Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot Beef Stew is a hearty, meaty, and rich comfort dish made entirely in the pressure cooker! This quick 30-minute dinner will add warmth and coziness to even the coldest winter night.
Stew meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and beef broth are the stars of this savory and simple instant pot beef stew. This rich and hearty soup comes together in just 30 minutes and only dirties one pot! It’s genuinely the perfect weeknight dinner. All you need to do is sauté the beef and onion, add the remaining ingredients, and pressure cook everything together until thick and tender! In no time you’ll have a warm and delicious beef stew that is sure to be a big hit with the whole family. If you enjoy cooking in your instant pot, try our Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup or our Instant Pot Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, they are sure to become favorites for the family.
We Love This Recipe Because It’s…
- Rich, hearty, savory, and comforting.
- A one-pot, 30-minute dinner.
- A tasty way to sneak in some extra veggies.
- Made with common pantry-staple ingredients.
- A quick and easy version of a classic comfort dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb stew meat
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 large russet potatoes, cubed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
How to Make the Best Instant Pot Beef Stew
- In the pot of your pressure cooker, brown the stew meat in the olive oil. Cook until the meat reaches at least 165°F.
- Add the garlic powder and onion and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in the carrots, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, beef broth, potatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Place the lid on the pressure cooker and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Quickly release the pressure.
- Vigorously whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the stew has thickened. Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook beef stew?
I find that instant pot beef stew tends to be richer and more flavorful than slow cooker beef stew. Plus, you can’t beat the quick cook time!
Will pressure-cooking stew meat make it tender?
Yes! Pressure cooking is one of the easiest ways to tenderize tough cuts of beef. No need to pull out that meat tenderizer or shell out a ton of money for a more expensive cut of meat.
What gives beef stew the best flavor?
The fat that cooks out of the sautéed beef will add tons of hearty flavor to this instant pot stew. These brown fatty bits that get stuck to the bottom of the instant pot are also known as fond. Once you add the beef broth to the pot, you can easily scrape off the fond and stir it into your soup base. The fresh onion and garlic powder also add some great flavor.
How to Store Instant Pot Beef Stew
Remove any cooled leftover beef stew from the instant pot and transfer it to an airtight container. You can store the stew in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating any chilled beef stew on the stovetop; feel free to add an extra splash or two of beef broth if necessary.
Recipe Variations
Instead of stew meat, try using…
- Pork—Roast or shoulder will give you the best flavor.
- Bison—Very similar in texture too tough cuts of beef.
- Meatballs—Homemade or frozen.
Love veggies? Try adding some…
- Broccoli
- Peas
- Green Beans
- Celery
- Bell Peppers
Add some extra comfort to this rich stew by tossing in some…
- Noodles—Egg noodles add a fun, bouncy texture.
- Dumplings—Will soak up all the yummy beef juices as they simmer.
- Shredded Cheese—Cheddar, gruyere, swiss, parmesan, or mozzarella would pair nicely with the flavors in the stew.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Use some fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder for an extra pop of flavor.
- I love serving this instant pot beef stew alongside some garlic bread, cornbread, mashed potatoes, or a green salad.
- Add your cornstarch slurry immediately after pressure cooking this stew! The residual heat is needed to thicken this dish properly.
- If you aren’t in a rush, I recommend allowing the pressure to naturally release after cooking this easy beef stew. This will make the stew meat even more tender!
More Recipes:
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Instant Pot Beef Stew is a hearty, meaty, and rich comfort dish made entirely in the pressure cooker! This quick 30-minute dinner will add warmth and coziness to even the coldest winter night.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb stew meat
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dried parsley
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 large russet potatoes, cubed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- Ingredient Notes:
- Stew Meat—Or some chuck or bottom round roast.
- Beef Broth—Creates a thick and flavorful soup base.
- Russet Potatoes—Washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces. You may also use red, white, or Yukon gold potatoes.
- Onion—White; finely diced.
- Carrots—Adds a subtle earthy sweetness.
- Tomato Sauce—Canned or your favorite homemade recipe.
- Worcestershire Sauce—Just a dash adds a rich, umami tang to this hearty dish.
- Olive Oil—Used to brown the stew meat and soften the vegetables.
- Corn Starch Slurry—Helps to thicken this beef stew.
- Spices—A fragrant blend of parsley and garlic powder.
Instructions
- Set your instant pot to the sear/ saute function. Add the beef and olive oil to the pot and cook until the beef has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Add the garlic powder and onion. Continue cooking for another five minutes to release the flavor in the onion.
- Add the carrots, Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley beef broth, potatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir the ingredients until just combined and pressure cook for 17 minutes on high followed by a quick release.
- Once the pressure has released from the pressure cooker, add a few teaspoons of water to the corn starch to make a slurry and whisk the corn starch mixture into the stew.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You can store this stew in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- While some stews/ soups are easy to store in the freezer, I feel like this one develops a weird aftertaste when it has been in the freezer, so I do not recommend it.
- If you do not have stew meat, you can also buy a piece of chuck roast and cut it into 1-inch pieces.
- This stew is great served with garlic bread, salad, or roasted veggies. I also like to sprinkle a little extra dried parsley on this stew sometimes.
- This stew tends to thicken a little bit after it has been in the fridge. If you want it thinner when you reheat it, you can add a little bit of water to loosen the stew up.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 480Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 146mgSodium 664mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 5gSugar 5gProtein 52g
