Skip to Content

Crockpot 5-Ingredient Pot Roast + VIDEO

Crockpot 5-ingredient pot roast is an simple yet delicious beef roast recipe that only has…5 ingredients. When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival the a perfectly cooked beef pot roast. Normally it’s a labor-intensive endeavor to cook a tender roast but with the magic of the slow cooker, there’s minimal effort on your part required. The slow cooker method allows you to transform any cut of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you sit back and let the aroma fill your kitchen! Instructions to make this easy pot roast recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.  

overhead shot of cooked beef roast on a white platter with potatoes and carrots

Ingredients For Crockpot 5 Ingredient Pot Roast

  • Beef Roast
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Beef Broth
  • Steak Seasoning

collage ingredients crockpot 5 ingredient pot roast

How To Make 5 Ingredient Pot Roast In The Slow Cooker

Prepare The Beef Roast 

Rub the steak seasoning evenly all over the beef roast on all sides. If you are using my homemade steak seasoning, first mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl.  

Slow Cooker

Optional step: Heat oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the prepared beef (see above) and sear a few minutes each side.  

  1. Pour the beef broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Add the prepared beef (see above) to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes and carrots on top of the roast.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.

Instant Pot

  1. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Once hot, add the oil and the prepared beef (see step above). Cook 3-5 minutes on each side or until beef is browned. You may need to cut the beef to make the meat fit.
  2. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot. Pour in beef broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping the bits off with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the beef back to the pot.
  4. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 45 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. Add the potatoes and carrots.
  5. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
overhead shot of uncooked 5 ingredient pot roast in a black slow cooker

before

overhead shot of cooked 5 ingredient pot roast in a black slow cooker

after

Type of Beef Roast To Use

I tend to use chuck roast for my pot roasts however the great thing about slow cooking is that almost any cut of beef whether it be chuck, rump, round, etc. can be slow cooked to the point where it’s falling apart tender. When choosing a roast keep in mind the size of your slow cooker or Instant Pot. It’s okay if you have to cut your meat into pieces to make it fit. I use a 3 pound chuck roast in a 6-quart slow cooker. It can comfortably hold up to 4 pounds of meat along with potatoes and vegetables. If you use a cut of beef under 2 pounds, lower the cook time by 1-2 hours. 

close up shot of cooked shredded beef roast

Only 5 Ingredients

Beef roast, steak seasoning, potatoes, carrots, and beef broth. Tailor this recipe to your liking. For example, substitute sweet potatoes for the potatoes. Don’t like carrots? Omit them and add onion instead. Or celery. Or both! You do not have to limit yourself to only 5 ingredients when making this easy crockpot roast. 

What Type Of Potatoes To Use

What you see in the picture is baby red and yellow potatoes. Waxy potatoes always work best for slow cooking because they hold their shape better than other forms of potatoes. Having said that, like most of my recipes, I encourage you to use the ingredients you have & like. Meaning, use your preferred potato whether it be a waxy potato or another type like russet potato or even sweet potatoes. If using a non-waxy potato like russet, I suggest cutting them into larger chunks than normal. This will help them hold their shape during the cooking process and not turn mushy on you.

close up shot of cooked potatoes and carrots on a white platter

Searing The Beef

To sear or not to sear? That always seems to be the question. When I use the slow cooker, I usually do not take the time to pan-sear my meat beforehand. Some people swear it locks in flavor however. Over the years I have realized that my palate is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference between a seared roast & an unseared roast. Especially when it’s being cooked for 10 hours in the slow cooker. Sear your roast beforehand if you want but I always include it as optional. With the Instant Pot, searing is a part of the process so it’s included in the step. The pressure cooker makes this easy since you can brown the roast directly in the base.

close up shot of cooked beef roast on a white platter

Steak Seasoning

This slow cooker pot roast recipe calls for your favorite steak seasoning.  If you don’t have a favorite or preferred steak seasoning, you can make your own. I include my homemade blend in the recipe box. It’s good for up to 3 pounds of beef. My steak blend already includes salt. Feel free to add more salt to this. 

close up shot of cooked beef roast on a white platter with potatoes and carrots

FAQs & Tips

  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 
  • You’ll know this is done when the meat shred easily with a fork. Keep cooking it until it does. Depending on how large your roast is and your slow cooker heats, this might take the full 10 hours. Mine cooked in 9 hours on low in the slow cooker.
  • This one-pot beef pot roast recipe is Whole30 compatible. 
  • I used baby carrots. Any type of carrots can be used. If you use regular carrots, chop them into large chunks.
  • Instant Pot cook time will depend on how big your roast is and how your pressure cooker heats.
  • For the Instant Pot, you an cook your beef from frozen. If you’re using a frozen roast, skip the searing/browning step. Add the roast to the pressure cooker, add seasoning & broth on top.
  • I used a  6-quart slow cooker/ Instant Pot for this recipe.

