• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Foodcentric Life
  • Easter
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Living Well
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Easter
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Living Well
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Easter
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Living Well
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Soups & Stews

    Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

    Published: Mar 11, 2023 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Classic comfort food, this amazing Instant Pot beef stew recipe is a flavor bomb. Rich and savory, filled with tender chunks of beef, vegetables, and herbs in a juicy gravy. Pressure cooking gets it to the table faster than stovetop beef stew or slow cooker beef stew, while extracting delicious flavors. Serve it or freeze it for future meals.

    A white bowl full of rich Instant Pot beef stew with vegetables.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Like This Recipe
    • Recipe Ingredients for Beef Stew
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • Recipe Instructions
    • What is The Most Tender Beef for Stew
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQ's
    • More Recipes
    • ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Like This Recipe

    What makes this Instant Pot beef stew recipe a flavor bomb? Tomatoes, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, and optionally, Parmesan. They all add umami, that fabulous fifth taste.

    • The flavors are fantastic (so report my friends and family).
    • Homemade beef stew is a classic dish.
    • An Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker makes it faster (and better) than stove top.
    • Plenty of vegetables keep it healthy and a meal in a bowl.

    Another "umami bomb" of flavor is these steakhouse mushrooms.

    Recipe Ingredients for Beef Stew

    Labeled ingredients for beef stew on marble counter.

    Don't let the list of ingredients deter you; it's worth the prep work.

    • Beef: Buy boneless chuck roast, not pre-cut stew meat; it's easy to find.
    • Onion: A savory flavor base for a stew, use sweet, yellow, brown, or white onions.
    • Carrots: A sweet vegetable flavor addition and must-have for soups and stews.
    • Celery: Choose a head with large ribs or use an extra smaller ribs.
    • Potatoes: Gold potatoes work best and hold together; russet potatoes fall apart.
    • Cooking fat: Use both olive oil and unsalted butter, or all olive oil.
    • Herbs: Dried herbs work great as they rehydrate in the pressure cooker, use Italian seasoning.
    • Wine: Preferably a dry red wine or white wine. I use the mini airline size for cooking.
    • Tomato paste: Adds a savory richness and "umami" flavor.
    • Paprika: Adds a mild sweetness to dishes, adds color and flavor, either regular or smoked.
    • Beef broth: Use a good beef bone broth like this one. Skip canned or boxed if possible, and if that's the only option, read labels carefully. Check the freezer section for good options.
    • Diced tomatoes: Use canned tomatoes, regular or roasted.
    • Peas: Frozen peas are easy to add, thaw first. Petite peas are more tender.
    • Worcestershire sauce: Gives the beef stew a deep, satisfying flavor.
    • Bay leaf: Either dried or fresh, adds depth of flavor.
    • Cornstarch: To make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce if desired.

    Please see the recipe card for salt, black pepper, and measurements. 

    Substitutions and Variations

    If you don't have a dried Italian blend, use a combination of dried basil, oregano, thyme, and/or rosemary.

    Substitute broth for the wine. If wine is fine, try a dry sherry or a splash of cognac.

    If you want to add green beans, chop them into small pieces and add with the potatoes.

    Chef's Tip: Shortcut the process by doing your prep work ahead. Trim and cube the meat, chop the vegetables, etc. then refrigerate until 30-45 minutes before cooking your beef stew.

    Recipe Instructions

    Why use an electric pressure cooker? Because it produces a beautiful beef stew with rich, concentrated flavors done in a fraction of the time of stovetop or slow cooker beef stew recipes. I use an Instant Pot®, but you can make pressure cooker beef stew by using another brand of electric pressure cooker.

    A boneless beef chuck roast ready for trimming.
    Boneless chuck roast cubed for stew.

    Step 1: Trim excess fat from the chuck roast.

    Step 2: Cut your meat into large chunks, about 1 ½"".

    Cubes of beef cooking in an Instant Pot for stew.
    Then add the onion and celery.

    Step 3: Brown half of the beef on the saute setting in olive in a single layer, then repeat. Do it in two batches; don't crowd the meat for best browning. Remove browned meat and juices from the pot to a bowl and set aside.

    Step 4: Cook onion, celery, and garlic on the saute mode until softened, then deglaze with a half cup of red wine or broth, scraping the bottom of the pot of any browned bits with a wooden spoon.

    Adding more vegetables for the beef stew.
    Adding browned meat cubes to the pot for cooking stew.

    Step 5: Add carrots, celery, drained tomatoes, potatoes, herbs, paprika, broth, half of the tomato paste and browned beef.

    Step 6: Secure the lid on, turn the top vent to the sealing position and set to pressure cooking high for 15 minutes. When done, wait 10 minutes then quick release remaining pressure.

    Finished stew inside pressure cooker with meat, vegetables, and rich gravy.

    Step 7: Carefully unlock and open the lid and stir in the the peas, the remaining tomato paste, and the worcestershire sauce. Close the pot back up and allow the remaining heat to warm the peas through for a few minutes. If using the slurry, add with the peas.

    Please see the recipe card for more detail on how to make Instant Pot beef stew.

