Place chuck roast onto raw halved potatoes, alongside 3 extra ingredients, into slow cooker for a hearty Sunday dinner that's the one everyone asks for

This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish chuck roast with potatoes is the kind of hearty Sunday dinner that makes the whole house smell like home. It’s inspired by the simple, no-fuss farm cooking you still find in Amish country—basic pantry ingredients, nothing fancy, just good food that lets the beef and potatoes shine. You literally place the chuck roast right on top of raw halved potatoes, add three simple flavor-boosting ingredients, and let the slow cooker do the rest while you enjoy your day. It’s the one my family always asks for when they want a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs meal without a lot of work.

Serve this tender chuck roast and buttery potatoes straight from the slow cooker with a simple green vegetable, like steamed green beans or a tossed salad, to balance the richness. A pan of warm dinner rolls or buttered bread is perfect for soaking up the savory juices. If you like, add a side of applesauce or coleslaw for that classic Midwestern, Amish-style touch. Leftovers make wonderful open-faced sandwiches the next day, piled on toast with some of the cooking juices spooned over the top.

Servings: 6

3 pounds chuck roast

Lightly spray the inside of a large slow cooker with cooking spray for easier cleanup, if desired.

Wash the potatoes and cut them in half. If they are very large, cut them into 3–4 chunks so they cook evenly.

Place the raw halved potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. This creates a bed for the roast and keeps it up out of the liquid a bit, just like a rustic Amish-style pot roast.

Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and trim any thick, hard pieces of fat from the outside, but leave some marbling for flavor.

Set the chuck roast directly on top of the raw halved potatoes in the slow cooker, as shown in the photo-style process shot you might imagine: hands gently laying the roast over the potatoes on a kitchen counter.

Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top of the roast and potatoes.

Pour the beef broth around the sides of the roast, trying not to wash off too much of the soup mix from the top.

Dot the top of the roast with the pieces of butter, spacing them out so they melt and baste the meat and potatoes as they cook.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the chuck roast is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft all the way through.

Once done, carefully lift the roast out onto a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Gently stir the potatoes in the cooking juices.

Shred or slice the chuck roast against the grain. Return the meat to the slow cooker, nestling it back into the potatoes and juices, or serve it separately on a platter.

Taste the juices and potatoes and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve the roast and potatoes hot, spooning some of the savory broth over each serving.

For picky eaters, you can keep the onion flavor milder by using half a packet of onion soup mix and adding a pinch of garlic powder instead. If your family likes more vegetables, tuck a few peeled carrot chunks or onion wedges around the potatoes, keeping the basic method the same. For a creamier, almost gravy-like finish, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sour cream or heavy cream at the end and let it warm through on LOW for 10–15 minutes. If you prefer a stronger herb flavor, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or Italian seasoning over the roast with the soup mix. To make this a bit lighter, you can reduce the butter to 2 tablespoons and use low-sodium beef broth, then taste and adjust the seasoning at the end. Leftovers freeze well; shred the meat, pack it with some potatoes and juices in freezer containers, and you’ve got an easy future dinner that just needs reheating in a skillet or microwave.