Nothing is as comforting as a flavorful, fork-tender oven pot roast. Best of all, this is ready for the oven in only 15 minutes, and uses simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry!
When it’s August in the South, consistently nearly 90 degrees, and humid enough that you want to take a shower the moment you step out the door, I feel like I should be eating things like cucumber tomato salad and light, refreshing raw veggies for dinner. Crunchy, cold things.
But what was I supposed to do when jumbo-packs of stew-meat pot roast chunks were half off at Harris Teeter? It was out of my control. I don’t know how that value pack ended up in my cart, officer.
Well, I considered making something exciting and unexpected like French dip sandwiches or Chipotle-knockoff barbacoa with it.
But then the more I thought about it, and the more we had dark, night-like afternoons filled with thunderstorms that make you want to curl up under a blanket, the more regular ol’ classic pot roast started to sound like just the thing to do with three pounds of beef.
My mom, you should know, has been known to make a mean pot roast. At one point I asked her about it and she said she had forgotten how to make it.
What?! FORGOTTEN how to make the pot roast? The legendary fork-tender fall-apart meat and potatoes? The loss of a national treasure! Tragedy.
Flashback: I’m not sure how long ago it was, but when cheesy computer clip art was in its heyday, my mom made me a cookbook of her favorite go-to recipes, the half-letter pages in plastic sleeves decorated with exciting little cartoony illustrations of the ingredients. It was great.
There are a few recipes I consistently reference the book for, but honestly, (sorry, mother) I’ve never made half the things in there and I don’t even know what’s on many of the pages. So when I was flipping through the book one day (and my foreshadowing skills are sooooo subtle here, I’m sure), I was surprised and thrilled to find the long-lost oven pot roast recipe!
It may not be a slow-cooker recipe, but this classic oven pot roast is just as simple.
It probably only took 15 minutes to prep, contained mostly pantry-staple ingredients, and then during the long cooking time, Mike and I got all the yard work done. All of it.
I’m talking mowing the lawn and weed-whacking by the fence and raised garden (thanks, dearest), trimming the monster bushes that shoot branches all the way to the freaking ROOF (no exaggeration, really!), watering all the potted plants, cutting all the dead sago palm branches off…
By the time we were done, it was dusk, we were dog-tired, and the most delicious aroma greeted us at the door. It was so powerful it even overpowered the sweat-and-bug-spray smell we brought in with us.
Much nicer than working in the yard for three hours, coming inside to no food and going “Wanna have mac and cheese?” Seriously, it was awesome. Just as flavorful and tender and comforting as I remembered, and much easier than I expected for a family-famous meal.
So, as my mother passed it on to me, I now pass it on to you: the famous pot roast.
Try serving this pot roast with:
- No-Knead Rosemary Thyme Dutch Oven Bread
- Lemon Broccoli Salad
If you like easy comfort food recipes, also check out:
- Stove Top Beef Stew with Red Wine
- Easy Turkey Chili
- Kielbasa and Cabbage with Egg Noodles
- Italian Sausage Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Or visit my comfort foods category page!
Classic Oven Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lbs stew meat chunks or blade cut chuck roast
- 1 package dry onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1-2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 3 medium potatoes (red, yellow, or white), cut into large chunks
- 1 lb bag of baby carrots or 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/2 can beef broth, if necessary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Place onion slices in bottom of large baking dish and top with meat. Sprinkle dry onion soup mix over meat, cover with undiluted cream of mushroom soup, and sprinkle with soy sauce.
- Tightly cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, uncover, and surround roast with potatoes and carrots. If using stew meat chunks, toss ingredients together to make sure vegetables are coated with soup and juices. If meat seems dry, add beef broth.
- Recover pan and return to oven for 2-3 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.
96 Comments
Christina Nelson
August 14, 2015 at 4:10 pmOh yum. I think I have wasted too much time trying to recreate the flavor “from scratch”. Maybe I’ll try making it this simple old fashioned convenience cooking way.
Caroline Lindsey
August 17, 2015 at 11:52 amI’m sure you know I, too, tend towards from-scratch type recipes, but who was I to argue with the recipe you so lovingly illustrated for me? It did not disappoint. It’s like the ranch mix on the pork chops – when the onion soup mixes with the mushroom soup and the beef juices, the flavor is so much more complex than you’d imagine! If you make it, let me know if it’s how you remembered it!
Alison Hager
December 5, 2020 at 4:21 pmCaroline,
I did the recipe exactly as you said. It looks delicious, but the meat is still tough. Do I just cook it longer?
