Crockpot French Onion Pot Roast Pasta (Print View)

Slow-cooked beef with caramelized onions in rich gravy, served over buttered egg noodles with melted Gruyère.

# Components:

→ Beef & Aromatics

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

→ Liquids & Seasonings

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

→ Pasta & Finishing

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

# Directions:

01 - Season the beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on all surfaces.
02 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
03 - In the same skillet, add sliced onions and 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 all browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes, then pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
05 - Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 hours until the beef is very tender and easily shredded with forks.
06 - Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir thoroughly to combine with the onion gravy.
07 - Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain well and toss with butter until evenly coated.
08 - Divide buttered noodles among serving plates and top generously with shredded beef and onion gravy. Sprinkle with Gruyère cheese and fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Zero active cooking time: You sear the meat, caramelize the onions, then let the crockpot do the heavy lifting for eight blissful hours.
  • It tastes impossibly fancy: The combination of wine, Worcestershire, and slowly cooked beef with caramelized onions feels like something you'd order at a nice restaurant.
  • One pot becomes dinner: Tender beef, rich gravy, and buttered noodles all come together without multiple pans cluttering your stovetop.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step: That brown crust on the meat creates depth of flavor that slow cooking alone can't replicate, and it takes only 15 minutes total.
  • The onions need real time to caramelize: Rushing them over high heat burns them instead of turning them sweet and golden; low and slow is the only way here.
  • Eight hours is the sweet spot: Less time and the beef won't shred easily; more time and it becomes stringy and loses texture.
03 -
  • Pat your beef completely dry before searing: Moisture on the surface prevents proper browning, so take two seconds with paper towels and you'll get a much better crust.
  • Use tongs, not a fork, when moving the hot roast: Piercing it releases juices that you want to keep in the meat, not leaking into the skillet.
  • Taste the gravy before serving and adjust seasoning: After eight hours, sometimes it needs a pinch more salt or pepper, and that moment of tasting is when you claim credit for the whole meal.
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