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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.
This was the best pot roast I have ever made-SO flavorful and savory! I did not put potatoes in it, I made mashed potatoes to go with it.
Thank you, Lauren- and the mashed potato combo is elite! love that.
Love this recipe but pretty frustrating I can’t read it now because of all the ads on the page. They keep reloading over the text of the recipe to where I can’t even read it on my phone. Hope y’all can get this fixed!
Alex this recipe is INSANE and honestly I have this on repeat weekly! Thank you!! Quick question – you have a curried pot roast recipe in one of your older books – could the same cooking method be applied to that recipe (so cooking it in a Dutch oven vs slow cooker). I just find the flavours develop so much better in a Dutch oven!
Yes the same method should work fine here if you just want to adjust the flavors!
Can you do this in an instant pot?
Yes- I would brown it on the sear method first, then cook on manual high pressure for 60 minutes!
What size dutch oven would you recommend? My largest is a 5qt and i feel like that would be small for this recipe.
I have a 5 qt and it does work for this recipe!! It’s a little tight when you put it all in there but it all cooks down.
One of my all time favorites! It’s so easy to throw together and is a regular in our rotation all fall and winter. I wouldn’t change a thing! We serve ours with bread to soak up the delicious sauce. 10/10 recipe. Thank you Alex!
So happy to hear that, Steph!
Hi Alex, made this tonight!! Amazing. My new go to pot roast❤️
So happy!
If I do 2 separate 4lb roasts do I need to cook for longer than 5 hours?
Are you cooking them separately or together? If it’s all together you may need more time– I would just check it around 5 hours to see how it’s looking and continue to cook, 1 hour at a time, until fall apart tender. I haven’t cooked two at the same time like that.
Separate, like 2 separate dutch ovens at once.
Sorry I accidentally didn’t 5 star my last comment. I love this recipe as I’ve made it before, just not 2 full dutch ovens-full!
I never leave comments on recipes but this one I just had to.. wow! Orgasm in my mouth! The flavor is amazing. I really wasn’t expecting much but…wow. thank you! For ref – I did low and slow.. in oven
This is one of my all time comfort meals!! Froze a bunch to eat postpartum and still eat it all the time. So cozy and comforting to eat.
This recipe is 10/10! I don’t think I’ve ever made a more flavorful crock pot meal, and even my kids ate it. I bet it’s even better in the oven! I only had chicken broth and I forgot the arrowroot powder at the beginning so I made a little slurry and mixed it in to thicken the gravy at the end. I will definitely make this again.