Caroline Lindsey
January 4, 2021 at 8:56 pmWithout knowing more, I’d say you should probably cook it longer. It takes a long time for that connective tissue to break down in a tougher cut of meat like that. Did you perhaps start with a larger roast, like 4-5 lbs? That can definitely affect cook time!
Carol
April 20, 2019 at 12:28 pmI’m using this recipe for Easter dinner. I don’t have beef broth and I have two angus chuck roasts totaling 5 lbs. help! Also don’t u sear meat first?
Caroline Lindsey
April 27, 2019 at 10:34 amI don’t sear the meat in this recipe, although you certainly could! It would add a little extra flavor, but at the expense of having to wash another dish and taking a little longer to prep. Definitely a valid choice though!
Diana L. Eppens
October 14, 2019 at 6:10 pmI sear mine on the BBQ grille. I put oily on the meat and sear it on all 4 sides. Sometimes it is a little hard to stand them up, I manage to do it. Adds an amazing flavor.
Caroline Lindsey
October 18, 2019 at 9:26 amSearing your meat first will definitely add a nice flavor! I do like the ease of this recipe since you don’t have to break out an additional piece of cookware to sear the meat too. Both ways have excellent benefits!
David
January 12, 2016 at 2:33 pmWe missed comfort foods like this when we first moved to Tucson. Now, we just crank the AC and give into our desires whenever we want them. (It helps that we are fully solar…)
Gosh, I remember those corny clip art illustrations – they were revolutionary at the time. I wonder if anyone is still getting royalties from them… 🙂
Caroline Lindsey
January 12, 2016 at 10:18 pmDid you not make comfort foods when you first moved to Tucson because it wasn’t cold enough? I’m very cold natured so I didn’t have a problem with that when I lived there. I have two space heaters by my feet at work!
I did feel a little weird making this pot roast in the late summer but it was still delicious! Now that it’s actually a bit cold (we got a frost last night!) I will make it again for sure. I should post some photos of the clip art recipe pages!
Bonnie
March 9, 2019 at 3:23 pmDon’t the potatoes and carrots get too done being in there for 2-3 hrs?
You don’t bring the meat first?
Caroline Lindsey
March 11, 2019 at 10:41 pmI put it all in at once! It’s great, and the juices from the meat really flavor the veggies.
Maria
October 26, 2019 at 9:15 amThank you so much for this wonderful classic recipe . I have been looking for this for years. My late mother in law used to make it , it was all ways so darn good. She wasn’t from the south but from up state New York , this good woman would cook up a storm of delicious foods . She gave me the recipe 55 years ago than lost it or misplaced after her passing . She used the same ingredients,except she wrapped it in thin coil and baked
Thank you very much
Caroline Lindsey
November 1, 2019 at 9:02 amThat is so heart-warming to hear! Isn’t it wonderful to rediscover an old recipe that brings back memories? <3
Kimberly Webber
June 6, 2020 at 7:52 pmI preheat my large cast iron skillet on the stove top to a medium high heat. I place the meat and the remainder of the ingredients (minus veggies) right into the skillet. Seal it with aluminum foil and bake according to your directions. Gives the meat a little sear, and I’m using only one skillet. Fantastic recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Caroline Lindsey
June 26, 2020 at 4:50 pmI’m a huge fan of one-pan solutions and giving the meat a little sear first sounds nice! Glad you like the recipe!
Laura
August 29, 2017 at 12:29 amThis pot roast sounds delicious, the mushroom cream is a great idea. Storm on its way, after 3 months of intense heat. Perfect time for it.
Caroline Lindsey
September 3, 2017 at 7:35 pmHopefully not too bad of a storm! It’s nice when the rain cools off the heat though. Pot roast is perfect for days like that!
Nancy
November 12, 2017 at 8:07 amI’ve made this pot roast twice and followed the recipe exactly. I must say that it is the best pot roast I have cooked. I used a 3 lb Chuck roast and cut it in pieces removing a lot of the connnecting tissue. It is so much better than the ones I have cooked in a slow cooker.
Caroline Lindsey
November 12, 2017 at 9:11 amThanks so much for your comment, Nancy! Glad you liked the recipe!
Jordan
August 29, 2019 at 4:33 amIf I wanted to add celery how fat into the cooking should I put them in at?
Caroline Lindsey
December 19, 2019 at 11:41 amI’d probably add them with the rest of the veggies, but they will be very soft! If you like them less soft maybe put them in the last hour or so.
Traci
April 2, 2018 at 4:40 pmVery close to my nana’s pot roast recipe! 🙂 Hers uses golden mushroom soup instead of cream. In the oven now and I’m dyyyyyyying from the good smells! 💜 Thanks!
