Mouthwatering beef and fork-tender vegetables pressure-cook in a thick and flavorful broth to make our Instant Pot pot roast recipe. This easy, one-pot dinner is sure to be a family favorite!
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Chuck Roast: The success of a roast depends heavily on the beef. We love boneless chuck roast because it is easy to find and affordable. Chuck is naturally tough, so it benefits from being slow or pressure-cooked. When purchasing a beef chuck roast, select one with a good amount of marbling.
- Salt + Pepper: Generously season the beef with salt and pepper.
- Olive Oil: Sear chuck roast in olive oil to lock in all the moisture.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and potato add textural variation, and they flavor the stew.
- Tomato Paste: Thicken and add color with tomato paste.
- Marmite: Whisk marmite into the stew for a salty boost of flavor while highlighting the savoriness of the beef.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce enhances many of the other ingredients.
- Better than Bouillon: I use Better Than Bouillon and water in place of stock for this recipe. It’s flavorful, easy, and something I always keep in my pantry. You can also purchase store-bought beef stock and use that instead.
- Bay Leaves: Bay leaves subtly flavor the dish as it cooks.
- Thyme Sprigs: Fresh thyme modestly flavors the pot roast with an earthy sweetness.
- Fish Sauce: This tasty fermented sauce is an added boost to stews and roasts.
How to Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Generously season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in an Instant Pot on saute mode until smoking. Then, add the chuck roast to brown. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes to create a nice crust. Set the roast aside.
Step 3: Warm butter in saute mode and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions become translucent and soften, then add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
Step 4: Stir in the tomato paste, marmite, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 30 seconds until they become aromatic.
Step 5: Deglaze with water and Better than Bouillon, scraping up the brown bits left by the meat.
Step 6: Nestle the beef into the pot and add the bay leaves, thyme springs, and potatoes.
Secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure. Allow the meat to cook for 1 hour with a 10-minute natural release.
Step 7: Unplug the Instant Pot and stir in the fish sauce.
Expert Tips
- Select boneless beef chuck with a good amount of marbling for this recipe.
- Sear the beef to lock in moisture and build flavor for the roast.
- Cut the vegetables the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot with water and Better Than Bouillon, scraping up the burnt bits at the bottom to avoid a burn notification.
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Serving Suggestions
- Keto Yorkshire Pudding, Pao de Sal
- Rice
- Homemade Beef Gravy
- Roasted Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Green Beans, Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower, Mashed Cauliflower
What to do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Let the dish cool completely, and transfer the leftovers to a freezer-safe container or bag. Instant Pot pot roast freezes for 6-8 months.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers in the microwave or oven until heated through.
- Repurpose – Use the beef to make a sandwich, wrap, or quesadilla.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best cut of meat for a pot roast?
Boneless chuck roast and brisket work the best to make pot roast. You can also use bottom or top round, but they need additional fat to become tender, which is why we stuff the bottom round roast with chorizo to make boliche.
Instant Pot Pot Roast
- 5 pounds chuck roast, boneless
- Kosher salt
- black pepper, coarse ground
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 large white onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Marmite
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Chicken Better than Bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 1 pound petite potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- Generously season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
- Heat olive oil in an Instant Pot on saute mode until smoking. Then, add the chuck roast to brown. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes to create a nice crust. Set the roast aside.
- Warm butter in saute mode and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onions become translucent and soften, then add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste, marmite, and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 30 seconds until they become aromatic.
- Deglaze with water and Better than Bouillon, scraping up the brown bits left by the meat.
- Nestle the beef into the pot and add the bay leaves, thyme springs, and potatoes. Secure the lid, and set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure. Allow the meat to cook for 1 hour with a 10-minute natural release.
- Unplug the Instant Pot and stir in the fish sauce.
- Select boneless beef chuck with a good amount of marbling.
- Sear the beef to lock in moisture and build the base of flavor for the roast.
- Cut the vegetables the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot with water and Better Than Bouillon, scraping up the burnt bits at the bottom to avoid a burn notification.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.