Start comfort season off right with the best Instant Pot beef stew, a classic comfort food that’s ready in half the time. While the beef stew recipe pressure cooks quickly in the Instant Pot, it tastes like it’s been simmering all day. For more like this, try Instant Pot pot roast.
Cool weather means stew weather, am I right? Every family needs a quick stick-to-your-ribs stew recipe, and this is mine. The tender chunks of beef and veggies pressure-cook to perfection for an easy, stand-alone meal everyone will love.
Key Ingredients
The best thing about a classic beef stew is how much flavor you can build with simple ingredients. Here is everything you need to get started.
- Chuck Roast: Use a well-marbled chuck roast and cut it into large chunks. Chuck is naturally tough, making it ideal for slow or pressure cooking. I recommend buying a whole chuck roast and cutting it yourself rather than using pre-cut beef stew meat, which tends to be leaner and less flavorful.
- Spices: Generously season the beef with plenty of kosher salt and coarse black pepper before searing.
- Olive Oil: Sear the beef in olive oil to encourage a deep brown crust and caramelization.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and potatoes create the backbone of the stew. Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal because they hold their shape in the Instant Pot without turning mushy.
- Tomato Paste: A spoonful of tomato paste deepens the broth’s color and adds extra richness.
- Flour: Flour helps thicken the stew, giving the broth its classic, velvety texture.
- Broth: Use homemade or store-bought beef broth or beef stock. You can even use water and Better Than Bouillon. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I keep in my pantry.
- Marmite: Just a small amount of Marmite adds umami and intensifies the stew’s incredible flavor. A little soy sauce or fish sauce also works.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Enhance the beef’s natural flavor with Worcestershire sauce.
What is the best cuts of beef to use for stew?
My answer varies depending on the stew I’m making, but for Instant Pot beef stew, boneless chuck roast is the best choice! You can also use boneless short ribs, beef brisket, beef shank, or even ground beef.
Additions and Substitutions
This easy Instant Pot beef stew recipe is delicious and easy to customize. Feel free to mix and match the ingredients to make it your own.
- Switch out the protein. Replace the chuck roast with boneless short ribs (especially if you can find them on sale), or reduce the cooking time and use ground beef.
- Load up on veggies. Add peas, green beans, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, parsnips, or butternut squash in place of, or in addition to, the potatoes, carrots, and celery.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Generously season the chuck roast pieces with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Warm oil in an Instant Pot using the sauté function. Brown the beef in batches, and set the meat aside.
Step 3: Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the Instant Pot—Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the onions soften. Stir in the minced garlic, flour, and tomato paste and cook for another minute.
Step 4: Deglaze the pot with beef broth, Marmite, and Worcestershire sauce, gently scraping up any browned bits left on the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot and add the potatoes and bay leaves.
Step 5: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 40 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural release.
What does natural release mean?
Natural release on the Instant Pot means allowing the pressure inside the pot to gradually decrease on its own after cooking finishes, without manually opening the pressure release valve. This process takes 10–30 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot.
As the pressure decreases, the float valve will drop, signaling that it’s safe to open the lid. Natural release is ideal for soups, stews, or liquid-heavy recipes to prevent splattering.
Can I Make Beef Stew on the Stovetop?
Of course you can. Follow the instructions below, but simmer the ingredients in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium to medium-high heat for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Expert Tips
- Uniformly cut the ingredients. Cut the beef and vegetables to the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate and create the perfect bite.
- Sear the beef. Brown the chuck roast pieces in oil to lock in the moisture and flavor for the stew.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot. Use beef broth to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot from browning the beef; this also helps to avoid getting a burn notice on your Instant Pot.
If you enjoy this easy Instant Pot beef stew, try even more stew recipes!
What to Serve with Beef Stew
Instant Pot beef stew is hearty on its own, but make it even more cozy by serving it with crusty bread like sourdough, buttery dinner rolls, or warm biscuits.
Spoon the beef stew over creamy mashed potatoes, steamed white rice, or my favorite keto Yorkshire puddings.
For something lighter, enjoy a piping-hot bowl of hearty stew with a simple green salad and a bright sherry-shallot dressing.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Instant Pot beef stew is one of those recipes that tastes even better the next day. Store the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish cool, and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze the beef stew for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftovers in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: Gently warm the stew on the stovetop or microwave with a splash of broth if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my stew meat tough in Instant Pot?
No moisture escapes when preparing stew in the Instant Pot; this locks all the moisture into every bite. Still, many factors can affect the tenderness of the beef; here are some variables to consider.
1. Cut the beef and vegetables the same size, so the ingredients cook evenly.
2. Sear the beef to lock in the moisture.
3. Pressure cook the stew and allow time for the Instant Pot to release naturally.
4. The cut of meat can impact the tenderness of the beef; for this reason, I recommend avoiding pre-cut stew meat. I have never had a good experience preparing it in the Instant Pot.
More Beef Stew Recipes:
Instant Pot Beef Stew
- 4 pounds boneless chuck roast trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large white onion cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 5 stalks celery cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Marmite
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Generously season the chuck roast pieces with salt and pepper.
- Warm oil in an Instant Pot using the sauté function. Brown the beef in batches, and set the meat aside.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the Instant Pot—Sauté for 10 minutes, or until the onions soften. Stir in the minced garlic, flour, and tomato paste and cook for another minute.
- Deglaze the pot with beef broth, Marmite, and Worcestershire sauce, gently scraping up any browned bits left on the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot and add the potatoes and bay leaves.
- Secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 40 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
- Uniformly cut the ingredients. Cut the beef and vegetables to the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate and create the perfect bite.
- Sear the beef. Brown the chuck roast pieces in oil to lock in the moisture and flavor for the stew.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot. Use beef broth to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pot from browning the beef; this also helps to avoid getting a burn notice on your Instant Pot.
Jen
Sunday 7th of August 2022
This doesn't compare to any stew I've ever had, absolutely making this again!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 7th of August 2022
Thanks for the comment Jen, I'm happy this meal has worked it's way into your rotation.