Instant Pot Beef Stew

Exceptionally tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a luscious, flavor-packed sauce. This Instant Pot Beef Stew is so quick and easy that it can be on your menu any night of the week.

This Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe has me convinced that pressure cooking is the very best method for making beef stew. Your Instant Pot has the amazing ability to transform tough little chunks of chuck roast into incredibly tender beef in a fraction of the time of any other method.

I am still true to my Classic Stovetop Beef Stew recipe (a BIG reader favorite!). Especially for a lazy Sunday supper when it’s oh-so pleasing to have something simmering away on the stove. But, it’s just so awesome that the Instant Pot allows us to create classic, comforting meals any night of the week.

My love for my Instant Pot knows no bounds!

The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

One of the issues I’ve found with countless other beef stew recipes is that the end result is bland. To ensure that homestyle flavor we all crave, I’ve created a simple mix of dried spices that I also use in my Classic Stovetop Beef Stew recipe.

This seasoning mix is added to the Instant Pot Beef Stew in layers throughout the cooking process so the flavor is infused throughout both the beef and the sauce.

You don’t want to depend on salt and pepper alone! In fact, adding a variety of other spices means you can be a bit conservative with the salt (always a good thing for all of us) and only add more at the end if you feel it needs it.

Ingredient Notes

• Cubed beef: Chuck is hands down the best choice for stew, regardless of the method. This tough cut is relatively inexpensive and breaks down and transforms into fork-tender beef when cooked properly. I highly recommend picking up pre-cut “beef for stew” at the grocery store. This beef chuck has been trimmed of fat and cut for you by the stores’ butchers – a huge time-saver. You will still likely need to cut down any large pieces so that all of the beef is in uniform bite-size pieces.
• Oil: Use a neutral, high smoke point oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
• Vegetables: Diced white or yellow onion, diced celery and minced garlic. For the potatoes, I use baby yellow or red potatoes (or a combo of both) halved or quartered and a few roughly chopped carrots. I like to add some frozen peas for a little color boost.
• Seasoning: The dried seasoning mix consists of crushed rosemary, thyme, marjoram, paprika, fine ground sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. You’ll also need a bay leaf.
• Flavor boosters: Tomato paste adds some “oomph” to the sauce while Worcestershire sauce and a little red wine create amazing depth of flavor. Go with a medium to full-bodied red wine like like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot.
• Fresh herbs: A little minced parsley to brigthen it up.
• Cornstarch slurry: The stew is thickened at the end with a slurry of cornstarch and water There’s no flour involved in this recipe which makes it a naturally gluten-free beef stew recipe. Just be sure you select a red wine and Worcestershire sauce that state they are gluten-free on the label.

How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew

The step-by-step photo tutorial is below but be sure to watch the short instructional video in the recipe card below.

1. Set your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and when the indicator reads “HOT” add some oil. Add half of the beef and season with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, sautéing until the beef is nicely browned.
2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a dish and repeat this process with the remaining beef and an additional 2 teaspoons of seasoning mix. There will be a little seasoning left and you want to reserve that for later.
3. Add a little more oil to the empty pot, if necessary, and add the onions, celery, and garlic. Sauté until softened, then add the tomato paste and stir it well to combine.
4. Pour in the broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining seasoning mix, and a bay leaf.

1. Time to add the browned beef back to the liquid in the pot and give it a stir. Scatter the potatoes and carrots over the top and do NOT stir the mixture at this point. They should rest on top of the meat and liquid so that they will cook to fork-tender perfection. I use this same method in my Instant Pot Pot Roast and it works like a charm. Secure the lid and set your Instant Pot to cook at HIGH pressure for 30 minutes.
2. Once the cooking time is over, release the steam and open the lid. Press “SAUTÉ”, toggle to “LOW”, and set the time for 5 minutes.
3. Add the frozen peas straight from the freezer and the parsley.
4. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and the sauce will thicken and become silky and just downright luxurious.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Instant Pot Beef Stew will stay fresh for up to 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Transfer the cooled stew to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours.

Freeze: If you want to store it longer, freeze it in freezer-safe plastic food storage bags for up to 3 months. Press out as much air as possible, seal the bags, and lay them flat in the freezer to save space. You can also divide the stew into single-serving portions before freezing in small, freezer-safe containers to make it easy to reheat just the amount you need.

Reheating Tips: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of water or broth if the stew seems too thick after storing.

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Instant Pot Beef Stew

Exceptionally tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a luscious, flavor-packed sauce. This Instant Pot Beef Stew is so quick and easy that it can be on your menu any night of the week.

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Keyword: Instant Pot Beef Stew

Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Cook Time:40 minutes minutes

Total Time:50 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the Beef Stew Seasoning Mix

For the Beef Stew

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil, like avocado oil or vegetable oil, plus additional as needed
• ▢ 2½ pounds beef stew meat
• ▢ 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
• ▢ 2 ribs celery, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ ½ cup medium to full-bodied red wine, like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot
• ▢ 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes, or a combination of both, halved or quartered
• ▢ 3 or 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped (½-inch slices)
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas, no need to thaw
• ▢ ¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Cut large pieces of stew meat into smaller bite-size pieces (1 to 1½-inch cubes), if necessary.

• Press the SAUTÉ key three times to select the MORE setting (on older models press the ADJUST key to toggle to the MORE setting). Wait for the the pot “HOT” indicator before adding ingredients. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the heated pot. Add half of the beef and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture. Sauté the beef until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a dish and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed, and seasoning with 2 more teaspoons of the spice mixture. Reserve remaining spice mixture for later.

• Leave any accumulated beef drippings in the empty pot and add additional oil, if needed. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined. Add the red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, remaining spice mix and the bay leaf. Add the beef and all the juices that have accumulated back to pot. Top with the carrots and potatoes. Don’t stir. You want the meat submerged in liquid and the carrots and potatoes on top. Press CANCEL.

• Place the lid on the Instant Pot. Press the MANUAL or the PRESSURE COOK button, select HIGH, and set the time to 30 minutes (making sure the steam release handle is in the “Sealing” position on older models). It will take approximately 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and begin counting down the 30 minutes. After the cooking time is complete, push the steam release handle (or button) to the “Venting” position to allow the steam to release completely before you open the pot. Press CANCEL.

• Press “SAUTÉ” and toggle to “LOW” and set time for 5 minutes.

• Stir in the frozen peas and parsley. Combine the water and cornstarch in a measuring cup or small bowl and stir it into the beef stew. Continue cooking, uncovered, until thickened. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 335 kcal · Carbohydrates: 20 g · Protein: 35 g · Fat: 11 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Cholesterol: 88 mg · Sodium: 731 mg · Potassium: 1128 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 4378 IU · Vitamin C: 19 mg · Calcium: 63 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.

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This post was originally published on December 11, 2019. It has been updated with new text and images.