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Instant Pot Beef Stew

This easy Instant Pot Beef Stew is filled with hearty, tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich gravy to create a bowl of comfort! If you’re craving stew, but don’t have a lot of time, this pressure cooker recipe yields tender, delicious stew in a fraction of the time.

Rich And Hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew

How are we still in the dead of winter?! Well, here in Florida it’s really not too bad… But it’s still getting below 70 outside, which means our sweaters are still on. Most parts of the country are still snowing, which means something very important – it’s still stew season!

With that being said, it’s stew season all year round if you’re anything like us. Sometimes, even in the heat of a summer night, you need the hearty comfort of a big helping of homemade beef stew. It’s filling, rich, and ALWAYS hits the spot!

And now that we have these nifty pressure cookers in our kitchen, beef stew has never been easier (or quicker) to make. What used to take hours in a Crockpot or on the stove top now takes just a little over one hour to make. Don’t worry – you may be skipping all the cooking time, but you’re not sacrificing any of the tenderness or savory flavor that you know and love. 

If you love this recipe, make sure to check out our easy Instant Pot Beef Tips too!

This easy Instant Pot Beef Stew is filled with hearty, tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich gravy to create a bowl of comfort! If you’re craving stew, but don’t have a lot of time, this pressure cooker recipe yields tender, delicious stew in a fraction of the time.

Instant Pot Beef Stew Ingredients 

  • Beef: Cubed stew beef is what you’ll need for this classic stew. It can be any cut you’d like. 
  • Seasonings: Salt & Pepper
  • Olive Oil
  • Onion: Use a yellow or vidalia onion, for a hint of natural sweetness.
  • Garlic: We suggest using freshly minced garlic, which yields better flavor than the jarred kind.
  • Beef Broth: You can use regular or low sodium broth. 
  • Italian Seasoning: This adds a delightful herbaceous note to the dish as a whole.
  • Thyme: This should be fresh, not dried, if possible!
  • Beef Bouillon: You can use beef bouillon cubes or something like Better Than Bouillon. We find the Better Than Bouillon has a lot more beef flavor, but use whatever you have. 
  • Tomato Paste: Use plain, not sun-dried tomato paste. 
  • Worcestershire Sauce: This tangy sauce adds even more depth to the savory flavor palate. 
  • Potatoes: You can use any type of white or red potato, but we used baby gold potatoes. You do not have to peel the skin off if you use baby gold potatoes or any potato with a thinner skin.
  • Carrots: You can slice them yourself or buy them already sliced for you to save even more time!
  • Peas: Frozen sweet peas work just fine.
  • Brown Gravy Mix: Any brand of gravy mix packets will get the job done. We prefer to use the reduced sodium ones for this recipe.

How to Make Beef Stew in the Instant Pot

Prepare the meat: Season the meat with salt and pepper. Set Instant Pot to sauté, then spray the pot with non-stick spray. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half of the meat to the Instant Pot.

Sear the meat: Let the meat sear for about 3 minutes before flipping. Transfer the seared meat to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the pot and repeat with your remaining meat. Once seared, remove and set aside.

Cook the onion and garlic: Add the onion to the Instant Pot and sauté it for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. To deglaze the pot, add the broth and stir until all of the onion and garlic are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. This will help you to not get the burn warning.

Make it flavorful: Stir in the Italian seasoning, thyme, tomato paste, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Next, add the carrots, potatoes and meat, stirring until combined.

Cook the stew: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes, then carefully vent to release any remaining pressure. 

Make a slurry: Using a ladle, scoop out 1 cup of the broth into a small bowl. Add the beef gravy packets and whisk until blended. Pour the gravy mixture back into the Instant Pot and gently stir until the broth begins to thicken. Add the peas and stir until blended. 

Enjoy! Serve warm with a hot fresh buttered roll.

A ladle filled with instant pot beef stew.

