Slow Cooker Roast Beef, Potatoes, and Carrots

This tender roast beef with cooked carrots, soft potatoes and savory fresh gravy has been one of my favorite recipes since childhood.

A beef roast gets a quick sear, then slow cooks on a bed of sweet onion with potatoes, carrots, garlic and beef broth until it shreds with a fork. The cooking liquid turns into an easy gravy in about a minute, and dinner is done.

The Best Crockpot Roast Beef (Sunday Dinner Classic)

I grew up having roast beef with cooked potatoes and carrots every Sunday. Sunday was our family day, where we were all guaranteed to be together, and my mom faithfully cooked this same meal. AND no, we never got tired of eating it every week! It’s one of those meals you look forward to each time.

I’m a huge fan of organic produce. It’s free of all those harmful chemicals, AND there’s a significant difference in taste and quality. Organic produce is becoming more affordable, and I highly recommend choosing organic, especially for fruits and vegetables with a thin skin like carrots, potatoes, apples and grapes. Your body and taste buds will thank you!

Okay, let’s talk slow cookers. You don’t need anything fancy. The two I own are not expensive. I highly recommend having at least two of different sizes so you can indulge in all of my slow cooker recipes.

The magic of this meal is time. Hours of low, steady heat break down the beef until it’s extremely tender, while the potatoes and carrots soak up the beefy, garlicky broth around them. Then that same broth becomes the gravy, so nothing goes to waste and every bit of flavor ends up on your plate. Enjoy this family favorite roast beef recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Roast Beef

• A complete meal. Beef, potatoes and carrots cook together in one pot.
• Fall apart tender. The roast shreds easily with a fork.
• Homemade gravy. The cooking liquid becomes a savory gravy with just cornstarch and water, no packet mix needed.
• A family tradition. It’s the same Sunday dinner I grew up eating every week.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Extra virgin olive oil: For searing the roast. Browning the outside builds deep, savory flavor that carries into the gravy.
• Beef roast: A 2 pound sirloin, round or arm roast, fully thawed. These cuts slice and shred nicely after a long, slow cook. A thawed roast sears evenly and cooks through at the same rate as the vegetables.
• Sweet onion: Diced and spread over the bottom of the slow cooker. It lifts the roast off the bottom and melts into the broth, adding sweetness to the gravy.
• Potatoes: Four large potatoes, peeled. They turn soft and creamy while soaking up the broth, and they’re peeled so the gravy clings to them. Russet or Yukon Gold both work; Yukon Golds hold their shape a little better.
• Carrots: Three large carrots, peeled and cut into 3 inch pieces. Big pieces keep them from turning mushy over the long cook. Organic carrots are worth it for this dish since they’re front and center.
• Beef broth or stock: One 14.5 ounce can of organic, natural beef broth. It’s the cooking liquid and the base of the gravy.
• Minced garlic: Flavors the broth, the beef and the vegetables all at once. Jarred minced garlic keeps prep quick, or use about three fresh cloves.
• Salt and black pepper: Stirred into the broth so everything in the pot gets seasoned. Taste the gravy at the end and adjust, since broths vary in saltiness.
• Crushed red pepper flakes: Optional. They add a gentle background warmth without making the dish spicy.
• Cornstarch and water: Mixed into a smooth slurry to thicken the cooking liquid into gravy. Cornstarch makes a glossy gravy without any lumps of flour.

How to Make Slow Cooker Roast Beef, Potatoes, and Carrots

1. Sear the roast. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Brown the roast for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until it has a deep brown crust.
2. Layer the slow cooker. Spread the diced onion evenly over the bottom of a large slow cooker. Set the browned roast and its drippings on top of the onions, and arrange the potatoes and carrots around the sides.
3. Add the broth. In a small bowl, stir together the beef broth, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Pour it evenly over the roast and vegetables.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. The roast should be extremely tender and easy to shred with forks, and the carrots and potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork.
5. Start the gravy. Remove the roast, potatoes and carrots, leaving the liquid behind. Pour the liquid into a medium pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
6. Thicken. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water until smooth. While whisking the boiling liquid constantly, pour in the cornstarch mixture. Cook for 1 minute, until the gravy thickens and turns glossy.
7. Season and serve. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Pour the gravy over the roast and vegetables and enjoy!

Ways to Customize Slow Cooker Roast Beef

• Add more vegetables. Chunks of celery or parsnip can go in with the carrots.
• Turn up the warmth. Use the full teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or leave them out for little ones.
• Thicker gravy. Double the cornstarch and water slurry if you like a thick, spoonable gravy.
• Leftover sandwiches. Pile shredded beef on toasted rolls and dip them in the warm gravy.

Slow Cooker Roast Beef FAQs

• What cut of beef should I use? A sirloin, round or arm roast. Make sure it’s fully thawed before you start, since a frozen roast stays in the unsafe temperature zone too long in a slow cooker.
• Do I need to brown the roast first? It’s worth it. Searing builds a browned crust that adds rich flavor to the beef and the gravy.
• Why is my roast still tough? It needs more time. Cook it 1 to 2 hours longer on HIGH until it shreds easily with forks.
• What if the vegetables are done before the roast? Remove them and keep cooking the roast until tender, about 1 to 2 more hours.
• Can I skip the red pepper flakes? Yes. They’re optional and only add a little warmth, so the roast is still full of flavor without them.
• How do I store leftovers? Refrigerate the beef, vegetables and gravy in airtight containers for 3 to 4 days.
• Can I freeze it? The beef and gravy freeze well for best quality up to about 3 months. Potatoes can turn grainy after freezing, so enjoy those fresh.
• How do I reheat it? Warm it in a covered pot over low heat with a splash of broth, or microwave individual portions until steaming hot.

Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

This crock pot roast with potatoes and carrots slow cooks a seared beef roast with onion, garlic and beef broth until fork tender, then turns the cooking liquid into a quick gravy. It is a classic, comforting Sunday dinner.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs sirloin, round, or arm beef roast thawed
• 1 small sweet onion diced
• 4 large potatoes peeled
• 3 large carrots peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 14.5 oz can of organic natural beef broth or stock
• 1 Tbs minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional

For Gravy:

• 1 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 Tbs water

Instructions

 

• Add olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and heat for 1 minute.  Brown roast on each side for 1 to 2 minutes. 
• In a large slow cooker, spread diced onions evenly over the bottom.  Transfer browned roast and drippings over onions.  Arrange potatoes and carrots around the sides.
• In a small bowl, combine beef broth, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional). Pour evenly over roast, potatoes, and carrots. Cover and cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or on LOW 8-10 hours.
• For gravy: Remove roast, potatoes, and carrots from slow cooker when completely cooked leaving remaining liquid. Pour liquid into a medium-size pot and bring to boil over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. While constantly whisking the boiling liquid, add the cornstarch mixture. Cook for 1 minute until gravy thickens. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.  Pour over meal and enjoy!

Notes

If roast is still tough or carrots and potatoes are not soft, cook for 1-2 hours longer on HIGH.If carrots and potatoes are cooked prior to the roast, remove them and continue to cook roast until tender (about 1 to 2 more hours).  Roast should be extremely tender and easily shreddable with forks. Carrots and potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork.   

Made this roast beef dinner? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing about your family’s Sunday dinner traditions.

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