Pot Roast with Lipton Onion Soup Mix is an easy slow cooker recipe for the best pot roast ever with succulent fall-apart pot roast, fork-tender potatoes and carrots, and the most delicious gravy ever.
For more ultimate comfort food dinners, try Baked Thin Chicken Breasts, Pork Chops and Gravy, and cozy Swiss Chicken Casserole next.
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Ever had a beef roast that's tough and dry with mushy vegetables and bland gravy? Don't worry -- this is not that! This Lipton onion soup mix pot roast is tender, flavorful roast, perfectly cooked carrots and potatoes (not mushy!), and a rich, savory gravy.
Though it's a very easy pot roast recipe, there are a few key steps to ensure it turns out perfectly every time.
Stick with me, and I'll share all my secrets, including:
- How to choose the best cut of beef for pot roast
- My go-to pot roast seasoning blend
- The best potatoes for slow cooking
- How to keep vegetables from getting mushy in the Crock Pot
❤️Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender roast with rich, savory flavor from the Lipton Onion soup mix and my favorite pot roast seasoning blend
- Fork-tender carrots and potatoes that cook low and slow to soak up the flavors of the roast
- Stick-to-your-ribs hearty meal -- perfect for weeknights or Sunday dinner
- Easy slow cooker pot roast recipe with simple ingredients
🧅Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Boneless beef chuck roast. Boneless chuck roast is an excellent choice for pot roast because of its beefy flavor and tender texture when cooked low and slow.
- Pot roast seasoning. A blend of garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper seasons the roast.
- Flour. Coating the pot roast in flour before searing helps it to caramelize, adding rich flavor.
- Lipton onion soup mix. Dry onion soup mix adds savory onion flavor to this classic pot roast recipe.
- Cream of mushroom soup. Two cans of cream of mushroom soup create a rich and creamy gravy.
- Beef broth. Low-sodium beef broth adds even more succulent beefy flavor to the roast, gravy, and vegetables.
- Carrots. For carrots that will stand up to long, slow cooking, use large, whole carrots or large, thick baby carrots. Small, thin carrots don't hold up well.
- Potatoes. 3-4 inch Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut in half, keep their shape during cooking. You can cut them into smaller pieces after they've been cooked.
- Cornstarch. A simple cornstarch slurry turns the cooking liquid into a rich and savory beef gravy.
🌟Secrets to Making the Perfect Pot Roast
As promised, I'm sharing all my tips and tricks so your Lipton Onion Soup pot roast with potatoes and carrots comes out perfectly every time. I've got you covered with everything from choosing the best cut of beef to the most flavorful pot roast seasoning recipe.
🥩Best Cuts of Beef for a Pot Roast
It can get a little overwhelming looking over all the cuts of meat. Here are three of the best ones for a tender pot roast.
- Chuck. Chuck roast comes from the shoulder and is perfect for making a tender pot roast. The low and slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue, tenderizing the meat and adding rich succulent flavor to the cooking juices.
- Brisket. The brisket is a flat, lean cut with long strands that comes from the breast. For ultimate tenderness, brisket is best sliced against the grain.
- Round. The round roast, also called a rump roast, is a lean cut with a fine grain that comes from the rear leg area. Because it's so lean, it's not quite as flavorful as other roasts.
🥔Best Potatoes for Pot Roast
For a slow cooker pot roast, choose waxy potatoes -- they hold their shape and become tender without falling apart. Plus, their thin skin means no peeling is needed, saving you prep time!
The best potatoes for a pot roast crock pot recipe are:
- Yukon gold potatoes -- halved or quartered
- Red potatoes -- halved or quartered
- New or baby potatoes -- whole if 1-2 inches or halved if larger
- Fingerling potatoes -- whole, halve longer ones crosswise
Idaho and russet potatoes, on the other hand, are more on the starchy side and tend to break down during low and slow cooking.
🌶️Easy Pot Roast Seasoning
The secret to a flavorful pot roast is liberally seasoning the beef, coating it in flour, then searing it before placing it in the Crock Pot. Which, I know, seems kind of a pain. But it's 100% worth it.
My favorite pot roast seasoning recipe is salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder. See the recipe card for the exact quantities of each.
Try your own variation of pot roast seasoning by adding other herbs, spices, and seasonings like:
- Brown sugar. A couple of tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar add molasses flavor
- Herbs. Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, Italian seasoning
- Spices. Paprika, cumin, ground mustard
- Seasoning blends. Montreal steak seasoning, Italian seasoning
🥕How to Keep Vegetables from Getting Mushy in Pot Roast
No one wants mushy vegetables in their pot roast. And this is exactly how I keep the carrots and potatoes perfectly fork-tender in this Lipton onion soup pot roast recipe.
- Waxy potatoes. Waxier potatoes keep their shape during low and slow cooking. Yukon golds are my first choice, and red potatoes are second.
- Large chunks of potatoes. Keep small 2-inch potatoes whole or cut larger potatoes into 2-inch halves or quarters. If you want smaller cuts of potatoes, cut them up after they are cooked.
- Sliced whole carrots. Cut large whole carrots into 3-inch pieces and halve the really thick ones. Stay away from baby carrots unless they're pretty thick.
- Vegetables on top of the meat. Place the vegetables around and on top of the roast. It's more important for the meat to cook low and slow, so place the meat at the bottom, closer to the heat, and the vegetables on top.
