Warm up your kitchen with this rich, savory French onion pot roast. It combines tender slow-cooked beef with jammy onions for the ultimate winter comfort meal!
This French onion pot roast is my go-to “cozy” dish whenever the cold sets in. There’s nothing quite as comforting as a warm kitchen filled with the aromas of a steaming pot roast. I usually make an extra large batch so we can enjoy it for dinner that night with mashed potatoes on the side, then turn into a whole new meal the next day. Pile the roast on sandwiches, burritos, even just toast with cheese on top… you can’t go wrong!
Craving more pot roasts? Try a good ol’ fashioned Dutch oven pot roast, or venture out and make the unique and zesty Mississippi pot roast.
French Onion Pot Roast Video
How To Make French Onion Pot Roast
Making this French onion pot roast is truly a simple process of building layers of flavor. Start by searing the meat and caramelizing the onions, then let the oven do all the heavy lifting.
- Sear the meat: Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper, then sear it in a large Dutch oven with the butter until browned on all sides. Remove the roast.
- Caramelize the onions: Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, and sauté until they are caramelized.
- Add the other ingredients: Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute. Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and beef broth, then scrape the bottom of the pot. Place the meat back inside.
- Braise the roast: Cover the pot and place it into the oven at 325°F for 3½–4 hours.
Hot tip: For a thicker gravy, uncover the pot in the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
Tips For the Best French Onion Pot Roast
My mouth waters every time I think of this French onion pot roast because it is seriously so good. Every time I make it, I use these techniques to ensure it comes out perfectly tender and flavorful.
- Use chuck roast. A good quality beef chuck roast is the gold standard for this recipe. It has a high fat content and plenty of connective tissue that breaks down during the long braise, resulting in fall-apart tenderness and juiciness.
- Get a good sear on the beef. Browning the roast before braising not only locks in the juices and flavor, it produces a richer sauce (thank you, browned bits!).
- Take your time with the onions. Allll the flavor comes from the caramelized onions, so don’t rush the process. They should be deeply browned, “jammy” in texture, and sweet.
- Deglaze the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot once you add the beef broth. This “fond” adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Adjust the cook time as needed. If your roast is on the thicker side, you may need to cook it a bit longer to break down all the connective tissue. Check for fork-tenderness every 15 minutes after the allotted time.
Storage & Reheating
You guys, make a double batch of this French onion pot roast — trust me. It reheats so well, and you can get as creative as you want with the leftovers!
- Storage: Allow the pot roast to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container (these ones are perfectly portioned for meal prep) and refrigerate for up to four days.
- Reheating: Reheat the leftovers gently over the stovetop or in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
Hot tip: Turn the leftovers into steak sandwiches!
More Cozy One-Pot Meals
- Stuffed Peppers Soup — A hearty mixture of sautéed ground beef, veggies, and rice in a creamy broth
- Homemade Hamburger Helper — So hearty and way better than the store-bought stuff
- Lamb Stew — Fall-apart lamb shoulder in a mouthwatering tomato-ey broth
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup — Pure coziness in a bowl
Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 cups beef broth
- Finely chopped parsley for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the chuck roast evenly with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the butter and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove the roast and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium low. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and deeply caramelized, about 20–25 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and dried thyme.
- Lastly, pour in the beef broth and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Place the roast back into the pot and spoon the onions over the top. Cover the pot with the lid, then transfer it to the oven.
- Braise the beef for 3½–4 hours, or until it is fork-tender. Shred the beef, garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
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