This Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe is classic comfort food at its very best. It’s made with simple real food ingredients that you likely have on hand, and always feeds a crowd or provides plenty of leftovers. This delicious recipe is also gluten-free, Whole30 compliant, and Paleo friendly. ⠀
The Best Dutch Oven Pot Roast
There is something so comforting about a hearty and delicious slow cooked pot roast that has been braising for hours. When it comes to a good pot roast, this one has it all. Perfectly cooked beef, tender root vegetables, herbs, and the most flavorful gravy.
Watch How to Make This Recipe
If you have never made pot roast at home before, you might be surprised to know that it is incredibly easy to make. Essentially, all you need to do is sear the beef, add in the veggies, herbs, and aromatics, then allow it to slowly cook for a few hours until tender.
This classic pot roast recipe is made entirely in one dutch oven, which makes cleaning up a breeze. Don’t have a dutch oven? I’ve also included slow cooker instructions below, which is another great way to make this recipe.
Pot Roast Ingredients
Chuck Roast: we’re using a three pound boneless beef chuck roast in this dish.
Balsamic Vinegar: trust me on this – a little balsamic vinegar goes a long way and really helps to MAKE this dish.
Beef Broth: I like to go with low-sodium broth in this dish.
Aromatics: we’re using a combination of fresh herbs, garlic, and bay leaves to add some serious flavor.
Diced Tomatoes: you’ll need one can of diced tomatoes for this recipe.
Carrots: Cut them a bit larger and thicker so that they do not completely fall apart when cooking.
Celery: Adds so much flavor to this pot roast.
Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes add great flavor to this dish. One can is all you need.
Onion: You can’t have a good pot roast without onion.
Arrowroot Starch: you’ll use this grain free starch to thicken the gravy a bit after cooking.
Ingredient Swaps and Additions
- Herbs – don’t have fresh herbs on hand? you can use dried herbs instead! The general rule for converting fresh to dry herbs is one tablespoon of fresh herbs equals one teaspoon of dried herbs.
- Beef broth – if you don’t have beef broth you can swap it for vegetable broth instead.
- Arrowroot starch – you can easily swap arrowroot starch for cornstarch.
- Veggies – I give suggested amounts of carrots and celery in the recipe but feel free to add a few more if you want some extra carrots or celery! Also, if you are a mushroom lover, like myself, you can add in 8oz of sliced baby bella mushrooms along with the other veggies.
Potatoes or No Potatoes?
You may have noticed that this recipe does not include potatoes in the list of veggies. I prefer to serve pot roast over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes so I always leave them out of the dish and mash some on the side instead.
The mashed potatoes help to soak up all of that delicious gravy from the pot roast so that none of it goes to waste. If you are looking for a good recipe, these creamy garlic slow cooker mashed potatoes are my favorite.
If you prefer potatoes in your actual roast, feel free to cut up a few red potatoes or yukon golds and add them to the mix.
The Key to Flavorful Beef in Dutch Oven Pot Roast
The key to the most flavorful pot roast is taking the extra step to sear the beef before letting it roast. Seasoning the chuck roast with salt and then searing helps to create a delicious crust that breaks down while the beef is roasting.
The salt crust on the beef helps to flavor the rest of the dish and gives you a perfectly seasoned pot roast. Whether you make your pot roast in the dutch oven or in the slow cooker, this is an essential step that you should not skip. It makes all of the difference.
Here are the easy steps to creating a delicious salt crust on your beef before roasting:
- Pat your chuck roast dry with paper towels. This helps to remove any excess moisture so that you get the perfect crust. Next sprinkle at least half of a tablespoon of salt on one side of the roast.
- Heat your dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. The key to getting that crust is to make sure that your skillet or dutch oven is screaming hot.
- Add in the oil. Because searing requires you to work at a higher temperature an oil with a high smoke point, like coconut or avocado oil, will work best for this.
