If you’re looking for a hearty fall or winter meal that’ll fill up everyone’s bellies, look no further than this easy Pot Roast recipe. While beef is expensive no matter which way you slice it (literally), this juicy, tender Pot Roast can be stretched further thanks to an abundance of potatoes, carrots, and onions. Everything is cooked in a Dutch oven, and the meat is melt-in-your-mouth soft with a flavorful, herby gravy. There’s no need to make a side dish if you don’t want to; this is already one big, hearty, full meal!
I recipe-tested pot roast multiple times in the Budget Bytes kitchen to make sure you don’t waste your dollars on a subpar meal—this recipe is IT.
To keep this recipe under $3 per serving, I compared the prices of roasts at Walmart and Kroger. I found Walmart has the best prices and weight selection, so it pays to do a little price comparison before heading to the store! I knew lots of vegetables would be key for feeding 8 people, but this 2.6 lb chuck roast was the winner in terms of portion size for the meat. If you want more meat and fewer veggies, you’ll have to spend a little more money, but I can tell you these flavors will not disappoint! (My husband was an overjoyed taste tester during this recipe testing process!)
What is Pot Roast?
A pot roast is a hearty, flavorful dish where large (typically tough) cuts of beef are slow-cooked in a pot with a liquid and vegetables until tender. This cooking method is also known as “braising.” Most recipes call for red wine, but I found substituting red wine for balsamic vinegar sent the flavor of this oh-so-moist roast over the top. A Dutch oven is my cooking vessel of choice, and I flavor the broth with beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s everything you could ever want in a comforting pot roast but made in a more budget-friendly way.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best pot roast recipe ever:
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: The best meat for pot roast! It’s usually more affordable than other cuts, and when cooked low and slow, it becomes perfectly tender. I recommend shopping for a roast between 2.5 lbs and 3 lbs, depending on how many people you’re feeding. Choose one with some marbling (white flecks of fat throughout) for the best flavor.
- Salt: I rub the roast with a generous amount of salt and let it sit for 15-20 minutes before searing. This helps tenderize the meat and creates a nice crust.
- Beef Bouillon: Adds a rich beef flavor to the broth.
- Water: Combines with the bouillon to create a flavorful broth for cooking the roast.
- Olive Oil: For sauteing and adding color to the veggies.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and mini potatoes bulk up this dish and add extra flavor. Slice the carrot and onions into large chunks and keep the mini potatoes whole so they cook evenly without getting too soft.
- Balsamic Vinegar: A cheaper alternative to red wine for adding depth of flavor.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a savory, tangy kick.
- Tomato Paste: Adds richness and helps thicken the broth.
- Fresh Rosemary & Thyme: Use whole sprigs of fresh herbs to infuse the homemade broth with amazing flavor.
- Garlic: Smash the cloves with the side of a knife or the bottom of a cup before adding them to the Dutch oven. Doing this adds a subtle garlic flavor that’s a bit sweeter than mincing, which would be overpowering.
How to Make Pot Roast Gravy
This is completely optional, but making gravy from the pan drippings is easy and ensures those extra bits of flavor don’t go to waste. Here’s how to do it:
- Once your roast is cooked, remove some liquid from the Dutch oven and add it to a saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat and whisk in a teaspoon of flour at a time.
- Keep whisking and adding flour until desired thickness is reached.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Tips and Suggestions
- The cooking time in this recipe is perfect for chuck roasts between 2.5 lbs and 3 lbs. If your meat still seems tough or you use a larger cut of meat, add an extra 30 minutes of cooking time and check for tenderness. The meat should easily shred with a fork when it’s done.
- Don’t forget to sear the meat and saute the veggies before slow cooking. This simple step adds so much flavor to the final dish!
- I like using a Dutch oven because it distributes heat evenly and helps retain moisture, creating a tender roast. You can try using a crock pot (I know many people swear by them!) and cooking on low for about 7-8 hours or high at 4-5 hours, but I haven’t tested this method, so I can’t guarantee the same results. You’d still need to sear the meat and saute the veggies before transferring everything to the crock pot.
Serving Suggestions
You truly don’t need anything else to go with this roast—it has everything you need for a complete meal! But if you want to stretch it even further or have some picky eaters to please, I’d serve it with some homestyle cornbread, dinner rolls, or homemade biscuits. A crisp autumn kale and apple salad or corn pudding would also be great options!
Storing Leftovers
Let your pot roast cool completely before storing. Keep it in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. Reheat everything in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of beef broth or water if the gravy thickens too much or the meat looks dry.
Pot Roast Recipe
Servings 8 servingsIngredients
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast (mine was 2.61 lbs) ($17.33)
- 2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 3 tsp beef bouillon ($0.24)
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar ($0.96)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.05)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.07)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
- 1 tsp olive oil ($0.06)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks ($0.18)
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered ($0.86)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary ($0.29)
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme ($0.05)
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed, but kept whole ($0.10)
- 1 bag mini potatoes (about 1lb – 1.5 lbs depending on the size of your roasting dish) ($3.54)
Instructions
- Rub boneless beef chuck roast on all sides with the salt. Then, let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together beef bouillon, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and water. Bring it to a gentle simmer. (We are purposely making the beef broth more concentrated for this recipe.) Keep it warm on the stovetop while you prepare the meat and veggies.
