Slow Cooked Beef and Onion Souup Mix

This Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix is so much more than a regular pot roast. It uses a homemade french onion soup mix that's beyond easy to throw together. Then just rub it all over the chuck roast, add some beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, and set it and forget it! By the end of the busy workday, you'll come home to a delicious pot roast that you can use in a variety of ways. Trust me; your family will want this to be a regular rotation on the meal plan!

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I'm always seeking out slow cooker recipes that can cook all day and also totally comfort me at the same time. It's also a requirement that my house smells fantastic with the aromas of what's for dinner.

This slow cooker pot roast with onion soup mix recipe checks all of those boxes and more!

Reasons you'll love this recipe

• Dump and go – Just add the ingredients to the slow cooker and turn it on; that's it!
• The crockpot does all the work – This easy slow cooker recipe cooks all day while you work! Get ready for your house to smell amazing when you walk in the door.
• Crowd pleaser – Make this for game day or your next family Sunday dinner; everyone loves it!
• It can be an all-in-one meal – this recipe doesn't include potatoes or vegetables, but it can! I'll give some suggestions below.
• Make-ahead – There are a few ways to add this pot roast into your meal prep rotation. Keep reading for my favorite tips.
• Freezer-friendly – Don't worry about leftovers because this juicy shredded beef freezes and reheats beautifully.

Ingredients

Chuck roast – This is hands down my favorite cut of beef to use in the slow cooker! When it's cooked down, the marbling will create the most delicious tender shredded meat you'll ever eat.

Leaner cuts of beef will become dry after being cooked all day in the slow cooker. To keep this recipe clean, I purchase an organic grass-fed chuck roast. In my opinion, the high quality of the meat, the better the recipe.

Chuck roast is readily available at most grocery stores, but I recommend purchasing online through Butcher Box if you can't find it locally. This is where I buy all of my meats! You can read my Butcher Box Review to learn more.

Beef Broth – To get shredded beef, you need to use more liquid, so I decided to use beef broth.

Worcestershire sauce – one of my favorite ingredients to use in beef recipes because it provides such richness.

French Onion Soup Mix – Honestly, I was all set to use a packet of Lipton french onion soup mix… but then I took a glimpse at the ingredients. Ugh, even the "healthier" ones had preservatives.

So, I decided to make homemade dry onion soup mix and glad I did because it was better than store-bought and easy to make. Check the recipe card for instructions.

FAQs

What cut of beef should I use for pot roasts?

Chuck roast is best for any slow cooker recipe that has a long cooking time. If you don't want to use a chuck roast or can't find it, then I recommend using another fatty cut of beef.

The more marbling, the better.

Round and brisket are two other cuts of beef that work well in pot roast recipes. But if you can use chuck roast, then I recommend that.

Do you need to sear a roast before putting it in the crockpot?

Often, I will sear the beef before placing it in the slow cooker. This gives it a seared flavor, and you can add some of those brown bits to the slow cooker before you cook it. So, you certainly can brown the beef on all sides before adding it to the slow cooker. However, searing the meat in this recipe is not necessary.

So, if you're feeling lazy, you can put the roast in without browning. I've done it both ways, and each time the beef turns out delicious.

Do you put vegetables on top or bottom of pot roast?

This is a personal preference and will depend on the way you want the vegetables to cook. In general, you should stick with heartier vegetables like potatoes and carrots when cooking a slow cooker pot roast recipe.

Placing these vegetables on the bottom or around the sides of the roast will result in softer, more flavorful vegetables because they will cook in the juices. This is the way I prefer to cook a roast and vegetables in the crockpot.

If you place the heartier vegetables on top of the roast, they will most likely stay firm and won't absorb the flavor of the juices. However, vegetables like onions and peppers are perfect to put on top because they keep a firm texture after the long cooking time and also release flavors to the juice.

Should roast be covered in liquid in the slow cooker?