Roast Recipes

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
overhead shot of cooked beef roast on a white platter with potatoes and carrots

Crockpot 5-Ingredient Pot Roast

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Crockpot 5 Ingredient pot roast is an simple yet delicious beef roast recipe that only has…5 ingredients. When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival the a perfectly cooked beef pot roast. Normally it’s a labor-intensive endeavor to cook a tender roast but with the magic of the slow cooker, there’s minimal effort on your part required. The slow cooker method allows you to transform any cut of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you sit back and let the aroma fill your kitchen! Instructions to make this easy pot roast recipe in the Instant Pot are also included.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 34 pounds beef roast (cut of your choice), seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 pound potatoes
  • 3/4 pound carrots
  • 2 tablespoons steak seasoning (see below for homemade blend)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon oil (optional for slow cooker)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Homemade Steak Seasoning

  • 2 teaspoons salt (or more)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground or dried coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Prep The Beef 

Rub the steak seasoning evenly all over the beef roast on all sides. If you are using my homemade steak seasoning, first mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Slow Cooker

Optional step: Heat oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the prepared beef (see above) and sear a few minutes each side.  

  1. Pour the beef broth into the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Add the prepared beef (see above) to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes and carrots on top of the roast.
  3. Cook HIGH 4-5 hours or LOW 8-10.

Instant Pot

  1. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Once hot, add the oil and the prepared beef (see step above). Cook 3-5 minutes on each side or until beef is browned. You may need to cut the beef to make the meat fit.
  2. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot. Pour in beef broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping the bits off with a wooden spoon.
  3. Add the beef back to the pot.
  4. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 45 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. Add the potatoes and carrots.
  5. Close lid and seal valve. Set high pressure and cook 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally.

Notes

Instant Pot cook time will depend on how big your roast is and how your pressure cooker heats.

For the Instant Pot, you an cook your beef from frozen. If you’re using a frozen roast, skip the searing/browning step. Add the roast to the pressure cooker, add seasoning & broth on top.

  • Author: Shannon Epstein
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 419
  • Sugar: 6.7 g
  • Sodium: 303.1 mg
  • Fat: 11.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 28.7 g
  • Fiber: 5.9 g
  • Protein: 47.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 133.8 mg

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive money if you make a purchase using one of the links. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”FrAzfSdp” upload-date=”2021-10-18T23:45:02.000Z” name=”5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Pot Roast” description=”This slow cooker pot roast only has 5 ingredients but it’s still packed with flavorful. You can also make this easy one-pot dinner in the Instant Pot.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]

Crockpot 5-Ingredient Pot Roast + VIDEO
Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Jennifer

Thursday 17th of February 2022

Mine comes out dry. I make one that is a little over a pound and cook it for 15 minutes then add the potatoes and carrots and cook 10 minutes more and it's dry. What can I do?

Julie Hill

Saturday 12th of March 2022

which method are you using to cook your roast? Are you adding the broth and cooking low? "LOW AND SLOW" is the best way if using a slow cooker/ crockpot. Depending on the cut, it may need to cook longer. I found this to be true for a chuck roast. Chuck needs to cook longer than other cuts. My personal favorite for pot roast is sirloin roast- has nice fat marbling that makes it juicy and gets tender in less time. Chuck was dry at the time I'd turn off a sirloin roast. It took at least 11-12 hours on low, but it was tender enough to cut up with a fork.

Kristi

Monday 31st of January 2022

To confirm, for the instant pot directions, am I taking the meat out before step 5 where I add the carrots and potatoes? Can’t wait to try it!

Shannon Epstein

Tuesday 1st of February 2022

The meat remains inside the Instant Pot. You add the potatoes & carrots on top and let it keep cooking. I hope you enjoy it!

Bill

Monday 27th of December 2021

I always put in a peeled, quartered onion. The juice that's left over makes a nice gravy or beef stock.

Casey

Sunday 15th of August 2021

This is our new favorite recipe for pot roast! So much more flavor than other recipes. We just add celery but other than that, no changes. So so good!

Patty

Wednesday 5th of May 2021

Hi I want to make this in my instant pot but slow cooking and was wondering what I can use if I don’t have beef broth ?can I use beef bouillon powder ?I hope?thanks

Shannon Epstein

Wednesday 5th of May 2021

That should work just fine as long as the required amount of liquid is also used. So if you're using a 6-quart Instant Pot you will need at least 1 cup of liquid and 2 cups if you're using a 8-quart. For the liquid in this case since you're using beef bouillon powder, I would use water.