- Place the chuck roast in the dutch oven, salted side down and let it cook for six to seven minutes or until a golden brown crust develops. While the salted side cooks, sprinkle the remaining salt on the other side of the beef before flipping and searing the other side.
- Remove it from the dutch oven after both sides are seared and prep the rest of the dish.
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Step One: Peheat your oven to 330 degrees and heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step Two: While the dutch oven is heating, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Next, sprinkle half the salt onto one side of the chuck roast.
Step Three: Sear the beef for 6-8 minutes on each side until it has developed a golden brown crust. Remove the beef from the dutch oven and set aside.
Step Four: Lower the heat and add the balsamic vinegar to the dutch oven to deglaze the pan. Next, add the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step Five: Remove the dutch oven from the heat and add the beef, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, herbs, bay leaves, broth, black pepper, and mushrooms (if using). Cover the dutch oven with a lid and cook for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork tender and easy to shred.
Step Six: Thicken the gravy with a bit of arrowroot starch and then use two forks to shred the beef in the gravy and then serve!
Can I Make This Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
Yes! Making this recipe in the slow cooker is incredibly easy and a great way to use your slow cooker because it allows the meat to slowly cook until perfectly tender.
Here is what you need to do to make this in the slow cooker:
- After searing the meat and developing the crust on the chuck roast, transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Deglaze the pan you used to cook the beef with balsamic vinegar and cook the onions and garlic like you normally would. Then, transfer them to the slow cooker.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients to your slow cooker and then cook on high for 6-8 hours or until the beef is tender. You can check the roast for tenderness after 5-6 hours and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- If you prefer, thicken your gravy with a little arrowroot starch and then eat!
More Delicious Recipes
Easy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
The Best Whole Roasted Chicken
Creamy Slow Cooker Garlic Mashed Potatoes
One Pan Greek Chicken with Lemon and Artichokes
Easy Homemade Lasagna
I hope you give this Dutch Oven Pot Roast a try! It’s the perfect cozy comfort food that I know you will love.
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
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Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast⠀
- 1 tablespoons salt, divided (plus more to taste)⠀
- 3 tablespoons coconut or olive oil ⠀
- 1 yellow onion, sliced⠀
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar ⠀
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth ⠀
- 6 cloves of garlic, smashed⠀
- 8 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces⠀
- 6 celery stalks, cut into large pieces⠀
- 1–15oz can diced tomatoes⠀
- 2 dried bay leaves⠀
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/4 tsp black pepper⠀
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- Optional: 6 oz mushrooms
- mashed potatoes, for serving
Method
- Preheat the oven to 330 degrees.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- While the dutch oven is heating, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Next, sprinkle half the salt onto one side of the chuck roast.
- Once the dutch oven is hot, add the coconut or olive oil. Next, place the chuck roast in the dutch oven salt side down. Sprinkle the remaining salt on the other side of the beef.
- Sear the beef for 6-8 minutes on each side until it has developed a golden brown crust. Remove the beef from the dutch oven and set aside.
- Lower the heat and add the balsamic vinegar to the dutch oven to deglaze the pan. Next, add the onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the dutch oven from the heat and add the beef, carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, herbs, bay leaf, 2 cups of beef broth, and black pepper. Cover the dutch oven with a lid, place in the oven, and cook for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
- Once tender, remove the chuck roast from the dutch oven and use a spoon to skim some of the fat off the top of the braising liquid. Whisk together remaining ½ cup of beef broth and arrowroot starch. Bring the braising liquid to a simmer, on stove top, and then stir in the arrowroot slurry mixture. The braising liquid will thicken into a gravy. Return the chuck roast to the pot, nestling it in the gravy to ensure that everything is heated through before turning off the heat.
- Serve pieces of the chuck roast, carrots, celery and gravy over mashed potatoes and enjoy!
