This easy Crock Pot Pork Roast with Mushrooms and Polenta is packed with flavor and is incredibly easy to prepare.
Crock Pot Pork Roast
This Crock Pot Pork Roast recipe definitely won’t disappoint. Cooking the pork low and slow all day with soy sauce, broth, honey and garlic, transforms it into a fall-apart tender and tasty dinner. Then it’s served over creamy polenta, it tastes so good. I love making crock pot dinners because they’re so easy. Some of my favorite pork slow cooker meals are: Slow Cooker Pernil, Slow Cooker Sweet Barbacoa Pork just to name a few!
Hi there, I’m Heather K. Jones—I’m a dietitian, the nutrition expert for the Skinnytaste cookbooks, and the founder of the weight and wellness program Feel Better Eat Better. If you struggle with emotional eating or weight worries, be sure to check out my free Masterclass by clicking RIGHT HERE. You’ll find out exactly why you have struggled for so long, and exactly how you can transform your relationship with food and your body, even if you’ve tried everything.
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During the colder months I love making this hearty and satisfying slow cooker pork roast recipe. It makes the house smell amazing, and there’s just something so cozy about coming home to warm slow-cooked meal on a cold day, right?
Just be sure to use a top-grade piece of pork (I used a certified humane pork sirloin roast from a local regenerative farm), and don’t forget to sear it before it goes in the slow cooker. Searing creates a delicious caramelized crust and it keeps the meat moist.
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray to prevent sticking
- Lean boneless pork sirloin roast (also known as pork center rib roast or pork loin roast)
- Low sodium chicken broth
- Soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- Balsamic vinegar
- Honey
- Garlic, minced
- Sliced mushrooms (such as baby bella)
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Stone-ground polenta
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
How To Make Crockpot Pork Roast
For the slow cooker pork roast:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly spray the pan with oil and brown the pork on all sides, for about 7 – 8 minutes.
- Add the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and garlic to the crock pot. Stir to combine. Add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
- Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set it aside to rest for at least 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for the remaining 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the polenta.
For the polenta:
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add polenta and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is creamy. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1–2 minutes.
- While the polenta is cooking, shred the pork using two forks. When the time is up, add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well.
- To serve: Spoon ½ cup polenta onto a plate, top with pork and mushroom gravy and garnish with parsley.
Variations
- Use a pork shoulder roast, pork butt or boneless pork shoulder if you want a more tender cut of pork.
- Pork tenderloin would work as a leaner option.
- Serve it with mashed potatoes in place of polenta.
- Swap the vegetables with carrots in place of mushrooms.
Make Ahead
If you want to do this the night before, you can set it all up and leave it refrigerated, then turn it on in the morning.
Serving Suggestions
- I serve this dish with a big green salad.
- Serve it with your favorite roasted veggies.
- You can make pork sandwiches on good bread from your local bakery.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
FAQs
Should a pork roast be seared before slow cooking?
Yes! Searing the pork before adding it to the crock pot is a must, so don’t skip this step. If you want to do this the night before, you can set it all up and leave it refrigerated, then turn it on in the morning.
Does pork roast need to be submerged in the slow cooker?
No. The liquid does not need to cover your pork in the slow cooker. You only need enough liquid to cover the base of the slow cooker. It releases more juice as it cooks.
What is the healthiest pork to eat?
Lean cuts of pork (preferably from humanely-raised animals) such as tenderloin, loin chops and sirloin roast, are high in protein, low in fat and have more B-vitamins (thiamin, niacin, B6 and B12) than many other types of meat.
More Crock Pot Pork Recipes You’ll Love
- Slow Cooker Filipino Adobo Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew
- Slow Cooker Pernil
- Slow Cooker Sweet Barbacoa Pork
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Pork Roast
Crock Pot Pork Roast with Mushrooms and Polenta
Equipment
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 2 pounds lean boneless pork sirloin roast, aka pork center rib roast, pork center loin roast
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce, or gluten free tamari
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, I used baby bella
- 4 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups stone-ground polenta
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For the pork:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly spray the pan with oil and brown the pork on all sides, for about 7 – 8 minutes.
- Add the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and garlic to the crock pot. Stir to combine. Add the pork and set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low.
- Thirty minutes before the timer goes off, remove the pork and set it aside to rest for at least 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the crock pot, cover and cook on low for the remaining 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the polenta.
For the polenta:
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pot. Add polenta and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and polenta is creamy. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1–2 minutes.
- While the polenta is cooking, shred the pork using two forks. When the time is up, add the shredded pork to the crock pot and mix well.
