Pot Roast with Lipton Onion Soup Mix is an easy recipe for the best pot roast ever. This classic Crock Pot meal cooks low and slow for succulent fall apart pot roast, fork tender potatoes and carrots, and the most delicious gravy.
Jump to:
- The Perfect Pot Roast
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- What Kind of Beef Roast is Good for Pot Roast?
- Which Potatoes are Best for Pot Roast?
- Pot Roast Seasoning
- How to Keep Vegetables from Getting Mushy in Pot Roast
- How to Make Pot Roast with Onion Soup Mix
- Side Dishes for Lipton Soup Pot Roast
- Expert Tips
- FAQs
- More Delicious Crock Pot Recipes
- Let's Stay in Touch
- 📖 Recipe
Here in the Midwest, when the weather takes a chilly turn, I love to make stick-to-your-ribs dishes like Baked Chicken, Pork Chops and Gravy, and cozy Swiss Chicken Casserole.
But nothing says comfort food like a good pot roast. It warms us up from the inside out, even when it's 30 below, and it's equally perfect for busy weeknights and Sunday dinners with the whole family.
The Perfect Pot Roast
This Lipton onion soup mix pot roast is a classic slow cooker pot roast recipe that promises big, delicious rewards for just a little bit of effort.
In the morning, all I do is prep the vegetables and roast, stir together the gravy mixture, and load everything in the Crock Pot. By dinner time, it's ready!
The most tender fall-apart pot roast, perfectly cooked -- not mushy! -- carrots and potatoes, and a rich savory gravy.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Pot roast with Lipton onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup is the ultimate comfort food
- Easy set-and-forget slow cooker pot roast recipe
- Tender pot roast with perfectly cooked carrots and potatoes
- Perfect weeknight meal or Sunday dinner
Ingredients
I make this Lipton onion soup pot roast recipe with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
Boneless beef chuck roast. Boneless chuck roast cooks low and slow into the most tender roast ever.
Pot roast seasoning. Season the pot roast with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.
Flour. Coating the pot roast in flour before searing it will help it to caramelize and add rich flavor to the pot roast.
Lipton onion soup mix. Dry onion soup mix adds rich 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 rich beef flavor to the roast, gravy, and vegetables.
Carrots. I prefer using large, whole carrots -- or large baby carrots. The small, thin baby carrots don't hold up well to long, slow cooking.
Potatoes. I use 3-4 inch Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut in half so they don't fall apart 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.
What Kind of Beef Roast is Good for Pot Roast?
It can get a little overwhelming looking over all the cuts of meat to choose the best cut of beef for a pot roast. To help you out, here are three of the best ones.
Chuck. Chuck roast comes from the shoulder and is perfect for making 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.
Which Potatoes are Best for Pot Roast?
When choosing potatoes for a slow cooker pot roast, select a spud that won't fall apart and turn to mush.
Idaho and russet potatoes are high on the starchy side and tend to break down during low and slow cooking. Potatoes that are considered "waxy" will be more apt to stay together and turn perfectly tender in the slow cooker.
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
More bonus points go to these perfect potatoes for pot roast because they have thin skin and don't need to be peeled. Plus, leaving the skin on can further help them hold their shape.
Pot Roast Seasoning
My secret to making a flavorful pot roast with cream of mushroom soup is liberally seasoning the roast, coating it in flour, then searing it before placing it in the Crock Pot.
My favorite pot roast seasoning recipe is salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder.
You can make your pot roast seasoning your own and add other herbs, spices, and seasonings like:
- Brown sugar. A couple of tablespoons of light or dark brown sugar
- Herbs. Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, Italian seasoning, bay leaves (remove after cooking)
- 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 folks will go to great lengths to avoid them by adding the potatoes and carrots halfway through cooking time or wrapping them in foil and placing them on top of the roast.
I don't want to have to do anything halfway through the cook time because I might not be home. And I also want the vegetables to cook with the meat and juices.
This is exactly how I avoid mushy vegetables 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, 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 their cooked.
- Sliced whole carrots. Baby carrots can get really tiny. I like to cut large whole carrots into 3-inch pieces and halve the really thick ones.
- Vegetables on top of the meat. Place the vegetables around and on top of the roast. It's more important for the meat to reap the benefits of the low and slow cook than the vegetables. 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
Step 1: Season the roast. 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: Sear the meat. 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 the roast in the Crock Pot.
Step 3: Make the gravy mixture. Add a little broth to the pan. Bring to a simmer to loosen up any browned bits -- you want them in your gravy!
Whisk in the rest of the broth, the package of Lipton onion soup, and both cans of cream of mushroom soup.
Step 4: Cook the pot roast. 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. Make the gravy. Pour liquid from Crock Pot into saucepan. Bring to boil.
Make slurry with cornstarch and cold water. Whisk into the liquid and simmer until thickened.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Spoon the gravy over the roast or serve it on the side.
Side Dishes for Lipton Soup Pot Roast
Serve pot roast with a green salad, dinner rolls, and warm and cozy sides like:
- Baked Macaroni & Cheese with Breadcrumbs
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Sweet Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Paula Deen Corn Casserole
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Green Bean Casserole
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.
- Cook until the pot roast falls apart into fork-tender meat. If it doesn't fall apart, it's not done yet.
FAQs
Some people swear by adding the carrots and potatoes halfway through the cooking time. I am not a fan of that option because I like to walk away from my Crock Pot pot roast for the rest of the day.
Instead I cut the potatoes into large 2-inch chunks and place them on top of the roast. That way, the roast is closest to the heating elements, which is more important than the vegetables.
Put the vegetables around and on top of the roast. After 8-10 hours on low, the roast will be fall apart soft and the vegetable will be perfectly fork tender.
Yes. The best potatoes for pot roast are the ones that will hold their shape during cooking like Yukon gold potatoes, red potatoes, baby potatoes, and fingerling potatoes.
The bonus of using these potatoes is they're also thin skinned potatoes that don't need to be peeled. Plus, leaving the skin on can help them hold their shape.
Cooking chuck roast pot roast in the slow cooker low and slow in liquid will tenderize the connective tissue in the roast and result in a fall apart pot roast that's tender, juicy, and succulent.
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.
More Delicious Crock Pot Recipes
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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 used 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 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.
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 :).