This fall-apart tender French Onion Pot Roast is the ultimate one pot comfort food, packed with all the flavors of the classic French onion soup, including melty Gruyere cheese!
The caramelized onions, slow-braised beef, and a melty cheese topping truly make for the coziest meal. Serve over garlic mashed potatoes and or lemon green beans. Plus, this roast reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day!
French onion soup AND pot roast? Yes please! This French onion pot roast brings together two of my favorite dishes of all time to make the most comforting meal I’ve ever had.
The best part? The CHEESE! If you’ve ever wanted to add cheese to your pot roast but weren’t sure, this is it! This French onion pot roast is topped with melty Gruyere cheese, just like a classic French onion soup.
I love this roast as much as I love my Dutch Oven Pot Roast (a reader favorite!) and Italian Pot Roast. The depth of flavor from the caramelized onions and the braising liquid is unreal. Plus, the beef turns out incredibly fall-apart tender!
Looking for more Dutch oven roasts? Try my Apple Cider Pork Roast or Red Wine Braised Braised Beef.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s got cheese! Yes, cheese. This roast is topped with melty Gruyere, just like a classic French onion soup.
- Melt-in-your-mouth tender: The roast is slowly braised for 3.5 hours until fall-apart tender.
- Depth of flavor: Caramelized onions and a flavorful braising liquid give this roast incredible flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly: The flavors get even better the next day!
Ingredient Notes
This French onion pot roast recipe is very easy to make, and the ingredients are actually quite simple. Below are helpful ingredient notes from recipe testing.
- Beef chuck roast: Boneless, about 3 to 4 pounds. This well-marbled cut becomes incredibly tender when slow-braised.
- Kosher salt, pepper, olive oil: Season the beef generously on both sides. Kosher salt is best for meats.
- Yellow onions: You need 4 (yes, four!) large yellow onions, thinly sliced. Onions reduce to about ⅓ of their original volume once caramelized.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps the onions soften and brown evenly.
- Dry white wine: I use Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Substitute with beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar for acidity.
- Garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves: Our aromatics! All fresh.
- Worcestershire sauce: Brings amazing flavor and a tang! Don’t skip this ingredient.
- Beef broth: Provides a flavorful liquid base for braising.
- All-purpose flour: Slightly thickens the braising liquid. We don’t need much since the onions also helps with thickening as it cooks down.
- Gruyere cheese: Freshly shredded. For topping and melting at the very end.
- For serving: sliced baguette, mashed potatoes, lemon green beans, or your favorite sides.
Full quantities are listed in the recipe card.
How To Make French Onion Pot Roast
Making this French onion pot roast is a lot easier than it seems. It’s pretty straightforward, and you only need one pot. I use a large oval-shaped 8-quart Dutch oven.
Step 1 | Sear chuck roast
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. We’ll braise low and slow.
Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with Kosher salt and pepper on both sides. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on both sides until a beautiful golden brown crust forms, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 | Caramelize onions
In the same Dutch oven (do not wipe), melt butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 25-30 minutes, until they have a light golden brown color. They will continue to caramelize in the oven, so a deep brown color is not required here.
Step 3 | Add aromatics, broth and beef
Add white wine, scraping to deglaze any brown bits, and let it reduce by half. Stir in minced garlic for another 2 minutes, then sprinkle flour and stir to coat. Next, add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring back to a simmer, then add rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Return the seared roast to the pot. The liquid should cover about ¾ or slightly more of the beef for proper braising. If not, add more broth as needed.
Step 4 | Braise in the oven
Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the 300F preheated oven. Braise for about 3.5 hours until fall-apart tender. If you want it even more tender, cook for an additional 20 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 F.
In the same pot, shred with a fork into smaller chunks. Discard any extra fat, as well as the bay leaves and the herb bundle.
Step 5 | Melt the cheese
Sprinkle freshly shredded Gruyere cheese over the top, and return to the oven until the cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.
Serve with your favorite sides (recommendations below!) and a few baguette slices for the full French onion soup experience! And there you have it, an amazing French onion pot roast for cozy season!
Tips for Success
- Dry white wine vs. red wine: I use white wine since caramelized onions already add deep flavor. Red wine can make the roast feel too heavy or even slightly bitter in this recipe.
- Take your time caramelizing the onions. This step builds a deep, rich flavor. Use yellow onions – red onion are too strong, and white onions lack sweetness.
- Sear the beef chuck roast undisturbed. A deep golden crust locks in flavor and adds so much flavor.
