This easy Instant Pot beef stew recipe makes a complete one bowl meal with barely any effort. It's packed with fork-tender meat and veggies for a savory, hearty, and warm dish that really satisfies. The perfect cozy dinner when it's cold!
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Why this instant pot beef stew is so good?
Instant Pot beef stew has all of the delicious umami flavors of a classic slow cooker stew. It's brimming with hearty pieces of beef chuck roast cooked with potatoes, carrots, peas, and a handful of vibrant spices. There is nothing complicated here: Just quality pantry staples treated with love!
Traditional crockpot beef stew recipes require several hours of cooking. But this modern stew recipe is easy to make with a pressure cooker in a fraction of the time! Sear the meat right in the pot, then toss in roughly chopped veggies and simple aromatics like tomato paste, seasonings, and beef broth.
I also add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar for a great punch of savory, tangy flavor. The thick soup base is made with cornstarch and not flour. So, it happens to be gluten-free!
In less than an hour the vegetables and tender meat are cooked to melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Because it is so fast and effortless, this pressure cooker beef stew recipe is great for both busy weeknight and relaxing weekend dinners.
You can even chop the veggies in advance, or make the entire dish ahead for meal prepping! In fact, I usually make it in a large double or triple batch to enjoy now and freeze for later.
A bowlful of homemade stew served warm with crusty bread on the side is the best comfort food for winter. Everyone in the family will ask for this yummy and satisfying meal all season!
*If you are looking for some more delicious recipes for quick dinner, try these, you are going to love it:
- Beef Stir Fry - this better than takeout Chinese is our family favorite all time!
- Instant Pot Chicken Curry - the easiest Indian style curry perfect with steamed rice for dinner.
- Beef and Broccoli - ultimate 30 minutes meal you will be wanting more.
- Ground Beef Pasta - creamy and delicious family-meal in a bowl.
Ingredients you'll need
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: An inexpensive cut of meat that becomes super tender in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. It's very common in instant pot stew meat recipes.
- Olive Oil: I recommend organic olive oil for the best flavor.
- Spices: Dried thyme, dried rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Yellow Onion: This sweeter onion goes well with the beef and veggies
- Garlic: A key ingredient in many savory recipes.
- Tomato Paste: Tangy and vibrant, it livens up the hearty meat.
- Soy Sauce: The secret to add unbelievably bold umami flavor. I have used gluten free soy sauce, feel free to use tamari.
- Balsamic Vinegar: Gives the savory soup even more irresistible tanginess.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth: Using broth creates deeper flavor than just water.
- Carrots: Cut into large chunks so they stay slightly firm.
- Potatoes: I have used baby potatoes. However, you can use russet or Yukon gold potatoes. Leave the peels on for a classic rustic stew.
- Bay Leaves: A popular aromatic ingredient that adds flavor, but is not actually eaten.
- Frozen Peas: No need to thaw!
- Cornstarch: A gluten-free thickening agent.
How to make Instant Pot Beef Stew?
Sear the beef meat cubes
- To start with, place the steel insert, turn on the instant pot, and press 'Sauté' function. Add oil, once it's hot, add beef cubes in a single layer (avoid over crowding). Let the beef cook undisturbed 3-4 minutes until nicely the bottom is dark brown and crusty.
- Turn the meat pieces, add salt, pepper, and continue to sear for another 3-4 minutes until everything is nice brown. Here I have not taken out the seared beef onto a plate, instead shoving it on one side of the pot.
Build the flavor
- Add chopped onion, and minced garlic to the instant pot. Sauté onion garlic and seared beef meat together until onion turns soft for about 4-5 minutes. You can add a spoonful or two beef broth to scrape down the brown bits and deglaze the bottom of the pot (this step will help avoiding the "burn" warning).
- Add tomato paste, dried thyme and rosemary, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, sauté for another 1 minute.
- Now, Add the beef broth and give a good stir, ensure bottom is free of brown bits and deglazed well. Add carrots, potatoes, bay leaves on the top. Do not stir.
Pressure cook the meat
- Close the instant pot lid and turn the vent to sealing position. Pressure cook on 'High' for 35 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally before quick release, this will take around 15-20 minutes. Turn the 'Sauté' on low, add peas.
