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
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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
Randa Yassine says
Hello, I am making this today but for a lot of people. I am making 10 pounds of roast in my IP. When I click on 3x recipe, it keeps the meat at 3pounds but increases the liquid. How long do I cook that much meat in the IP and do I keep the liquid at 6 cups? How about the other ingredients at 3x recipe?
Mellissa Sevigny says
I’m not sure Randa, a 10 pound roast seems large for an IP unless yours is huge. Here is a link to a site I found for meat times in the IP, hope this helps. I think for the liquid you should be fine at 2 cups because the meat will release juice as it cooks. Please be careful not to overload your IP and follow the mfg guidelines for the maximum amount of meat and liquid for your sized pot.
Joy says
This is my favorite pot roast recipe, keto or not. I constantly come back to it even when I’m eating carbs. So much flavor and the cooking instructions always have it coming out perfect!
Jenn says
I grabbed stew beef because that’s what trader joes had. I used the whole onion and reduced the water by 1/4th (I love balsamic). cooked for 40min in the instapot.. It was amazing!!!! Served with the cauliflower mash (i added 1 potato to that) but used sour cream instead of heavy cream, in the blendtec. I was nervous, but it all came together. Roommate even loved it too. phenomenal recipe and quick!
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy you were able to make it work for you!
Norma says
Thought I had commented on this because it is such a fantastic recipe, but apparently I didn’t. Made according to your directions in the Instant Pot except I cooked the meat for 65 minutes because we like ours more falling apart than a 40 minute cook time gives. Served with your Cheesy Cauliflower Mash which was also fantastic. Such a great combo. So wonderfully filling and satisfying! This meal would be loved by anyone no matter the diet. Thanks for another great recipe, Melissa!
Kelly Rimer says
The BEST roast that I have ever made! My whole family uses this recipe since I started using it. I double the ingredients for the spices and liquids so that, after the roast is gone, I have enough “broth” left over to use as a soup base.
Jennifer says
I haven’t tried it yet but I gave it 5 stars for the SIMPLICITY of it! I can already tell by the ingredients that this is going to be delicious!
Wendy Thompson says
This is so easy, simple and delicious! I go to recipe for sure!
Nadine DeBlock says
This recipe is an easy, fool-proof way to make a delicious, keto, beef pot roast in the Instant Pot. Perfect!
Mary Anna says
This is the epitome of yummy comfort food. Always comes out great. I always use chuck roast. And cheesy mashed cauli is the perfect side dish.
Nikki Sanchez says
I absolutely love this roast!! Even my picky kids loved it and gobbled it up!