Name: Classic Pot Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 180 min
Ingredients: 2-3 pound boneless beef chuck roast; 2-3 tablespoons canola or olive oil; 1/2 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)

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Nothing quite says Sunday lunch like a tender and juicy Pot Roast with large chunks of soft potatoes, carrots, herbs, and of course…the gravy!

close up of meat falling apart in gravy with potatoes and carrots

Serve this classic dish over rice, couscous or even noodles. Otherwise enjoy your roast alongside some freshly made dinner rolls or biscuits. All of these options are perfect for soaking up the flavor-packed gravy that will leave you coming back for more.

While making a dutch oven pot roast 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 actual prep, you can get on with your day while your dinner simmers away. Plus, you make everything in one pot, so less dishes!!

Now there’s really no excuse for you not to try this delicious recipe!

Other Dinner Ideas You’re Sure To Enjoy

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
2-3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
3 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
2 pounds yellow or baby potatoes, cut into large chunks
2 ½ cups beef broth
1 sprig rosemary
Fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make a Classic Pot Roast

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Step 2: Combine salt, pepper, and flour. Spread flour in a dish or on a piece of parchment paper and dip roast into the flour mixture to coat it on all sides.

Step 3: Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Brown the meat on all sides (about 5 minutes).

Step 4: Remove meat from the pot and set aside.

photo collage showing steps of browning carrots and onions in dutch oven, potatoes and browned roast added in, and broth pouring into pot

Step 5: 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. Remove from heat.

Step 6: Add the potatoes to the pot over the vegetables. Add the meat back into the pot over the other ingredients.

Step 7: Pour beef broth and a sprig of rosemary over the meat. Cover with a lid.

Step 8: Cook for about 3 hours or until meat falls apart easily when pulled with a fork.

cooked roast with carrots and potatoes in a Dutch oven with serving dishes around

Serve.

fork lifting the tender meat from dutch oven with plates, forks, and herbs around

What can I serve with a Pot Roast?

We like to eat this dish 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 homemade dinner rolls or biscuits to soak up any excess gravy. You can even make the roast separate from the potatoes. Then, I highly recommend you pile it over these creamy mashed potatoes – yum!

Add a little zest to your plate with this bright Cranberry Jello salad. Green bean casserole or roasted brussels sprouts would also make a lovely side dish to this hearty meal.

Can this be made in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes, it can. Both slow cooker and Instant Pot versions of this Pot Roast recipe 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 20 minutes in an Instant Pot.

Whichever method you prefer, I highly recommend that you brown 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.

Can I make the roast ahead of time?

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.

What variations can I make to this recipe?

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.

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.

For additional gravy

If you LOVE your gravy, you may want to make some extra other than what is produced from the cooking process listed above.

To do so, add extra beef broth to your pan after cooking with a cornstarch slurry (made by mixing a teaspoon or two of cornstarch with equal parts water). Simmer the liquid mixture on the stovetop for a few minutes as needed to get the thickness of gravy desired.

Tips for making the best Pot Roast

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.
Any brand of roast that’s labeled as chuck is suitable for this recipe although some do also opt for using brisket.
Use up leftover shredded roast in sandwiches, tacos, wraps or in pasta dishes throughout the week for easy lunch ideas.