Crock Pot Coca-Cola Roast
This Crock Pot Coca-Cola Roast recipe creates the most tender, caramelized, flavorful meat and gravy that I’ve ever tasted. This is the most popular slow cooker recipe on my blog and for good reason! You can use Pepsi or any other soda for this crock pot roast.
The crock pot is great for creating savory meat dishes with rich flavor and delicious sauces and gravies. Almost any traditional recipe can be adapted to this versatile appliance. What I love the most about crock pot recipes is that they require minimal preparation time and have a “set it and forget it” cooking style! You just throw everything in the slow cooker and forget about it! This Crock Pot Coca-Cola Roast has been a hit every time I made it.
This crock pot cola-cola roast can’t go wrong, although it may sound odd, because the coca-cola tenderizes the beef so nicely! Don’t use diet Coke or Pepsi as it’s the sugars in the coke that really tenderize the meat.
This crock pot meal is very easy to prepare (under 10 minutes of actual hands-on time). It can be made with any beef roast or beef stew meat. I prefer to use a chuck roast, but both options are great. I served this with my recipe for garlic smashed red potatoes and used the gravy from the pot to top the potatoes, but you can also use red potatoes and throw them in the crock pot with the roast to make things even easier for yourself. If you’re loving this, you must try my Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast! You might also love this Slow Cooker Italian Red Wine Roast from my friend Mary.
Enjoy!
Check out my how-to video of me making this Crock Pot Coca-Cola Roast!
- 1 beef roast (use the size roast and the amount of vegetables you need to feed your family. I used a 2.5 pound Chuck Roast)
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
- 1 package dry onion soup mix
- 1 (12 oz) can Coke or Pepsi (NOT diet!)
- Red potatoes, halved
- Carrots, cut in chunks
- Place beef in crock pot (slow cooker) and top with dry onion soup mix.
- Place vegetables around roast.
- Mix together the cream of mushroom soup and the Coca-Cola in a bowl and pour over roast.
- Set crock pot on low, cook for 6-8 hours. The longer you cook, the more tender the meat becomes. The liquid makes a great gravy! Pour the extras over the cut potatoes/mashed potatoes and the roast.
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Would it be the same time and temp for a frozen roast?
Same temperature but I might give it an extra hour if it’s frozen 🙂
Great Thank you!
No problem!
My go-to recipe for sure! I like to add chopped onions in and just do the potatoes separately. Honestly the most tender roast I’ve ever had!
I have presure cooker same meathod?
I’ve never used a pressure cooker but I don’t think it would work for slow cooking like this.
turns out to be much better tasted than slow cooker and saved time as well !!
Allergic to mushrooms. What other soup can I use?
You can use cream of chicken or cream of celery!
Thanks! I think I’ll try the celery with the beef.
Cream of Onion
Can you use a diet cola?
Hi Veronica – I wouldn’t use diet because the sugars in the coca-cola are what tenderize the meat! Sorry!
I’ve used Diet Coke and a frozen roast. Put in crock pot for 8 hours. It turned out great. Falling apart tender
I think the sugar in cola is what caramelizes it and makes it. You could try, but I’d have a back-up plan for dinner in case it doesn’t work out.
You are right, Tricia.
“1 (12 oz) can Coke or Pepsi (NOT diet!)”
I’ve been making my pot roasts in my Le Creuset French Oven instead of the crockpot with good results…I think I’ll try this version and see how it does!
Definitely give it a try, Sara!
Do you put the veggies in the whole time they doesn’t get mushy ??
Honestly, mine never get mushy but you can always add them a couple of hours before it’s done!
How do you make the gravy at the end?
Sorry I forgot to click notify me, so I am reposting my question.
How do you make the gravy at the end?
HI Amanda! I don’t do anything else with the gravy. But if you would like to thicken it, I would add cornstarch to the gravy at the end!
Thanks! I will be trying this tomorrow with cream of chicken soup!
Sounds good! you’ll love it!
Loved the garlic smashed potatoes, but didn’t really care for the sweetness of the roast gravy. Next time I will reduce the amount of Coke or substitute it with beef broth. For those wondering if the vegetables get mushy, the answer is NO. I put carrots in with everything else at the beginning and they were perfect.
I was wondering if I could get your permission to share some of your recipes on my timeline, repost them?
Thank you,
Cheri
of course!
Thank you so much….
No problem!
Do you sear it first?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no!
The Roast sounds yummy, but I do have a problem. My Husband and Myself “HATE” Cooked Carrots as well as Parsnips. So do you have any suggestions as to what I can substitute in place of the Carrots,
Any other veggie would be great! Broccoli..potoatoes…corn….whatever you prefer!
It’s great with Mushrooms, squash gives it a nice cozy sweet taste to the dish. Gold Potatoes. Broccoli. Really any veggie that you and hubby like will do.
I was wondering i did not have cream of mushroom ,i did have golden mushroom will that matter?
You can use the golden mushroom 🙂 really, any “cream of” soup will work fine.
Cream of Wheat?
Hahahaha
I need it for 6 people can I double the meat if so do I double the soda too??
