Slow Cooker Top Round Roast
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Prepare this tender and flavorful slow cooker top round roast in the morning, and enjoy a hearty, comforting meal that’s ready by dinner.
This slow cooker top round roast is tender and delicious. We love making it once the cooler weather approaches for a cozy and comforting meal.
If you love this recipe you’ll also enjoy our Instant Pot Bottom Round Roast! For serving, we prefer white rice or mashed potatoes, but you could also use pasta if preferred.
Slow Cooker Top Round Roast ingredients
- Top Round Roast: This cut of beef that is perfect for slow cooking as it’s lean and cooking low and slow will make it tender. You can also use Bottom Round Roast.
- Olive Oil: We use a little for browning the roast before placing it in the slow cooker, which adds flavor.
- Small Potatoes: This is optional, but our family loves the potatoes in stew as they become tender and absorb the cooking liquid.
- Carrots: We love adding carrots as well, they add sweetness and flavor.
- Onion: You can cut the onion smaller, but we like larger chunks.
- Dry Onion Soup Mix: A savory seasoning mix that brings extra depth and flavor to the roast and vegetables. We use the Kosher Lipton onion soup mix for dairy free.
- Beef Bouillon: The bouillon adds a beefy taste of the broth and roast, adding richness to the overall dish. We use Better than Bouillon organic for dairy free.
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt: A savory blend of seasonings that adds extra flavor to the roast and vegetables.
- Granulated Garlic: We always use granulated garlic, not powdered.
- Water: You can use 3-4 cups. If you want a thicker gravy you can thicken it with a little cornstarch and water slurry and simmer on the stove.
How to Make Slow Cooker Top Round Roast
In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the top round roast on all sides. This step is optional but adds great depth of flavor.
Once the roast is browned, transfer it to the slow cooker. Surround the roast with the halved potatoes, chopped carrots, and quartered onion.
Mix a portion of the water with the dry onion soup mix, beef bouillon, Lawry’s seasoned salt, and granulated garlic and then pour over the roast and vegetables. Pour in the remaining water into the crock.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for about 5 hours, until the roast is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.
When done, remove the roast from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Slice or shred the roast as preferred, then return it to the slow cooker to soak in the juices before serving.
You can thicken the broth by using a cornstarch slurry if desired.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Browning the Roast: Though optional, browning the roast before slow cooking adds a rich, caramelized flavor to the meat.
- Vegetable Additions: You can also add sweet potatoes, parsnips, or even celery.
- Leftover Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Thicken: Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons or water until combined. Add to the broth and let it thicken on high heat in the slow cooker or on medium heat on the stovetop.
Slow Cooker Top Round Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pounds top round roast
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 small potatoes halved
- 4 carrots peeled and rough chopped
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- 1-2 teaspoons Lawry's seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet with olive oil brown the beef on all sides, this is optional, but adds great flavor.
- Add the brown roast to the crock pot along with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for about 5 hours.
- Once the time is up you can remove the meat from the crockpot and place it onto a cutting board.
- Slice the roast beef or shred and then return it to the crockpot for serving.
Video
Notes
- Browning the Roast: Though optional, browning the roast before slow cooking adds a rich, caramelized flavor to the meat.
- Vegetable Additions: You can also add sweet potatoes, parsnips, or even celery.
- Leftover Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Thicken: Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons or water until combined. Add to the broth and let it thicken on high heat in the slow cooker or on medium heat on the stovetop.
Thank you for sharing this recipe
You’re so welcome!!
Is it top round roast or bottom round roast?
Hello, you can use either or for this recipe!
My kids really liked this! I used a can of french onion soup (instead of the mix) and less water; still turned out great!
So glad you guys enjoyed even with the swaps!
Hello, thank you for the recipe! My roast is about double in size. Would this result in a longer cool time in the slow cooker? We are new to hosting. Thanks!
Hi Myles! I hope all went well and that you received my email! Answering here too incase anyone else has this question:
Yes, you can make this with a 6-lb roast. I don’t recommend cooking it on high. For tall roasts or roasts larger than 5-6 lbs, I suggest cutting the roast in half, searing both pieces, and cooking them together on low as directed. This helps it cook more evenly. Also, make sure your slow cooker is at least 6-8 quarts. Hope that helps!
Can you brown the roast the night before so it’s ready for the crock pot in the morning?
Hi Kelly, I haven’t tried doing it before. I’ve seen others, but for the best food safety I always do right before.