Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Coke

This easy slow cooker pot roast with Coke comes from our neighbors, who make it a regular post-church meal on Sunday afternoons. The unique combination of Coca Cola, onion soup seasoning mix, potatoes, carrots, onions, and herbs results in tender, flavorful, and succulent shredded beef.

How to Make this Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Coke | 1-Minute Video

Delicious! I was given several frozen Chuck roasts and I’ve been trying different recipes. This is the one I’m sticking with!

– Janine

A Few Tips Before You Get Started

• A boneless beef chuck roast is my first choice cut of meat for a pot roast. It has great marbling, making the roast tender and juicy when braised. If necessary, you can use a different beef roast instead, such as a brisket or a round roast. Slowly roasting a tough cut tenderizes the meat, resulting in succulent beef and rich liquid that’s perfect for gravy.
• While you do not need to brown the meat before adding it to the slow cooker, I do recommend this extra step. Searing the meat helps to brown the surface and enhance the flavor. A hot pan creates a golden, caramelized crust through a process called the Maillard reaction, and will also lock in the meat’s juices. Plus, the browned bits from the bottom of the pot add great flavor to the gravy. That said, you can certainly skip the browning step if you’re in a hurry, or if you just don’t want to wash an extra dish! Simply place the roast directly in the slow cooker and pour the Coke over top.
• If time allows, it’s best to cook the beef on the LOW heat setting, which will result in the most tender, juicy meat. This allows ample time for the tough cartilage to break down.
• Undercooked pot roast will be tough and chewy. If you’re using tougher or bigger cuts of beef (other than a chuck roast), you may need to increase the cooking time to give the meat fibers plenty of time to break down and become tender and juicy. Similarly, cooking the meat for too long can result in a dry pot roast.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the beef, carrots, and potatoes alongside egg noodles or rice, with sausage stuffing, Crockpot mac and cheese, a basket of pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, cathead biscuits, or cranberry muffins, or with a pan of Southern cornbread. For more green veggies, try a simple house salad, Southern-style green beans, spinach casserole, or roasted broccoli. It’s the perfect Sunday dinner!

I made this today in the crockpot and it was wonderful!! Followed the recipe exactly, except my roast was a little larger and used Coke zero. Absolutely delicious. Will be making again!

– Lisa

Slow Cooker Chuck Roast Recipe Variations

• The Coke tenderizes and flavors the meat. Feel free to swap out the Coca Cola Classic and use a similar soda instead. Good options include Pepsi, root beer, Dr. Pepper, or even Diet Coke. Beef broth will also work.
• Omit the potatoes in your pot, and instead serve the finished dish over a plate of mashed potatoes or crispy roasted potatoes instead. You can also swap out the Yukon gold potatoes and use red potatoes or Russet potatoes (peeled) instead.
• Add celery or a bay leaf to the slow cooker for even more savory flavor.
• In a hurry? Skip the step of searing the beef in a Dutch oven, and instead just add it straight to the Crock Pot.
• Make a gravy using the drippings from the pot. To do so, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. While continually whisking, gradually add 1 – 1 ½ cups of strained juices/drippings from the pot until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Continue whisking while the gravy bubbles and cooks for 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

This recipe was originally published in February, 2018. It was updated in September, 2024.