Something Magical Happens When You Add French Onion Mix To Pot Roast

There's no overstating the magic of pot roasts. All those hours spent simmering, blanketed in luscious gravy, really do wonders for the meat. But when French onion mix goes into the pot, it gets even better. Often used as a shortcut to a quicker French onion soup, this dry soup mix consists of beef bouillon granules, celery seeds, and onion powder, plus a few seasonings, dried herbs, and spices. In your pot roast, it's the secret behind a savory-sweet depth that's melded right into the hearty base. 

Deeper flavors, more complexity, an entrancing aroma — this unexpected condiment delivers everything you want in a pot roast and more. Woven into the roast's slow-cooked warmth is a peppery, onion-forward scent — its unmistakable caramelized edge enriching the dish even further. Just wait until you dig into the juicy meat and earthy veggies. The way the French onion soup mix refines their natural flavors is enough to make every forkful heaven-sent.

One packet of French onion mix is all you need for a pot roast made with a 3-pound cut of beef. Mix it with a bit of water and use that mixture to deglaze the pan, or simply sprinkle the dry soup mix over the meat. Just keep in mind that, depending on the brand or recipe, the dry soup mix might come with a high sodium content. Taste as you assemble the roast and adjust the remaining flavorings to balance out the dish.

French onion soup mix is amongst many home cooks' favorite ingredient additions to upgrade pot roast. On Reddit, one such home cook described their French onion mix pot roast as "warm and buttery, melt in your mouth, the veggies are tender but not mush, and it's just right on the seasoning." In another post, one Redditor said their recipe featuring Lipton onion soup mix, beef broth, and a few splashes of Merlot "turns out fantastic every time." To take their pot roasts up another level, some even combine it with canned soups.

Indeed, mixing dry onion soup mix with cream of mushroom soup adds an umami, creamy richness that takes the gravy to enticing heights. For more tangy depths, you'll need to add either red wine or apple cider vinegar. Alternatively, you can make a Mississippi-style pot roast with a blend of onion soup mix and Ranch dressing mix, completed by pepperoncini peppers. Slow-cooked for hours on end, this combination will imbue the beef with a savory intensity. Don't forget you can also incorporate more French onion soup ingredients into the pot roast for more magic. 

Melted Gruyère cheese is a no-brainer for French onion soup, and you can also keep this topping company in your pot roast with crispy-fried onions. If you have time, consider browning a small batch of onions with butter beforehand. It will continue to caramelize as it slow-cooks in the pot roast, lacing the dish with sweetness and a subtle buttery hint.