Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Recipe (2024)

By Alisa Fleming onDairy-Free Recipes, Entrees

Take it easy with this complete dairy-free pot roast dinner recipe. It was adapted from a classic Campbell’s soup recipe that uses condensed cream of mushroom soup to make a full, flavorful meal with minimal effort. In our version, you don’t need any cans to whip up this delicious dairy-free pot roast recipe, complete with potatoes, carrots, and asparagus. It’s perfect for special occasions, like Easter, or a casual Sunday family dinner.

Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Recipe (1)

Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Complete with Sides

This recipe with photos was shared with us byCulinary.net. But we have made a few slight recipe modifications. We’ve also added some more information in the recipe and via the FAQs below.

Can I Make this Pot Roast Dinner in a Slow Cooker?

Yes, it works great in a slow cooker or crockpot. Prep it as directed, but put it all in the crock of a large slow cooker. Cook it on low in your crockpot for 6 to 8 hours to make tender, fall apart meat. Add the asparagus during the last hour of cooking.

Can I Make this Pot Roast Dinner in an Instant Pot?

We haven’t tested this dairy-free pot roast dinner in a pressure cooker, but it should work. From what I’ve read, you would cook the roast for 45 minutes in the Instant Pot followed by a natural release. Then pressure cook the vegetables for 4 minutes with quick release. This would cut the cooking time roughly in half.

What Type of Beef should I use for this Roast?

This is a “small” roast, so your best options at the store will be chuck roast and top roast (also called top round roast). Other cuts of meat that could work well are eye of round roast and rump roast. But they are typically sold as larger roasts, so you might need to cut them in half for this recipe.

Should I Sear the Roast First?

This is meant to be a simple one-pot recipe, so searing isn’t necessary. But you can do this if you want to create more of a crust on the meat.Add a tablespoon or two of oil to a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat to high heat (whichever you are comfortable with). Carefully place the seasoned beef in the pan and sear it for a few minutes on each side. A brown crust should form. Continue with this dairy-free pot roast dinner recipe using the seared beef.

Should I Peel the Potatoes?

This recipe uses thin-skinned potatoes, so there is no need to peel them. If you only have Russet potatoes, I would peel them, and chop into large pieces if the potatoes aren’t small. Yukon gold potatoes are another great option. They don’t need to be peeled, but might need to be cut into large pieces.

What is Garlic Pepper?

It’s a seasoning made by a few spice companies, like McCormick. Some brands use quite a bit of salt. If you want to reduce the salt, you can make your own garlic pepper seasoning, and add salt, to taste.

What’s the Brown Sugar For? Can I Omit It?

A little sugar helps bring out the sweetness in the carrots and onions. We did reduce the amount – the original recipe uses 3 tablespoons. For best flavor, I wouldn’t omit it, but you can reduce it to 1 tablespoon, if preferred.

Can I Make the Cream of Mushroom Soup Ahead?

You can. Simply cook it up, let it cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

My Family Hates Mushrooms. Can I Use a Different Soup?

Just omit the mushrooms when making the cream of soup recipe. They aren’t needed!

Can I just throw the Cream of Mushroom Soup Ingredients in the Pot?

It’s best to make it ahead to fully emulsify the ingredients. The sauce ingredients should turn into a gravy as the meal cooks, but the ingredients might separate if the soup isn’t prepared ahead. That said, if you want to skip the stove top, add the cream of mushroom soup ingredients, beef broth, and garlic pepper to your pot before any other ingredients. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Then add the meat, turn to coat, followed by the vegetables as directed.

What Should I Serve this Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner with?

It’s a meal in itself, but I would garnish it with fresh chopped parsley and serve it with crusty bread or dairy-free dinner rolls. The bread is perfect for mopping up any residual gravy and pairs well with the fork tender meat.

Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Recipe (2)

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, food allergy-friendly, and alcohol-free. Just be sure to choose the ingredients that suit your dietary needs, including the broth.

Pot Roast Dinner that's a Classic Campbell's Copycat

Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Recipe (3)

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Prep time

Cook time

Total time

The hands-on time for this complete meal is minimal. Your stove does all the work slow cooking the meat and vegetables until fork tender. There are many versions of this American classic. This is a dairy-free copycat of the popular Campbell's Soup recipe.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: American

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • 1 (3-pound) roast
  • 1 pound baby carrots or thickly sliced carrots
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1½ pounds small white, yellow, purple, or red potatoes (or a combination)
  • 3 cups dairy-free beef broth
  • 1 batch dairy-free condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 tablespoon garlic pepper
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 bunch asparagus, woody tips removed

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
  2. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the roast and rub it into all sides.
  3. Place the seasoned roast in the middle of a large roasting pan or Dutch oven.
  4. Place the carrots and onion on one side of the roasting pan and the potatoes on the other side.
  5. In large bowl, whisk together the beef broth, mushroom soup, and garlic pepper.
  6. Pour the mixture over the roast, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the carrots.
  7. Cover and cook the roast dinner for 2½ hours.
  8. Remove the pan from the oven, add the asparagus, and cook the roast dinner uncovered 30 minutes.
  9. Let the roast rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
  10. Serve the roast dinner from pan or transfer it to a platter. If desired, you can pull apart the meat with two forks.
  11. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. Or you can store the dairy-free pot roast in an airtight container (or securely wrapped) in the freezer for up to two months. The veggies are best if not frozen, but can be frozen in a pinch.

