Description

This Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast is a comforting and flavorful recipe featuring a tender chuck roast simmered with rich French onion soup, beef broth, and aromatic herbs. The roast is seared before slow cooking to lock in juices and topped with a luscious onion gravy that can be thickened to your liking. Perfect for a hands-off meal that delivers melt-in-your-mouth beef with classic French onion flavors.

Ingredients

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Main Ingredients

3-4 lb chuck roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 packet (1 oz) dry onion soup mix
2 cups beef broth
1 cup French onion soup (canned or homemade)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
2 tablespoons water (if using cornstarch)
Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Sear the Roast: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. This step locks in flavor and seals the juices.
Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the seared roast into the slow cooker, preparing the base for slow cooking.
Prepare the Sauce: Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the roast. In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, French onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and black pepper. Pour this mixture over the roast in the slow cooker.
Add Onions and Garlic: Arrange the thinly sliced onions and minced garlic around and on top of the roast, ensuring the flavors infuse the meat as it cooks.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and fully infused with the rich onion flavors.
Enhance the Flavor: Stir in the unsalted butter at the end of the cooking process to add a rich, creamy finish to the sauce.
Thicken the Sauce (Optional): For a thicker gravy, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry and stir it into the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for an additional 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens to your preference.
Serve and Garnish: Serve the pot roast with its delicious onion sauce over mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired for a pop of color and freshness.

Notes

Searing the roast before slow cooking helps to develop deeper flavor and lock in juices.
Use canned French onion soup for convenience or homemade for a fresher taste.
Adjust cooking time based on your slow cooker settings and roast size; low and slow yields the most tender meat.
Thickening the sauce is optional but highly recommended for a gravy-like consistency.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Category: Main Course
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American