Keywords: dutch oven pot roast, healthy pot roast, whole30 pot roast, healthy pot roast recipe, how to make pot roast in a dutch oven, how long to cook pot roast in dutch oven, healthy beef pot roast recipe
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
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Really amazing flavors an be super easy instructions, thank you!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you loved it, Kaydence!
Most flavorful pot roast I’ve ever made!
★★★★★
This pot roast is delicious and the perfect dinner for cold winter nights! The gravy was soooo good! Highly recommend and will be making again.
★★★★★
I don’t think I’ll make pot roast any other way! It was seriously so good and so easy. I’ve been making my pot roasts in the instant pot but hate that my carrots always end up like mush, even when I add them at the end and reset for 0 minutes. They were perfect in this Dutch oven method! The meat was super tender and flavorful. Can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
I’ve cooked a lot of things, but never a roast like this. This recipe was so easy to follow, and the results were out of this world! Delicious, tender, tasty. The whole family loved it!
★★★★★
This was so incredibly delicious! I’ve never made pot-roast before but I will certainly be making it again! Thank you for this keeper of a recipe! (^.^)/
So good!! Didn’t have diced tomatoes, so I used grape tomatoes and 8oz of tomato sauce instead since I had those on hand. Will be making again!
★★★★★
I used this recipe for Christmas lunch and everyone was RAVING about it! Definitely keeping this for next year. I’m not a huge on red meat so I only really cook it at the holidays but took the risk of changing my usual recipe because I had full trust in Ashlea to help me deliver a delicious Christmas meal for my family. 🙂 Thanks for being a part of our holiday memory!!
★★★★★
What should the broth/liquid level be before putting in the oven? I’ve read only half way up the chuck roast. But when follow other directions exactly it completely submerges the chick roast? Thank you!
Hi, James! I always add 2 1/2 cups of broth, per the recipe ingredients for this roast. If it’s a little more than half way up the roast I’m sure that’s fine. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Delicious! The “extra” step of searing the beef was totally worthwhile. This is my new go-to pot roast recipe.
★★★★★
Im not usually a fan of roast but made this for my dads birthday birthday dinner. Everyone loved it and it has to be one of the most delicious meals I think I’ve ever made! 10/10! I can’t wait to make it again!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved it, Autumn!
Did I read the slow cooker instructions correctly… 6-8 h on HIGH? Just want to clarify b/c this looks amazing & I want to do it right!
Hi, Sansra: yes that’s correct. You can check the beef after 4-5 hours to see if it’s tender and keep cooking as needed. Hope that helps!
By far, the best pot roast recipe I’ve ever made!! I added 2 tsp. of better than bouillon to the broth and it was delicious.
★★★★★
This meal was SO good! My husband isn’t a fan of pot roast so I was hesitant to make the recipe, but it’s a perfect one pot meal so I went for it! He loved it! I added mushrooms per the suggestion in the directions. Also, I only had low sodium vegetable stock on hand, so used that instead of beef stock. The sauce had such great flavor, the meat was tender and the veggies were delicious! The fresh thyme and rosemary definitely added a layer of flavor along with the balsamic- we look forward to having the leftovers! I’ll definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Another ATHT keeper! We used the slow cooker version and came home this afternoon to the most delicious smells. The searing of the meat and the addition of balsamic vinegar and tomatoes take this to a new level from the pot roast we grew up with. And take her advice and serve it over mashed potatoes. Perfection!
★★★★★
Loved the flavors in this recipe. It was so hearty and is a perfect meal for the winter!
★★★★
This is one of the best (if not the best) pot roast recipes I’ve ever had. Not cooking the potatoes in with the roast and doing mashed potatoes is also a game changer. I love that it’s fairly hands off once you get it in the oven and essentially one pot (other than making the mashed potatoes). It’s so flavorful and comforting. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
so happy you loved the recipe, Mary!
Hi! Going to make this tomorrow but am I missing what you do with the coconut oil?
Hi, TY! there was a small typo in the instructions. You can use coconut or olive oil to sear the chuck roast. hope that helps!