    What is The Most Tender Beef for Stew

    Boneless chuck roast makes the most tender and flavorful beef stew, and it is the most traditional cut of beef for making stew. As is, it is tough cut, but pressure cooking or long cooking make it tender.

    Boneless chuck roast gives you great beefy flavor for a beef stew and pressure cooking makes it tender in no time. There is quite a bit of trimming to do, so buy a little larger piece than you might think and trim out extra fat and tendons. Buy about a 2 ¼ pound - 2/13 pound piece.

    Don't buy pre-cut beef stew meat. It's the cheapest and toughest option with a mix of piece sizes and you don't know what you are really getting. Uneven sized pieces won't cook at the same rate and some bites could be more tough than tender. 

    A mouthwatering pot of savory stew with carrots and potatoes.

    Serving Suggestions

    Instant Pot beef stew is a meal in itself. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the fantastic juices (skip for low carb).

    Beef stew keeps in the refrigerator for 3 days or freezes well for longer term in an airtight container, labeled and dated.

    Recipe FAQ's

    Will pressure cooking stew meat make it tender?

    Pressure cooking does tenderize the meat, but more importantly, choose the right cut of meat for beef stew. Skip "stew meat" as the pieces are usually different sizes and a mix of cuts. Do choose a boneless chuck roast. It's comes out tender with big beef flavor for Instant Pot beef stew. When you buy a piece, get a little more than you need to allow for trimming.

    What is the beef stew setting on Instant Pot?

    The beef stew setting on an Instant Pot is a pre-set for 35 minutes at high pressure. It's the same as manually choosing the pressure cooker high setting and setting your own time. I set my own time for beef stew as I my beef stew recipe cooks for just 15 minutes at high pressure with tender and delicious results. 35 minutes is not needed with the right cut of meat (go with boneless chuck roast). You can use the setting, just set a manual timer for 15 minutes.

    Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook beef stew?

    It depends on the time you have and the method you prefer. I prefer the speed and results (tender meat and great flavor) of pressure cooking for beef stew. A slow cooker is more hands off for a longer period of time.

    More Recipes

    While beef stew is a casual dish, if you love beef try my slow roasted beef tenderloin for special occasions.

    • beef tenderloin on a plate.
      Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cognac Dijon Sauce
    • French market vegetable beef soup
      French Market Vegetable Beef Soup (Instant Pot)
    • Close up of creamy pork chops with sauce.
      Sour Cream Pork Chops Recipe
    • Close up of savory meatballs with garlic, butter, olive oil sauce with herbs..
      The Best Baked Turkey Meatballs

    ⭐️Did you Make This Recipe?

    If you make this recipe, please add your comment. I appreciate your feedback and enjoy hearing from you. If you loved it, please give it a 5-star rating! They really help other readers. If you had an issue with it, let me help you figure it out.

    📖 Recipe

    A hearty bowl of beef stew with vegetables.

    Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

    Sally Cameron
    Using an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker reduces the time to get this satisfying stew on the dinner table. Lots of vegetables and herbs provide great flavor. Leftovers keep 3-4 days or freeze well.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 32 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 12 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 549 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 ¼ pounds boneless chuck roast (see notes below)
    • 1 cup chopped onion
    • 1 bunch carrots ¾ - 1 pound
    • 3 large celery ribs
    • ¾ pound gold potatoes
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 large garlic cloves chopped fine
    • 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb blend oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ cup dry red or white wine optional, sub broth
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste divided use
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ cup low sodium beef bone broth
    • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes drained
    • ½ cup frozen peas
    • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch optional to thicken gravy

    Optional Garnishes for Serving

    • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions
     

    Prep Meat and Vegetables

    • Trim extra fat from the chuck roast, then cut it into 1 ½" pieces. Next, chop vegetables: peel and chop onion, peel and chop carrots into 1" pieces, chop celery into ½" pieces, peel and chop potatoes into 1" pieces.

    Start Cooking

    • Set the Instant Pot to saute function to level "more"(press the saute button 3 times) for 30 minutes (so it stays hot and doesn't turn off). When the inner pot is hot add the olive oil. Add half the beef, browning on one side, then turning to brown the other. Don't crowd the pieces for best browning.
      Remove the pieces to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef pieces. Add them to the bowl with any juices.
    • Add butter (or more olive oil) to the pot and when hot add the onions and cook until softened, then add garlic and dried herbs and cook another 30 seconds, stirring. Add wine and cook down for a minute. Add carrots, potatoes, celery, tomatoes, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaves, broth and the browned beef. Lock lid into place, turn vent (float valve) to closed, and set the function to pressure cooking, high pressure, for 15 minutes.

    When Timing is Complete

    • When pressure cooking is complete allow pressure to come down naturally for 10 minutes then release any additional pressure manually by turning the vent open. When all pressure is released and the gauge drops, open lid carefully and stir in tomatoes, peas, worcestershire, and the last of the tomato paste. Put lid back on and allow vegetables to heat through in the hot stew.
      Serve immediately or cool and refrigerate for enjoying later. Stew will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freezes well.