Nutrition Information

Serving size:⅛ meal Calories:371 Fat:13.2g Saturated fat:4.4g Carbohydrates:24.6g Sugar:7.1g Sodium:975mg Fiber:4.1g Protein:39.5g

This Drumstick Sheet Pan Dinner is another Allergy-Friendly Favorite

Dairy-Free Pot Roast Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to do to pot roast? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Pot Roast
  1. Using the wrong roast.
  2. Not browning the roast.
  3. Deglazing with just broth.
  4. Cooking the vegetables too long.
  5. Not thickening the gravy.
Mar 29, 2017

How do you thicken pot roast without flour? ›

The best way I use is simply adding corn starch or potato starch. Put some corn starch in a bowl and add a little cold water. Mix it well and then pour into the stew. It's a pretty simple way.

Why is my pot roast always dry and tough? ›

The most likely cause of this is overcooking. As meat cooks, its muscle fibers shorten in both length and width and eventually squeeze out the juices they normally hold. As you can imagine, this leaves meat dry, and often stringy in texture. To avoid this problem, choose less-tender cuts of meat.

What makes pot roast taste good? ›

How do you add flavor to a bland pot roast? We build flavor by seasoning the meat, and browning it before slow-cooking it. Here's how to make a flavorful fork-tender pot roast in the oven: Season the chuck roast with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

How to add more flavor to pot roast? ›

Incorporate herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or bay leaves, and spices like garlic powder, paprika, or a hint of cumin. These seasonings build layers of flavor that penetrate the meat during the slow-cooking process. Slow cooking is key to a mouth-watering pot roast.

Is roast better in the oven or crockpot? ›

Is roast better in the Crock-Pot or oven? It's delicious both ways. If you want to give your crock-pot a whirl, here's a slow cooker pot roast recipe for you. But pot roast is plenty easy to make in the oven!

Should I add liquid to my pot roast? ›

Some recipes call for liquid, some do not. It mainly comes down to the type of meat you use. Cuts like chuck roast will release more fat and moisture than leaner cuts, so they don't need any water. In addition, the slow cooker itself creates some moisture, which helps keep the meat juicy.

How do you keep a pot roast moist? ›

Cook at a low temperature: Cook at 300 degrees F so the connective tissues can gradually break down, instead of seizes up at a higher temperature. Use a moist cooking environment: Add broth to the pot roast to create and cover with a lid or foil to trap in steam and moisture to prevent the meat from drying out.

What is a good potato substitute for pot roast? ›

What are the best low-carb vegetables for this pot roast? Some excellent low-carb vegetable options include turnips, rutabaga, radishes, cauliflower, zucchini, and celery. These mimic the texture of traditional potatoes and carrots.

Will pot roast get more tender the longer it cooks? ›

Contrary to an already lean and tender piece of meat, which needs a shorter cooking time and dry, high heat, a chuck roast needs to cook for several hours in moist heat. In other words, low & slow to break down fat and tenderize the meat for that fall-apart doneness a good pot roast is known for.

Why is my pot roast still tough after 7 hours? ›

If you're slow cooking and it's tough, then it's always under cooked. Meat only gets softer at lower temperature the longer it cooks. Need to cook longer. Sear the outside at high heat to brown it, then cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

How do you make a pot roast not chewy? ›

Whether you cook your pot roast using a stovetop, oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker method, you'll always get the most tender and flavorful results if you use low temperatures over a long period of time. That's what it takes to melt down the tough connective tissue in the meat until you can cut it with a fork.

Why add tomato paste to pot roast? ›

Parsnips and potatoes round out the vegetable portion of the roast, while the addition of garlic, tomato paste, and vinegar in the sauce add an incredible depth of flavor.

What is the secret to a perfect roast? ›

Rub with oil, salt and herbs. Ideally brown the meat in a pan first or roast on a high heat for the first 20 minutes. Place the meat on top of some halved red onions so it is not sitting on the bottom of the pan. Baste half way through the cooking and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

What is the most flavorful meat for pot roast? ›

The best meat for pot roast is a beef cut with abundant connective tissue, like chuck roast, beef brisket or bottom round roast. This connective tissue called collagen is what makes pot roast melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Why did my pot roast come out tough? ›

With lots of connective tissue (also known as collagen), these cuts can be tough if undercooked or hurried along in the cooking process. However, with slow-cooker pot roast, pressure cooker pot roast, or low-and-slow braised pot roast, the collagen breaks up for tender, succulent meat.

How do you keep a pot roast moist and tender? ›

Whether you cook your pot roast using a stovetop, oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker method, you'll always get the most tender and flavorful results if you use low temperatures over a long period of time. That's what it takes to melt down the tough connective tissue in the meat until you can cut it with a fork.

Should a pot roast be covered in liquid? ›

The vegetables will release a substantial amount of liquid which will partially cover the roast by the end of cooking, but not completely. The pot roast should not be fully covered in liquid because we don't want it to boil.

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