This Best Instant Pot Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food meal, delivering tender chunks of beef and hearty vegetables in a rich, savory gravy. By using the Instant Pot, you can achieve that slow-simmered taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture in a fraction of the time.
With a thick, glossy sauce and perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots, this one-pot dinner is perfect for chilly nights and busy weeknights alike.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: This stew is deep and savory, with a rich umami flavor from the beef broth, tomato sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, balanced by aromatic Italian seasoning.
- Texture: The beef becomes incredibly tender under pressure, while the potatoes and carrots cook to a soft, melt-in-your-mouth consistency enveloped in a thick gravy.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook time (plus pressure build and release time).
- Difficulty: Easy. The pressure cooker does all the heavy lifting.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will obviously need an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. A sharp knife and cutting board are required for prepping the vegetables, and a small bowl is needed to whisk the cornstarch slurry. The ingredients rely on classic stew staples like chuck roast (stew meat), root vegetables, and a tomato-based broth.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Stew Meat – Pre-cut stew meat works well, or you can buy a chuck roast and cut it yourself. Chuck roast has the ideal amount of fat and connective tissue to become tender during pressure cooking.
- Potatoes – You need 1 pound of potatoes, cubed. Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are excellent choices as they release starch that helps thicken the stew.
- Baby Carrots – The recipe calls for a 16-ounce bag of baby carrots, cut into slices. Slicing them ensures they are bite-sized and cook through evenly.
- Tomato Sauce – One 10-ounce can of tomato sauce provides a rich body and acidity to the gravy, differentiating it from a clear broth soup.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds a salty, savory depth that enhances the beef flavor.
- Beef Broth – This forms the liquid base. Use a good quality broth for the best flavor.
- Cornstarch – Mixed with water, this is used at the very end to thicken the liquid into a proper stew consistency.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Vegetables – You can add celery stalks (chopped) along with the onions if you enjoy that flavor profile.
- Peas – Frozen peas can be stirred in at the very end (after pressure release) for a pop of green and sweetness; the residual heat will cook them.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs can be added before pressure cooking for an extra herbal note (remove stems before serving).
How to Make Best Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Sauté the Beef: Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. When the oil starts to sizzle, add the beef stew meat and season with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook the meat until it is browned on all sides.
- Deglaze the Pot: Add the beef broth to the Instant Pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. This adds flavor and prevents the “burn” warning.
- Add Vegetables and Sauce: Add the Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, sliced baby carrots, cubed potatoes, and tomato sauce to the pot. Stir gently to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and set the steam valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully do a quick release to let out any remaining steam.
- Thicken: Mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir this mixture into the hot stew until it has thickened to your liking.
Pro Tip: Do not skip the natural release step! Letting the beef sit for 10 minutes as the pressure comes down naturally helps the muscle fibers relax, ensuring the meat is tender rather than chewy.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overcrowd During Searing: If you want a really deep sear, you may need to brown the meat in two batches so it fries rather than steams.
- Cut Veggies Uniformly: Cut your potatoes and carrots into similar-sized chunks so they cook at the same rate. If the potato chunks are too small, they might disintegrate during the 35-minute cook time.
- Deglazing is Key: Scraping the bottom of the pot after adding the broth is crucial. Those stuck-on bits are pure flavor, and removing them ensures the Instant Pot sensor doesn’t trigger a burn error.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen meat? It is best to thaw the meat first so you can brown it properly and season it. Putting a frozen block of meat in will result in uneven cooking and less flavor.
- Why is my gravy thin? The stew will look liquidy when you first open the lid. The cornstarch slurry is essential for thickening it up. It will also continue to thicken as it cools slightly.
- Can I use a slow cooker? Yes, but the timing changes significantly. You would need to cook this on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 4-5 hours.
Serving Suggestions
- Crusty Bread: A baguette or dinner rolls are essential for soaking up the delicious tomato-beef gravy.
- Mashed Potatoes: If you want an extra hearty meal, serve the stew over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
- Salad: A crisp green salad with a vinaigrette dressing helps cut through the richness of the stew.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Storage: This stew tastes even better the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: This recipe freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Best Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This Best Instant Pot Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food meal, delivering tender chunks of beef and hearty vegetables in a rich, savory gravy. By using the Instant Pot, you can achieve that slow-simmered taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture in a fraction of the time. With a thick, glossy sauce and perfectly cooked potatoes and carrots, this one-pot dinner is perfect for chilly nights and busy weeknights alike.
Ingredients
The Stew Base
- 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat (chuck roast is best), cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large onion, chopped
The Vegetables
- 1 lb potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold), cubed
- 1 (16 oz) bag baby carrots, sliced into rounds
The Thickener
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Sauté the Beef
Turn your Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the beef stew meat and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned on all sides. (Do this in batches if needed to get a good sear).
Deglaze the Pot
Pour in the beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to firmly scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on brown bits (fond). This step is crucial to add flavor and prevent the Instant Pot from triggering a “Burn” error.
Add Veggies and Liquids
Add the Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, sliced baby carrots, cubed potatoes, and the can of tomato sauce to the pot. Stir gently to combine everything.
Pressure Cook
Secure the lid and set the steam valve to the “Sealing” position. Select Manual/Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 35 minutes.
Natural Release
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pot sit undisturbed for a 10-minute natural release. This allows the meat fibers to relax, ensuring tenderness. After 10 minutes, carefully switch the valve to “Venting” to quick-release any remaining steam.
Thicken the Stew
Open the lid. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the hot stew. If needed, turn the Sauté function back on for 2-3 minutes to simmer the stew until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
Serve
Ladle the hot stew into bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
Don’t Skip the Deglaze: Scaping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot after adding the broth is the most important step. If you leave burnt bits stuck to the bottom, the pressure cooker sensor may stop cooking mid-cycle.
Uniform Chopping: Cut your potatoes and carrots into similar-sized chunks (about 1 inch). If the potatoes are cut too small, they may disintegrate during the 35-minute pressure cook.
Tough Meat? If your beef isn’t falling-apart tender, it likely needs more time or wasn’t allowed to naturally release pressure. The 10-minute rest after cooking is vital for texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: instant pot beef stew, pressure cooker stew, tender beef recipe, easy weeknight dinner, healthy beef stew, gluten free comfort food, chunky beef soup, hearty winter meals
