Nothing beats a cozy, tender Classic Pot Roast with Vegetables and Gravy on a cool evening! This simple slow cooker pot roast recipe is the easiest and most delicious way to prepare a beef roast — and it’s perfect in the oven, too!
Whether or not you consider yourself a cook, I can assure you that it’s virtually impossible to mess up this Oven or Slow Cooker Pot Roast! There are no fancy chef skills or techniques required, and it comes out perfectly every time.
I think of this dinner as the ideal Sunday supper. Just imagine: you’re sitting by the fire, watching football, warm under a blanket, and hanging out with friends or family for the afternoon.
While you relax on the couch, take a nap, or play with your kids, the aroma of a rich, tender, and juicy pot roast wafts through the air. Your dinner basically cooks itself for a couple of hours while you enjoy some downtime!
Ingredients You Need To Make A Classic Pot Roast
- Beef chuck roast
- Condensed mushroom soup
- Dry onion soup mix
- Carrots
- Onions
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Water
When your family is ready to come together around the table for a hearty meal at the end of the day, your slow cooker pot roast, veggies, and gravy will be waiting for you.
Add a crusty loaf of bread or even more mashed potatoes on the side — something to soak up the juices — and you’ve got a nourishing and comforting dinner to share with loved ones.
Making A Classic Pot Roast In The Slow Cooker
If you plan to be out of the house at work or running errands and you would rather use your Crock Pot to prepare the pot roast, that’s definitely an option! I’ve included instructions for the slow cooker pot roast below, too.
And while I like to sear the roast in a pan for tons of added flavor before it goes in the oven (or Crock Pot), that step is not mandatory. If you prefer to just dump-and-bake the ingredients, that will work! Keep it simple and enjoy the easiest, coziest pot roast that you’ll ever taste!
More Roasts You Might Like:
- 4-ingredient pork loin roast
- Amish chuck roast recipe
- Garlic and herb roast turkey breast
- Roasted pork tenderloin with apples
- Mississippi pot roast
Classic Pot Roast Recipe with Vegetables and Gravy
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast (with an Oven Option)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (2-3 lb.) boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed golden mushroom soup
- 1 (1 ounce) packet dry onion soup and dip mix, such as Lipton brand
- 2 cups water
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Optional: 2 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 small yellow onions, peeled and quartered
- 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Optional garnish: additional fresh rosemary and/or thyme
- For serving: mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Sear the roast (optional): Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the roast in the pot and sear until it develops nice brown color on the outside, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together condensed soup, dry onion soup mix, and water. Pour over the roast.
- Add vegetables: Arrange carrots, potatoes (if using), onions, and herbs around the roast.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the roast is fall-apart tender.
- Serve: Slice or shred the roast and serve over mashed potatoes. Spoon the cooking liquid over the top as gravy.
Notes
- Best cut of meat: Chuck roast is ideal. It has enough fat and connective tissue to become tender during slow cooking. Avoid leaner cuts.
- Potatoes are Optional: We prefer serving the meat over mashed potatoes, so I typically omit the cubed potatoes from the pot.
- Oven method: Sear the roast in a Dutch oven, add the sauce, vegetables, and herbs. Cover and bake at 350°F until the roast is fork-tender and pulls apart easily (an internal temperature of 195-205°F), about 2 ½ – 3 hours for a 3-lb. roast.
- For thicker gravy: Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into liquid, and simmer until thickened.
- Don’t lift the lid: Opening the slow cooker releases heat and moisture. Resist the urge to peek!
- Vegetable size matters: Cut potatoes and carrots into larger pieces so they don’t get mushy in the slow cooker.
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of broth. Leftover pot roast is great on sandwiches or French dips.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze sliced meat and gravy for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Note: The nutrition information is hard to calculate for this recipe, since it includes all of the gravy in the pot, plus all of the potatoes, carrots, and onions. In reality, you likely will not consume all of the extra ingredients in the pot, so nutritional information will vary greatly!
Hello – I made this yesterday and it was delicious. Can you provide more specific instructions to cook this on the stovetop? Thank you 🙂
Hi, Sue! I’m so glad that you liked it! If you’d like to make this pot roast in a Dutch oven in your oven, I would suggest you follow these instructions: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/dutch-oven-pot-roast/
If you want to keep it on the stovetop, I would follow the directions as listed for searing the meat, then remove it to a plate. Deglaze the pot with the Coca Cola, as instructed, return the roast to the pot, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 3 hours, or until the roast is fall-apart tender. 🙂
Excited to try this tonight. Hopefully you get back to this question.
I’m wondering if I could lower the temp and cook it longer. Like maybe at 225 for 4hrs?
What are your thoughts. I was thinking a super slow roast. Or is that even Necessary? By the looks of the comments this will be melt in your mouth already.
Hi, Cassandra! Yes, you can absolutely do that. The roast will be tender and juicy as long as it’s cooked long enough (you’re looking for an internal temp of about 195 degrees F). You’ll get to the same place if you cook it at a lower temp for longer, so no problem there. I’d do whichever works best for your schedule. 🙂