Tips for the Best Instant Pot Beef Stew

  • Don’t Peel The Potatoes: There’s no need to peel the potatoes. Potato peels contain more iron than the rest of the potatoes.They’re also a good source of fiber, vitamin B, and vitamin C, and they will help add more flavor to your stew!
  • Let The Peas Thaw: I set my frozen peas on the counter and let them defrost before I added them. If you don’t have time to let the peas defrost, just pop them in the microwave before adding them to the stew. This is completely optional – I just like to add warm peas so my stew stays nice and hot.
  • Prevent The Burn Error Message: It’s very important to deglaze the pot with the broth. This will help to keep from getting the burn warning. Also, when deglazing, use a wooden or rubber spoon, not a metal one. A metal spoon may scratch your pot.
  • Low Sodium: If you are on a low sodium diet, cut the salt down to 1 teaspoon, and make sure to buy low sodium broth and low sodium gravy packets.
A white bowl filled with instant pot beef stew.

WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE

Honestly, I wish I could give you a bite through the screen! This pot roast recipe is seriously to die for. Here are some of the reasons we love it:

  • Flavorful: This recipe includes the BEST beef stew gravy you will ever taste. It’s so rich, just the right amount of salt and packed with savory beef flavor.
  • Tender: The meat literally falls apart when you take it out of the instant pot. So good and tender, you won’t need a knife!
  • Incredible as leftovers: You know how some recipes just get more flavorful and tender as they marinate in the fridge? That’s this recipe. It’s just as good, if not better, the next day.
  • One Pot: It’s a one pot meal since everything is done in the instant pot! It’s also your full meal, main dish and side dish, all in one pot!
A side view of instant pot beef stew being lifted out of an instant pot with a ladle.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

  • Fridge: Let your beef stew cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
  • Freezer: You can also freeze extras in a freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave enough room in your container for your food to expand as it freezes in the freezer.
  • To Reheat: When you’re ready to eat your leftovers, simply spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover with a plate, and heat for a few minutes. The cooking time will depend upon how much you are trying to heat up at once. I recommend doing single servings and then pausing halfway to give everything a good stir and make sure your stew is heated through. 
A spoonful of instant pot beef stew being scooped out of a white bowl.
A spoonful of instant pot beef stew being scooped out of a white bowl.
4.5 from 13 votes
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Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Instant Pot Beef Stew

This easy Instant Pot Beef Stew is filled with hearty, tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a rich gravy to create a bowl of comfort! If you’re craving stew, but don’t have a lot of time, this pressure cooker recipe yields tender, delicious stew in a fraction of the time.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds cubed beef for stew
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 2 beef bouillon cubes, or 2 teaspoons better than bouillon
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pound potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
  • 1 ½ cup carrots, cut into pieces
  • 10 oz bag frozen sweet peas
  • 2 .87 oz packets brown gravy mix

Instructions 

  • Season stew meat with salt and pepper. Set instant pot to sauté, spray pot with non-stick spray. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half of the stew meat to instant pot.
  • Let meat sear for about 3 minutes before flipping. Transfer seared meat to a plate. Add remaining oil to pot and repeat with remaining meat. Once seared remove and set aside.
  • Add the onion to the instant pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. To deglaze the pot, add broth and stir until all of the onion and garlic are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. (This will help you to not get the burn warning.)
  • Stir in the Italian seasoning, thyme, tomato paste, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce. Next add carrots, potatoes and meat, stirring until combined.
  • Place the lid on instant pot and cook on manual, high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes and the carefully vent to release any remaining pressure.
  • Time to make a slurry. Using a ladle, scoop out 1 cup of the broth into a small bowl. Add the beef gravy packets and whisk until blended. Pour the gravy mixture back into to instant pot and gently stir until broth begins to thicken. Add the peas and stir until blended.
  • Serve warm with a hot fresh buttered roll to soak up all that rich gravy!

Notes

How To Store Leftovers

Fridge: Let your beef stew cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze extras in a freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave enough room in your container for your food to expand as it freezes in the freezer.
To Reheat: When you’re ready to eat your leftovers, simply spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover with a plate, and heat for a few minutes. The cooking time will depend upon how much you are trying to heat up at once. I recommend doing single servings and then pausing halfway to give everything a good stir and make sure your stew is heated through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 691kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 56g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 160mg, Sodium: 1407mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 9g

Looking For More Easy One Pot Meals?

If you are like me, you love an easy one pot dinner that doesn’t require a lot of cleanup. Here are a few more of my favorites:

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