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