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French onion pot roast in Dutch oven with melted cheese and caramelized onions
ChefMaster Emily

French Onion Pot Roast

Everything you love about French onion soup—caramelized onions, rich beef flavor, and melty cheese—transformed into a hearty, fall-apart-tender pot roast. It's a cozy comfort food perfect for chilly nights.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pot Roast Base
  • 3 lb chuck roast
  • 3 yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
Topping
  • 1 cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese shredded

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven

Method
 

  1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 30–40 minutes until deeply golden and caramelized.
  2. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper. Remove onions and sear roast in the same Dutch oven on all sides until browned.
  3. Return onions to the pot. Add garlic, thyme, bay leaves, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer.
  4. Cover and place in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C) for 3 to 3.5 hours until the roast is fork-tender.
  5. Sprinkle cheese on top and broil for a few minutes until melted and bubbly.

Notes

This recipe is flexible—try adding mushrooms or a splash of wine for extra depth. Leftovers make great sandwiches or pasta toppings. Freezes well up to 3 months.