This Instant Pot beef stew is tender meat combined with carrots, potatoes and peas in a rich and savory broth. An easy dinner that can be on the table in less than an hour!
I love a good beef stew, but it can take hours and hours for the meat to get tender. With a pressure cooker, you can make a delicious (and tender!) beef stew in a fraction of the time. I serve my beef stew with a side of garlic knots or with a cucumber salad for a complete meal.
I am in love with my Instant Pot, it has become such a big time saver in the kitchen! I love that I can have dinner on the table in no time, and this Instant Pot beef stew is the perfect example of that. A traditional beef stew would need to simmer for at least 2-3 hours. This Instant Pot version cooks in just 30 minutes, you can’t beat that!
How do you make Instant Pot beef stew?
The first step in this recipe is to brown your beef. If you’re in a huge hurry, you can skip this step, but I recommend taking the time to do it. The beef is combined with other ingredients including carrots, onions, potatoes, broth and seasonings, then pressure cooked to tender perfection.
What is the best beef for stew?
I use pre-cut beef stew meat for this recipe because it’s super convenient. Other great options would be a chuck roast, boneless short ribs or brisket that have been cut into 1-2 inch pieces. You want to look for a meat that has some fat content so that it will be juicy and tender after cooking.
How long do you cook beef stew in an Instant Pot?
This beef stew cooks for 30 minutes on high pressure. There is also some cook time involved in browning the meat, and the final step of thickening the stew requires you to simmer for at least 5 more minutes.
Tips for Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Cut your carrots and potatoes into large pieces so that they don’t get mushy in the stew after cooking.
- I like to use halved baby yellow potatoes. You can also use larger Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes that have been cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
- This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Want to amp up your beef stew to a new level? Sprinkle some cooked, crumbled bacon over the top before serving.
- You can add other vegetables to your stew such as a can of tomatoes or halved fresh mushrooms.
Once you try this Instant Pot beef stew, you’ll never want to make stew on the stove top again. The beef comes out meltingly tender and full of flavor, and the pressure cooker does all of the hard work for you!
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Instant Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound small yellow potatoes quartered or halved
- 4 carrots peeled, halved and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute, then select More. Wait for the pot to heat up, then add the oil.
- Add half of the stew meat to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned.
- Remove the meat from the pot. Repeat with remaining meat.
- Place all the meat in the pot along with the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, beef broth, tomato paste, dried thyme leave, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir to combine. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to Manual High Pressure for 30 minutes.
- Carefully vent the pressure valve, or let the pressure release manually.
- Remove 1/3 cup of stew liquid from the pot. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the flour mixture back into the pot, and turn the pot back to the Saute function.
- Add the peas to the pot. Simmer for 3-5 minutes or until stew has started to thicken.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Sue says
My meat was a frozen block, so I couldn’t brown it. I didn’t read all the directions and cut my vegetables too small. I cooked the frozen meat in the broth, tomato paste and seasonings for 20 minutes and quick released it. I then added the potatoes, carrot and onion and cooked for 10 more minutes. I quick released and finished as directed. It was delicious. I’ll bet it’s really delicious if the meat is browned first!!
Erick Cardona says
It’s took me an hour to go to my favorite grocery store and find all these ingredients and it took me another 30 minutes to prep up not including the cooking, so I would have to say it is very decent and I enjoyed it.
Becca Talbot says
This sounds nice – very healthy and also quite filling 🙂 great for a cold winter’s day x