Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!)

Some days you want dinner to feel like a warm blanket… without you having to be the blanket. That’s exactly what Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast is for. You get tender, fall-apart beef, buttery potatoes, sweet carrots, and that rich, savory broth that tastes like you cooked all day (even though your slow cooker did the heavy lifting).

And yes—if you’re team “gravy on everything,” you’re in the right place. This Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!) is weeknight-friendly, company-worthy, and basically a lifesaver when life is doing the absolute most.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast

• It’s hands-off comfort food. A quick sear + slow cooker = dinner magic.
• Big flavor, simple ingredients. Onion, garlic, herbs, Worcestershire… that’s the good stuff.
• Veggies cook right alongside the roast. One pot, minimal fuss.
• Optional gravy is ridiculously easy. Like, “why don’t I do this every time?” easy.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what makes this pot roast taste like it came from someone’s grandma… who also happens to love shortcuts.

For the pot roast

• Chuck roast (best choice for tenderness and flavor)
• Salt + pepper (don’t be shy here)
• Olive oil (for searing)
• Yellow onion, sliced
• Fresh garlic cloves, smashed
• Tomato paste (adds depth + a gorgeous brown color to the gravy)
• Brown sugar (balances the tomato paste—trust me)
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Chili powder (not spicy—just warm and cozy)
• Worcestershire sauce (umami magic)
• Beef stock (or beef broth, but stock is extra flavorful)
• Carrots (chopped whole carrots or baby carrots)
• Baby gold potatoes (baby reds work too—aim for similar sizes)
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• Bay leaves
• Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional but pretty)

For the gravy (optional, but you’ll want it)

• Broth from the slow cooker
• Cornstarch + cold water (for a quick slurry)

Refer to the recipe card below for exact ingredient measurements and full nutritional information.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker

1) Season + sear the roast

Season your chuck roast generously with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned. (This is the “flavor foundation” step—like putting on mascara. Optional… but wow does it help.)

Place the seared roast into your slow cooker.

2) Sauté the flavor base

In the same pan, sauté:

• sliced onion
• smashed garlic
• tomato paste
• brown sugar
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• chili powder
  Plus a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Cook until the onions soften and everything smells amazing.

3) Deglaze the pan

Add Worcestershire sauce and a couple splashes of beef stock to deglaze—scrape up all those browned bits from the bottom. That’s pure gold for your broth.

4) Load the slow cooker

Pour the onion-garlic mixture over the roast.

Add:

• carrots
• baby potatoes

Pour in the remaining beef stock. Add a few more pinches of salt and pepper.

Nestle in fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves right among the veggies like they’re tucking in for a nap.

5) Cook low and slow (or high and faster)

Cover and cook:

• HIGH for 5–6 hours, or
• LOW for 8–10 hours

It’s ready when the roast shreds easily with a fork.

Garnish with parsley and get ready to decide: bowl or plate? (Both are correct.)

How to Make the Gravy

If you want that glossy, brown, spoon-coating goodness:

1. Strain the broth from the slow cooker into a saucepan.
2. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
3. In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
4. Stir the slurry into the simmering broth.
5. Simmer a few minutes until thickened to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.

If it gets thicker than you want—no panic. Add a splash of stock or water and whisk like you mean it.

Cooking Tips That Make This Even Easier

• Don’t skip the sear if you can help it. It adds that deep “roast dinner” flavor that tastes like you tried harder than you did.
• Cut veggies evenly. Similar size = evenly cooked. Nobody wants crunchy potatoes and mushy carrots at the same time.
• Use tomato paste from a tube. It keeps forever in the fridge and makes weeknight cooking feel weirdly fancy.
• Taste at the end. Slow cooker dishes sometimes need a final sprinkle of salt and pepper to really wake up.
• Want thicker broth without gravy? Remove the lid for the last 20–30 minutes on high (if your slow cooker runs hot) or just go straight to the cornstarch slurry.

Best Cuts of Meat for Pot Roast

“Pot roast” usually means chuck roast, and for good reason: it has the marbling that turns buttery and tender during slow cooking.

Here are great options (in order of my favorites):

1. Chuck roast
2. Round roast (bottom round or rump roast)
3. Shoulder roast
4. Brisket
5. Short ribs

Rule of thumb: more marbling = more tenderness after a long, slow cook.

A Little Real-Life Note from My Kitchen

This recipe saved me during one of those weeks where the to-do list had its own to-do list. I tossed everything in, walked away, and later my house smelled like someone responsible lived there. When dinner basically cooks itself and still feels special… that’s my kind of win.

FAQs About Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast

Dinner That Feels Like a Hug

If you’re craving something cozy, low-effort, and guaranteed to make everyone wander into the kitchen asking, “What smells so good?” this Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast is it. Make it once, and it’ll earn a permanent spot in your comfort-food rotation—especially when you go for the Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!) moment and drizzle that goodness over everything.

Keep the Cozy Comfort Going

• If you loved the rich, beefy vibes of this roast night, you’ll probably also enjoy Crock Pot French Onion Pot Roast (extra savory + melty-good) — it’s like your pot roast got a cozy French-onion makeover.
• Want a hearty “next dinner” idea that’s just as hands-off and family-friendly? Try Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup for chilly nights — same comfort, different bowl (and it makes amazing leftovers).
• If gravy is your love language (same), save this one for another cozy evening: Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy that tastes like Sunday dinner — spoon-worthy and ridiculously satisfying.
• And for those “I need dinner ideas all week” seasons, you’ll want to bookmark The Best Crockpot Recipes for Busy Weeknights (so you don’t have to think) — because future-you deserves a break too.

If you make this Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!), I’d love to hear how it turned out—leave a quick review and tap your star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so other cozy-dinner fans can find it too!

Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!)

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• Author: Mounia
• Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast with tender chuck roast, baby potatoes, and carrots slow-cooked in a rich, savory gravy. This cozy, hands-off dinner is perfect for busy weeknights or Sunday family meals.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Pot Roast

• 3–4 lb chuck roast

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, smashed

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon chili powder

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 2 cups beef stock (or beef broth)

• 4 large carrots, cut into chunks (or 2 cups baby carrots)

• 1½ lbs baby gold potatoes

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• Fresh parsley, for garnish

For the Gravy (Optional)

• 2–3 cups strained broth from slow cooker

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons cold water

• Salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Season chuck roast on all sides with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear roast on all sides until browned. Transfer to slow cooker.

3. In the same skillet, sauté onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes.

4. Stir in tomato paste, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant.

5. Deglaze the pan with Worcestershire sauce and a splash of beef stock. Scrape up browned bits.

6. Pour onion mixture over roast in slow cooker.

7. Add carrots and potatoes around the roast.

8. Pour remaining beef stock into the slow cooker.

9. Add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.

10. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours, until roast shreds easily with a fork.

11. Remove herbs and bay leaves before serving. Garnish with parsley.

For the Gravy

1. Strain broth from slow cooker into a saucepan.

2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3. Mix cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry.

4. Stir slurry into simmering broth.

5. Cook until thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Season to taste.

Notes

Chuck roast works best due to its marbling.

If roast feels tough, cook longer—it likely needs more time.

Cut potatoes evenly for even cooking.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

Freeze shredded beef with broth for up to 3 months.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Slow Cooker
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 520 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 780 mg
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 11 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 38 g
• Cholesterol: 135 mg