- Add cornstarch slurry, and give a gentle stir only once.
- Simmer for 1-2 minutes only, until the stew thickens. Dish out, sprinkle fresh thyme or chopped parsley and serve hot with your favorite accompaniment. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- The best beef for stew recipes are thick cuts that include a bit of fattiness. Boneless beef chuck roast is a tougher meat that becomes perfectly melt-in-your-mouth tender when pressure cooked.
- A good stew has veggies that are soft and tender, but still have a bit of bite. To avoid overcooked mushy carrots and potatoes, cut the veggies into nice big thick pieces.
- To get a perfect sear, brown the beef meat in batches so that you do not overcrowd the pot. This ensures that you get that gorgeous brown gravy color and deep stew flavor.
- Speaking of gravy... Do not wipe out the pot. Instead, deglaze the bottom of the instant pot with beef broth. Those brown bits add a ton of flavor to the soup gravy!
- Want an extra thick stew? Simply double the cornstarch and keep the amount of mixing liquid the same.
- Double the recipe in your large 10 quart pressure cooker. Then you can enjoy servings the same day and freeze the rest for meal prepping. Work in batches to triple the recipe, if you like.
Recipe FAQs
Beef chuck roast is typically cooked low and slow. This makes the meat tender and still juicy. If your pressure cooked meat is tough, it likely was not cooked for long enough. Be sure to thoroughly sear the beef before adding the other ingredients and cooking. Then set the Instant Pot for the full 35 minutes.
Technically yes. But, it is hard to do when you cook beef stew in instant pot! This recipe uses a right cooking time with a natural release, which makes the beef become soft without overcooking.
Serving Ideas
Ladle the gravy soup into large bowls and serve warm. We like our beef stew with extra gravy to dip our favorite baguette, crusty bread, corn bread, and biscuits!
For an even heartier meal you can pair alongside your favorite carbs. Enjoy with:
- White or Brown Rice
- Couscous
- Polenta
- Mashed Potatoes
- Quinoa
- Freshen things up and add a salad to the table.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheat
This easy pressure cooker beef stew recipe is terrific to make once and enjoy throughout the week. Transfer the room temperature soup to an airtight container keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Place the stew in a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend that you wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil for maximum protection.
Thaw the stew in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a dutch oven or low. Or microwave in short 30-second bursts at 50% power.
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Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ lb boneless beef chuck roast (cut into 1½ inch pieces)
- 2 tablepoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 carrots (sliced diagonally into thick pieces)
- 1 lb potatoes (halved or quartered )
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with water or little gravy to make the slurry)
Instructions
- To start with, place the steel insert, turn on the instant pot, and press 'Sauté' function. Add 2 tablepoons olive oil, once it's hot, add beef cubes in a single layer (avoid over crowding).
- Let the Beef cook undisturbed 3-4 minutes until nicely the bottom is dark brown and crusty.
- Turn the meat pieces, add ¾ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and continue to sear for another 3-4 minutes until everything is nice brown. Here I have not taken out the seared beef onto a plate, instead shoving it on one side of the pot.
- Add finely chopped 1 large yellow onion, and 5 cloves garlic (minced) to the instant pot. Sauté onion garlic and seared beef meat together until onion turns soft for about 4-5 minutes. You can add a spoonful or two beef broth to scrape down the brown bits and deglaze the bottom of the pot (this step will help avoiding the "burn" warning).
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar, sauté for another 1 minute. Now, Add the 3 cups low-sodium beef broth and give a good stir, ensure bottom is free of brown bits and deglazed well.
- Add 3 carrots (thick csliced chunks), 1 lb potatoes (halved or quartered), 2 bay leaves on the top, do not stir.
- Close the instant pot lid and turn the vent to sealing position. Pressure cook on 'High' for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally before quick release, this will take around 15 minutes.
- Turn the 'Sauté' on low, add 1 cup frozen peas. Add cornstarch slurry, and give a gentle stir only once and simmer until the stew thickens (1-2 minutes only).
- Carefully dish out, sprinkle fresh thyme or chopped parsley and serve hot with crusty baguette or bread, steamed rice, brown rice, quinoa or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!
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