So delicious and the recipe is easy to follow as a novice cook. The mashed potatoes are the way to go with the thickened stew. Love it!
★★★★★
I’ve been making roasts for at least 15 years just like my mom did when I was growing up, and they’ve always been great, but I wanted to try something different. I made this last night and the addition of the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes really improved the flavor of the dish! Also, adding the slurry to the whole pot at the end instead of straining all the veggies out made things so easy and just as delicious. My whole family raved about it. I also departed from my usual method of cooking the potatoes with the roast and mashed them instead — it was like having a cheater version of beef bourguignon. Another perfect recipe! Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Anyone tried this in their Instant Pot?
I’ve been making the same roast for the past three years, and it’s my husband’s favorite meal. But I wanted to lower the sodium and was looking for a new recipe. This one showed up in my Instagram, and it looked amazing. Made it tonight, and my husband and I agreed it’s the best roast we’ve ever had. Amazing!
★★★★★
Perfect meal for a cozy winter evening.
★★★★★
Perfect recipe for a cold and snowy night! Paired it with the garlic mashed potatoes and it was delicious!!
★★★★★
So delicious! The flavors were great and the meat was pull apart perfect. A new family favorite. I love a reason to use my dutch oven. Such a great one pot meal!
★★★★★
Amazing recipe. Made this for dinner last night, easy to make, great flavor. Family loved it will definitely be added to the rotation! Thank you.
★★★★★
This was really yummy! I did make some changes based on what I had to use up. This recipe is extremely flexible! It turned out more like a stew, because I planned it that way. I did add about 1/2 cup of red wine, because I needed to use it up. Parsnips, too! My favorite thing to add at the end to a dish like this is horseradish mixed with sour cream. It didn’t need it, I just love it. Totally making this again. Excellent recipe!
Perfection! My whole family loved this roast!
★★★★★
This pot roast was delicious (the sauce/gravy was next level!) and my whole family loved it. I added red potatoes with about 1.5 hours left and they were wonderful. I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Easy to make and delicious. Will be making this frequently in these colder months.
★★★★★
Kid requested pot roast and this happened to appear on my IG feed. Absolutely delicious. The balsamic vinegar gives the dish some really good depth. After two hours I put in baby potatoes and cooked it the rest of the suggested time. So so good!
★★★★★
This sounds lovely! Can you provide the instructions for instant pot, too?
Hi, Tisha! I haven’t tried this in the instant pot.
Delicious! This was a major hit in my house served over mashed potatoes with rolls.
★★★★★
I didn’t know I was a pot roast person until this recipe. I’m not trying to be dramatic, but it’s life-changing. SO SO DELICIOUS.
★★★★★
So happy you loved it, Margaret!
Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to make this. This recipe is so good. My husband isn’t a huge whole 30 fan and was skeptical when I added the balsamic vinegar but he came back for thirds. It’s full of flavor and I used dry herbs instead of fresh, so imagine how explosive the flavor will be with fresh herbs. Can’t wait to make this for friends and family.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved the recipe, Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
There are not enough good words to say how much I LOVE this recipe. I made it for my family for Christmas and it received more compliments than anything. I’ve made it several times and it’s perfect every, single time. Thanks for giving us the option to put it in the slow cooker, I hate to use my oven for so many hours at a time (is that weird?) 🙂
★★★★★
I’m so happy you love it Summer! Thanks for sharing!
This pot roast recipe is simple and easy but SO DECADENT and delicious! My whole family loved it and I’ll definitely be adding it to the rotation for family dinners.
★★★★★
YUM! Second time making this in a month for Sunday dinner. Simple to prepare and will make your home smell amazing for hours as it cooks. Love no-fuss meals on Sundays. Thanks, Ashlea!
★★★★★
You’re so welcome, Jenna! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Judy!
