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I first shared this recipe for Whole30 Pot Roast on the blog over five years ago. Don’t get me wrong—it was really good, but I knew it could be better. I’ve since tweaked that recipe and it’s become one of my most popular blog recipes of all time. It’s absolutely perfect and I can’t wait for you to try it on a cold, cozy night.
With a few tweaks and touches, the old classic Whole30 pot roast just got even better. It still has a classic, rich flavor and utilizes traditional ingredients, but the depth of flavor is so much deeper. It’s definitely a dish that the whole family will gobble up during the fall and winter seasons!
My favorite way of cooking this pot roast is low and slow in a Dutch oven. It just really makes the flavor absolutely perfect. However, you can certainly do this in a slow-cooker if that’s your preferred method of cooking or if you want to throw it in before work and come home to dinner ready-to-eat!
ingredients:
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Arrowroot Flour
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Yellow Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic Cloves
- Dijon Mustard
- Tomato Paste
- Smoked Paprika
- Fresh Thyme
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Bay Leaves
- Beef Broth
- Yellow Potatoes
step-by-step:
step one: preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 275℉.
step two: season the beef
Using paper towels, pat the beef dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle and rub the arrowroot flour into the meat until it’s evenly coated.
step three: sear the beef
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook until golden-brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
step four: cook the veggies
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, about 4 minutes.
step five: add the aromatics
Add the mustard, tomato paste, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and thyme and stir until well combined. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and cook, stirring, until the vinegar is reduced by half (leaving only a small amount of liquid in the pot).
step six: nestle the beef in the pot
Pour in 3/4 cup of the beef broth and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very subtle simmer. Nestle the beef (and any of its juices) back into the mixture. Scatter the potatoes around the roast and pour the remaining 1/4 beef broth around the roast.
step seven: cover and cook
Cover with a secure lid, transfer to the oven, and roast until the beef is tender, about 4 hours for a 3-pound roast and about 5 hours for a 4 to 5-pound roast.
step eight: serve!
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes prior to serving to allow the sauce to settle. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
recipe faqs:
You can use tapioca flour or regular all-purpose flour instead!
Follow steps 1 through 3 on the stovetop, then transfer all of the ingredients into a Crockpot (or another type of slow cooker) and cook on low for 8 hours.
Yes! This is such a good freezer meal. To freeze, allow the pot roast to cool completely, then slice the meat. Transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving some space for expansion. Label and date the containers before placing them in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, transfer the pot roast to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight. Reheat in a covered oven-safe dish in the oven at 325°F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the meat is heated through and tender.
The next time you’re craving a crowd-friendly comfort food, I hope you’ll give my Whole30 Pot Roast a try. Comment below and let me know what you think!
looking for more cozy recipes like this one? try these!
Whole30 Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 3 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (from 5 to 6 sprigs)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup beef broth, divided
- 1½ pounds medium sized yellow potatoes, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275℉.
- Using paper towels, pat the beef dry. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle and rub the arrowroot flour into the meat until it's evenly coated.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook until golden-brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add the mustard, tomato paste, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and thyme and stir until well combined. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and cook, stirring, until the vinegar is reduced by half (leaving only a small amount of liquid in the pot).
- Pour in 3/4 cup of the beef broth and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a very subtle simmer. Nestle the beef (and any of its juices) back into the mixture. Scatter the potatoes around the roast and pour the remaining 1/4 beef broth around the roast.
- Cover with a secure lid, transfer to the oven, and roast until the beef is tender, about 4 hours for a 3-pound roast and about 5 hours for a 4 to 5-pound roast.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes prior to serving to allow the sauce to settle. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Looks delicious! Instead of a dutch oven could this be made in a deep cast iron skillet?
As long as it has a tight fitting lid
Just had THE BEST POT ROAST for a great dinner.
The roast was flavorful and the veggies and gravy perfect!
Will be making this again!!
I made mine in a deep cast iron pot. I made sure the lid flanges were lined up with the pot “spouts” so it fit without venting. I also checked every 2 hours to make sure the broth had not evaporated too much. It didn’t, but I would have added beef broth if it had. So good! (And I use my cast iron for most cooking!)
Hi Alex!
Making this tonight but out of tomato paste! Currently snowed in so we’re unable to run to the store 😫 Can I sub tomato paste with tomato sauce??
Sorry I am just seeing this! I would recommend doing 2 tbsp tomato sauce and maybe an extra tbsp arrowroot stirred into it before you add it in to help thicken it
This is the best pot roast I’ve had. So many good flavors! It was perfect for non whole30 dinner guests
I made this for Christmas dinner and it was absolutely delicious! Followed all directions and it was perfect. More Dutch oven recipes please!
SO incredibly tender and delicious! I used balsamic vinegar because I didn’t have any ACV on hand. And I bumped to them to 325 and it was done 30 mins sooner. Definitely a new favorite- thank you!
I didn’t realize there was apple cider vinegar as it’s not listed in the ingredients or instructions?
Hi! It is listed in both but let me know if you have other questions!
Classic, delicious pot roast. My whole family loved it.
K, this was…simply put, amazing. We’re not even Whole 30 just loving your recipes. Discovered you a few months back, and every single recipe whether cookbook or website we’ve tried has been a winner! You have a way of simplifying cooking, making it easy and simple, while tasting amazing! Many of the ones we’ve tried have one-uped recipes we’ve loved and used for years 🙂 including this one! Thank you, we loved our dinner.
We made this tonight and loved it! We omitted the celery added whole mushrooms to it towards the end and cooked it at 225 instead of 275. Thank you for the recipe!
This is our favorite roast recipe! Thank you, Alex!!! The first few times we made it in the slow cooker, but today we made it in the Dutch oven. So gooooooood!
there is just something magical that happens when you cook it in the dutch oven!
this was incredible! My picky husband loved it as well!
What size Dutch oven do you have/use?
This is the Staub, 7 qt right here! I also have the 5 qt and it’s a fantastic size.
Which one do you use more? As in, if you were going to buy one, which size would you choose? Thank you!
Probably one of the best roasts I have ever made. I did the crockpot method. My 5 year old loved the tender beef, carrots and celery (he doesn’t like potatoes so I didn’t give him any) but when he came home from school today he told me how wonderful the kitchen smelled. Will make again!
So amazing! Glad this was a hit for you and your family!