French onion pot roast is the ultimate comfort food—tender, fall-apart beef slow-cooked in a rich onion soup broth with sautéed onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Potatoes are added at the end, making this a hearty one-pot meal with incredible flavor in every bite.

What’s new in the recipe
This recipe was originally published on March 7, 2024, and we've made some exciting updates! We've numbered the instructions for easier following, expanded the substitutions and variations section to offer more options, enhanced the recipe tips and notes for smoother cooking, and included "jump to" links for simple navigation.
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What’s great about this recipe
- One-pot meal – This dish comes together in one pot, making cleanup easy while developing deep, rich flavors.
- Simple ingredients, big flavor – With just a few pantry staples like canned French onion soup, fresh vegetables, and a chuck roast, you get a hearty, satisfying meal.
- Budget-friendly – Slow cooking breaks down tough cuts of beef, creating a juicy, flavorful, and fork-tender roast at a reasonable price.
- Easy stovetop cooking – No need for a slow cooker—this stovetop method browns, braises, and simmers all in one pot for better flavor and control.
- Make-ahead friendly – This roast stores and reheats beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep or leftovers that taste just as good the next day.
Ingredients

- Beef – A boneless chuck roast is our top choice for its rich marbling, which makes the roast tender and flavorful after slow cooking.
- Seasoning – Just salt and pepper are needed since the aromatics and onion soup bring plenty of bold flavor.
- Oil – We sear the beef over medium heat, so olive oil works well for this recipe.
- Produce – A mix of yellow (or white onion), carrot, celery, and garlic creates a flavorful base. Small red potatoes are added at the end to make this a hearty meal.
- Pantry – Canned condensed French onion soup forms the base of the broth. Other varieties not labeled condensed will work too, but the flavor may not be as strong.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make French onion pot roast

- Trim any large pieces of fat from around the roast. Pat it dry, then season with salt and pepper. Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes if your kitchen is cool.
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot (we used a 6-quart Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the chuck roast and cook for 5–6 minutes until browned and it releases from the pot.
- Flip the roast and cook for another 5–6 minutes until browned. Remove from the pot.
- Transfer the roast to a plate or pan and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

- Without washing the pot, return it to medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions start to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the onion soup, stirring and scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the roast to the pot with any juices. Add enough water to cover about ¾ of the roast at its thickest part. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 2½ hours until nearly fall-apart tender. Check every 30 minutes to maintain a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat as needed.

- Add the potatoes, arranging them around the roast and ensuring they are submerged in the broth. Raise the heat to bring the liquid back to a simmer, then lower it again to medium-low.
- Cover and cook for 20–30 minutes, until the potatoes and roast are fork-tender. A knife or fork should slide in and out easily.
Serve the roast with potatoes and sauce, garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy with a green salad and a generous piece of crusty bread to soak up the rich, flavorful broth.

Substitutions and variations
- Beef – A bone-in chuck roast (such as a 7-bone steak) works well. Brisket and bottom round are good alternatives, though they may not be as tender as chuck.
- Oil – Any neutral oil with a similar smoke point can be used, such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
- Potatoes – We use red potatoes, but baby gold, Yukon gold, or fingerling potatoes also work well.
- Soup – If you prefer to use a French onion soup mix, prepare an equivalent amount according to the package directions. This recipe uses condensed soup, so choose a mix that provides a rich, concentrated flavor and adjust the liquid accordingly.
Storing and reheating instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3–4 days.
- Freezer: Let the meat and liquid cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Label with the contents and date, then freeze for 2–3 months.
- Reheating:
- Stovetop: Place the desired amount in a non-stick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and cook until heated through, about 5–7 minutes. Add some of the reserved liquid to keep the meat moist.
- Microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe dish with some of the broth. Cover loosely and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
- Food Safety: Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- Despite the long cooking time, I prefer making pot roasts on the stovetop rather than in a slow cooker because browning the meat first builds flavor and enhances color. Since I’m already using a pot to brown the meat, it makes sense to finish cooking it there. If you love hearty roasts, try our traditional stovetop pot roast or this budget-friendly pork pot roast next.
- If you are cooking a larger roast (like 3-4 pounds) the cooking time will be roughly the same, about 3 hours. Cook it until it is fork-tender.
- Don’t slice the onions too thin, or they may break down too much during cooking.
- The onion soup adds plenty of salt, so season lightly. If you’re sensitive to salt, reduce the amount used on the meat.
- If the broth reduces too much while cooking, add a little water or beef broth to the pot.
Frequently asked questions
Pot roast is a braised beef roast that is first browned, then slow-cooked in a covered pot with liquid. It’s typically made with an affordable, tough cut of beef, which becomes fall-apart tender as the slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissue.
Boneless chuck roast is the best choice for pot roast. It’s a tough cut from the shoulder that becomes incredibly tender when slow-cooked. The 7-bone roast is the bone-in equivalent of chuck roast. Other good options include brisket, which comes from the breast section, and bottom round, which comes from the rear leg of the cow.
Yes! If you’ve finished the meat and vegetables but have liquid leftover, don’t let it go to waste. Strain it through a mesh sieve and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Use it to make gravy, sauté vegetables, or enhance soups with extra flavor.

This roast is an easy, no-fuss way to make a meal that’s Sunday dinner-worthy. We use canned French onion soup in this recipe—it's a great pantry staple to keep on hand. Use it to make this dish, then try our easy French onion pork chops and flavor-packed French onion chicken next!
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📖 Recipe

French Onion Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2–2½ pounds Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
- 1½ teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Large Onion finely diced (white or yellow)
- 1 Celery Rib sliced or diced
- 1 Large Carrot cut into rounds or half rounds, depending on size
- 3–4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans Condensed French Onion Soup
- 10 ounces Water plus more if needed
- 1 pound Small Red Potatoes whole if small, or halved/quartered if larger
- Chopped Parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Trim any large pieces of fat from the roast.
- Pat the meat dry, then season with salt and pepper.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes if your kitchen is cool.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat (see note 1).
- When the oil is hot, add the chuck roast. Cook for 5–6 minutes until browned (see note 2).
- Flip the roast and cook for another 5–6 minutes until browned on both sides.
- Remove the pot from heat and transfer the roast to a plate or pan. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Without washing the pot, return it to medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Pour in the onion soup, stirring while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chuck roast to the pot along with any juices collected on the plate.
- Add enough water to cover at least ¾ of the roast at its thickest part.
- If the broth does not start simmering immediately, increase the heat. Once it reaches a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 2½ hours, or until nearly fall-apart tender. Check every 30 minutes to ensure the liquid remains at a gentle simmer, adjusting heat as needed.
- Add the potatoes to the pot, arranging them around the roast and ensuring they are submerged in the broth.
- Raise the heat to bring the liquid back to a simmer, then lower it again to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20–30 minutes, until both the meat and potatoes are fork-tender. A fork or knife should slide in and out easily.
- Serve the roast with potatoes and sauce, garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy with a green salad and a generous piece of crusty bread to soak up the rich, flavorful broth.
Notes
- We use a 6-quart enameled dutch oven.
- When the beef is browned, and a crust forms on the surface it will release from the bottom of the pot. If you go to turn it and it’s stuck and offers resistance, give it another 30 seconds to 1 minute and try again. Once that crust forms the meat will release.
- If you are cooking a larger roast (like 3-4 pounds) the cooking time will be roughly the same, about 3 hours. Cook it until it is fork-tender.
- Don’t slice the onions too thin, so they don’t break down too much during cooking.
- The onion soup adds plenty of salt, so season lightly. If you’re sensitive to salt, reduce the amount used on the meat.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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