This super easy keto pot roast is made with beef chuck roast and just a handful of other ingredients for a delicious low carb beef pot roast the entire family will enjoy. Make it on the stovetop, or in your Instant Pot and have it on the table in about an hour!
This easy keto pot roast is made with beef, and can then be served with or over the veggies of your choice.
Table of Contents
- Best Cut of Beef for a Pot Roast
- Best Cooking Method for Tender Pot Roast
- Thickening the Gravy without Adding Carbs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Pot Roast Recipes:
The ultimate comfort food, beef pot roast is typically made by braising a chuck roast in liquid, with veggies and other ingredients as a one pot meal. Since a traditional pot roast recipe usually contains potatoes and carrots, they aren’t easy to make keto friendly.
This keto beef pot roast is a favorite with the Hungry Dudes (though I serve theirs with regular potatoes and mine with cheesy cauliflower puree) because it’s so tasty – it’s a favorite with me because it’s so easy and reheats well all week.
Everybody wins, and I love it when that happens.
Best Cut of Beef for a Pot Roast
Almost any beef roast will work for a pot roast recipe, because the long cooking time (or pressured cooking in the Instant Pot) will break down the meat and connective tissue, leaving you with tender, delicious pot roast.
Still, I prefer a beef chuck roast for my keto pot roast because it has a great ratio of fat to meat, and will be nice and tender after cooking. You can also use beef round roast – which I find to be a little on the tougher, drier side. Or you can use beef brisket, which I find to lean just a bit too much on the fatty side – but you can skim off the extra fat in that case.
This recipe calls for a 3 pound roast, and you need to pay attention to the weight of your roast. If it is larger than 3 pounds, it’s going to take longer to cook and get tender.
Best Cooking Method for Tender Pot Roast
I think pressure cooking is the most fool-proof and easy way to get tender, delicious, fall apart beef pot roast.
With a 3 pound boneless chuck roast, 35 – 40 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker) is absolutely long enough to get tender chunks of pot roast.
If you are looking for the meat to completely fall apart and shred, you should put it in for 50 minutes and allow for natural release of the steam, rather than quick release.
However, if you have lots of time on your hands, simmering the meat in a sealed pot like a cast iron dutch oven on the stovetop over low heat, or in the oven at about 350 degrees will take about 4 hours and yield delicious results.
As a side point, I first made this before I purchased my trusty Instant Pot, but now that I have it I make this keto pot roast in it all the time and it’s so easy and fast! The recipe card below includes instructions on how to make pot roast in the Instant Pot or on the stove.
Thickening the Gravy without Adding Carbs
This keto pot roast recipe calls for xanthan gum to thicken the gravy after reducing, but if you don’t have xanthan gum, arrowroot powder or konjac powder will work to thicken the gravy just as well. Just be careful not to use too much or you will get a slimy consistency to it.
If dairy isn’t a problem for you and you aren’t doing Squeaky Clean Keto, stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream after reducing for a creamy and even more delicious gravy.
Serving Suggestions
If your family isn’t eating low carb you can absolutely serve this keto pot roast with boiled or mashed potatoes, and even carrots or parsnips for a traditional pot roast dinner.
For those of you eating keto, I recommend serving this pot roast with any of the following sides:
- Better Than Potatoes Cheesy Cauliflower Puree
- Easy Cheesy Zucchini Gratin
- Cheesy Keto Polenta
- Cheesy Herb Muffins
- Easy Pan Roasted Radishes (Dairy Free)
- Garlic and Chive Cauliflower Mash (Dairy Free)
More Pot Roast Recipes:
Slow Cooker Pot Roast – Wholesome Yum
Print
Easy Keto Pot Roast
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 10 4 oz servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
This super easy and delicious low carb beef pot roast recipe can be made on the stove, in the slow cooker, or even in your Instant Pot! Keto, Atkins and Paleo friendly!
Ingredients
- One boneless beef chuck roast, approximately 3 lbs.
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt (if using fine salt reduce by half)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- Fresh parsley, chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Season the beef Chuck roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
- In a large heavy bottomed pan sear both sides of the roast until browned. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and cook for one minute.
- Add the water and onion to the pan. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer on low for 3 to 4 hours or place in the oven at 350 degrees for 4 hours.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pan to a large bowl. Break carefully into chunks and remove any large pieces of fat or other refuse.
- Whisk the xanthan gum into the broth and add the meat back to the pan.
- Serve over “Better Than Potatoes” Cheesy Cauliflower Purée, garnished with lots of fresh chopped parsley.