- Drizzle olive oil in your dutch oven/roasting vessel of choice and heat on medium high on your largest stovetop burner. Once hot, add carrots and onions. Stir the carrots around every couple of minutes and sear the onion on all sides for approximately 8 minutes total. You want to see some color on those veggies! Remove vegetables from roasting pan and set aside.
- To the hot dutch oven, add the salted beef and sear on each side for 4 minutes. You want to see a little color and caramelization of the fat when you flip it. No need to add more oil, the fat from the roast is enough!
- Next, add the seared carrots and onions, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, smashed garlic, and potatoes on top of the seared chuck roast and pour the beef bouillon mixture over the top.
- Put the lid on your dutch oven and slow cook the roast in the oven for 3 hours.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
how to make Pot Roast – step by step photos
Rub 1 boneless beef chuck roast on all sides with 2 tsp of salt. Then, let it rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
In a small saucepan, whisk together 3 tsp beef bouillon, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, and 2 cups water. Bring it to a gentle simmer. (We are purposely making the beef broth more concentrated for this recipe.) Keep it warm on the stovetop while you prepare the meat and veggies.
Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil in your dutch oven/roasting vessel of choice and heat on medium high on your largest stovetop burner. Once hot, add 2 diced carrots and 1 quartered onion. Stir the carrots around every couple of minutes and sear the onion on all sides for approximately 8 minutes total. You want to see some color on those veggies! Remove vegetables from roasting pan and set aside.
To the hot dutch oven, add the salted beef and sear on each side for 4 minutes. You want to see a little color and caramelization of the fat when you flip it. No need to add more oil, the fat from the roast is enough!
Next, add the seared carrots and onions, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, 5 cloves smashed garlic, and 1 bag of mini potatoes (1lb-1.5lbs) on top of the seared chuck roast and pour the beef bouillon mixture over the top.
Put the lid on your dutch oven and slow cook the roast in the oven for 3 hours.
This Dutch oven pot roast recipe is perfect for a cozy, comforting Sunday dinner or special occasion!
What can I use instead if I don’t have a Dutch oven type pot?
Has anyone tried this recipe in a crock pot? Do I need to make any adjustments to the ingredients?
I did not test it in the crock pot, but I have done pot roasts in crock pots before. I definitely recommend searing it in a hot pan before it goes in the crock pot!
If I’m making a half recipe – should I still make a full recipe’s worth of the liquid medley?
You should only need half of the liquid then! Will you be using a smaller dutch oven then we used as well?
This recipe is chef’s kiss! I’m sold – making it this weekend!
This was delicious and so easy to make. My husband said something like “This is an A+ recipe. Delicious.” in between bites and I have to agree!
As a cooking tip, I subbed the red potatoes with yellow potatoes, which I peeled and cut into 2″ chunks and they came out perfectly. I followed the rest of the recipe exactly and served it with sourdough. 10/10 will make again!
Hey, Elaine! YUM. I’m so glad the hubs gave it 2 thumbs up. Sourdough bread to sop up all the yummy juices and gravy is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
Just made this for Sunday dinner. Excellent pot roast.
Thanks, Susan!
This was really tasty, and really easy to make. I added 5 carrots because I love them. Otherwise, followed it to a T.
Thanks, Stephany! I’m glad you loved it! (I love carrots, too. The perfect budget-friendly addition to this pot roast!)
I loved this Pot Roast. It was so flavorful and the meat was so tender. The veggies tastes amazing too with absorbing the juices❤️
Solid pot roast. I used a higher quality balsamic vinegar and the 1/2 cup ended up brightening the flavor a little too much. Made a note to start with 1/4 cup and add to taste
I can’t eat Worcester Sauce. What do you think I could substitute it with? I wondered if oyster sauce or Marmite would work.
Also, is tomato paste the same as tomato puree? A thick, concentrated thing that you squeeze out of a tube?
Not Jess, however, pot roast is flexible. To me worchester sauce provides “salt” and “umami”. Marmite would be a good subsitute. I’m not familiar with oyster sauce, but if it’s salty and umami it would work. If your tomato sauce is thick enough to squeeze out of a tube, it would be a great substitute. If it’s thinner just add a bit more.
That’s correct! I also think both of those items would be great substitutes. I’ll often try soy sauce and fish sauce as well.
Fish sauce, believe it or not, is a great addition to beef broth.
This pot roast was delicious! The meat was very tender. The gravy was so flavorful.
Thanks, Judy! So glad you loved it!
Amazing pot roast loved every bite. Will definitely save this recipe.
Thanks, Mike. Tis’ the season for pot roast! Glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely loved this pot roast so delicious. Will definitely save this recipe.