Crockpot French Onion Pot Roast Pasta (Print Version)

Tender beef slow-cooked with caramelized onions and rich gravy over buttered egg noodles.

# Components:

→ Beef & Aromatics

01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
02 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
03 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - ½ teaspoon black pepper

→ Broth & Flavorings

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - ½ cup dry white wine, or additional broth
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
13 - 1 bay leaf

→ For Serving

14 - 12 oz wide egg noodles
15 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 - ½ cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese, optional
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, optional

# Directions:

01 - Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
03 - Add sliced onions to the same skillet and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
04 - Transfer the caramelized onions and garlic to the slow cooker, spreading them evenly over the roast.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour over the beef and onions in the slow cooker.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
07 - Discard the bay leaf. Remove the beef, shred it with two forks, and return it to the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly with the onion braising liquid.
08 - Cook the wide egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and toss with unsalted butter.
09 - Ladle the shredded beef and onion gravy over the buttered noodles. Garnish with grated Gruyère and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You basically dump everything in a slow cooker and walk away, yet somehow it tastes like you've been stirring a pot all day.
  • The beef gets so tender it practically shreds itself, and those caramelized onions create a gravy so good you'll want to drink it straight from the ladle.
  • It's the kind of meal that fills your house with the most incredible aroma, making people think you're some kind of kitchen wizard.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step, even though it feels unnecessary when you have a slow cooker waiting; that golden crust is where most of the flavor lives.
  • If your gravy looks too thin at the end, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir it in during the last thirty minutes of cooking, but honestly, the rich beef and onions usually make it thick enough.
03 -
  • Sear your beef in batches if it doesn't fit comfortably in the skillet; overcrowding the pan means it steams instead of browning, and you lose all that flavor.
  • Make this the night before and refrigerate it, then reheat gently before serving; the flavors actually deepen and marry overnight, making it somehow even better the second day.
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