Instant Pot beef stew is tender beef chuck and hearty root vegetables pressure-cooked in a rich, umami-packed broth. This pressure cooker beef stew tastes like it simmered all day but is ready in about an hour, and leftovers are even better the next day.
I love putting my Instant Pot to good use, and I've made my sweet potato and spicy chorizo stew in it many times. But warm, tender, home-cooked meals with well-developed flavors, like short ribs, Italian meatballs, or a fall-off-the-bone poached chicken, usually simmer for hours in my slow cooker or on the stove. So after a few tries and testing different approaches, I finally got it down to an Instant Pot beef stew that's hearty and consistent in flavor and texture. It's an easy version, and one that won't disappoint.
Let's dig in!
Planning the full meal? Here are some great ideas for what to serve with beef stew, or browse my full collection of Soups & Stews for Every Season.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender beef chunks: The pressure cooker ensures tender beef stew meat with perfectly browned bits from the sauté function.
- Deep flavors: Umami-rich ingredients add a rich, complex taste to this hearty stew.
- Wholesome: This homemade meal is dairy-free and flourless, with no thickener needed.
- Quick cook time: Skip the hours of slow cooking and pressure cook it in about an hour.
- Perfect leftovers: The stew thickens overnight, and the flavors deepen, making it even more delicious the next day and perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients & Notes
You can get everything you need at your local grocery store to make this easy homemade beef stew:
- Beef chuck roast (3 to 3 ½ pounds): Choose a well-marbled, boneless roast. Get some extra for my Dutch Oven Shredded Beef Roast.
- Root vegetables: Use a mix of sweet potatoes, one large russet potato for an extra starchy component, and one beet for hearty texture and natural sweetness. Beef and beets meld beautifully; the beet elevates the meat's flavor while toning down the yams' sweetness. Use any leftover sweet potatoes to make my Healthy Baked Chicken Drumsticks.
- Beet greens (optional): If you bought your beet with the greens attached, add them to the stew. They're packed with vitamins and nutrients and turn slightly sweet as they cook.
- Olive oil: For searing the beef and cooking the onions and garlic.
- Garlic and yellow onion: Essential for building a deep, savory base. After searing the beef, they're the first to go in some heated olive oil. I cook them for about 2 minutes until fragrant. It's important to scrape the Instant Pot's bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen all the browned bits from the meat.
- Molasses: An umami component with a savory-sweet flavor and a hint of spice. I use dark blackstrap molasses, which is less sweet and more bitter than regular molasses, for a mild sweetness and a beautiful touch of dark color. Use leftovers to make my Instant Pot Apple Butter.
- Balsamic vinegar: Another umami-rich ingredient that adds sweetness without sugar and a refreshing acidic element to help break down the meat's fat.
- Anchovy paste: A secret ingredient that infuses the stew with umami, like in my Pumpkin Mini Frittatas. A small amount boosts the meaty flavors (it won't make this beef stew taste fishy, I promise).
- Vegetable bouillon cubes: Good-quality cubes give your stew a lot of flavor. Melt them directly with the anchovy paste, molasses, and balsamic vinegar for an umami-rich layer of intensified flavor. Use a gluten-free brand to keep the stew gluten-free.
- Other seasoning: Dried oregano balances the sweet flavors, and hearty dried rosemary makes the beef taste better. Plus salt and black pepper.
- Water: Just ½ cup, enough for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
Top Tips
- Searing beef: Don't rush the searing process; it adds flavor and helps build a rich base. Only sear one side of the beef to keep things quick and still get the most out of the flavors.
- Sear beef in batches. If you throw it all in at once, the meat doesn't have enough room to brown and releases too much moisture. So now you're not browning but steaming them in their juices.
- Save time: Use the searing time to prep the veggies and assemble the seasoning while keeping an eye on the beef.
- Cut the vegetables larger: Cut the root vegetables into larger chunks to prevent them from disintegrating in the stew.
