Crockpot French Onion Pot Roast Pasta (Printable version)

Tender slow-cooked beef with caramelized onions in savory gravy over buttered egg noodles.

# What you need:

→ Beef & Aromatics

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried
06 - 2 tbsp tomato paste

→ Liquids & Seasonings

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry white wine or additional beef broth
09 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tsp kosher salt
11 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Pasta & Finishing

12 - 12 oz wide egg noodles
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
14 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese, optional
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish

# Steps to follow:

01 - Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the crockpot.
03 - In the same skillet, add sliced onions. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized. Add minced garlic, thyme, and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Deglaze the skillet with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes, then pour the mixture over the beef in the crockpot.
05 - Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until the beef is very tender and can be easily shredded with two forks.
06 - Remove the beef from the crockpot and shred using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and stir to combine with the onion gravy.
07 - Cook egg noodles according to package instructions. Drain and toss with butter.
08 - Spoon buttered noodles onto plates and top generously with shredded beef and onion gravy. Sprinkle with Gruyère cheese and parsley if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender you can break it apart with a spoon, which somehow never gets old no matter how many times you make it.
  • Those caramelized onions create a gravy so naturally rich you won't miss heavy cream, though you can add it if you're feeling indulgent.
  • Most of the work happens in the first 20 minutes, then your crockpot does the heavy lifting while you live your life.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step even though it seems like extra work, that browned crust is where half the flavor lives and it takes only 15 minutes total.
  • Thinly sliced onions are crucial because thick slices won't break down into the gravy, they stay chunky and chewy instead of melting into silky sweetness.
  • Taste the gravy before serving and season with salt and pepper because the long slow cook concentrates flavors, you might need more than you think.
03 -
  • Cut the beef into 2 inch chunks before searing instead of using a whole roast, the smaller pieces cook more evenly and brown better on more surfaces.
  • If your gravy seems thin after 8 hours, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes of cooking for silky thickening.
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