Instant Pot Beef Stew takes less time to make than traditional beef stew, yet it has the same incredible flavor you expect from the most perfect stew recipe. This Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe with tender beef, carrots, potatoes and peas in rich and savory gravy, is the ultimate comfort food!
I love having beef stew for dinner, especially during the cooler months. Unfortunately, there are days that cooking a stew for 2 to 3 hours is a big hassle. On busy days, I reach for my pressure cooker/Instant Pot which makes cooking dinner quick and easy.
✔️ Instant Pot Beef Stew
Hearty and comforting Instant Pot Beef Stew is an easy dinner meal packed with flavor. Cooking beef stew in the pressure cooker takes less time so you can enjoy it even during busy weeknights.
Pressure cooking develops rich flavors much quicker than the traditional cooking method and produces incredibly tender beef and a tasty thick broth.
✔️ Beef Stew Recipe Ingredients For Instant Pot
- Beef: I usually get beef chuck roast but other cuts like boneless short ribs can also be used. If you like the convenience of pre-cut stew meat, that works as well.
- Vegetables and Aromatics: Onions, fresh garlic, carrots, potatoes and peas (I use frozen peas as they are available all year round).
- Canned Goods: Tomato paste.
- Oil: I prefer olive oil but any mild oil like canola, avocado or vegetable oil can be used as well.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. Use gluten-free flour if you prefer.
- Broth: Beef broth or chicken broth can be used.
- Seasonings: Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground black pepper.
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh thyme, bay leaf and fresh parsley.
🔎 How Do You Make Beef Stew In The Instant Pot
For detailed instructions, take a look at the printable recipe card below.
- In a bowl, toss the beef with the flour and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the Instant Pot to “sauté” and add oil.
- Cook the beef until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches to prevent overcrowding the pot. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, then the garlic and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the beef broth and deglaze the pot by scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Press “cancel”.
- Return the beef to the pot, add the Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Open the lid and press “sauté”. Stir in peas and cook for a couple of minutes. Press cancel/warm. Season to taste and serve garnished with fresh parsley.
🔎 Does Beef Stew Get More Tender The Longer It Cooks?
Unlike pricey steaks, more affordable tough cuts of meat like beef chuck, brisket and short ribs, break down and become very tender when cooked for longer times.
🔎 Can You Overcook Beef In An Instant Pot?
Overcooking meat in the pressure cooker is a possibility. Although beef cuts use to make beef stew recipes (beef chuck, stew meat, etc) can cook for longer times than other lean meats, you should follow the cooking times provided in recipes. The vegetables in the stew can become mushy if overcooked.
🔎 Is Pot Roast Good For Stew?
Pot Roast is a large piece of meat cooked whole as a roast. On the other hand, beef stew uses the same meat cut into smaller pieces. If you get a pot roast, all you have to do is trim it and cut it into bite size pieces.
🔎 How Long Should I Pressure Cook Beef Stew?
This beef stew recipe cooks for 35 minutes on high pressure. You need to also add the time it takes to brown the beef and the veggies. I allow the Instant pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes, then I I do a quick release for the remaining pressure.
🔎 How To Thicken Beef Stew
Beef stew will thicken naturally when cooked in the pressure cooker due to the starch in the potatoes and the flour used to dredge the beef. However, if you want to make the stew a bit thicker, you can do as follows:
- Mash some of the potatoes and carrots and mix them into the stew gravy.
- Use a slurry. To make a slurry, combine equal parts of cornstarch with room temperature or cold water. Turn the Instapot to sauté and slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stew. Allow the stew to simmer for a couple of minutes or until it thickens.
🔎 What To Serve With This Beef Stew Recipe
Beef stew is a meal in itself but it can also be served with noodles, buttermilk biscuits, homemade dinner rolls and even saltine crackers. Rice and quinoa are also good options.
🔎 Can You Freeze Beef Stew?
Yes you can! Beef stew freezes well. Place the cool stew in an airtight container or freezer-safe resealable bags and freeze for up to 2 months. I prefer freezing small (individual) portions as it’s easier to defrost.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or until defrosted (time will vary depending on portion size).
Instant Pot Beef stew Recipe Tips
- Cut the vegetables in larger pieces to prevent them from overcooking.
- Skip the potatoes and serve this delicious stew over creamy mashed potatoes!
- You can add other veggies to the stew. Rutabagas, sweet potatoes and mushrooms are good additions.
- This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 2 months.
Take A Look At These Easy Instant Pot Recipes:
Beef Stew Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes, (you can also get beef stew meat)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound red or yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, toss the beef with the flour and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- When the oil starts to sizzle, add half of the beef and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer the beef to a plate and add the remaining oil into the pot. Cook the remaining meat. Remove the beef from the pot.
- Add the onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about one minute.
- Pour in the beef broth and with a wooden spoon scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Press cancel to turn off the sauté function.
- Return the beef to the pot, add the Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release. Open the lid.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and stir in the peas. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
- Season to taste and sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Notes
- To thicken the stew, make a slurry by combining equal parts of cornstarch with water. Turn the Instant pot to sauté and slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stew. Allow the stew to simmer for a couple of minutes or until it thickens. Instead of a slurry, you can also mash some of the veggies and stir them into the broth.
- Cut the vegetables in larger pieces to prevent them from overcooking.
- This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for 2 months.
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