Pot roast with mashed potatoes is what comfort food dreams are made of—my updated version pairs melt-in-your-mouth meat with ultra-creamy mashed potatoes. It's a warm hug on a plate!
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Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Rich, deep, comforting flavors sing in this dish, thanks to flavor enhancers like Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and Dijon mustard.
- Method: The meat is cooked low and slow to achieve the ultimate tender texture. With a bit of preparation, the oven does most of the work.
- Ease: My never-fail make-ahead mashed potatoes with cream cheese are the secret to keeping dinner time easy. There's no need to be mashing potatoes at the last minute when hungry mouths are waiting!
The aroma of beef wafting from the oven evokes memories of cozy nostalgia. Dishes like BBQ beef stew and pot roast bring me right back to my childhood.
As much as I love pot roast for its rich, tender meat, I don't enjoy the texture of the carrots and potatoes cooked alongside it. In creating this pot roast with mashed potatoes recipe, I made two changes to the classic from my childhood, and the results are DIVINE!
- Blend the cooking liquid and veggies into a rich, flavorful gravy.
- Eliminate soggy, mushy potatoes by serving the roast with mashed potatoes instead.
Ingredient Notes
Pot Roast
- Beef chuck roast is a classic choice for pot roast because it contains a lot of connective tissue, which melts when braised or slow-cooked, yielding very tender meat. It comes from the neck and shoulder area and is also known as shoulder roast or blade roast. Rump roast or beef chuck tender roast can also be used in this recipe. You will need a 2-3 pound roast for this recipe.
- Tomato paste adds depth of flavor to the braising liquid. I love keeping a tube of it in my fridge to enhance the flavor of sauces and cooking liquids.
- Dijon mustard adds acidity and tangy flavor to the gravy.
- Beef broth: I always use low-sodium broth for cooking to control the amount of salt. If you aren't using low-sodium broth, reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe.
Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes: Both Russet and Yukon gold potatoes work well for mashing. Peel the potatoes before dicing them to achieve a creamy texture.
- Heavy cream adds richness and creaminess to the potatoes.
- Cream cheese is my secret ingredient. It lends a silky smooth texture to the mashed potatoes and prevents them from drying out when reheated.
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes
Note: The potatoes can be made up to two days in advance or while the pot roast is in the oven.
- Peel and dice the potatoes. Add them to salted water, bring it to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain.
- Meanwhile, warm the cream, butter, and black pepper in a small pan.
- Add the cream cheese to the warm pot used to cook the potatoes. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes into the pot.
- Add the warm cream and butter mixture to the potatoes. Stir until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Blot the meat dry with a paper towel and season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. Add the meat and cook until brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and brown the other side. Transfer the meat to a plate.
- Add the carrots and onions to the pot and cook until they begin to caramelize about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, and stir, scraping the bottom to release the browned, flavorful bits (known as "fond").
- Gently add the meat back to the pot along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. The liquid should come halfway up the meat. Add more broth if necessary.
- Cover the pot and transfer it to an oven preheated to 325°F. Cook for 2 hours. Check the meat for doneness. It should shred apart easily with a fork. If it's not fork-tender, continue cooking and check it every 20-25 minutes.
- Once done, transfer the meat to a plate. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and add the Dijon mustard to the pot. With an immersion blender, blend the liquid and vegetables until smooth. If the gravy seems too thick, add more beef broth to thin it out.
- Shred the meat apart and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Expert Tips
- Use an oven-safe, heavy-bottomed pan with a lid, like a Dutch oven.
- Salt: A general rule of thumb is to use one teaspoon of salt per pound of meat. I use kosher salt, which has larger crystals. If you're using fine table salt, use half the amount called for in this recipe. Also, if you're sensitive to salty food, reduce the amount of salt you use.
- If the meat isn't fork-tender, keep cooking it. Chuck roast is a tough cut of meat that becomes very tender when cooked for a long time. Be sure to cook it until it shreds easily with a fork, even if the recipe states a shorter cooking time.
