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
Carole-Anne S. says
My family absolutely loves this recipe! I’ve made it two times over the last few months and last week as well. My sons asked me to please make it again this week! It’s the best we have ever had! Thank you!
MaryAnn Basso says
Can you do this in a Crock Pot?
girlinspired says
You sure can, MaryAnn. You will still want to brown the roast. Put it into the crockpot on LOW for a good 8 hours. The meat will tenderize best cooked on low. Be sure to cut the vegetables into large chunks so that they don’t turn to mush. Yum! Enjoy!
Anna says
Hi! Can I turn up the temp of the oven so it will cook faster? I’m starting it later in the day than If have liked to. Thanks! 🙂
girlinspired says
How did it turn out, Anna? You can turn up the oven temp, but it’s the lower temp and that “low and slow” method that really breaks down all of the tough muscle and connective tissue.
Relle says
This looks awesome. Can’t wait to try it.
Wendy says
The perfect comfort food. We loved it.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
We got to enjoy our Sunday with this tender and juicy pot roast. Thanks Stef, my family loves this wonderful recipe, I’ll surely make this again. Must-try!
Kay says
Wow!! The flavor was incredible 😍😍😍
Genevieve says
This absolutely captures the perfect classic pot roast. Love this! Thank you!
Cathy Scott says
I’m planning on trying this the day after Thanksgiving. If you go up in size of roast should the cooking time be increased? It didn’t increase the cooking time when I increased the servings on the little sliding scale associated with the recipe.
girlinspired says
Hi Cathy, I would add 15 minutes cook time. When you pull it out, use your forks to pull apart the meat. If it falls apart easily, you’ll know it’s done. If you really have to tug to pull your forks apart, go ahead and cook it another 15-30 minutes. Cheers!
Lee Ann says
I haven’t liked pot roast for a long time but this is delicious!! I like pot roast again!!🥰
girlinspired says
Yay!!! Pot roast is one of my favorites, I’m glad you found my recipe!
Tayler says
Hello!
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Just wanted to clarify, do you cook it in the pot on the stove for 3 hours or transfer it to the oven for 3 hours?
Thank you!
girlinspired says
Hi Tayler! You transfer the whole pot into the oven after searing it and starting the veggies on the stovetop. Thanks for asking – I updated the recipe to make it more clear!
Jan Crerar says
Hello, I just viewed your Blog for first time, sweet ideas,im loved the bow jacket and all your inspired sewing projects, my niece has daughters 5 & 7 , I sewed many outfits for them but they out grow them by the next summer season, lol, I see your blog says lasted posted in 2013 , your girls will be all teenagers I’m sure maybe now they are only into tshirts and jeans, but with a mom like you I’m sure you could teach them all to sew , since at least here sewing is not in schools any more,. My daught had a blog called Snootsie , I’m not sure even if she has kept hers up anymore, she used to sell purses she made on etsy, but I believe she only sells in her own town now, at major craft shows, I really enjoyed viewing your recioes too, I will try a few , my email isn’t really working I can’t seem to get any mail, so I’m not sure if you will receive this .. Best wishes to you , I will pass this blog on its so well done and it is inspirational too ..jan c dated June 23 2022
Theresa says
WHAT no garlic? Got gave me some garlic in here!!!!!
Ashley says
Trying this recipe tonight – did you just use store bought beef broth? If so, what brand?
girlinspired says
Hi Ashley, Excited for you to try the recipe tonight! If I don’t have homemade beef broth in the freezer, I usually just use beef bouillon and dissolve it in hot water to make an equivalent amount of broth. I like the Knorr or HerbOx brand of bouillon. You’re going to get most of your flavor from that delicious roast, so don’t stress too much over the broth. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Ashley says
Turned out pretty decent. And the pot was empty by the end of the night 🙂 I went with a store bought broth and used an instapot and cooked for one hour. I would suggest for anyone else using an instapot that they cook on high pressure 30 minutes, then add carrots and potatoes for the last 30 minutes. Cooking all together took out the yummy firmness of the veggies. I also added extra seasoning -oregano, thyme, other aromatics…and felt a little extra dash of salt was needed. The best part was using some of the extra broth for a nice gravy to thicken things up a bit. Yum!
Eren says
Hello I am really excited to be trying this recipe today , I just wanted to clarify once everything is ready it is baked for 3 hours right ? Thank you !!
girlinspired says
Yes! That’s correct, can’t wait to hear how it turns out!