sprig rosemary – fresh thyme, bay leaves, and sage also pair well with pot roast. Remove large pieces of herbs after the pot roast is done cooking.
- Fresh parsley for garnish – this is completely optional and you can also garnish with freshly chopped rosemary, thyme, or sage. I love to add a sprinkle of fresh herbs as garnish to brighten up the serving platter.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
For a low-carb roast
- If you are looking for a low-carb version of this recipe, I suggest omitting the potatoes and adding in some extra vegetables in their place.
- You’ll want to use hardy types of vegetables that can stand up to a long period of simmering so that you’re not left with a veggie mush. Turnip roots are ideal low-carb vegetables to use in place of potatoes.
- In addition to using turnips, you could also serve your Pot Roast over cauliflower rice to keep the meal as low-carb as possible.
- If you need to cut out the flour, you can simply brown the roast in oil with salt and pepper. Skip the flour altogether.
For a spicy dish
- If you want to add a kick of heat to this dish, think of including some Ancho chili sauce to the broth or slice some Ancho chilies and add them to the liquid. Pepperoncini peppers are another easy addition for flavor and heat.
For additional gravy
- If you LOVE your gravy, you may want to make some extra or thicken the juices that are produced after cooking the recipe.
- To do so, transfer your meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Place the pot of juices back on the stovetop. Add additional beef stock, if desired. Combine a couple teaspoons of cornstarch with equal parts water until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the pot roast juices and simmer until thickened. If the gravy doesn’t thicken enough after 2-3 minutes, add additional corn starch.
Fresh Herbs and Flavors that work well in a dutch oven pot roast
- Once you have your classic pot roast mastered, try adding some other flavors into the mix. A splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine will add depth and richness to the pot roast. You don’t need a lot of either of these ingredients – I would try ¼-1/3 cup.
- A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce will also enhance the natural richness of the beef.
- Garlic lovers may wish to slice small slits all through the roast and insert cloves garlic for a garlic forward dinner.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat the oven to 300°F. This is a low temperature necessary to cook the pot roast slowly for ultimate tenderness.
Step 1: Combine salt, pepper, and flour. Spread flour in a dish or on a piece of parchment paper and season roast by dipping it into the flour mixture to coat it on all sides.
Step 2: Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides (about 5 minutes). To make this a one-pot meal, be sure you use a pot large enough to add all of your veggies and several cups of broth to also. The pot should be oven safe. Once browned, remove the meat and set aside.
Step 3: Add additional oil if needed. Add onion and carrots to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes, or just until onions begin to soften and caramelize around the edges. (If you’d like to add minced garlic to the recipe, now is a great time to toast that as well.) Remove from heat.
Step 4: Browning these vegetables is not mandatory to make a successful pot roast with vegetables. However, it does add some flavor and get the caramelization process started on the onions, aiding in the overall flavor of the gravy. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.
Step 5:Add the potatoes to the pot over the vegetables. Add the meat back into the pot over the other ingredients. Place any fresh herbs into the pot.
Step 6: Pour beef broth over the meat. Cover with a lid. Again, if you don’t have beef broth, it’s important to add liquid – substitute water.
Step 7: Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat falls apart easily when pulled with a fork.
Step 8: Remove any large chunks of fat. Shred the meat with two forks. It should pull apart very easily – if you feel resistance, put the lid back on and cook another 30 minutes, then check tenderness again.
- Using larger chunks of carrots and potatoes will ensure that they don’t end up mushy once the roast reaches the end of its cooking time. If you’re adding other vegetables to this recipe, make sure that they are the kind that can withstand long simmering times.
- Use enough liquid and keep the lid on the pot roast the entire time it is cooking in the oven.
- Any brand of roast that’s labeled as chuck is suitable for this recipe; you can also opt for using brisket or even top round.
- Use up leftover shredded roast in sandwiches, tacos, wraps or in pasta dishes throughout the week for easy lunch ideas.
How to Choose the Best Cut of Meat for Pot Roast
For this pot roast recipe, you’ll want to choose a cut of beef that is suitable for slow cooking, as it needs to be tenderized through long, moist cooking. We achieve this by setting the oven temperature to low heat and adding plenty of liquid to the pot. Here are some popular cuts of beef that work well:
- Chuck Roast: This is one of the most common cuts used for pot roast. It comes from the shoulder area of the cow and has good marbling, which adds flavor and helps keep the meat moist during cooking. Other names for chuck meat might include: chuck shoulder, blade roast, English roast, and chuck eye roast.
- Brisket: Brisket is a flavorful cut that comes from the chest area of the cow. It is well-suited for slow cooking methods. Brisket is often used for barbecue and corned beef as well.
- Round Roast: This cut comes from the rear leg of the cow and is usually leaner than chuck or brisket. While it may not be as naturally tender as other cuts, it can still be delicious when cooked slowly and with enough broth or liquid. Other names for round roast are: rump roast, bottom round, top round, and sirloin tip roast.
When selecting a cut of beef for pot roast, look for well-marbled meat with some fat running through it. The fat will melt during cooking, keeping the meat moist and adding flavor. You can also ask your butcher for recommendations or look for cuts labeled specifically for pot roast or slow cooking.
Recipe FAQs
We like to eat this beef roast in a big bowl as a one-pot meal. But if you need more, serve your pot roast over rice (brown or white), with some soft and fluffy sweet dinner rolls or buttermilk cornbread to soak up any excess gravy. You can even make this beef roast recipe separate from the potatoes. Then, I highly recommend you pile it over a low carb option like mashed cauliflower or these creamy mashed potatoes – yum!
