Crock Pot Easy Roast (Rich, Tender and so Easy!)

This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m too tired to give more than 2 minutes on what to make for dinner. This easy roast recipe has huge effort/flavor payoff. It’s unctuous (like that word?), tender, beefy, and insanely delicious.

This is the only way I’ll make this pot roast with vegetables in my crock pot. I’m warning you now, the gravy is so yummy, it’s kinda drinkable.

Seasoned similar to my Instant Pot 3-packet Roast, but this time with yummy, buttery veggies cooked along with the roast. It’s flavored like grandma’s Sunday roast used to be.

🛒 Ingredient Notes

• ✅Beef Roast:
  The key word here is “tough”. You want the toughest, cheapest beef roast you can find. (More on that below).
• ✅Seasoning Packets:
  I use a packet of dry Ranch seasoning, powdered Italian dressing seasoning, and a packet of Au Jus mix. A reader commented that they used bottled Italian salad dressing. I haven’t tried it yet, so I can’t comment, but she said it was great!
• ✅Vegetables:
  The classic trio – potatoes, carrots, and onions. Make life easier for yourself if you use baby (smaller) potatoes. Also, if carrots or onions (or potatoes if you’re keepin’ it keto) aren’t your thing, feel free to drop them and use other root vegetables instead.
• ✅Water:
  For making the gravy as well as keeping the roast moist as it cooks. You can use broth if you’d prefer, but I highly recommend using low-sodium broth. There is enough salt in the packets to ‘choke a horse’ as my mother would say – you don’t need to add more from the broth.

💡 What to Know Before You Start

1. The Meat: As I mentioned above, the tough = tender (later). Chuck roast (Blade roasts in Canada) are usually the hero here for me. The slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue, making them so incredibly tender, there’s almost no effort to chew. (Great for seniors’ meals!)
2. The Onion Base: Don’t skip the onions on the bottom. I like to cut them kinda chunky so they serve a few purposes. They don’t break down and disappear after the long cooking; they act as a “rack” for the roast to sit on, and they are probably one of the best flavored veggies of the pack after they’re cooked. My mother LOVES the onions!
3. The Packets: These little beauties are your friend, my friend. They make seasoning the roast super simple, no guesswork to reconstruct grandma’s old-fashioned roast. If you have a sodium issue, use the reduced-sodium packets instead.
4. Layering: The meat goes in first (on top of the onions), so it stays juicy and bastes from below. Veg on top so they don’t go mushy. Add water (or broth), slap the lid on, and walk away like the champ that you are.

Pictorial Step-by-Step Guide to Making This Easy Beef Roast

Please refer to the printable recipe card below for exact amounts, detailed instructions, and helpful tips to make this recipe perfect every time.

Serving and Leftover Ideas

Usually, when I make this roast, I have one serving of the meat and veggies for dinner, and then I pack up the rest to make other meals. I love making my Beef and Cheddar sliders, or for freezer portioned prep – my beef pot pie with biscuit topping (blog post coming, stay tuned!).

Another favorite is my Beef and Barley soup, which is essential for quick meals on chilly fall days. Your future self will thank you, trust me on this one.

Thanks a ton for stopping by The Salty Pot today. I like to make delicious meals for tired humans in the easiest ways possible. If you try this roast (or stretch it into something epic), I’d love to hear how it turned out!