Spread cranberry sauce over beef bottom round roast, along with 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a savory dish that I plan meals around it

This slow cooker 5-ingredient cranberry beef roast is one of those set-it-and-forget-it meals I plan my week around. It starts with a simple bottom round roast, then I spread canned cranberry sauce right over the raw beef, add just three pantry ingredients, and let the slow cooker do all the work. The cranberry melts into a savory, slightly tangy sauce that tastes like you fussed for hours, even though the hands-on time is just a few minutes. It’s perfect for busy weekdays when you want something cozy and homemade without hovering over the stove.

I like to serve this cranberry beef roast over creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles so they can soak up all that rich, tangy-sweet gravy. Steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or a simple side salad help balance the meal. If you’re planning ahead for the week, tuck leftovers into toasted rolls with a slice of provolone for easy sandwiches, or spoon the shredded beef over rice with some roasted veggies for quick lunches.

Servings: 6

1 (3–4 pound) beef bottom round roast, trimmed

Place the beef bottom round roast into the slow cooker, fat side up, on a stable surface like your kitchen counter.

In a small bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and soy sauce until mostly dissolved.

Open the can of cranberry sauce and spoon it directly onto the top of the raw beef roast in the slow cooker.

Use the back of a spoon or clean hands to spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the entire top and sides of the roast, as if you’re frosting it, so it’s well coated.

Pour the onion soup, beef broth, and soy sauce mixture around the sides of the roast in the slow cooker, trying not to wash the cranberry sauce off the top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours, or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

Once cooked, transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5–10 minutes, then slice or shred the beef with two forks.

Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker, then return the sliced or shredded beef to the slow cooker and toss gently in the cranberry-beef sauce.

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed with a pinch of salt or a splash more soy sauce, then serve the beef hot with plenty of the savory cranberry gravy spooned over the top.

For a slightly sweeter finish, stir 1–2 tablespoons of brown sugar into the cranberry sauce before spreading it over the roast. If you like a bit of heat, add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the broth mixture. You can also swap the beef broth for chicken broth in a pinch, or use a low-sodium onion soup mix if you’re watching salt. To make the sauce thicker, remove the cooked roast and whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir that slurry into the hot cooking liquid and cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened before returning the beef. Leftovers freeze well: portion the beef and sauce into freezer bags, flatten, and freeze for up to 3 months for easy future meals.