    Optional: To Thicken the Sauce

    • Mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water and stir smooth. Stir into the pot with the peas, lock on the lid, and allow it to heat through for a few minutes.

    Notes

    After trimming the extra fat and tendons from the chuck roast you should have about 2 pounds of meat to cube. Cut the cubes into approximately 1 ½" pieces.
    Cut the carrots into 1" pieces so they don't fall apart and disappear into the stew; same for the potatoes. Bigger chunks are better than little pieces.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 549kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 63gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 734mgPotassium: 2041mgFiber: 8gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 19810IUVitamin C: 37mgCalcium: 161mgIron: 7mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « The Best Baked Turkey Meatballs
    Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debra Christian says

      October 03, 2016 at 9:05 am

      Hi Sally,
      Love your website and regularly make dishes from your delicious, nutritious recipes! Just a heads-up on the Beef & Vegetable Stew with Rosemary recipe above. Wanted to try this tonight but there seems to be a problem. On my computer it starts out fine, then switches to a roasted chicken recipe. I'm not sure where to look for the Beef Stew recipe now. Any thoughts?

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        October 03, 2016 at 10:54 am

        Hi Debra. Wow, that was weird. Got to love technology. Its all fixed. Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Denise says

      June 13, 2016 at 12:46 am

      Yummy! Next on weekend list. I was thinking the same Rod, to serve with polenta or some cornbread. Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Rod Archer says

      April 14, 2014 at 6:14 am

      We made the stew last night. it was a hit on a cold snowy day. I added some fresh green beans for more color since I did not have fresh rosemary. I served it on polenta which was a very good complement to the rich beef flavor.
      I will be looking over your other recipes for healthy, good food. thank you for this one.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        April 14, 2014 at 9:17 am

        Thanks for commenting Rod. The polenta and green beans are a great idea. Hard thinking about snow in April when I live in CA! Stay warm and well fed.

        Reply
    4. Ron says

      April 04, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Lovely recipe. Had it for dinner last night and everyone enjoyed it.

      Slight correction. This is missing between steps 3 and 4:
      "Return the set aside beef to the pot and add the ½ cup of water."

      Putting the beef back in is obvious, but if I hadn't already had the water measured out I would have missed adding the water in.

      Reply
      • Sally says

        April 04, 2013 at 5:35 pm

        Thanks Ron for the catch! I've updated the recipe!

        Reply
    5. Erin says

      January 10, 2013 at 10:45 am

      I made this adapted for stove-top since I don't have a pressure cooker. It was wonderful! I especially loved the seasoning and the non-mushy carrots!

      Thanks for the recipe!!

      Reply
    6. Chris says

      October 02, 2012 at 2:17 pm

      We analyzed 14,000 recipes from over 2,000 unique website and this was the third most nutrient dense ... the only beef dish to make the top 10! You can read more about the study here. http://blog.yumprint.com/2012/10/the-ten-most-nutrient-dense-recipes-on.html

      Reply
    7. Debs @ The Spanish Wok says

      April 18, 2012 at 8:53 am

      I love stews of all kinds, whatever the season LOL.

      You are welcome to join in my monthly food blogger event THE SOUP KITCHEN, here all bloggers are welcome, hope to see you participate soon. Different theme each month.

      Reply
    8. Jesica @ pencil kitchen says

      April 17, 2012 at 7:30 pm

      AWESOME looking stew!!! I miss stew all of a sudden!

      Reply
    9. myfudo says

      April 17, 2012 at 6:53 pm

      Love the sweet, delicate freshness of rosemary in stews. Delicious recipe!

      Reply
    10. Laura @ hip pressure cooking says

      April 17, 2012 at 12:12 am

      This recipe sounds delicious - and the photo is stunning!

      Ciao,

      L

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 23 Awesome Kitchen Herb Recipes - Happy Healthy Homey says:
      06/11/2016 at 4:57 pm

      […] Beef and Vegetable Stew With Rosemary – A Food Centric Life […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    chef sally cameron | afoodcentriclifecom.bigscoots-staging.com

    Welcome! I'm Sally, a classically trained chef (but you don't have to be!). My passion is cooking fresh healthy food and sharing it with others.

    More about me →

    Easter Recipes

    • Bark bites on a round display plate for serving.
      Chocolate Bark Recipe (bark bites)
    • pork tenderloin with blackberry sauce
      Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce
    • hard boiled eggs
      How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (Easy Peel)
    • seared salmon with raspberry
      Pan Seared Salmon With Raspberry Sauce
    • crispy seared duck breast
      How to Cook Crispy Duck Breast
    • green beans almondine
      Green Beans Almondine with Lemon

    Popular Recipes

    • Close up of a platter of salmon filets with lemon and herbs on a table.
      How to Make Simple Steamed Salmon
    • Mushroom Duxelles
      Classic French Mushroom Duxelles
    • Chicken Marsala
      Chicken Marsala Recipe (without cream)
    • creamy cauliflower soup
      Smooth and Creamy Cauliflower Soup
    • white chicken chili
      Easy White Chicken Chili
    • easy chicken parmesan
      Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

    Footer

    as seen on

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Menu

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.