🥣 How to Make Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
See the recipe card for more detailed step-by-step instructions.
Step 1: Trim excess fat off the roast and pat it dry. Rub the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper on all sides of the roast. Coat the roast in flour.
Step 2: Brown the roast in olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven for 3-4 minutes per side until it develops a brown crust. Place roast in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add a little broth to the pan. Bring to a simmer to loosen up any brown bits -- you want them in your gravy! Whisk in the rest of the broth, the packet of onion soup mix, and both cans of cream of mushroom soup.
Step 4: Pour soup mixture over the roast. Place potatoes around and on top of the roast and carrots on top of the potatoes. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high. Place carrots, potatoes, and roast on a serving platter. Tent with foil.
Step 5: Pour liquid from Crock Pot into a saucepan. Bring to boil. Make slurry with cornstarch and cold water. Whisk into the liquid and simmer until thickened.
Step 6: Spoon the gravy over the roast or serve it on the side. Serve and enjoy!
☑️Expert Tips
- Use whole carrots or large, thick baby carrots. Thin baby carrots can get too mushy.
- Use large chunks of potatoes. Prevent potatoes from getting mushy by keeping them large. I use 3-4 inch potatoes and cut them in half. Cut larger potatoes into thirds and leave baby potatoes and fingerling potatoes whole.
- Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces after cooking.
- Cooking time my vary depending on your slow cooker. Older ones can take longer. Cook until the pot roast falls apart into fork-tender meat. If it doesn't fall apart, it's not done yet.
🥗Side Dishes for Lipton Soup Pot Roast
Lipton onion soup pot roast with carrots and potatoes is definitely a complete meal on its own. But there's always room for sides!
❓FAQs
Add the potatoes at the same time as the roast. But to keep them from turning too soft during cooking, keep them in large 2-inch chunks and place them around and on top of the roast. You can cut them into smaller pieces after they are cooked.
Yes. The best potatoes for pot roast are waxy potatoes, like Yukon gold potatoes, red potatoes, baby potatoes, and fingerling potatoes. Since they are also thin-skinned, they don't need to be peeled, which helps them hold their shape during cooking.
Store leftover pot roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
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📖 Recipe
Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 pound carrots cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes halved, or cut into thirds
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Spray the insert of the Crock Pot with nonstick cooking spray.
- Peel the carrots and cut them into 3-inch pieces. Cut very thick carrots in half horizontally. Cut potatoes in halves or thirds. Leave 2-inch potatoes whole. I use 3-4 inch potatoes cut in half.
- If desired, trim excess fat off the roast. Pat the roast dry. Rub the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper on all sides of the roast. Coat the roast in flour.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Brown the roast for 3-4 minutes per side until it develops a brown crust. Remove the roast from the pan and place in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
- Add enough broth to the hot skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and loosen up any browned bits -- you want those in your gravy. Whisk in the rest of the broth, dry soup mix, and both cans of cream of mushroom soup.
- Pour the soup mixture over the pot roast. Place the potatoes around the and on top of the roast and the carrots on top of the potatoes. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high or until the meat falls apart and the vegetables are fork tender.
- Remove the carrots, potatoes, and pot roast from the Crock Pot and place them on a serving platter. If desired, cut the potatoes into smaller pieces. Tent the platter with foil while you make the gravy.
- Pour the liquid from the Crock Pot into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with 3-4 tablespoons of cold water to form a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the liquid and simmer until thickened. Spoon the gravy over the roast or serve it on the side.
We have milk allergies. What would you recommend to substitute the cream of mushroom soup?
Hi, Janet, I haven't tried them, but here are a couple of recipes for dairy-free condensed cream of mushroom soup that have received positive reviews for use in cooking: https://godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-condensed-cream-of-mushroom-soup-2; https://thefoodieeats.com/vegan-cream-of-mushroom-soup/. I've read others recommend making a roux, using cashew cream, or Imagine brand portobello soup (which is thinner and might replace some of the broth, too?). I hope this is helpful and would love to hear what you use and how it goes! Cara
If I double this recipe would I really need to add 4 cans of the soup and 4 cups of the broth? That seems like alot.
Hi, Debbie, you should have enough liquid for a 5 lb. roast. If it doesn't seem like enough when you load everything into the slow cooker, you can always stir one more can of soup with a cup or two of broth and add it. Let me know what you end up doing and how it turns out!
Made this for me mom and my nephew. It was a hit. Delicious!
That's great to hear, I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it :).
After I removed the roast I added 1 sliced onion & 3 cloves of garlic to the pan & sautéed before I added the soups, broth & 1 Tbl Worcester sauce. I then added this over the roast with the carrots & potatoes in the crock pot. I also added halfed mushrooms 1 hr from completion. I added the cornstarch slurry to the crock pot cause I was too lazy to do it separately. Everything was perfectly cooked. My veggies weren't mushy, meat tender & plenty of gravy. Thank you for sharing, I've had difficulty with all of those in other recipes. Will make again!!
Hi, Lisa, thank you so much for sharing your delicious adaptations! I love hearing how you took the recipe and put your own spin on it :). I'm so glad that everything came out perfectly cooked and that you'll be enjoying this recipe again! Thanks again for the nice note. Cara
I’m definitely going to try this recipe. Always love a good roast beef dinner on a Sunday night. Thanks!
Thank you so much for trying this recipe, I hope you enjoy it :).