Savory French Onion Pot Roast (Printable)

Tender beef slow-cooked with caramelized onions and melted Gruyere cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

03 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups sliced mushrooms, optional
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Liquid & Seasoning

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

→ For Serving

13 - 6 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Season the chuck roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add onions and mushrooms if using. Sauté until onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, red wine or additional broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and rosemary until combined.
05 - Place the seared roast in the slow cooker. Top with the sautéed onions and mushrooms.
06 - Pour the broth mixture over the roast and onions, ensuring the beef is partially submerged.
07 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, until the roast is fork-tender and easily shreds with minimal pressure.
08 - Remove the roast from the slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred as desired.
09 - Place cheese slices over the meat in the slow cooker, cover, and let melt for approximately 5 minutes.
10 - Serve topped with onions, sauce, and melted cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork, soaking up all those deep, winey, onion-sweet flavors while you go about your day.
  • Searing the roast first creates a caramelized crust that adds layers of richness you just cant get any other way.
  • Topping it with melted Gruyere turns a humble pot roast into something that feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight.
  • Leftovers transform into incredible sandwiches, the kind that make you look forward to lunch the next day.
02 -
  • Searing the beef is not optional, it creates a caramelized crust that adds serious depth to the sauce and keeps the roast from tasting flat.
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it into the liquid, and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens beautifully.
  • Let the roast rest before slicing, otherwise all those precious juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
03 -
  • Use a good quality wine you'd actually drink, because if it tastes bad in the glass, it will taste bad in the pot.
  • Slice the onions as thin as you can, they'll melt into the sauce and create that silky, sweet base that makes this dish unforgettable.
  • If you want an even richer sauce, stir in a tablespoon of butter at the very end for a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.
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