- To serve: Spoon ½ cup polenta onto a plate, top with pork and mushrooms and garnish with parsley.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
- Use a pork shoulder roast, pork butt or boneless pork shoulder if you want a more tender cut of pork.
- Pork tenderloin would work as a leaner option.
Serve it with mashed potatoes in place of polenta.
Swap the vegetables with carrots in place of mushrooms.
I made this tonight for dinner with green beans. So good and so easy!!! My husband told me it is one of his favorite meals!
Glad you both enjoy it!
Made it with beef chick roast as I have a pork allergy. This has phenomenal flavor. Great over polenta with a side of spinach.
“Pork on a Pillow” is how my husband described this last night, my third time making this. I omit the garlic due to tolerance issues, and it’s still great. Served with Brussel sprouts this time. Leftovers are always good too.
This was delicious! I cooked a 1.5 lb pork butt roast and cooked some onions in the fat after searing the meat that I then added to the pot.
I wanted it faster than 4 hours so I cooked it on the stove top at a simmer for about 1 and 1/2 hours and it was moist and tender. I had some cooked sweet potatoes from the night before so used those instead of polenta though I love polenta too and will definitely do that next time.
We had so much liquid leftover that I put it in a jar and refrigerated it til the next night and use the broth as a base for a chicken and wild rice soup. I added 2 tsp of dried tarragon, 2 chopped celery stalks, and 2 chopped carrots. It was so good that I’m regularly going to do this to save myself time! Thanks for the great recipes Gina! I have a couple of your cookbooks and they are my favorites.
Thanks Kay!
We both loved this. I served it over mashed potatoes and with asparagus on the side. I’ll definitely make it again and will try the polenta.
This was delicious. I didn’t have balsamic so used regular white vinegar and served over mashed potatoes with a side asparagus. Will be making this next time we have guests.
Your recipe sounds delicious I have to try it! What I wanted to say was you cannot put a crock pot in the refrigerator overnight and then put it in your heating part of the crock pot and turn it on. You will crack the crock pot you will destroy your meal and your machine! Please make note of this in future information. Thank you
wondering about the quart size
I use a 6 qt.
This was super delicious! I did add some parmesan to the polenta to jazz it up a bit and that was perfection.
This was easy and delicious! We had a lot of potatoes, so we served it over mashed.
this turned out better then i expected, hubby even enjoyed it look forward to this again some time in future
Making it the third time now!! Always a big hit! So easy and so delicious.
Not a polenta fan, so replaced with a healthy potato+sweet potato mash!
Made this with a pork tenderloin and swapped the mushrooms for carrots. The leftovers are even better than day it was made!
We tried this for the first time tonight. It was pretty good. I served over mashed potatoes instead of polenta and a side of steamed carrots. I had to add some salt after I shredded the meat . I think I’d also add some crushed red pepper. Not my #1 skinnytaste meal for sure, but easy and tasty! Looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Super delicious! I didn’t have balsamic, but just carried on without and it was still delicious! Added carrots with the mushrooms for my kiddos who are mushroom haters and served over mashed potatoes. Great dinner on a rainy evening.
This was so simple and delicious! I used a boneless pork shoulder roast and it was so tender. Served it over rice and with steamed carrots.
My pork hating husband was gobbling it up and had no idea he was eating pork! This is such a great combination of flavors. Loved it!
Made this exactly as written, absolutely delicious!! Thank you for another yummy recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Pretty good but I little bland. I added hot peppers to give it some more zip.
OH MY Goodness! Sitting here enjoying my second helping on a snowy day in Colorado Springs! Added the parmesan cheese someone suggested to the polenta – great choice. Would only add – for me and my love of mushrooms – 16 oz of sliced Portabella baby mushrooms the next time. You taught an 83+ yr. young cook a new recipe. Bless You!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
So I made this minus the polenta. The pork comes out very yummy. Love the mushrooms in it as well. We made it with just steam broccoli on the side.
So happy you enjoyed it!
Help! Can you freeze this recipe? Thank you. Hubby has to go on the road in a couple of weeks, and this sounds like a delicious recipe that he would enjoy. He doesn’t like eating out alone, so I make him meals, but I am bored of pasta meals, haha!
Hello! I have frozen the pork for this recipe (not the polenta!) and it worked great!
This was absolutely amazing! Definitely going into my regular SkinnyTaste rotation.
Wonderful!
The flavors in this recipe are incredible! I served it with grits vs polenta since that’s what I had on hand. Thanks Gina! So so good!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow! What great flavor! I only had loin pork chops so I did this on the stovetop instead of the slow cooker. I will definitely make it again using the slow cooker and a pork roast! Another home run recipe!
