Crockpot French Onion Pot Roast Pasta (Print Version)

Slow-cooked beef with caramelized onions and rich gravy over buttery egg noodles

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef & Aromatics

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

→ Broth & Flavorings

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

→ For Serving

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Season the beef roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Sear the roast on all sides until browned, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Add onions to the same skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Transfer caramelized onions and garlic to the slow cooker, spreading them evenly over the roast.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, wine, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour the mixture 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 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred using two forks until separated into bite-sized pieces. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly with the onion gravy.
08 - While the beef finishes cooking, cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and toss with butter.
09 - Ladle the shredded beef and onion gravy over buttered noodles. Garnish with grated Gruyère and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does almost all the work while you go about your day, then dinner practically makes itself.
  • One pot of beef and onions creates a gravy so deeply flavored it tastes like you've been stirring it for hours.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve when people are coming over.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step even though it adds 10 minutes—that crust on the beef is where the flavor lives and slow cooking alone can't create it.
  • If your gravy seems too thin at the end, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry, stir it in, and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens beautifully.
  • The longer you let those onions caramelize in the skillet before moving them to the slow cooker, the deeper and sweeter your gravy will be.
03 -
  • Make this on a Sunday for your entire week—it actually tastes better reheated the next day or even two days later when the flavors have had time to settle and deepen.
  • If you're serving guests, finish it with a quick broil under high heat with extra cheese on top for a restaurant-quality crust that makes people think you spent hours on this.
Go Back