Caroline Lindsey
April 16, 2018 at 10:56 pmOh yummmm, I can imagine that delicious smell now! Such a cozy meal. Hope it tastes like your nana’s!
Diane Billigsley
October 19, 2018 at 1:36 pmThanks for the “how-to” for adding the vegetables to the classic roast! Delicious and easy on this cool fall day.
Caroline Lindsey
October 25, 2018 at 7:15 pmI’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s definitely that time of year again!
Leo Rousseau
November 11, 2018 at 1:06 pmI’ve got this in the oven right now! My second time making it and I wouldn’t change a thing! Thanks for sharing this!
Caroline Lindsey
December 13, 2018 at 7:06 pmThanks so much for your lovely comment! I’m glad you enjoy it!
Denise Oakes
November 27, 2018 at 3:27 pmMaking this now. Smells delicious already. I am only using a 2 pound blade cut (that’s what I bought before finding this recipe). I am sure it will come out perfectly. I will update in a few hours.
Caroline Lindsey
December 13, 2018 at 7:04 pmYum!! Hope you enjoyed the pot roast!
Andi
February 6, 2019 at 3:25 pmOh my goodness! I made this recipe for my boyfriend and mother last night. My mom who is 62 years old said it is the best pot roast she has ever had in her entire life! I’ll take that as a huge compliment! Anybody looking for a yummy quick and easy dinner this is it! Takes about 10 to 15 minutes to prep it. All you have to do is pop it in the oven.
Caroline Lindsey
February 16, 2019 at 2:50 pmSo glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!
Mona estrafax
February 22, 2019 at 7:00 pmI just send my son for another Chuck roast because one won’t be enough! Lol.and I using cream of celery soup instead cuz it’s what I’ve got. My Italian pot roast is great but I’m trying yours today! Ty for sharing
Caroline Lindsey
March 7, 2019 at 6:35 pmHope you liked the pot roast! Yum!
Emily
March 10, 2019 at 8:59 pmI’m going to make this recipe this week for my parents. Since I work, 4 hours of cooking would put dinner Tim too late. So I was wondering if the prep work could be done the night before, and then cooked the next day. For example, could I do steps 1-2 and then put it in the fridge overnight so it could be cooked the next day?
Caroline Lindsey
March 11, 2019 at 10:40 pmStep 2 only takes a couple minutes, so it wouldn’t save you much time if you did that the day before! Pre-cutting veggies the day before is never a bad idea though.
I’m guessing you mean steps 1 through 3? I don’t know how well that would work, since the long cooking method is necessary to melt all those fats and break down the tough tissue. I think putting it back in the fridge overnight would halt the breakdown of the tissues and it would have to catch up again when re-cooking. I don’t know if it’s a cumulative effect or if the cook time has to be all in a row.
Your best bet for not having dinner too late on a weekday, for this recipe, would probably be to try it in a slow cooker. Not having tried it myself, though, I can’t say for sure if your veggies will be overcooked after 9 hours or so on low (I’m guessing an 8 hour workday plus commute time). But I’d say it would be worth a shot!
Chrisy
March 30, 2019 at 7:09 pmI’ve got this in the oven right now. One question, when I take it out after 1 hour to add veggies, do I cover it back up with foil again or cook the remaining amount of time uncovered? Anyone can answer me 😁
Caroline Lindsey
March 30, 2019 at 9:37 pmHey Chrisy! Don’t know if I caught you in time, but you recover it with the foil before returning it to the oven. Hope you enjoy it!
Linda Appling
April 20, 2019 at 6:38 pmlm trying beef roast and pork roast together
I remember my aunt would do this and the gravy was fantastic. so I trying it for easter.
Caroline Lindsey
April 27, 2019 at 10:47 amYum! Sounds delicious! Hope it turned out well for you!
Sherry
May 19, 2019 at 2:36 pmCould I add green beans with the other veggies or would it be too long for them.
Caroline Lindsey
May 22, 2019 at 7:22 amIt would be too long for green beans if you left them the entire time, but you could probably add them in in the last 45 minutes or so!
Tonnie
May 22, 2019 at 3:06 amThis is absolutely the best recipe ever!!! Thank you so much
Caroline Lindsey
May 22, 2019 at 7:21 amSo glad you enjoyed it!
Juliet Cunniffe
February 22, 2020 at 10:49 amI’ve made your recipie 3 times now and it gets better everytime! My family always gobbles it all up😊
Cheers!
Caroline Lindsey
January 16, 2021 at 2:08 pmI’m so glad you love this recipe! Thanks for your comment!
Maria
June 4, 2019 at 2:46 pmI’m about to make this !! Super excited is it possible to sub the mushrooms (allergic) with maybe beef broth ?