Delicious! Serving with polenta was a nice change of pace from our other starchy sides.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was on one of Gina’s Meal Plans and I was a little skeptical about making it. Boy was I wrong! The flavors were delicious. I added carrots to the slow cooker and served it with grits and sautéed Swiss Chard. We really loved it and I would definitely make it again!
Great flavors! Will definitely make this again. The only change I made was adding sauteed onions to the dish just before serving.
Hi Ann – great idea on the onions! Happy to hear you liked the recipes!
Very good and so easy. I used pork tenderloin and the pork was cooked in about 6 hours.
So happy you enjoyed it!
The pork was unbelievably delicious (I did use a pork butt roast since that’s what I had in my freezer).
So happy you liked it, Jenna!
The cooking time for the polenta reads only 5 minutes. Maybe 35 would be right?
Our polenta cooked in 5!
5 minutes is right 🙂
Depends! I make creamy polenta and I make it over 30 minutes 😊
This was amazing! Can leftovers be frozen?
Yes you can!
Hi I am a little confused by step three. Looks like I’m the only one though! Is the pork going back in after the ten minutes? Why would we not set the timer for that time instead of trying to time out thirty minutes before? Am I taking it out thirty minutes early, adding the mushrooms, shredding the pork after ten minutes then adding it back in?
I’m confused by this too! I would think the pork rests for 10 min, then shred it and put it back in for whatever of the 30 minutes is left…maybe?
Hello – you could set the timer to take the pork out (before adding the mushrooms) if that works better for you. Then you would add the mushrooms to the crock pot and set the timer for 30 minutes. While the mushrooms cook in the crock pot, you make the polenta and then you shred the pork (after it rests for 10 minutes). Then after the mushrooms finish cooking for 30 minutes, you add the shredded pork back to the crock pot. Hope this helps!
I just came here for the same thing. I got to that step and don’t know what to do with the pork.
This recipe looks great!
Unfortunately, my husband does not like mushrooms or carrots.
Is there another vegetable that would be a good swap?
Read step two of “For the polenta.” I think that answers your question.
I’m sorry, I don’t see an alternative vegetable in step 2. Not sure what you mean.
For the carrots you could try parsnips. You might just want to skip the mushrooms and serve the pork with another side dish. Someone here in comments served this with swiss chard… you could try that!
You could just skip the mushrooms and serve the pork with another vegetable, such as swiss chard!
Thank you!
This was delicious. The ingredients really melded together and flavored the pork nicely. I served with swiss chard because we like polenta and swiss chard together. I only added a cup of water because I used a small pork shoulder and it released plenty of liquid. This is a restaurant quality meal and a great option for company. Thank you for another fantastic recipe!
Yes, so happy to hear this! Great idea on the swiss chard.
was very good, anybody had to thicken the gravy a bit with either corn starch or flour?
So happy you liked it! I did not thicken the sauce… I found that the polenta soaked it up.
This looks so good! Could I use the Instant Pot for this meal?
I think an instant pot would work!
Could this be done in the instant pot? If so, how would I adjust liquid, steam time, etc? I don’t have a crock pot. Thank you!
Hi Emily – I have not made this in an instant pot so I’m not sure on the time or etc, but since the recipe has a lot of liquid, it should work. You could do a quick search on converting recipes to an instant pot and try it though!
I was very excited to make this as soon as I saw it. Had it tonight, I used pork tenderloin because that’s what was available for me and I added a little bit of Parmesan to the polenta. It was delicious. My 7 year old kept stealing tastes of the meat while I was making the polenta and now is saying she wants polenta all the time now. Thank you for another amazing recipe Gina.
I hope your 7 year old enjoyed it too! 🙂
Could you replace the polenta with grits?
Yes! That would work…. they are both made from ground corn.
Can you cook this on high?
Hi Patti – I have only cooked this on low, but you could try it on high for 4 hours.
I’m excited to try this! Question though, looks like boneless center cut pork chops were used in the photo rather than a sirloin roast. Are these also an option and if so how long would these cook for in the slow cooker?
Hi Kim – You can use a pork shoulder roast, pork butt or boneless pork shoulder if you want a more tender cut of pork. Pork tenderloin would work as a leaner option (thought with less time… around 4 hours).
Can you use pork chops in the slow cooker?
would any other cuts of meat other than pork work here?
Hi Cyndi! You could try a beef chuck roast.
Could I sub pork tenderloin in this, or would it be too dry/lean? I have a Costco-sized package in my freezer and I am looking for a cozy ski weekend-friendly dish to make!
I have use tenderloin with good results, maybe less time.
Thank you! I will give it a shot!