- Umami instead of tomato paste: I love tomato paste in a stew, but this one calls for umami-rich anchovy paste, sweet-savory molasses, and acidic balsamic vinegar. The results are amazing!
- Quick pressure release: Release the pressure right after cooking, or switch on Keep Warm to let the stew thicken until you're ready to serve.
Variations & Substitutions
- Paleo-friendly: Use only sweet potatoes and beets, no russet potato.
- Less sweet: Swap the sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, or adjust the amount of molasses to suit your taste.
- Vegetable options: Use more russet potatoes or red potatoes, if preferred.
- Add frozen peas: For a pop of color and added nutrients, stir in some frozen peas at the end of cooking.
- No anchovy paste: Use anchovy fillets instead. One fillet equals about ½ teaspoon of paste, so you'll need 6 fillets. Use the rest to make my umami-flavored Italian egg muffins.
Garnish Suggestions
If you have them, use fresh herbs like chopped cilantro or Parsley for garnish as a refreshing component.
Storage
- Leftovers: Store leftover beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It's even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld.
- Freezer-Friendly: For longer storage, transfer cooled stew to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave for a quick meal.
Recipe FAQs: All You Need To Know
Boneless beef chuck roast. A good beef stew is all about the beef, so the cut matters. All the other ingredients are there to enhance or complement its flavors. Chuck is one of the best-priced cuts, especially on sale, and it has plenty of connective tissue and enough fat for flavor. During pressure cooking, that tissue breaks down into gelatin, turning the meat into moist, tender bites.
Cut through the fatty lines and trim off thick fat and silverskin. A boneless chuck roast has distinctive pockets of fatty lines; use a sharp knife to cut through them and trim off any thick layers of fat in the large seams. Then cut the meat into roughly 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes and season with a few pinches of salt and black pepper. 
Yes, but you don't need to brown all sides. I've tested it both ways, and here are my findings:
1) Not browning the meat resulted in an "okay stew," but without the satisfying, deep, meaty flavors. Instead, it was more of a vegetable stew, leaving you wondering what happened to the beef.
2) A good sear creates beautiful, rich, meaty flavors, with caramelized brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot for a good base. A small step worth the effort.
3) You don't have to brown all sides of the meat. I sear only one side, saving time and still getting the most out of the flavors.
4) Sear the beef in two separate batches. If you throw it all in at once, the meat doesn't have enough room to brown and releases too much moisture, so you end up steaming it in its juices instead of browning.
5) Make sure one side is nicely browned, leaving meaty seared bits at the bottom of the pot to build an amazing flavor base.
Cut into large chunks, about the same size as the meat or a bit larger. If you chop them too small, they turn mushy and almost fall apart. You want them soft but still holding their shape.
No. I don't use any flour, cornstarch, or roux; the starchy potatoes and beet thicken the stew naturally. At first, some liquid will be visible in the pot, but the potatoes eventually absorb most of it. This isn't a soupy stew but has the perfect consistency of a hearty, healthy hot pot! If you prefer it thicker, switch on Keep Warm after pressure cooking and let it rest with the lid off or ajar until it reaches the consistency you like. For faster results, press Sauté on Low and simmer uncovered for a few minutes, stirring often, or mash a few potato pieces into the broth.
35 minutes at High Pressure. If you have the option, choose the Meat/Stew setting, a pre-programmed setting equivalent to High Pressure for 35 minutes. It takes about 7 to 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
No. I add just enough water, about ½ cup, for the cooker to come to pressure. Anything more can dilute the flavor and make the texture soupy. Remember, the vegetables release some liquid as well.
More Beef Recipes You Might Like
Made this? Tell me how it went in the comments and leave a star rating below. I love to hear from you. And don't forget to subscribe to my monthly newsletter! - Mariska
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Beef Stew (Tender Beef & Vegetables)
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 Instant Pot Essential for quick and easy pressure cooking, giving you perfectly tender beef in no time.
- 1 Wooden Spoon For stirring without damaging your pot.