No, fattier cuts of beef don't need much liquid to cook in the slow cooker. I add 1-2 cups of beef broth to keep the meat from drying out, and it also adds to the flavor.

Why is my crockpot roast tough?

There are two reasons for tough roasts that cook in the crockpot. First, if you didn't use a chuck roast or fattier cut of meat, there wasn't enough marbling to create the fork-tender pull apart meat. The marbling is what melts away as it cooks to give you that juicy, delicious pot roast.

The second reason is the roast didn't cook long enough. It takes time for the marbling to break down in the chuck roast. If your roast doesn't easily fall apart or still seems tough, then give it more time in the crockpot pot. Depending on the size, you might need more or less cooking time.

Cooking Tips

Don't worry about the size of the chuck roast you use. Chuck roasts come in various sizes; you can use anywhere from a 3-5 lb chuck roast in this recipe. If the roast struggles to fit into the slow cooker insert, then cut in half. You might need to adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the roast.

Salt and pepper at the end. This is the one slow cooker tip I think everyone should follow for a flavorful recipe. Often a long cooking time results in bland muted flavors. Adding salt and pepper at the end helps all of those flavors come back to life. I start with one teaspoon of salt and pepper and then will add more if I need to.

Take the beef out of the slow cooker before shredding it – After the pot roast is done, there will be a lot of liquid in the slow cooker. I like to remove the roast, shred it, and add the amount of liquid I want to the beef. Plus, I like to make gravy with the juices.

Create a gravy with the juices – this slow cooker pot roast with onion soup mix creates the most amazing gravy. Simply remove the beef and veggies from the crockpot and add the juices to a pan. Whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch and cook over medium-high heat until it gets thick and bubbly—season with salt and pepper.

Add vegetables to this slow cooker recipe. You can make a full meal out of this crockpot recipe by layering some vegetables. Here are my recommendations.

• You can add butter potatoes or red potatoes to this recipe, and those will cook nicely and turn out super tasty. I cut them in half or quarter before putting these vegetables into the slow cooker. These cook best on the underneath or around the beef closer to the bottom.
• Carrots or hearty root vegetables will work well in this recipe too! Most of the time, I will peel them and cut the veggies into chunks. These go around the sides of the roast close to the bottom.
• I love to add button white or portobello mushrooms to this pot roast recipe. I'll cut them in half or put them in whole for some added earthiness. These go on the top of the roast.
• Onions and peppers add extra flavor but can get very soft during the cooking process. So, I either put them on top of the roast, or I'll saute on the side.

A good rule of thumb when adding vegetables to a slow cooker recipe is to put heartier vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker. So, around the chuck roast or even underneath. Other vegetables like onions and mushrooms should go on top of the beef.

Supplies

• Slow Cooker – I have the Hamilton Beach 6-qt Programmable Slow Cooker. This works wonderfully for this recipe and all of my other slow cooker recipes.
• Tongs – I use these to remove the pot roast from the slow cooker. I love these by OXO.
• Mesh Strainer – You'll need this if you want to make gravy from the juice.
• 1-Quart Saucepan – Another tool you'll need if you want to make gravy from the juice.
• Glass Meal Prep Containers – If you want to make this ahead of time or store any leftovers. I love this set by Pyrex Simply Store!

How To Make A Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Onion Soup Mix

• Before you start cooking anything, put together the homemade french onion soup mix and get your other ingredients together.
• Rub the french onion mix all over the chuck roast.
• Place the pot roast into the slow cooker.
• Then, mix the beef broth and Worchestire sauce and pour it into the slow cooker insert.

• Place the lid on and then set to cook for 8-10 on low or 5-6 hours on high. The beef should be very tender and easily shred when done.
• Remove the beef and place it into a bowl. Using two forks, shred the meat.
• Mix in some of the juices from the slow cooker and stir in the rest of the salt. Taste for seasoning and serve hot! If you need to add extra salt then start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more if you need to.