Caroline Lindsey
June 4, 2019 at 3:12 pmI would replace it with another kind of cream-of soup – maybe cream of potato, cream of celery, or cream of chicken. Good luck!
Krista
July 2, 2019 at 5:27 pmWhy do we use a cream soup?
I added it to the pot but I’m just curious
Caroline Lindsey
August 29, 2019 at 10:03 amIt helps make a nice thick and creamy gravy! Hope you enjoyed it!
John Balazentis
August 20, 2019 at 6:53 pmAbsolutely the best we’ve ever made!!! I added a little extra cream of mushroom soup as well as beef broth. Love love love this!!!
Caroline Lindsey
August 29, 2019 at 9:42 amExtra gravy is never a bad idea! Thanks for sharing!
Jasmine
September 6, 2019 at 12:13 pmThis recipe is really good and easy to prepare, very tasty. I’m satisfied with how it came out, I’ve made it twice already and they were great both times. It also takes away the time you would spend cooking something else with pots and pans, it’s all prepared in one dish and everything stays clean.
Caroline Lindsey
September 13, 2019 at 1:26 pmDon’t you love one dish meals? Glad you liked it!
Heather
September 16, 2019 at 8:23 pmCooked for a total of 4 hours. Added the broth like recipe said. Only used 2.75 lb roast & it came out raw. Carrots were not cooked properly either. Had no flavor whatsoever. Threw it in garbage b/c it wasn’t good enough for my husband.
Caroline Lindsey
September 19, 2019 at 6:06 pmHi Heather, I’m sorry your pot roast didn’t come out well! However, based on what you said I think there may be a problem with your oven. A 2.75 lb roast should definitely be fully cooked at 325 after 3 hours and falling apart after 4. Carrots would definitely be cooked through! My guess is that your oven needs to be recalibrated – you can check your oven temp easily with an oven thermometer. This one is only $7 and will let you know if your oven is getting up to the temperature you set it to. (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/30bIujp By using one of these I discovered my oven is consistently 25 degrees cool and takes much longer to preheat than it says it does. I didn’t actually recalibrate my oven, but I go by what the oven thermometer says now instead of the oven itself. Please check your oven and if it’s off please try this recipe again! Once it cooks at the proper temperature I assure it will have all the flavor it’s supposed to have!
Linda Klink
October 8, 2019 at 4:42 pmBest pot roast I’ve ever made, delicious.
Caroline Lindsey
October 11, 2019 at 4:04 pmI’m so glad you liked this recipe!
Janet Gutarra
December 29, 2020 at 9:59 pmCan I use a piece of bottom round?….a whole piece instead of chunks?
Caroline Lindsey
January 4, 2021 at 11:25 amYou should be able to use a whole piece of bottom round! A smaller roast around 3 lbs should cook in a total of about 3 hours while a 4-5 lb roast will probably need an extra hour to cook. It’s done when it’s fall-apart fork-tender!
ERica
November 13, 2019 at 1:57 pmIt is so nice to see this recipe in print. My dad passed down the Onion Soup and Golden Mushroom Soup Pot roast recipe to me… It is so delicious!
Caroline Lindsey
November 16, 2019 at 4:38 pmIt’s such a classic recipe, isn’t it? I’m so glad you like it!
Monika
November 18, 2019 at 4:48 pmI accidentally bought cut stew meat. Will this recipe still work?! I’m such a beginner! Haha!
Caroline Lindsey
December 19, 2019 at 11:48 amThat’s actually what the recipe calls for!
Angela haskins
December 7, 2019 at 1:45 pmSo delicious, I used a packet beef stew mix instead of broth, both very tender and lip smacking!!! Great recipe!!
Caroline Lindsey
December 19, 2019 at 11:30 amSo glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing!
Gins
December 18, 2019 at 1:51 pmAre you supposed to cover it after you add the veggies?
Caroline Lindsey
December 19, 2019 at 11:34 amYup, you are supposed to recover the pan before you put it back in the oven!
Bethany Thompson
January 9, 2020 at 2:36 pmI grew up with this every Sunday of my life that we ate at home. It went in the oven after breakfast and was done after church. Mama put the veggies in with the roast to begin with and they. She cut them in larger pieces so they cooked enough, but not too much. I adjust for the size of the carrots and potatoes to and play around with the liquid ingredients based on what I have on hand and my mood. 🙂 No complaints after 41 years of marriage!
Caroline Lindsey
September 5, 2020 at 10:19 pmSuch good memories! That sounds like an excellent (and delicious) Sunday tradition!
GrammaSue
January 24, 2020 at 10:54 am5-STARS ! (I could not get the stars to light up! LoL) Hi Caroline! I make my pot roast using the same ingredients except that I omit the soy and add 1/2 cup dry Red Wine. It’s mixed with the cr of mushroom soup and the dry onion mix in a bowl and tops the beef prior to covering and baking. The smell alone is mouth-watering. Thank you for sharing.
Caroline Lindsey
January 14, 2021 at 8:49 pmYum, you can’t go wrong adding some wine! Glad you enjoyed it!
Sam McDonald
March 1, 2020 at 3:18 pmThis is my new go-to pot roast recipe.
Better than Mom used to make when I was a kid. And Mom knew beef roasts!
Caroline Lindsey
June 28, 2020 at 4:38 pmWow, that’s quite the compliment! Thank you so much!
Gina
March 9, 2020 at 8:32 amNext time I make this, I will either use an extra can of cream of mushroom or use only half a packet of onion soup. It came out tasting with too much onion
Caroline Lindsey
January 14, 2021 at 8:42 pmThanks for sharing!
Britney
August 14, 2020 at 12:44 amIm making it right now been craving it.
Caroline Lindsey
August 31, 2020 at 10:59 pmAwesome! Enjoy!
Leo
September 1, 2020 at 5:42 pmWe love this recipe!!! Enjoy!!!❤️
Caroline Lindsey
September 5, 2020 at 9:46 pmThanks so much, Leo!
Richard Richardson
September 13, 2020 at 11:35 amI used a can of cream of chicken soup as a base around the chuck roast,and a pack of apple wood bourbon slow cooker sauce,which I laid on top of the onions and then placed my roast on top and placed in the oven on 350 uncoverred it turnned out great.I will do this again.
Caroline Lindsey
January 14, 2021 at 8:40 pmThanks for sharing!
Courtney
September 21, 2020 at 4:40 pmThinking of making this tomorrow for my family… When you say 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 can of beef broth. How big are the cans?
Caroline Lindsey
January 14, 2021 at 8:40 pmI use a 10.5 oz. can of condensed cream of mushroom soup and a 14.5 oz can of beef broth (if necessary).
Joy
October 25, 2020 at 4:10 pmI know I’m dating myself, but once my mom made this recipe and cooked it on the engine of our car. Multiple layers of heavy duty aluminum foil and separately wrapped potatoes. I don’t remember how they secured everything under the hood of the car, but by the time we got to our destination, we were all drooling and dinner was hot and ready!
I think I’ll stick to my oven or instapot
Caroline Lindsey
January 10, 2021 at 10:38 amHaha wow, what a story! I love that this brings back those memories for you. Hope you enjoy it made in your oven too!
Crystal Thomas
October 28, 2020 at 6:52 pmI have this in my dutch oven now cooking with 30 mins to go! I added celery to the recipe when I added the veggies. My house smells amazing! We are big deer hunters so this is the 1st beef roast I’ve bought in years. I am very excited!! Will try again with a deer roast soon! Smells like my grandmas house used to on the holidays.
Thank you!
Caroline Lindsey
January 10, 2021 at 10:37 amYum! I hope you enjoyed it and that it’s just as good with one of your deer roasts too!
Nicole St.Clair
December 6, 2020 at 11:10 pmI can’t cook. At all. I burn water.
But even I could follow these easy instructions, and it was AMAZING!
Caroline Lindsey
January 4, 2021 at 8:51 pmOh good, I’m so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for your comment!
Abby Martinez
January 3, 2021 at 6:22 pmI just made this for the first time. Flavors came out good but for some reason my meat was a little dry… :/ not sure why.
Caroline Lindsey
January 4, 2021 at 11:00 amThe main reason it might seem dry is the fat content of the meat. The fattier the meat is the juicer it should come out! Next time if you look for meat with more fat/marbling it should come out less dry! But if the meat seems dry you can also add a little broth in step 4 of the recipe. Hope this helps!
Jeff Jones
February 2, 2021 at 2:21 pmMy dad made an oven pot roast every Sunday. As I recall he did it pretty much as you recommend but instead of the standard onion and mushroom soups, he used Campbells vegetable beef soup. I am cooking one like that as I write, will report on the results tomorrow!
Caroline Lindsey
February 10, 2021 at 9:56 amA Sunday pot roast sounds like a great tradition!
Nicole
February 17, 2021 at 3:59 pmI don’t have the onion soup mix. Can I use onion powder and season salt ?
Caroline Lindsey
February 18, 2021 at 3:13 pmOnion powder, onion flakes, and a beef bouillon cube would be a better substitute if you have it. Here’s a recipe for an onion soup mix substitute! https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/homemade-dry-onion-soup-mix/