- 1 Large Bowl To set aside the seared beef while cooking the vegetables.
- 1 Kitchen Tongs To transfer the seared meat.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups To accurately measure ingredients for the best flavor balance.
Ingredients
- 3 - 3 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast 1.36 to 1.59 kilo
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 yellow onion about 250 grams, coarsely chopped
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste*
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 sweet potatoes 725 grams, coarsely chopped
- 1 Russet potato 225 grams, coarsely chopped
- 1 small red beet 180 grams, coarsely chopped
- Beet greens optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
- ½ cup water
- Chopped cilantro for garnish optional
Instructions
- If you can, take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before prep time and let it come to room temperature.3 - 3 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- Pat the meat dry and trim off thick fat and silverskin.
- Cut into 1 to 1 ½-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.Salt and pepper
- Turn on the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker, press Sauté, and adjust the button to the highest setting.
- Cover the bottom of the pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.3 tablespoons olive oil
- When shimmering, add half of the reserved meat and sear undisturbed for about 5 minutes until browned at the bottom. Meanwhile, cut the vegetables while keeping an eye on the meat.
- Remove the meat using a kitchen tong and transfer it to a plate.
- Add the second half of the beef cubes. Sear undisturbed for about 4 - 5 minutes, or until browned at the bottom. Continue to finish up cutting the vegetables.
- Then transfer the browned meat to the same plate containing the first batch of browned beef.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook the garlic and onion for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.3 garlic cloves, 1 yellow onion
- Stir in the bouillon cubes, anchovy paste, molasses, and balsamic vinegar. Cook and stir for about two minutes to dissolve the bouillon cubes and let the flavors come together.2 vegetable bouillon cubes, 1 tablespoon anchovy paste*, 3 tablespoons molasses, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Add the potatoes and beet. Stir to combine. If you plan to add the beet greens, then stir them in at this point.3 sweet potatoes, 1 Russet potato, 1 small red beet, Beet greens
- Add the seared beef and any collected juices from the seared meat.
- Season with oregano, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons of salt and black pepper (about 15 turns of the mill). Stir to combine.1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
- Add ½ cup of water.½ cup water
- Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to lock/seal. Make sure the Keep Warm button is off.
- Next, choose the Meat/Stew setting. It's a pre-programmed setting equivalent to cooking at High Pressure for 35 minutes (it will take about 7 to 10 minutes for the instant pot to come to pressure).
- When done, quickly release any pressure. If you want to keep the food warm, you can turn on the Keep Warm setting at this point.
- Carefully open the pressure cooker when ready to serve.
- Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if preferred.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro.Chopped cilantro for garnish
Notes
- Anchovy paste: No paste? Use anchovy fillets; each equals about ½ teaspoon of paste, so you'll need 6. Use the rest to make my umami-flavored Italian egg muffins.
- Molasses: This recipe uses blackstrap molasses, which is less sweet than regular molasses. Adjust the amount to taste, or swap the sweet potatoes for regular potatoes for a less sweet stew.
- Save time: Peel and cut the vegetables while the beef sears.
- Searing: Only one side is seared, which doesn't compromise flavor. It takes about 4 to 5 minutes, but sear a bit longer if needed for a beautifully browned crust.
- Vegetable size: Cut the root vegetables into chunks about 1 ½ inches. Smaller pieces cook down and almost disappear.
- Texture: The stew starts with some liquid from the meat and vegetables but thickens as it settles.
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Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Emily says
This was too sweet. I added in onion and garlic powder as well as extra fresh herbs. If I make again I would use 1tbsp of molasses.
Mariska Ramondino says
Hi Emily, thanks for visiting. This recipe uses dark blackstrap molasses, which is less sweet and more bitter than regular molasses. Everyone’s taste is different, so adjusting the amount to suit your preference makes sense. Swapping the sweet potatoes for regular potatoes could also reduce the overall sweetness. For me, the umami flavors come through more. Thanks for sharing your feedback.