French Onion Pot Roast (Printable)

Slow-cooked beef with caramelized onions served atop buttered egg noodles for a rich, comforting meal.

# What Goes In:

→ Beef & Aromatics

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Liquids & Seasonings

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry white wine or additional beef broth
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta & Finishing

12 - 12 ounces wide egg noodles
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
14 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese, optional
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
02 - In the same skillet, add the sliced onions and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes, then pour the entire mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
04 - Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for 8 hours or until the beef is exceptionally tender and can be easily shredded with a fork.
05 - Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to combine with the onion gravy.
06 - Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain well and toss with the unsalted butter.
07 - Distribute the buttered noodles among serving plates and top generously with the shredded beef and onion gravy. Sprinkle with Gruyère cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes impossibly tender after eight hours, practically melting into that rich onion gravy without any fussing on your part.
  • You get restaurant-quality flavor from ingredients you probably have at home, and most of the work happens while you're doing something else entirely.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—those browned bits are flavor gold, and they make the difference between a one-note gravy and something with real depth and richness.
  • If your gravy seems thin after cooking, you can simmer it uncovered on the stove for 10 minutes to concentrate it, or whisk in a little cornstarch mixed with cold water to thicken it.
03 -
  • If you don't have time to sear the beef, don't skip that step—it only takes 15 minutes and gives you 80% of the flavor in the final dish.
  • Taste the gravy before serving and adjust salt, as the slow cooking concentrates salt levels; you might need less than you'd expect.
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