Yes I would double all ingredients
Ashley,thanks for getting back to me so soon,my roast is still cooking smells so good hoping i will love it!!!Oh by the way I am a coca-cola collector !!!So any dishes made with coke i will try,once again Thank You !!!!
You could use any vegetables with it, any ones that you like would be great. The cola is mostly to tenderize the meat there are so many different vegetables you could use. One that I was thinking about using is Brussel Sprouts, but anything would work. I hope you can find one you like please let me know how you like it.
Great idea on using the brussels sprouts!
Just saw this now, I’m adding it to my dinner menu for next week. Thanks Ashley!
You will love this, Kara!
Could you tell me how to make your garlic smashed potatoes. My wife is disabled and I inherited the kitchen. Always looking for easy things to make.
Sure! Here is the recipe: https://wishesndishes.com/garlic-smashed-potatoes/
Could I cook on high for 4 hours?
That should be fine 🙂
Worried about time use a pressure cooker! Mom had a Presto pressure cooker from late 50’s, very early 60’s. It ran all the time.
As long as you don’t open them they are fine! The horror is when people don’t read the instruction and follow the rules. You must get all and I repeat ALL the pressure out before opening.
Bought my first when we lived in Begium. My husband bout me the new Pressure cooker/Slow cooker but I still either use my pressure cooker or old slow cooker. I’m a creature of habit!
Please don’t fear trying new things! Next time you make it do it different or try all of Ashley’s idea’s at once! Just don’t tell family or friends what they are eating. Let them enjoy! There’s always tomorrow to find out!
PS if your worried about sweetness just use half and marinate overnight (first time). Now I use whole can and don’t marinate. Don’t have time!
Ok I made it today it was really good the hubby even said I can do it again woohoo.
Carie, thanks for letting me know!! So glad you both liked it! It’s one of my faves 🙂
Can you use Dr Pepper?
Yes! Just don’t use diet
I finally got around to making this and OMG! So tender and flavorful!
I made it in my LeCreuset French Oven instead of a crockpot and it worked fine. I did learn that I need to lower the oven temp but it didn’t burn/scorch, just cooked away the delicious gravy…LOL! I will DEFINITELY make it again!
Sara thank you so much for coming back to let me know!! I’m so glad that you loved it!!
I’ve finally had success with the LeCreuset using canned soup (cream of mushroom, sometimes a combo of that and French Onion) and adding wine…then tried port which was my “go-to” until this. I could NOT believe how tender the meat was. The hubby loved it, too!
I’m sooo glad!!
If I use a larger roast do I need to double the soup and coke? Thanks!
I would! It couldn’t hurt to have more “gravy” but you don’t want to end up with not enough.
What can I use to sub the dry onion mix?
You can use onion powder, garlic powder and/or fresh onion.
How much of the garlic and/or garlic salt should I use instead of onion soup mix? I never have that but the seasonings I always have!
Or minced garlic?
Thing it doesnt tell u is how many carrots do u use and also how many potatoes do u use
As many as you want! Just do whatever your preference is 🙂 sometimes I use more than others.
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Have you ever used a Pork Tenderloin instead of beef for this?
I havent but i bet it would be yummy! Pork seems to not get as tender as beef.
Hi, I set this in the slow cooker before I left for work this morning. Realizing at the time, we only had a can of Dr.Pepper. It still turned out great. I pureed the potatoes and carrots in the slow-cooker at the end of cooking to thicken the sauce. It was a hit with the whole family. Easy and quick to prepare. Thank you!
I’m so glad you liked it!! I will have to try it with Dr. Pepper next time! I bet that would be amazing! Really, any dark soda should work 🙂
Hi Ashley, I have had this several times, and it is unbelievable. I just couldn’t
Hardly believe how tender the roast was & the gravy was soo delicious. It is my favorite way to prepare ROAST, now & forever. LOL Thank you Ashley 🙂
What a nice comment! Thank you!
I just put it in the crockpot and will be leaving for church in a few minutes. I thought when I get back (after about 3 hrs) if it looks like I could use more gravy, could I make another soup/coke mixture and add it to it at that time? It would be about it in the middle of the cooking time.
You shouldn’t need more liquid because the roast itself will add juice as It cooks, as well! If your really need more you can add more of the sauce and just cook it long enough to heat it up 🙂 add some cornstarch to thicken if needed! Enjoy your day!
This looks great I am going to try it today. I am having issues with my 6qt crock pot drying everything out. I wish I still had my 20 year old crock. Someone said steam may be escaping but I think the new one’s are just junk.
Any ideas as to why all my roasts come out dry and not tender even with liquid still in there?
I cook everything on low for about 7-8 hours.
Thanks
The newer crock pots cook a lot faster! I have the same problem. I shorten the cooking time a lot for the newer ones. Seems to help my food not to dry out anymore.
I am wondering if anyone tried this using diet Coke, and how it turned out. Looking for a different way to cook a roast and my husband can’t have sugar. Thanks!
Hi Gail! I haven’t used diet because the sugars are what makes the roast tender. Maybe Google has a good substitution?? Sorry I couldn’t help more!