Add a little zest to your plate with this bright Cranberry Jello salad. Bang bang Brussels sprouts or a creamy grape salad would also make a lovely side dish to this hearty meal.
Yes, it can. Both slow cooker and Instant Pot Pot Roast recipes are extremely popular, both resulting in tender meat. Cooking in a slow cooker will take approximately 8-10 hours on LOW and about 1 hour in a pressure cooker.
Whichever method you prefer, I highly recommend searing your meat in a pan prior to adding it to a slow cooker or Instant Pot as this will increase the flavors of the dish. The caramelization of the meat really adds the next level of flavor.
Check out this Mississippi Pot Roast recipe for a step-by-step on making a roast in the crock pot.
Yes, this is a great meal to make ahead since you can either refrigerate it for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
In both instances, make sure that you store the leftovers in an airtight container once it has cooled completely. Typically, the melted fat will float to the top and harden in the refrigerator. Simply lift the solidified fat off the top and reheat your pot roast in the microwave or on the stovetop. Leftover pot roast is one of my favorite meals to eat the next day!
Other Dinner Ideas You’re Sure to Enjoy
If you tried this Pot Roast Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 2-3 tablespoons canola or olive oil
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large onion diced into large wedges
- 3-4 medium carrots cut on the diagonal into large chunks
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes cut into halves or quarters depending on size
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 sprig rosemary
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven
- Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Coat roast on all sides with the flour mixture.
- Brown all sides of the roast in the heated oil on the stovetop. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Add a bit more oil to the pot if needed and add carrots and onions. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until onions have softened and vegetables begin to form a little browning around the edges. Remove from heat.
- Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and stir into the vegetables. Add potatoes to the pot and place the browned roast over the top of the vegetables.
- Add broth or beef stock and the rosemary to the pot. Cover with a lid and transfer the whole thing to the oven.
- Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat falls apart when pulled at gently with a fork.
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Notes
- Using larger chunks of carrots and potatoes will ensure that they don’t end up mushy once the roast is finished cooking. If you’re adding other vegetables to this recipe, make sure that they are the kind that can withstand long simmering times.
- For smaller vegetable pieces or quick-cooking vegetables, add to the pot 45 minutes before the pot roast is done cooking.
- Any brand of roast that’s labeled as chuck is suitable for this recipe; you can also opt for using brisket or even top round.
- Use up leftover shredded roast in sandwiches, tacos, wraps or in pasta dishes throughout the week for easy lunch ideas.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Ruth M Cruz says
Love the way the roast just fell apart and was so moist! Great recipe.
Stefanie says
Thank you, Ruth! We love it, too.
Dakota says
Was wondering if I could do it in a crockpot instead of in the oven?
Stefanie says
Yes you can! Follow the cooking instructions in my recipe for Mississippi Pot Roast, which I make in a crock pot – but just swap out the ingredients for this recipe. Here is that recipe: https://thegirlinspired.com/mississippi-pot-roast/
Lea says
Would you suggest using less broth if you don’t plan on adding potatoes?
Stefanie says
Hmmm, I would still use the same amount of broth to ensure that the pan doesn’t dry out while cooking. After it’s done, make a cornstarch slurry and thicken the juices into extra gravy!
Christina Vann says
This turned out great, after cooking, I took out the meat and veggies , made a corn starch slurry and turned the juice into an awesome gravy! Thank you !
Carole-Anne says
My family loves this recipe! It is so yummy and melts in your mouth. The only thing I do differently is I add chopped garlic after I put in the onions and carrots. I also put in about a half cup or so of red wine. It’s delicious every time ~ I’ve been making this recipe since I found it several years ago. Thank you so much. 😊
Chyvonda says
I plan on making this today. I was wondering if you can substitute dried rosemary i forgot to get a spring from the store.
Stefanie says
Of course! Dried rosemary will work great.
Liz says
What sort of pot should be used? I have a large stock pot that won’t fit into the oven unless I lower the rack to the bottom of the oven. Is this OK?
Stefanie says
Yes, it’s fine to lower the rack, just make sure your pot is oven safe. A Dutch oven is probably best, but if you don’t have one, try the stock pot! Just make sure the lid doesn’t have a plastic knob or anything that will melt in the oven. Maybe check the bottom of the pot to see if it says oven safe on it. Happy cooking!
Mary Jo says
easy to make. Wanted to try something different instead of
using the bag again. it is cooking now.
Thank you.
Mike Nunlist says
Been making this for years same way all I say is Awesome!
Rachel says
Would this recipe work for a shoulder roast?
Stefanie says
Yes, absolutely! Chuck or shoulder roasts are great for pot roast because they are such tough cuts of meat – cooking low and slow makes a super tender, delicious roast!
E Robinson says
Small container sour cream addition is yummy flavor to 1 up dish & make abit fancier
Ali says
So after doing the carrots and onions the next step says remove from heat and add potatoes.
So do you add all veggies together then put the roast on top?
Stefanie says
Yes, that’s correct, Ali. We’re just getting a little caramelization started on the veggies and then we add the potatoes and the meat back into the pot, add the liquids and herbs, and transfer it to the oven to do the bulk of the cooking.
Judy Krause says
I assume you cook with the cover on the pot in the oven, correct?
girlinspired says
Yes, absolutely correct!