Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast–tender pieces of chuck roast with caramelized onions and gravy. This roast is addicting!
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below
Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
I am not a huge meat person. I like meat in things. But I don’t really care for a big hunk of meat as the main thing. You get what I’m saying? Well, this roast may have changed my mind. It was so flavorful with the onions and gravy that I couldn’t stop eating it. My son and I both loved it when it first got done and when my daughter and Greg tried it as leftovers they loved it too.
You’ll start this roast by browning each side. This is an extra step, I know. But it is worth it, in my opinion, because it adds a depth of flavor. After the roast has a little color you’ll toss some thinly sliced onions into the pot with a bit of baking soda. This helps with the maillard reaction (the browning process of onions that gives it that sweet, golden flavor). After a couple minutes the onions will start releasing juices and turning yellow. You’ll add in vinegar, Worcestershire, some seasonings and a can of tomato sauce with the beef. Then it’s time to pressure cook.
My roast was a pretty thin flat roast. It was about 2 inches thick at its thickest section. I decided to use a 60 minute pressure cook time. But if you have a roast that is thick in the middle then you’ll want to add 10 extra minutes per inch of thickness. So if you have a roast that’s 4 inches thick pressure cook for 80 minutes. And, as always, with roasts you’ll want to use a natural pressure release so that the meat stays nice and tender.
I’ll tell you another trick to get nice tender roast. You can quarter the roast. This helps each piece get more sauce on it too. I didn’t quarter my roast this time around but I have a lot in the past and have always liked how they turn out.
More Instant Pot Roast Recipes…
Instant Pot Hot Beef Sandwich and Mashed Potatoes
Want more tried and true Instant Pot recipes?
Receive FREE daily Instant Pot recipes and tips in your email box. Sign up by filling out the gray form below. Other ways to follow: join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group and subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share Instant Pot stuff with you weekly.
Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes (plus full natural pressure release)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Tender pieces of chuck roast with caramelized onions and gravy. This roast is addicting!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 2 medium onions, halved and sliced
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp parsley
- Cornstarch
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the oil. Brown the roast on each side for about 4 minutes. Remove the roast and place on a plate.
- Add in the onions and baking soda. Toss until the onions start to release moisture and they turn yellow (3-4 minutes). Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Place the roast on top of the onions. Pour garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley on top of the roast.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 60 minutes for a roast that is 2 inches thick. If your roast is thicker add 10 minutes per extra inch of thickness. When time is up let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes then release any remaining pressure by moving valve to venting.
- Place the beef on a cutting board. Use a colander or a slotted spoon to separate onions from juices and move them to a platter.
- Thicken the juices remaining in the pot with a cornstarch slurry. Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. In a small bowl stir together 2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 3 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The cornstarch mixture will thicken up contents of pot quickly. Turn off Instant Pot once gravy is thickened.
- Slice or shred beef and serve with the onions and gravy.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Add onions, broth, roast, garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley into slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Place the beef on a cutting board. Use a colander or a slotted spoon to separate onions from juices and move them to a platter.
- Thicken the juices remaining in the pot with a cornstarch slurry. Turn slow cooker to high. In a small bowl stir together 2-3 Tbsp of cornstarch with 3 Tbsp of water, until smooth. Then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Let the sauce thicken up for 10-20 minutes.
- Slice or shred beef and serve with the onions and gravy.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Everything came out great and my boys loved it! What ideas might you have with the leftover tomato gravy?
Maybe over egg noodles? or biscuits?
Followed exactly as the instructions said. I wasn’t thrilled, it was okayyy but I wouldn’t make it again. I agree with Robin that the flavor was meh and the onions disappeared. On that note I think calling it french onion is a huge stretch since it has tomato sauce. I knew that going in but was being optimistic :/
★★★
Tried this with a pork shoulder roast. It was great. The sauce was fantastic!
Thanks for a great recipe.
Awesome idea! I will have to try it with pork.
Made it tonight. A little disappointed. Followed it to a “t”. Not as flavorable as i hoped. Onions disintegrated. Maybe next time i would add more.
Gravy just ok. Had better success with other recipes of yours.
Oh sorry! We loved this one.
How would it be using bottom round roast instead?
I bet that would be okay. It will be a little drier because less fat but slather in the sauce and should be okay.