I served the pot roast last night for dinner and got rave reviews. I followed your directions and it was sheer perfection. Thank you so much.
Jodie, thanks so much for letting me know!! I appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment!
I made this for dinner the other night. My boyfriend, who is very fussy, went back for seconds!!! Thanks so much! I will be making it again, and again!
Because of medical issues, I’m now on a fairly strict low sodium eating plan. That means canned soups and the onion soup mix are out totally. Any suggestions on adapting this recipe without those two items?
I would use onion powder, dried onion flakes and low/no sodium beef bouillon granules or cubes in place of the dry onion soup. Or if you can’t find low sodium bouillon, use beef broth and a little molasses along with the onion flakes and powder in place of half the cola.
I can do the onion soup replacement (actually found salt-free beef bouillon) but I’m at a loss as to what to replace the canned soup with…
Hi. Does the coke make it sweet? My family is not a fan of sweet. Could I do half the amount of coke?
I wouldn’t use less but it really doesn’t taste very sweet. The coke tenderizes the meat.
Hello, just wondering if it makes a difference whether if you use coke, pepsi, or dr pepper? Does each one give a different flavor?? Also, i have a huge roast and i like a lot of gravy so how would i double this recipe? Should i use 2 cokes, 2 cream of mushroom, and 2 envelopes of onion soup mix?? Thanks!
Yes definitely double the gravy! I like to have a lot, too. Then I can put it on the mashed potatoes, etc. You can use coke, pepsi, root beer, dr. pepper – anything! Just don’t use diet because the sugars are what break down the meat to make it more tender. 🙂 Enjoy!!!
If time is short, could I cook on high for the first 2 hours and put on low for 4 hours to have it ready in6 hours for a 2.84 lb chuck roast?
Sure you can!
Also, I plan to leave this in fridge overnight with just the dry mix in. I will put cola in before I leave for church in the morning. Figure this will let flavors meld in really good!
I made this at 5 am let cook on low for until about 330 pm. The meat was delicious but my potatoes and carrots where not done 🙁
Try cutting them up a little smaller next time!
I’ve never had that happen. Sorry about that!
I was wondering if I could use a pork roast, since I already have it in my freezer??
Sure! I don’t see why not 🙂
Hi what size can of cream of mushroom do you use??
Hi whatever the smaller size is. 10 oz or so?
Can I use brown gravy mix instead of onion dry mix?
Sure. It just would change the flavor but still would be good.
What can you put in place of the soup. (Wanted to make this but forgot it at the store) any ideas?
Hi there i am going to try this on the weekend but can please tell what you have sprinkled over the top in the photo?
Thanks, Tania.
Hi Tania! It’s just parsley to give it some extra color and flavor 🙂
WOW! So many glowing reviews and no one seemed to deviate from your original recipe! That’s a sign of a great recipe! I just printed it off and will be making it for our Sunday dinner. Can’t wait for 1st: the great aroma and 2nd: the great taste! Thanks for a wonderful Sunday dinner roast variation! BTW, I’m 70 years old and still looking for the ‘perfect’ roast beef recipe. Sure hope this is it!
I just know this is going to be amazing!
Coca Cola makes the most dreamy gravy!
We all need super easy dinner recipes like this—especially when the results are so delicious!! Thanks!!
So easy to make, and really tender!
I loved it! the meat was so flavorful and really tasty!
I have a couple of cans of coke in the fridge, I can’t wait to try this.
This is good. And I especially love the short list of ingredients on this one!
love this recipe
Such a delicious way to prepare pot roast!
Can I put roast on low at 6:00 pm and let it cook till the next day at 3:00 pm without the roast drying out or liquids drying up ?
I feel like that may be way too long to have it cooking and will dry out. Can you have it switch to warm after 8 hours or so? Some crock pots have that option.
Trying to make this for tonight’s dinner and just realized one thing different from other stew recipes…do I need to brown the meat before putting it into the crockpot, or is it put in there raw?
Delicious! I used a sirloin roast but plan to try other meats too. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Thank you, Pam! I’m glad you liked it!
Not my favorite pot roast, i’d add some herbs next time, but the texture was great.
Can I use Lipton Golden Onion instead of Onion?
Yes, that is fine Anastasia!
I was SOOOOO skeptical with the ingredient list but it was AMAZING!!!
Hello!!! Just wondering….does the addition of the coke/pepsi/dr pepper make the dish sweet?
Thank you!
If I use a bottom round roast will it cook up or be tough?
Trying this recipe out today. Put it on 45 minutes ago. Already smells AMAZING!!!! I will let you know how it turns out!
I want to try this,but without the vegetables will it still true out?
Is it okay if my husband put a little bit of water in it?
Can i use dr pepper instead of cold?
Yes that is fine
I have always seered by roasts before putting them in crock, do I still need to do this or does it seal in juices with just adding cola?
You can do it either way! The cola is there to tenderize, it doesn’t seal in juices.
Way too yummy. Next time I would eliminate the onion and cream of mushroom soup and just slice up an onion.