Slow-Cooker Onion & Carrot Pot Roast over Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Set-it-and-forget-it comfort with serious payoff: chuck roast braised until shreddable with sweet onions and carrots, then served over nutty roasted spaghetti squash. It’s lighter than mashed potatoes but still deeply satisfying.
Back to full listIngredients
- Choice Beef Chuck Roast 1.25–1.5 lb (aim for 1.5 lb if possible) $8.99 sale (reg $10.99) / 1 lb
- Organic spaghetti squash 1 medium (about 2.5–3 lb) $1.99 / lb
- Sweet onion 1 large, sliced $3.50 sale / 3 lb bag
- Simple Truth Organic® Whole Carrots bag 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces $2.99 / 2 lb
- Celery (optional but great) 2 ribs, sliced $1.79 / lb
- Garlic 3 cloves, smashed/minced
- Tomato paste 1 tbsp
- Beef broth 1 1/2 cups
- Worcestershire or soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Bay leaf 1
- Dried thyme (or Italian seasoning) 1 tsp
- Olive oil 1 tbsp
- Kosher salt 1 1/4 tsp (divided), plus to taste
- Black pepper 1 tsp
- Optional: red wine 1/2 cup (replace equal broth)
- Optional: butter 1 tbsp for squash finishing
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 425°F for the squash. Pat dry 1.25–1.5 lb chuck roast and season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper.
- Brown (stove): Heat a skillet over medium-high with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sear chuck roast 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer roast to slow cooker.
- Build slow-cooker base: In the same skillet (lower heat to medium), add sliced 1 large onion, 3 chopped carrots, and 2 sliced celery ribs (optional) with a pinch of salt. Cook 4–5 minutes, scraping browned bits. Add 3 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp tomato paste; cook 30 seconds. Pour in 1/2 cup red wine (optional) or a splash of broth and scrape up everything. Pour all of this into the slow cooker.
- Braise: Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire/soy, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp dried thyme. Cook on LOW 6–8 hours or HIGH 3.5–4.5 hours, until shreddable.
- Roast spaghetti squash (oven): Halve 1 medium spaghetti squash lengthwise and scoop seeds. Rub cut sides with a little oil, season with 1/4 tsp salt. Roast cut-side down on a sheet pan at 425°F until tender, 30–40 minutes. Scrape into strands with a fork; add 1 tbsp butter (optional) and a pinch of salt/pepper.
- Finish sauce: When beef is tender, shred it in the slow cooker. Taste sauce and adjust salt/pepper. If you want it thicker, ladle some liquid into a saucepan and simmer 5–8 minutes, then pour back.
- Serve: Mound spaghetti squash in bowls and spoon onion-carrot pot roast and gravy over top.
Health notes: ~700–900 calories per serving (depends on fat in roast and any added butter). High protein; lower-carb swap using spaghetti squash; good winter veg content. Skim fat from sauce for a lighter bowl.
Drink pairing: This wants a structured red with enough acidity for the rich beef. Local WA pick: Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (e.g., Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cab) or a Walla Walla Syrah. Also great: Malbec (plush fruit) if you like it rounder.