To make in the Instant Pot:
- Cut your chuck roast in half so you have two pieces. Season the roast with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder on all sides. Using the saute feature on the instant pot, brown the roast pieces on both sides.
- Add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1/2 cup onion to the meat. Cover and seal, then using the manual button set the timer for 40 minutes. When the timer runs out, release the pressure by moving the lever to the “venting” setting. Once all the pressure is released, uncover the pot.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pan to a large bowl. Break carefully into chunks and remove any large pieces of fat or other refuse.
- Use the saute function to bring the remaining liquid to a boil in the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce.
- Whisk in the xanthan gum, then add the meat back to the pan and stir gently.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot over cauliflower puree, garnished with lots of fresh chopped parsley.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Keto Main Dishes
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup meat with sauce
- Calories: 393
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Protein: 30g
Jodie says
Hi,
How long does this take in a slow cooker?
Also, do you still sear the meat in a pan and then add to the slow cooker?
Looking forward to trying this :)
Thanks
Mellissa Sevigny says
Definitely sear it first for the best flavor Jodie, and depending on the size of your roast, 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high should do it!
Jodie says
Thanks Melissa, trying this today :)
Jodie says
Damn auto correct!
I did type ‘Mellissa’ :)
Ryanne says
Does this freeze well?
Christina says
How about the crockpot? Or do you think it would somehow not be as flavorful?
Christine says
Can I use a regular (non electronic) pressure cooker? I don’t have an electronic. Same time?
By the way – Mellissa, love you! So many great recipes and entertaining introductions! My gut is happier with your advice!!!
Enjoy Belize!! Super vacation!!!☀️☀️☀️
Bacon & butter friendly culture, gotta love it!!!
Judith says
Christine, This isn’t my blog but you can use the old style pressure cooker and depending on what the weight of the pressure element is, 10 or 15 pounds, the heavier it is, the less time it will take. My cooker has a low and high pressure function. I always use the high except to hard cook eggs when I use the low pressure. I would suggest you try the same time, 35 minutes, and if the meat seems to still be a little tough, either build up the pressure and add 15 minutes OR the next time you try the recipe, increase the time if it was a little tough with 35 minutes.
Judith says
It is SO much nicer to have the electric pressure cookers like Instant Pot!! I grew up with the old ones and one time, when we entered the house and the door banged a bit hard, dinner ended up on the ceiling!! Very scary time for the dog who ran out of the house and didn’t stop until he hit the sidewalk! Those were the days. But we survived. I cook almost everything in my cooker of a different brand name.
Cristina says
Yeah! I’m so excited that you got an Instant Pot! I love love love mine and I love when other people make amazing recipes for it! Happy Vacation!
Toria says
I 2nd that, Cristina! So happy to see the low-carb recipe with Instant Pot directions. I LOVE my Instant Pot so much that I bought a 2nd one! I use it for as many recipes as possible. Thank you, Melissa and have a great trip!
Toria says
So sorry, Mellissa that I spelled your name wrong!
Mellissa Sevigny says
No problem Toria, I don’t know what my mother was thinking with the 2 ll’s – most have just one so it gets misspelled all the time and I’m used to it! :)
Karen L. says
This looks yummy even though I’m not looking for low carb. I don’t have xanthan gum. How much cornstarch or flour would do the trick?
Thanks so much!
Karen L. says
Also, I’ve started following you on Pinterest because all your recipes look so good! I watch my carbs, even though I can’t say I’m really DOING low carb!
Mellissa Sevigny says
1 Tbsp of cornstarch mixed into some of the liquid and then poured back in should do it Karen!
Karen L. says
Thank you so much! I’ll be trying this soon. The first of many of your recipes I will be making.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hopefully you’ll enjoy it and it won’t be the last! ;)
Kate says
This looks excellent. I’m going to add this to next week’s menu !
Muna Kenny says
Hope you enjoy the trip and thanks for sharing this recipe, the beef looks tender!
Mitzi says
Love your site and getting your emails. Can I use a dutch oven and then bake? If yes, how long? Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes! Sear the meat, then add the liquids and bring to a boil, then cover and bake at 350 for about 4 hours or until the meat is tender!
Elizabeth Fitzaurice says
I do my pot roasts in the oven (in a dutch oven tightly covered) at 350*F, for 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on how thick it is. That’s for a 3 lb. chuck roast. It always comes out perfecto!
Mellissa Sevigny says
This roast is meant to be cooked until it falls apart and is very tender – if you want a roast that is sliceable then I suppose doing it your way would get those results.