How To Serve

There are a few ways we love to eat this recipe:

• Served over mashed potatoes.
• Alongside rice or other potatoes. These au gratin potatoes are delicious with pot roast, or a simple rice pilaf would work too.
• In a sandwich with sauteed onions, peppers, and melted provolone. Super flavorful, and the tender beef pairs perfectly with the crunchy onions and peppers.

For both of the first two ideas, I like to shred the pot roast into big chunks. For the 3rd idea, I want to shred it into smaller pieces.

Storage

How to meal prep this pot roast recipe?

Here are a few tips on how you can meal prep this chuck roast recipe:

• Prep the ingredients the night before in the slow cooker insert. This recipe is already so easy to prepare, but if you don't want to fuss with it in the morning, get it ready before bed. Then, get the slow cooker started before you head for work in the morning.
• Cook on the weekend. If you want to make sandwiches during the week or just heat and eat, you can make this pot roast on the weekend and then store it in the fridge for dinners during the week.
• Prep sides to have ready. When I know we will eat these as sandwiches during the week, I'll make the onions and peppers ahead of time to put together the sandwiches at dinner time quickly. Or, I'll make mash potatoes, rice, or other sides to have ready to heat up for dinner during the week.

How to freeze pot roast?

One of my favorite ways to make-ahead this recipe is to freeze the cooked shredded pot roast into portions.

You can put it into freezer bags or freeze it into portions using silicone freezer trays like these Souper Cubes. To reheat, place the frozen beef in the microwave and heat for 3-4 minutes or until hot. Use in rice bowls, on sandwiches, or in a wrap.

• 6 qt Slow Cooker

• Small and large mixing bowls

• Tongs

• 3 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon celery seed powder
• ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt divided
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2.5 – 3 lb chuck roast
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups beef broth

• Make the homemade french onion soup mix by mixing the dried onion, onion powder, celery seed powder, ground pepper, ½ teaspoon of salt, and oregano.

• Rub the dry mixture all over the chuck roast and place the beef into the slow cooker insert.

• Whisk together the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth then pour into the slow cooker insert.

• Place the lid on and then set it to cook for 8-10 on low or 5-6 hours on high. The beef should be very pull apart, fork-tender, and shred easily when done.

• Remove the beef and place it into a bowl. Using two forks, shred the beef. Mix in some of the juices from the slow cooker and stir in the rest of the salt. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and add in the rest if you need to.

Here are a few tips on how you can meal prep this chuck roast recipe:

• Prep the ingredients the night before in the slow cooker insert. This recipe is already so easy to prepare, but if you don't want to fuss with it in the morning, get it ready before bed. Then, get the slow cooker started before you head for work in the morning.
• Cook on the weekend. If you want to make sandwiches during the week or just heat and eat, you can make this pot roast on the weekend and then store it in the fridge for dinners during the week.
• Prep sides to have ready. When I know we will eat these as sandwiches during the week, I'll make the onions and peppers ahead of time to put together the sandwiches at dinner time quickly. Or, I'll make mash potatoes, rice, or other sides to have ready to heat up for dinner during the week.

How to freeze

One of my favorite ways to make-ahead this recipe is to freeze the cooked shredded pot roast into portions.

You can put it into freezer bags or freeze it into portions using silicone freezer trays like these Souper Cubes. To reheat, place the frozen beef in the microwave and heat for 3-4 minutes or until hot. Use in rice bowls, on sandwiches, or in a wrap.

Serving: 1 g | Calories: 295 kcal | Carbohydrates: 3 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 21 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Cholesterol: 101 mg | Sodium: 582 mg

More Healthy Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes

• Crockpot Stuffed Peppers
• Crockpot Shredded Chicken
• Mexican Shredded Beef
• Slow Cooker Italian Beef
• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Did you make this recipe?

Have you tried this Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix recipe yet? If so, I'd love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other's experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #organizeyourselfskinny. I can't wait to see it.

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