An easy recipe for delicious keto pot roast. Served over mashed cauliflower and made without flour, it is also gluten-free.
There's nothing quite like a hot plate of a rich stew in winter. Flavorful, slow-cooked, tender beef, smothered in thick, rich gravy... it's the quintessential comfort food.
This keto pot roast is probably my favorite beef recipe to make - and eat - in winter. Well, Beef Bourguignon is even better, but it requires much more work.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this rich and flavorful dish (the exact measurements are in the recipe card below):
Beef chuck roast: I use a 3-lb. roast in this recipe. I typically get it at Whole Foods.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
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.
Fresh parsley: This is one ingredient that many of us don't always have on hand, but I actually wouldn't skip it. It adds wonderful flavor.
Beef broth: I usually make this recipe with store-bought beef broth. You can use red wine instead, or half broth and half wine.
How to make keto pot roast
It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Season the beef with salt and pepper and place it in the crockpot.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours. You can also cook on high for 4 hours, although the meat won't be as tender.
3. Strain the cooking juices and reduce them over medium heat into a rich gravy. Serve the beef with the gravy.
What cut of beef to use?
When making keto pot roast, I always use a 3 lb. chuck roast that I get at the meat counter at Whole Foods.
Chuck roast is perfect for slow cooking. It's a tough piece of meat, but it's very flavorful and well-marbled, and slow cooking makes it very tender.
Do you have to brown the meat first?
No. I've experimented with browning the meat before placing it in the slow cooker and have found that it makes very little difference to the final outcome, so I skip this annoying step. Although it won't hurt to do it, of course, if you have the patience.
How long does it take to cook a 3 lb. roast in the slow cooker?
You can cook this keto pot roast in the crockpot on LOW for 7-8 hours. I actually prefer to cook it for 7 hours, as I find that it sometimes dries out after the full 8 hours. Sometimes I cook it on HIGH for 4 hours. It comes out very good, but admittedly it's not as tender.
Do you need flour to thicken the gravy?
Not necessarily. You can thicken any gravy, if you're patient, by simply cooking it and reducing some of the liquid.
If you want it to happen faster, while keeping the dish keto and gluten-free, I suggest mixing 1 tablespoon of organic cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stirring that into the gravy.
The cornstarch will only add 7 grams of carbs for the entire recipe. You can also use konjac flour as a thickener. Follow the directions on the package, but probably no more than ½ teaspoon (it's a very powerful thickener) mixed with cold water.
What to serve with keto pot roast?
Instead of the traditional mashed potatoes, I like to serve this dish on a bed of mashed cauliflower. I also like to add a green vegetable. A few favorite options are:
What about leftovers?
Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge. They do tend to easily dry out when reheated, so it's best to reheat them covered in the microwave, on 50% power.
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keto Pot Roast
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- 1 bunch parsley
- 1 cup beef broth (or red wine)
Gravy:
- Strained cooking juices
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Season the chuck roast with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Place the roast in the slow cooker pan and 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 slow cooker pot roast to a plate. Set the slow cooker to WARM. Strain the cooking juices into a glass measuring cup, then return the beef to the slow cooker and cover, to keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Use a spoon to skim the fat layer off the top of the cooking juices. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon 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.
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NOTES
More recipes to try
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 