I cook for my family often, mostly family recipes or other creative meals. Well, the reviews are in and this pot roast was “the best thing” I ever made. Little do they know my secret weapon is ATHT. Thank you, Ashlea for helping me put good food on the table!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear that, Nadia! thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
This is so good! I can’t wait to make it again. The flavors are so good and it’s so easy to make.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved it, Emily! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
I made this last night for dinner and LOVED every bite, I had to get seconds LOL! I would have never thought to put Balsamic Vinegar, the FLAVOR it brought to this dish. I can’t even explain it, it just really took it to a whole other level! So so dang good, this will always be my go to pot roast recipe
★★★★★
So happy you loved the recipe, Christina! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Made this tonight – very easy and delicious!!
★★★★★
So glad you loved it, Kaitlyn!
I have made this recipe for my husband and he simply loved it. Now (per his request) I am going to prepare it for my mother-in-law for her birthday, but as I am working tomorrow, I can only make the main steps during my hour work break. I already cut up everything but I am not sure how I can keep the pot roast hot for longer. Like have it on 330degrees for 3-4 hours and then lower the temperature and keep it hot until she comes over? I have 6 hours so it would be for another 2 hours from the recipe what I need. Can you advise what lower temperature can I use to have the pot roast in the oven for 6 hours?
Thank you in advance!
★★★★★
Hi, Sztella! So happy to hear that you and your husband love this recipe!! For your specific situation I would follow the slow cooker directions in the blog post. Prepping the roast in the slow cooker will help it to cook a bit slower, so it won’t dry out, and will keep it hot until you’re ready to eat. Hope that helps!
I’m in my last week of my third Whole30 and I have made this twice in the last month. The first time I made it, my husband asked if we could make it the following week, so I did! The flavors are incredible and I’m honestly shocked at how delicious it is without the usual splash of wine. It also makes great leftovers. We added small yellow and red potatoes, whole, halved and quartered, and it was spectacular. I feel certain Ashlea’s suggestion to serve with mashed potatoes is equally delicious. Thanks Ashlea for sharing your work!
★★★★★
Told my husband I was making a roast, he said “I will happily eat it but roast is just not my favorite.”
Made it in the crockpot, omitted the celery but used the mushrooms, and my husband told me after the meal “I.loved.that. Hands down the best roast I’ve ever had!”
The flavor is incredible, the ingredients are simple, and it was such minimal effort. This is going in the regular rotation! Ashlea, I can’t wait to make more of your recipes. Everything I’ve tried is 10/10 incredible.
★★★★★
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I followed the instructions to a T (including yukon potatoes) and it came out abslutely perfect.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! I’ve tried a bunch of pot roast recipes in the past, but I’ve never had one with balsamic vinegar…it was so good and full of flavor! Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Yay! So happy you loved this recipe, Sarah!
I think the balsamic vinegar is a game changer for all of my future pot roasts, it added such great flavor! Made this for dinner and topped it with some potatoes and crispy okra and it was phenomenal! Thanks for the easy and fantastic recipe.
Just wanted to say that this is, hands-down, the best pot roast I have ever tasted. I made this in my slow cooker and followed your recipe exactly. Wow. This is CRAZY good. My husband and I have been raving about this all evening, and my 4-year-old daughter said this was her “favorite food of her life.” I have never used balsamic vinegar or tomatoes in a pot roast before, and these ingredients take this pot roast to the next level, along with the salt crust. This pot roast was perfectly seasoned and so tender. This is my new go-to pot roast recipe. Thank you!!
This pot roast is so good and perfect for a cozy, rainy day at home. The recipe is easy to follow, and it turned out so flavorful! My boyfriend (who does NOT like pot roast) said this was so delicious and the best pot roast I have ever made! I opted to cook the potatoes with the meat instead of mashed potatoes (less dishes to clean) and they were perfectly tender. So so flavorful. Thank you, Ashlea!!
Wow! That’s such high praise, especially from your boyfriend who doesn’t like pot roast. I feel like this recipe is a guaranteed win if he said that! So glad y’all enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!!