It's easy to make a keto pot roast in your slow cooker. Simply add the ingredients to the pan, set, and forget! Served over mashed cauliflower and made without flour, this delicious entree is also gluten-free.
This keto pot roast is one of my favorite recipes to make in the winter. There's nothing quite like a hot plate of a rich stew. Flavorful, slow-cooked, tender beef smothered in thick, rich gravy... It's the quintessential comfort food. I also enjoy similar slow-cooked recipes like braised boneless short ribs, slow-cooked beef cheeks, and lamb shoulder chops. Check them out!
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Beef chuck roast: I use a 3-pound roast in this recipe.
- Onion and garlic: I slice the onion fairly thinly. As for the garlic, you can mince it yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work, although freshly minced tastes better. Shallots are a good substitute for the onion.
- Fresh parsley: This is an ingredient that many of us don't always have on hand, but I wouldn't skip it. It adds wonderful flavor. Sometimes, I use cilantro instead of parsley.
- Beef broth: I usually make this recipe with store-bought beef broth. You can use dry red wine instead of beef broth.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Season the beef with salt and pepper and place it in the slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.
Strain the cooking liquids and reduce them over medium heat into a rich gravy. Serve the beef with the gravy.
This recipe was SUPER easy to put together and I already had everything in my kitchen to make it--gotta love when that happens! Will definitely be making this again!
Laurie Edel
Read more comments
This recipe was SUPER easy to put together and I already had everything in my kitchen to make it--gotta love when that happens! Will definitely be making this again!Recipe Tips
- While ideally, you would brown the meat on the stovetop before placing it into the slow cooker, this is not strictly necessary. I've experimented and found that it makes very little difference to the final outcome, so I skip this annoying step. Of course, it won't hurt to do it if you have the patience.
- When cooked on LOW, slow-cooker recipes are usually cooked for 8 hours. However, I prefer to cook the roast for 7 hours, as it sometimes dries out after the full 8 hours.
Recipe FAQs
I use a 3-pound chuck roast. This cut is widely available at supermarkets. Chuck roast is perfect for slow cooking. It's a tough piece of meat, but it's flavorful and well-marbled, and slow cooking makes it very tender.
Not necessarily. You can thicken any gravy by simply cooking it and reducing the liquid.
If you want it to happen faster while keeping the dish keto, I suggest mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stirring that into the gravy. The cornstarch adds just 7 grams of carbs for the entire recipe.
You can also use konjac powder as a thickener. Follow the directions on the package, but you should probably use no more than ½ teaspoon (it's a very powerful thickener) mixed with cold water.
If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, please verify that any thickening ingredient you use is gluten-free.
You can cook on HIGH for 4 hours, but the meat won't be as tender.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. They easily dry out when reheated, so it's best to reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months. Freeze the meat and the cooking liquids separately.
Serving Suggestions
Instead of the traditional mashed potatoes, I serve keto pot roast on a bed of mashed cauliflower, as shown in the photos on this page. I also add a green vegetable, such as any of the following:
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Keto Pot Roast
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion - medium, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic - minced
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 cup beef broth - or dry red wine
For the Gravy:
- Strained cooking juices
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Season the meat with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Place the roast in a 6-quart slow cooker pan. Add the sliced onion, garlic, and parsley. Pour the beef broth (or wine) on top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours.
- Remove the meat to a plate. Set the slow cooker to WARM. Strain the cooking liquids into a glass measuring cup, then return the meat to the slow cooker and cover it to keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Use a spoon to skim the fat layer off the top of the cooking liquids. Season them with ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, and continue to simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced into a rich sauce, about 10 minutes.
- Flake the beef with a fork. Distribute evenly among plates lined with mashed cauliflower. Spoon 2-4 tablespoons of gravy on top of each plate and serve.
Notes
- If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
- Nutrition info source: University of Rochester Medical Center.
- While ideally, you would brown the meat on the stovetop before placing it into the slow cooker, this is not strictly necessary. I've experimented and found that it makes little difference to the final outcome, so I skip this annoying step. Although it won't hurt to do it if you have the patience.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. They easily dry out when reheated, so it's best to reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Freeze the meat and the cooking liquids separately.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Penny Wilson says
Ms. Vered:
Could I add some carrots, celery, maybe a little onion to the roast in the crackpot? If so, when would be a good time to add them? Please and thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Penny,
Sure! The recipe already includes an onion. You can add carrots and celery at the same time you add the onion and beef.
Lisa Schrank says
My father has a health condition and cannot eat broccoli or cauliflower. If I use mashed potatoes would that make it a non Keto meal?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Lisa,
You're correct, mashed potatoes are not keto. Does he need to be on a keto diet? You can simply serve the pot roast in a bowl with a spoon for the pan juices. Mashed pumpkin and mashed butternut squash are not as low-carb as cauliflower but are lower in carbs than potatoes.
Laurie Edel says
This recipe was SUPER easy to put together and I already had everything in my kitchen to make it--gotta love when that happens! I did add the tiniest bit of Better Than Beef Bullion just cuz I love the smell...hope that wasn't too bad for keto! Will definitely be making this again!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Laurie! Thank you for taking the time to review it.