- The liquid should cover about ¾ or more of the beef. If not, top it off with more broth.
- Don’t rush. The pot roast takes about at least 3.5 hours to braise, and a low oven temperature of 300 F to achieve perfectly fall-apart tender results.
- Use freshly shredded Gruyere cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Sear the beef and caramelize the onions on the stovetop first. Then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Yes. If Gruyere isn’t available, try Swiss, Fontina, or even Provolone.
Substitute with an equal amount of extra beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar for that touch of acidity.
I use white wine to keep the dish balanced. The caramelized onions already have a deep flavor, and white wine helps lighten the braising liquid while preventing any trace bitterness. However, red wine is fine too! It will have bolder flavor.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Mashed potatoes are a classic, cozy pairing that soak up the rich braising liquid from the French onion pot roast. I also like to add a few baguette slices for those French onion vibes! Here are our favorite mashed potato recipes:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes
- Spinach Mashed Potatoes
You can also serve with rice! Try my Garlic Butter Rice or this elegant Saffron Risotto.
And of course, you need an easy vegetable pairing to complete the meal! Try these:
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French Onion Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds boneless chuck roast - excess fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large yellow onions - thinly sliced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- ¾ cup dry white wine - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth - plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce - plus more to taste
- 3 bay leaves - fresh or dried
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup freshly shredded gruyere cheese
- Sliced baguette - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pat dry chuck roast. Season on both sides generously with Kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon per side) and ground black pepper (about ½ teaspoon per side).
- In a large Dutch oven, heat a few generous drizzles of oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear chuck roast on both sides until a golden brown crust forms, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside. Tip: Let it sear undisturbed so it forms a nice crust.
- Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot (do not wipe clean), melt the butter. Add the sliced onions – it will seem like a lot, but will reduce significantly. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a total of 25-30 minutes. If needed, add a splash of broth to deglaze any brown bits. Cook until they have a light brown color (it will continue to caramelize in the oven).
- Add minced garlic for another 2 minutes. Stir in the white wine to deglaze, then let it reduce by about half. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour and stir to coat.
- Next, add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and the sprigs of rosemary and thyme (tied with kitchen twine, if preferred). Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the seared chuck roast into the pot. The liquid should cover about ¾ or more of the beef. If not, top with more broth.
- Cover tightly with the lid and braise in the preheated oven for 3.5 hours until fall-apart tender. If you want it even more tender, cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.
- In the same pot, shred the beef into smaller chunks. Discard any excess fat, as well as the bay leaves and herb bundles.
- Top evenly with shredded Gruyere cheese. Return to the oven (400F) until the cheese is melted, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve warm over mashed potatoes or your favorite sides, as well as toasted baguette slices. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dry white vs. red wine: I use Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio to keep the dish balanced. With the rich caramelized onions, white wine adds brightness and prevents bitterness.
- You need 4 large yellow onions. It may seem like a lot, but they will reduce significantly.
- Caramelizing onions (use yellow onions) takes time, about 25-30 minutes. Don’t rush this process. You only need to cook them until they have a light brown color, as they will continue to caramelize in the oven.
- How much broth? The braising liquid should cover about ¾ or more of the beef. If not, top it off with more broth as needed.
- Use freshly shredded Gruyere cheese so it melts better.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave oven, topping with more cheese as needed. If needed, add a splash of broth.
- Onions: Yellow onions are ideal, but sweet onions can add an extra layer of flavor.
- White wine: Beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar for acidity.
- Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh rosemary or thyme, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or Italian seasoning) plus ½ teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Gruyere cheese: Swiss, Fontina, Provolone.
Heidi says
While family loved it! Served with roasted carrots and they complimented each other very well.
Denalee says
I made this over the weekend and forgot the flour. STILL delicious. I really had to trust you on the amount of onions. It seemed insane. It was perfect! This is a great recipe and a definite keeper.
Lorin says
If you wanted to do this in the crockpot, would you still cook everything like normal in a pan then placed everything into the crock pot for the 4 to 8 hours to finish cooking?
Tania says
Yup, sear and caramelize the onions on the stovetop, then cook everything in the slow cooker for 8 hours on low. The cheese can go in the last 15-20 minutes or until melted.
Lauren says
Can you cook in a crock pot on high for half the time?
Tania says
Hi! In the slow cooker, you can cook it on high for 4 hours, but 8 hours on low would result in more tender meat.
Tori says
Wow! Wow! Wow!
We are obsessed and will be making this over and over again.