This Instant Pot beef stew recipe makes a hearty and delicious stew with slow-cooked flavor in minutes using the Instant Pot.
Tender chunks of stew meat are cooked in a rich, savory broth with onions, carrots, celery, and peas for a wholesome meal that’s perfect for Sunday dinner but easy enough to make on busy weeknights.
Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew
- This easy one pot recipe creates a delicious homemade stew without lengthy cooking times or constant pot-watching.
- Make it once and enjoy it all week for quick dinners and workday lunches. The flavor just gets better.
- Instant Pot beef stew freezes beautifully. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or add it frozen to a crockpot and reheat on low.
- Budget-friendly beef stew is perfect for larger gatherings and larger appetites. Simply add a slice of homemade bread to sop up all that beefy broth.
- The Instant Pot is the best, time saving appliance for this recipe as well as ham, pork, and ribs.
Simple Stew Ingredients and Add-Ins
Beef: Chuck roast or shoulder, flank steak, or brisket are tougher cuts of meat that become moist and tender in the Instant Pot. Pork roast is another option. Frozen chunks can be used but will require more time to cook.
Vegetables: Hearty veggies like potatoes, carrots, and celery add color, texture, and savory flavor to beef stew. Peel the potatoes or leave the skins on for a more rustic-looking stew. Whole baby red potatoes can be used if you want to save on prep time. Sweet green peas add balance to the savory sauce in Step 8.
Broth: This recipe uses a combination of beef broth, red wine, and tomato paste with savory spices. For even more flavor, stir in a packet of beef gravy or onion soup mix in Step 4.
Variations: Bulk up beef stew with extra veggies like corn, green beans, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Add them to the peas in Step 8 so they don’t overcook.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Brown seasoned beef and cook onions in the Instant Pot and set aside. (Full recipe below.)
- Cook onions and deglaze the Instant Pot with broth and red wine.
- Return beef to the Instant Pot and add vegetables (except peas) and seasonings.
- Close and cook until vegetables are tender.
- Make slurry (optional) and add to the stew with peas.
- Cook until the gravy is thickened to the desired consistency.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Beef Stew
- Prep the veggies while the meat is browning.
- For a thinner broth, stir in more broth to the stew in with the peas.
- For a thicker broth, make a slurry (see recipe) or remove about a cup of potatoes and carrots and puree them in a small blender. Once they are smooth, add them back to the stew.
Leftovers?
Refrigerate leftover Instant Pot beef stew in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in single portions in the microwave. Serve as is or over rice or egg noodles.
Freeze cooled portions in zippered bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the crockpot or on the stove with extra broth added to loosen the stew.
More Instant Pot Meals
Did you try this Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½-2 pounds stewing beef cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons oil divided, plus more as needed
- 1 onion cut in slices
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine or tomato juice, or additional beef broth
- 3 potatoes diced
- 3-4 carrots sliced
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder *
- 2 teaspoons onion powder *
- 2 teaspoons beef base or beef bouillon*, optional
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups peas frozen (thawed**) or fresh
Optional Slurry
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Trim beef. Toss beef with salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute and add 1 Tablespoon oil. Add half of the beef and allow to brown for 4-5 minutes before turning and browning the other side, adding additional oil if needed. Remove from Instant Pot and set aside. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and repeat with remaining beef. Remove beef and set aside.
- Add onions to the Instant Pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, adding more oil if needed, stirring a few times. Add beef broth and wine to deglaze the Instant Pot. Using a spoon, scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to remove all brown bits (to avoid a “burn” warning).
- Add browned beef and any juices, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, garlic powder*, onion powder*, beef base*, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the slow cooker. Make sure all ingredients are covered with liquid. If not, arrange to cover or add additional broth to cover.
- Secure lid on Instant Pot and set vent to seal. Select the manual button and set for 35 minutes on high pressure. It takes about 5-10 minutes to come to full pressure, then cook time will countdown.
- Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then release remaining pressure manually.
- Optional slurry: In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
- Add peas and slurry, if using, to the Instant Pot and stir until peas are heated and stew has thickened. If the stew doesn’t thicken, turn Instant Pot on to saute, stir, and cook for 2-5 minutes until thickened. Add more slurry as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Serve with bread or dumplings.
Notes
**To thaw peas, run under warm water
- You could skip the browning step if you are short on time. But browning will add great flavor.
- Add frozen peas to a bowl of stew to cool it down for little ones.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
©Our Zesty Life. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!
REPIN this Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe
