A delicious and easy dinner, this Slow Cooker Tangy Tomato Pot Roast is comfort food at it’s best. An entire meal cooked all together in your slow cooker.
Welcome to March! I know some of you have been enjoying Spring-like weather already, but Winter persists here, so I thought I’d take some time to share one of my go-to comfort food dinners, before this comfort food season ends. (All throughout March, I will be sharing some of my go-to recipes that I haven’t shared yet. They are not all that glamorous or exciting, but they are tried and true favourites that have been on rotation here for a long time. So stay tuned :)
It’s hard to beat a slow cooker pot roast for being easy, one-pot and economical meal. Stewing beef roasts are a great deal when you spot them on sale! Snatch one up, add some potatoes and carrots and you’re on your way to an easy, hearty and comforting meal.
I don’t use my slow cooker a lot, but when it comes to pot roast, there is really is no easier way to do it. It takes only a short time to prepare all the ingredients and place them in to the slow cooker. Then just let it cook away for 6-8 hours and enjoy. There is nothing else to do, as your meat, veg and potatoes are all in the pot. For me, a loaf of fresh crusty bread is a must for this one, to soak up the plentiful gravy.
Everyone here loves this tomato gravy version, with tomato sauce complementing the beef juices as it cooks, with a little hit of vinegar to tang it up. It’s simple and delicious.
Cook’s Notes for Slow Cooker Tangy Tomato Pot Roast
For my photos here, I just spooned some of the gravy over-top, so as not to completely hide the ingredients. Rest assured there is plenty of tasty gravy with this one!
I find medium-sized yellow-fleshed potatoes work best here. Simply peel and slice in half lengthwise. For the carrots, I peel and halve, if they are thick, or if you have thinner, fresh carrots, you can leave them whole.
I like to remove the meat once tender to a cutting board, where I cut it in to smaller chunks. While I’m doing that, I stir in the bit of cornstarch to thicken the gravy. I will then return all the meat to the slow cooker to be coated in the thickened gravy, then serve from there.
Be sure to taste your gravy just before serving and season with additional salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.
I like to flip my roast over a couple of times while it’s cooking if it’s not fully submerged in the gravy, but it’s not necessary, if you want to just set it and forget it.
No slow cooker? You can make this by simmering on the stovetop, covered or in a slow oven (325 F -ish) for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Slow Cooker Tangy Tomato Pot Roast
An easy, comforting meal, with fall-apart tender beef, carrots and potatoes, all in a tangy tomato gravy.
Ingredients
- 6 medium yellow-fleshed potatoes peeled and halved
- 6-8 carrots peeled and halved if thick or left whole if thinner
- 1 medium onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 lb boneless beef roast inside or outside round, blade or cross-rib works well
- 2 cups tomato sauce or passata
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper
To thicken:
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
To serve:
- Fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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Scatter the prepared potatoes, carrots, and onions in the bottom of a slow cooker.
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On the stove top, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef roast on both sides until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place beef on top of vegetables in slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over the roast. Scatter the fresh thyme sprigs over-top.
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Place cover on slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until beef is fall-apart tender.
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Remove roast to a cutting board and cut in to slices. Meanwhile, combine cornstarch with water and stir in to gravy with vegetables and let cook for a few minutes until gravy thickens a bit. Taste gravy and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Return meat to slow cooker. Gently stir to coat with gravy. Allow to cook a few minutes to re-warm the meat, then remove all to a large platter or bowl to serve. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley.
I don’t have any cider vinegar. Is it necessary or is there a substitute I can use?
The cider vinegar provides the “tangy” part, even with just 2 Tbsp. You could substitute white or red wine vinegar. Plain white vinegar might be a little harsh. If that’s all you have, use a bit less.
Used an inside round pot roast. This was easy to make and so delicious. Family loved it–cook, eat, repeat! All your recipes are a homerun Jennifer!
Glad to hear you all enjoyed this, Carolyn! Thanks for coming back to let me know :)
I love a good pot roast anytime of the year and yours looks so good. It reminds me a little of a sweet and sour beef dish I had in Germany.
I made this today and it was such a nice change from traditional roast beef. I do not usually like potatoes cooked with the roast but these are the exception! Easy and delicious.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this Liza :) Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I think my husband may leave me for you Jennifer! He’d LOVE this. Pot roast is his fave!
Lol Mary Ann :) Sounds like you need to cook him up a pot!
I can only imagine how heavenly the kitchen smells while this pot roast simmers away. Such a perfect comfort meal! :)
Thanks Laura and yes, the smell is wonderful!
Jennifer,
Just checking out the sale flyers now in Ontario. Sobeys has “inside blade pot roasts” starting tomorrow.
I know you mention inside or outside round for this. Would a “blade” be ok for this please? This looks yummy–can’t wait to make it. I’ve already made 3 of your stirfry recipes posted a while back–all delicious! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Hi Carolyn and thanks :) That blade roast would work perfectly, so great timing! Perfect for the weekend. And speaking of stir fries, I made another this afternoon that will be on the blog soon. A great, spicy quick one :) Enjoy the pot roast.
Just reading about this has my mouth watering! Pinning and sharing <3
Thanks so much, Sue :)
Oh my, it looks fantastic Jennifer. I could probably eat my weight in this wonderful dinner. I love that everything is in one pot and also the wonderful aromas that fill the house all day with a dish like this.
Thanks Chris and so true! The smell of this cooking really is an added bonus :)
I just ate breakfast but could eat again if I had this plate in front of me. I love an easy slow cooker roast and I have a bottle of passata in the pantry! I’ve never thought to add that much tomato but I love it! The gravy must be fantastic. It sounds like Canada took the brunt of the winter weather this year. We had hopes for a good snow but it never happened. Send some our way next year please! Have a great weekend.
Thanks Tricia and yes, this tomato version is a nice change from the usual! This has been an old-fashioned Winter here, for sure. After a week of rain, we are back down to -20C this morning. And still a foot of snow on the ground!