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5 from 8 reviews

This French Onion Pot Roast is everything you love about the classic soup but in pot roast form. It’s gluten-free, dairy-optional, and cooked to perfection in the oven.

French onion pot roast in a shallow bowl with mashed sweet potato.

Pot roast is one of those recipes that always impresses and satisfies everyone! I have a few different recipes for it, like my oven-baked chuck roast and Italian pot roast, and they’re always a hit. It’s one of those recipes that seems like it takes a lot of effort, but is more or less a set and forget it style meal, making it perfect for entertaining.

This French Onion Pot Roast is a unique and flavor-packed version of pot roast that your friends and family will be begging you to make again and again!

Table of contents

Why you’ll love this…

  • It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser. When I made this for my family, both my husband and my four-year-old son wanted seconds! It’s seriously a win when you get the four-year-old to eat that much protein.
  • Rich and hearty heaven. This recipe is SO rich and savory, and is guaranteed to warm you right up on a cold day.
  • Fall apart tender. You really want pot roast to be tender, and this one falls right apart!
  • Optional cheesy goodness. French onion recipes are pretty dependent on cheese, but this recipe is still just as good without it. If you do want to add a cheesy element, I grab some gluten-free bread and melt Swiss or gruyere cheese over it to serve with the roast. I use this grain free bread, use code UNBOUNDWELLNESS for a discount.

Ingredients

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

All the ingredients needed to make French onion pot roast.
  • Chuck roast. Chuck roast is always the best cut to use in pot roast! I typically use a roast without the bone because that’s what I have available to me, but either will work! Be sure to adjust the cook time by weight of your roast.
  • Yellow onions.
  • Beef broth.
  • Coconut aminos and red wine vinegar.

Substitutions & Modifications

  • Red wine. If you’d like even more of a deep flavor, you can swap 1/2 cup of beef broth for 1/2 cup of red wine.
  • Shallots. This recipe is very onion heavy, but if you have a shallot laying around your kitchen that you need to use, feel free to add it in for even more flavor.
  • Cheesy bread. This is totally optional, but you can add some gluten-free bread and melt Swiss or gruyere cheese over it to serve with the roast on the side. It’s amazing for dipping! Traditionally, french onion soup uses a baguette, so I wanted to use a bread that has a similar shape rather than a square shape. I use this grain free bread, use code UNBOUNDWELLNESS for a discount.
French onion pot roast with a piece of toast topped with some roast.

How to make French Onion Pot Roast

Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.

The meat covered in arrowroot starch before cooking.

Step one. Coat the roast with seasonings and arrowroot starch.

The chuck roast after being browned.

Step two. Using the Dutch oven, cook each side of the roast until lightly browned and set aside.

Onions in the Dutch oven before cooking.

Step three. Add the sliced onion and toss in the coconut aminos.

Onions after sauting in the Dutch oven.

Step four. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, just enough for the onions to soften, but not fully caramelize.

The pot roast in the Dutch oven before going in the oven.

Step five. Push the onions to the side of the pot and add the roast back to the pot and top with broth, red wine vinegar, and bay leaf.

The pot roast after cooked in the oven.

Step six. Bake in the oven until cooked to temperature.

Tips & Tricks

  • Add sides! You’ll definitely want sides like my instant pot mashed sweet potatoes to serve with this roast. Roasted veggies like carrots or potatoes would also be a great choice.
  • Reheat in the oven. If you do save this recipe to make extra, reheat it in an oven safe dish with plenty of cooking liquid on top to keep it moist.

Recipe FAQS

Can you make French onion pot roast in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can adapt this recipe for the slow cooker! You’ll still want to sear the roast and cook down the onions on the stove top. Then you’ll add it all to a slow cooker and cook on low for around 6-8 hours, depending on the size of your roast.

What are the best onions for use for french onion pot roast?

You’ll definitely want to use yellow onions for this recipe! I suggest slicing them (carefully) with mandolin to get that perfect uniform thin cut.

What’s the best liquid to use for pot roast?

Beef broth will always produce the most rich flavor, and you can also add some red wine for even more depth of flavor. I also recommend adding coconut aminos for an extra depth of flavor.

What’s the secret to perfectly tender pot roast?

The secret is cooking pot roast low and slow! This is not a process that you want to rush or cook on heat that’s too high. Follow the recipe as written, and you’ll have an epically tender roast.

Do you have to sear chuck roast before adding it to pot roast?

I always recommend doing this to add more depth of flavor, and crisp on the outside of the roast.

French onion pot roast in a shallow bowl with mashed sweet potato, cheese toast, and topped with herbs.

If you tried this French Onion Pot Roast or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 8 reviews

French Onion Pot Roast

Yield: servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
Author: Michelle
This French Onion Pot Roast is everything you love about the classic soup but in pot roast form. It’s gluten-free, dairy-optional, and cooked to perfection in the oven.
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Ingredients
 

  • 3 –4 lb chuck roast
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp arrowroot starch, divided
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 2 yellow onions, halved and sliced thin
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Fresh parsley and thyme, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Set the roast on the counter for 30 minutes before preparing. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  • Using a large, shallow bowl, combine salt and pepper, dried parsley, dried thyme and the arrowroot starch. Add the roast and rotate to coat throughly on all sides.
  • Using a large dutch oven, heat over medium heat and add the avocado oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the roast. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Set aside on a clean plate.
  • Reduce the heat to medium low. Pour in the coconut aminos while simultaneously scarping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the sliced onion and toss in the coconut aminos. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes, just enough for the onions to soften, but not fully caramelize. Salt the onions and add the garlic, cooking for another few minutes.
  • Push the onions to the side of the pot, making a space in the center for the roast. Add the roast back to the pot and top with broth, and red wine vinegar. Add the bay leaves to the top of the roast and place the lid on the pot.
  • Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 F and roast for another 3 hours for a 3 lb roast, and about 3 hours and 30 minutes for a 4 lb roast. The internal temperature should be 185-195 F for very tender meat. Remove the lid and discard the bay leaves.
  • To thicken the broth, combine 2 tsp of arrowroot starch with about 1 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Whisk well and add to the cooking liquid while it’s still fresh out of the oven. Carefully stir it in to let the liquid thicken.
  • Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding and serving topped with plenty of the onion cooking liquid, and fresh herbs!

Notes

Pot roast will have some fat, but you’ll want to trim off any excess fat to avoid too many chewy bites.
Serve with mashed white sweet potato, and cheese toast if dairy is tolerated. To make the cheese toast, use a gluten free bread (I use this grain free bread, use code UNBOUNDWELLNESS for a discount) and add shredded gruyere or swiss on top. Cook in the air fryer at 400 F for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 7.4g, Protein: 34.8g, Fat: 12.2g, Fiber: 0.9g
All nutrition facts are estimated and will vary.
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