- Please read all my tips for mashed potatoes in this post: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese.
Recipe FAQs
What do I serve with pot roast?
If you don't feel like going with mashed potatoes, try Hashbrown Potatoes Deluxe, skillet hash browns, or roasted broccoli and potatoes for a two-in-one side dish. You can also skip the carbs entirely and serve pot roast with a green salad with balsamic dressing or maple ginger roasted carrots.
How do I use leftover pot roast?
Beef pot roast is incredibly versatile. Use it to make hot roast beef sandwiches or as a topping for nachos or pizza. You can also substitute it for corned beef in this corned beef hash recipe.
Can I keep mashed potatoes warm in a slow cooker?
Yes! A slow cooker is an easy way to keep mashed potatoes warm, especially for a crowd. Transfer the cooked potatoes to the slow cooker, turn to "low" or "warm," and cover. For added indulgence, add a few pats of butter to the top before serving.
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📖 Recipe Card
Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes
Serve up nostalgic comfort food with this melt-in-your-mouth pot roast served with make-ahead ultra-silky mashed potatoes.
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EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 2½ pounds russet potatoes
- ¾ cup heavy cream (plus extra as needed)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened and cut into small cubes)
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Pot Roast
- 2½-3 pounds chuck roast (or rump roast)
- 2½-3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or similar)
- 1 large sweet yellow onion (cut into wedges)
- 3 large carrots (scrubbed, ends trimmed, cut into chunks)
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth (plus more as needed)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- ½-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut them into one-inch cubes. Add to a heavy pot with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, approx. 10-12 minutes. Drain.2½ pounds russet potatoes
- Meanwhile, add the cream, butter, and black pepper to a small saucepan set over low heat. Warm the cream until the butter is melted.¾ cup heavy cream, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- After draining the potatoes, add the cream cheese to the warm pot. Using a potato ricer, rice the potatoes in batches into the pot. Then, pour the warm cream and butter mixture over the potatoes. Stir together until well incorporated. Additional cream can be added if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.4 ounces cream cheese
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Season the chuck roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the roast to the pan and cook it for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.2½-3 pounds chuck roast, 2½-3 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables start to caramelize. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook it for another 1-2 minutes.1 large sweet yellow onion, 3 large carrots, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef back to the pan, along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. The liquid should come halfway up the side of the meat. If necessary, add more broth.2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 bunch fresh thyme sprigs, 2 bay leaves
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 2 hours. Check the meat for doneness - it should shred apart easily with a fork. If not, continue cooking, and check for doneness every 20-25 minutes. (A 2½-pound roast generally takes 3 hours.)
- When the meat shreds easily with a fork, transfer it to a clean plate. Add the Dijon mustard to the pan and use an immersion blender to blend the liquid and vegetables until smooth. If the gravy seems too thick, thin it out with extra beef broth. Shred the meat and serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.½-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Notes
- Cut the potatoes into uniform pieces to ensure they cook evenly. Drain them thoroughly so excess water doesn't get into the mashed potatoes.
- A potato ricer creates mashed potatoes with a light and creamy texture. Alternatively, a potato masher can be used.
- To reheat later, spoon the mashed potatoes into a casserole dish. Let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to reheat, let the casserole dish come to room temperature. Cover with foil and bake in a 350℉ oven until warm through, approx. 35-45 minutes.
- Salt: Use a ratio of 1 teaspoon salt per 1 pound of meat. I use kosher salt, which has larger crystals. If you are using fine table salt, use half the amount called for in the recipe. Also, if you're sensitive to salty food, reduce the amount of salt you use.
- If the meat isn't tender, it needs to cook longer. The meat should shred easily with a fork.
Nutrition
Calories: 1217kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 77g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 31g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 305mg | Sodium: 2244mg | Potassium: 2815mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 10571IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 9mg
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Did you try this recipe?Please leave a comment and rating below.
Abbey McDermott says
I love serving this dish to my family because it feels like a warm hug. I hope your family enjoys this recipe!