Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew
This hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew tastes like it simmered for hours on the stove! It’s simple to pull together and generously filled with tender pieces of beef, red potatoes, onions, and baby carrots in a rich, savory broth. It’s comfort food at its best.

I’ll admit—I am more of an “old school” slow cooker kind of guy, so I’m used to being very patient with dishes that take time to prepare, like stews. Fast-forward to now, and this Instant Pot is easy to use and works great, especially when time is of the essence.
This beef stew gives all the cozy vibes you expect from a stick-to-your-ribs recipe. It’s just like the stovetop version in terms of consistency and taste, but it’s faster in the pressure cooker. It is ideally served as-is or placed on a bed of rice.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this beef stew:
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
- You’ll need grass-fed beef stew meat or boneless chuck roast. I prefer chuck roast because it results in a tender cut of beef that won’t dry out while pressure cooking. Use butter to sear the meat in the Instant Pot.
- For the broth, you’ll need organic beef stock, cabernet sauvignon or any deep red wine, and Sriracha Sauce for a little kick (this is optional). I don’t typically cook using much salt, but the salted beef stock does a great job of balancing out the flavors. Of course, feel free to salt to your desired taste. :)If you use low-sodium broth, you may want to increase the added salt in the recipe. To create an additional depth of flavor, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce can also be added.
- For your vegetables, red potatoes, baby carrots, red onion, and celery are great choices. They help build the flavor of the beef stew. If you can’t find red potatoes or prefer another variety, you can use Yukon Gold potatoes. I find the two varieties hold up better in the Instant Pot. You can use Russet potatoes, but they tend to fall apart.
- For the herbs and seasonings, you’ll need fresh rosemary, organic dried thyme, organic allspice, minced garlic, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Cornstarch and water are used at the end to thicken up the broth.
How to make Instant Pot Beef Stew:
The Instant Pot makes the beef and potatoes so tender, and it only takes 30 minutes!
Prep the beef. Cut the beef pieces into 1 and 1/2-inch cubes and season evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Set to the side.
Prep the veggies. Cut the red potatoes into halves. Season the red potatoes with sea salt. Chop the celery and red onion into small pieces and finely chop the rosemary leaves.
Sear the beef. Turn the Instant Pot on in “Saute” mode. The message screen will display “Hot” when ready. Add the butter and beef cubes to the Instant Pot. Sear the beef for 4 minutes. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot. Set to the side.
Add the vegetables. Add the red onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic and fresh rosemary and cook for 4 minutes before adding the red potatoes to the Instant Pot.
Season ingredients. Season the ingredients with the remaining salt, black pepper, allspice, garlic powder, and dried thyme, and add Sriracha sauce. Stir together.
Add your liquid and seared beef. Add the beef stock, red wine, and seared beef.
Pressure cook. Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” mode for 30 minutes with the “Natural Release” set. Close and lock the lid. Set “Natural Release” for an additional 15 minutes before fully releasing the pressure and opening the lid.
Add the thickener. Once done, open the lid. Add the cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir until combined. Add the slurry to the pot of cooked ingredients and store until blended thoroughly.
Serve. Server hot with optional rice.
Beef Stew Tips & Tricks
- Searing the beef adds a lot of flavor. This is a step you don’t want to skip. The key to the perfect sear is allowing the beef to brown completely on one side before flipping it.
- Don’t chop your vegetables too small; make sure they are chopped evenly. The Instant Pot can quickly turn finely chopped veggies into mush. Large pieces will hold up better during the pressure cooking process.
- Get creative with your vegetables! While this recipe uses red potatoes, carrots, and celery, you can also incorporate sweet potato, green peas, turnips, or mushrooms.
- To store leftovers, add stew to an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze any leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Allow the beef stew to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can I make beef stew in a Dutch oven?
Yes, you can! Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a Dutch oven (paid link), season and sear your beef on the stovetop at high heat. Set the beef to the side, but leave those drippings! Add your vegetables and remaining seasonings. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add liquids and seared beef back to the Dutch oven (paid link). Cover and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes until the meat is tender. Note: Using a Dutch oven (paid link) helps develop those deep flavors. From browning the meat to sauteing and baking all the ingredients in one pot, making beef stew in the Dutch oven (paid link) is ideal. Leave the lid on to keep any more liquid from evaporating.
Our Favorite
Instant Pot Recipes
Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
A delicious and hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew generously filled with tender pieces of beef, red potatoes, onions, and baby carrots in a rich, savory broth.
Ingredients
- 1 lb red potatoes, halved
- 2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 to 1 1/2 lb chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 8 oz baby carrots
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp organic allspice
- 1 tsp organic dried thyme
- 1/2 cup cabernet sauvignon or any red wine
- 3 cups organic beef stock
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Season red potatoes with 1/2 tsp sea salt. Set to the side.
- Turn the Instant Pot on in “Saute” mode. The screen will display “Hot” once ready.
- Add 2 tbsp butter and beef cubes to the Instant Pot. Season evenly 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Brown the sides of the beef cubes for 4 minutes. Remove the beef from the Instant and set it to the side.
- Add the red potatoes, carrots, red onions, celery, minced garlic and fresh rosemary to the Instant Pot and cook for 4 minutes. Season ingredients with 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, allspice, 1 tsp garlic powder, dried thyme, and Sriracha sauce. Stir together.
- Pour in the red wine and beef stock. Add the seared beef back to the Instant Pot.
- Change the setting on the Instant Pot to the “Pressure Cook” mode for 30 minutes with “Natural Release” set. Close and lock the lid. “Natural Release” for an additional 15 minutes before fully releasing the pressure. Open the lid.
- Add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir until blended. Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and stir until combined.
- Server hot with rice (optional).
Notes
Once the cooking time is complete, be sure to release the pressure by switching the steam top before opening.
For a deeper flavor, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
To make this recipe in a Dutch oven (paid link): Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a Dutch oven (paid link), season and sear your beef on the stovetop at high heat. Set the beef to the side, but leave those drippings! Add your vegetables and remaining seasonings. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add liquids and seared beef back to the Dutch oven (paid link). Cover and bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes until the meat is tender.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 661
- Sugar: 10.5g
- Sodium: 1997mg
- Fat: 45.3g
- Carbohydrates: 61.5g
- Fiber: 20.7g
- Protein: 14.2g
- Cholesterol: 119mg