Another excellent recipe! I had 2 large pieces of chuck roast that were about 1″ thick, so I cut back on the cooking time to 40 minutes and it was perfectly fall-of-the-fork tender. I served with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. So flavorful and delicious! Thank you, Karen!
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing your experience! Good to know 40 minutes was perfect for the 1 inch cut
I’m new to roasts in the IP though I’m confident making everything else in it. My chuck roast is about 3 pounds and I’d likely quarter it. It being more meat overall than you tested, does that increase cooking time slightly?
If it’s cut into quarters I would use the same cooking time. Should be fine. The way you decide how long to cook something is by thickness. So if it’s not as thick it should be fine.
I love how easy this recipe is for such amazing results. Delicious! I made it with parmesean bacon smashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It reminded me of Sunday dinner at grandma’s house. Thank you!
★★★★★
Wow that sounds like a fancy meal!
I have a Roast but its not a chuck its an english roast would that be OK
Yes that will be fine! I might quarter it first for more tender meat.
So which tastes better… in the crock or IP???
I have only used the oven for roast.
Thank you
★★★★★
Both are great! If you have the time the slow cooker is great but it takes a while to get ultimate tendernesss.
This is my opinion, but my Instant Pot produced a far superior beef roast compared to my Crock Pot. I’ve never had a more tender, tasty roast.
I set my Instant Pot to saute spray with a little Pam and brown my roast. Add 1/2 cup of beef broth scrape the bits off the bottom. Put the roast back in. At this point I add 1 packet each, dry Italian salad dressing mix, dry ranch dressing mix and 1 packet brown gravy mix. Add about 1 to 2 cups of water. Replace cover and set manual for 45 minutes. Let release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure. Make a slurry of corn starch and water. Remove beef add slurry to Instant Pot, set on saute cook just until gravy has thickened. This makes a delicious gravy. If it’s too salty add water.
★★★★★
Followed the recipe exactly except… used pork roast! Turned out great. No change to cooking time.
Was hunting in the freezer for the chuck roast I know is there (but hiding) and came across a pork sirloin roast (one of a Costco 4-pk) and decided to try that. Was still a bit cold/frozen in the center by cooking time but browned up fine and cooked perfectly.
Served roast over egg noodles with lots of sauce. And side of broccoli (with sauce!). A keeper. Thanks!
★★★★★
Cool! Did you use the same cooking time for the pork?
yes I did. considered using less time but since I wasn’t sure if pork was completely thawed or not decided to just use 60min. Perfect.
What do you typically make to go with this?
Baked potatoes and steamed broccoli are good sides!
Have you ever tried Red wine instead of Red wine vinegar?
No I haven’t but you could do that!
Is there something you could recommend as a replacement for the red wine vinegar?
you can just use white vinegar if you’d like
Thanks Karen.
My husband brought home cubed chuck meat. I’m thinking it could still work, though the browning might be a bit tricky? If so, what cook time would you recommend?
I’d do 25 minutes for cubes. Should be tasty!
Jim Bob Howdy Karren
I’ve been watching the March Madness College Basket Ball and eating Instant Pot meals while I watch TV. Two or Three days ago I fixed the “Meatloaf Melts” and then two days later I fixed the ‘Church Supper Spaghetti” . Today my wife told me that I have to start eating the left overs. I love left overs, so no problem there. My next meal with my TV watching buddies I plan cooking the “French Onion Pot Roast”.
Your buddies are lucky to have you!
The 8oz can of tomato sauce. Is that the same as a bottle of ketchup.
No. It’s not the same as ketchup. It will be in the grocery store next to tomato paste.
Thank you. It sounds like what we call Passata
No, sorry. It is in a little can next to diced tomatoes and tomato paste in the grocery store.
The baking soda helps the onionsturn brown better and faster and also helps with the texture of the onions
Thanks! I have NEVER before seen it added to recipes requiring sauteed onions.
HI! For the Onion Pot Roast, my I.P. has a low and a high setting when it’s in pressure mode. Which do I use? High or low?🤔Thanks!
high is what I used!
I haven’t tried this – yet! – but I’m just wondering what is the function of the baking soda in the IP recipe?
The baking soda helps the onionsturn brown better and faster and also helps with the texture of the onions
Rose is right. It helps with the browning process 🙂