Slow Cooker Pot Roast With French Onion Soup

 Pot roast with mushrooms and potatoes on a white plate

The Spruce Eats / Diana Rattray

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This pot roast is a snap to fix; just drop the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it, and walk away for a while.

A pot roast is the perfect cut of beef for the slow cooker. A tough, inexpensive chuck roast is the best choice for long, slow cooking. Use a roast cut from the chuck, or make the dish with boneless or bone-in short ribs or rump roast. ​

This slow cooker pot roast takes all day to cook, but only three or four minutes to prepare. It's a great way to fill your house with a savory aroma, and with condensed French onion soup in the recipe, it's quick to fix. You can sear the meat ahead of time in a hot pan, if you like, to develop some flavor, but it's not totally necessary; it's more of a personal preference than anything.

This is a fantastic meal to fix for a busy weekday. All you need is a side dish or two such as mashed potatoes or a green salad, or serve the beef on sandwich buns. Use the drippings to make a delicious gravy if you'd like. 

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 pounds top round roast or lean chuck

  • 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed French onion soup

  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons water

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Cut the roast into 4 to 6 large chunks and place them in the slow cooker. Add the French onion soup and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until very tender. Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours.

  2. If desired, make a flavorful gravy with the juices. Remove the beef and mushrooms to a platter or bowl with a slotted spoon; keep warm. Transfer juices to a saucepan. Skim excess fat, if desired. Simmer the juices for 5 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate the flavors. 

  3. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with cold water to make a smooth mixture; stir into the juices. Continue cooking until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.

  4. Serve the gravy with the beef (cubed or shredded) and mushrooms.

  5. Serve it with potatoes and vegetables or on toasted sandwich buns with coleslaw and fries or chips.

Recipe Tip

You can make this recipe gluten free by using cornstarch, potato starch, or gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of all-purpose flour.

Can you overcook beef in a slow cooker?

It's possible but not likely that your pot roast will overcook. Many slow cookers have a "warm" setting that stops the cooking process and simply keeps the food warm. However, if you leave the slow cooker on for longer than the specified time, it can potentially overcook and get tough.

How to Store and Freeze Pot Roast

This is one of those dishes that will taste even better on the second and third day as the flavors meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Freeze in a zip-close freezer bag for up to six months, pressing out as much air as possible to seal.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
656 Calories
28g Fat
7g Carbs
95g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 656
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 28g 36%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 274mg 91%
Sodium 434mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 95g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 8mg 47%
Potassium 1125mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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