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Instant Pot Beef Stew is a hearty dinner made with tender chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and a flavorful broth. It’s a great meal for chilly days when you’re in the mood for something warm and filling.
Traditional beef stew takes hours to cook but it’s so much faster in the Instant Pot. And you can brown the beef right in the pot, add the remaining ingredients, and have a homemade stew in about an hour. There is also the option to thicken up the broth if you like your stew a little thicker.
For more easy Instant Pot recipes, try my Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice, Instant Pot Pot Roast, Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice, and Instant Pot Whole Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Easy one-pot meal: Brown the beef, add the remaining ingredients, and let the Instant Pot do the cooking.
- Hearty and filling: Beef, potatoes, and carrots make this a comfort food meal for the whole family.
- Ready in about an hour: Pressure cooking makes it possible to enjoy homemade beef stew without several hours of simmering on the stove.
Kitchen Equipment
- Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Beef stew meat: Chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes works well because it becomes tender during pressure cooking.
- Carrots and potatoes: These vegetables make the stew hearty and filling. Cut them into evenly sized pieces for more consistent cooking.
- Beef stock: Provides the savory base for the stew.
- Tomato paste: Adds richness and depth of flavor to the broth.
- Cornstarch: Optional, but useful if you prefer a thicker stew. You could also use arrowroot powder.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this Instant Pot Beef Stew:
Step 1. Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil and beef cubes. Brown the meat on all sides (about 4–5 minutes). Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
Step 2. Stir in the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
Step 3. Press Cancel. Add tomato paste, and stir to coat. Then add the carrots, potatoes, beef broth, salt, pepper, and herbs if using. Mix well.
Step 4. Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
Step 5. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
Step 6. If you’d like a thicker stew, mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Turn on Sauté mode and stir the slurry into the stew. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes until thickened to your liking.
Recipe Tips
- For the best results, use beef chuck roast or stew meat cut into approximately 1-inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Brown the beef in batches if necessary. Avoid overcrowding the pot so the meat has a chance to brown rather than steam.
- After sautéing the beef and onions, make sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot when adding the broth. This adds flavor and helps prevent the Instant Pot’s burn warning.
- If you prefer a thicker stew, add the optional cornstarch slurry after pressure cooking and simmer briefly using the Sauté function.
Serving Tips
- Pair with crusty sourdough bread, overnight sourdough biscuits, cheesy biscuits, French bread, or a green salad.
- Add a splash of vinegar or squeeze of lemon right before serving if you want a slight lift in flavor.
Storage & Reheating
- Let stew cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 1–2 minute intervals, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Freezing: This stew freezes well. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beef chuck roast is a good choice because it tends to be a tender beef during pressure cooking. You can also use packaged beef stew meat, which is often cut from chuck or other cuts suitable for slow cooking.
Yes. In addition to Russet potatoes, you can add vegetables such as celery, parsnips, or peas. Keep in mind that softer vegetables may become very tender during pressure cooking, so you may prefer to add them after cooking.
Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Stir it into the cooked stew using the Sauté function and simmer for 2–3 minutes until thickened.
Yes. Allow the stew to cool and transfer it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Crock Pot Taco Chicken Chili
- Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
If you make this Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds beef stew meat, chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary, optional
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tbsp water, optional, for thickening
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil and beef cubes. Brown the meat on all sides (about 4–5 minutes). Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
- Stir in the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Press Cancel. Add tomato paste, and stir to coat. Then add the carrots, potatoes, beef broth, salt, pepper, and herbs if using. Mix well.
- Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- If you’d like a thicker stew, mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Turn on Sauté mode and stir the slurry into the stew. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes until thickened to your liking.
Notes
- For the best results, use beef chuck roast or stew meat cut into approximately 1-inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Brown the beef in batches if necessary. Avoid overcrowding the pot so the meat has a chance to brown rather than steam.
- After sautéing the beef and onions, make sure to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot when adding the broth. This adds flavor and helps prevent the Instant Pot’s burn warning.
- If you prefer a thicker stew, add the optional cornstarch slurry after pressure cooking and simmer briefly using the Sauté function.
- Pair with crusty sourdough bread, cheesy biscuits, or a green salad.
- Add a splash of vinegar or squeeze of lemon right before serving if you want a slight lift in flavor.
- Let stew cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Warm on the stove over medium heat, or in the microwave in 1–2 minute intervals, stirring occasionally until heated through.
- Freezing: This stew freezes well. Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
