Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

I know stew meat has a reputation for being tough, chewy, and time-consuming to cook, but this Instant Pot Beef Stew proves that doesn’t have to be the case! I take this inexpensive cut of beef, mix it with seasonal veggies, and pressure cook them to create a warming, beefy, satisfying stew. It’s got all that delicious slow-cooked flavor but is ready in a FRACTION of the time. This Instant Pot beef stew recipe is the only one I reach for on those busy weeknights when I don’t have the time (or patience!) to wait for my slow cooker.

All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

“I’ve made this a few times and it always turns out delicious, warm, thick and cozy!!! I tend to add whatever veggies I have in the house (carrots, celery, mushrooms, peas, zucchini) and fresh herbs (if I have them). Such a delicious dish!”

Bethany

Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

This Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe is incredibly fast and easy, but is packed with slow-cooked flavor. Perfect for those busy weeknights!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• 1 lb beef stew meat, cubed ($8.96)
• salt and pepper ($0.10)
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
• 2 Tbsp butter ($0.25)
• 2 cups beef broth* ($0.18)
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.06)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.05)
• ½ Tbsp brown sugar ($0.02)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.08)
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.18)
• 1 tsp dried rosemary ($0.10)
• 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.10)
• 14 oz bag frozen pearl onions** ($2.12)
• 8 oz mushrooms ($1.97)
• 1 lb carrots ($0.98)
• 0.75 lb potatoes ($0.70)

• Place the stew meat in a bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir to coat.

• Place the butter*** in the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Heat the butter until it is melted and sizzling, then add the stew meat. Brown the meat on all sides. Don’t stir too often as this will prevent the meat from achieving a nice brown, crispy exterior. The flour may coat the bottom of the pot and that is okay, just don’t let it burn.

• Pour the beef broth into the pot and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Once dissolved, add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, tomato paste, rosemary, and thyme.

• Wash and quarter the mushrooms. Peel and slice the carrots into one-inch sections. Wash the potatoes well, peel if desired, then chop into one-inch cubes. Add the pearl onions (no need to thaw), mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes to the Instant Pot. Give all the ingredients in the pot a good stir.

• Close the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam valve. Press the “meat/stew” button, or set the cooker to 35 minutes of high pressure. After 35 minutes of high pressure, allow the cooker to naturally cool and release pressure.

• Once the pressure has released, open the steam valve then carefully open the lid. Give the stew a good stir, taste, and adjust the salt if needed. Serve hot with crusty bread.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

---

*I use Better Than Bouillon to make my broth. If using a different type of broth you may need to adjust the salt in the stew after cooking.
**I love pearl onions in this recipe because they’re small, sweet, and don’t need to be chopped. However, you can swap them for a regular chopped yellow onion if you’d like (you can either sauté this with the meat or add them in as you would the pearl onions).
***You can also use cooking oil if you prefer.

Serving: 1servingCalories: 278kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 22gFat: 8gSodium: 677mgFiber: 5g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

How to Make Beef Stew in an Instant Pot — Step by Step Photos

Gather all of your ingredients.

Place one pound of stew meat in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp flour and stir until the meat is coated in the flour.

Add 2 Tbsp butter to the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Heat the butter until it is melted and sizzling, then add the stew meat (and any leftover flour from the bowl).

Brown the meat on all sides. Be sure not to stir the meat too often because this can prevent it from forming a nice brown crust. You do not need to cook the beef pieces completely through at this point. Just get a nice brown color on the outside.

Add 2 cups beef broth and stir to dissolve all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Once everything is dissolved off the bottom, add 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried rosemary, and 1 tsp dried thyme.

Wash and quarter the mushrooms. Peel and slice the carrots into one-inch sections. Wash the potatoes well, then cut into one-inch cubes. Add the frozen pearl onions, mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes to the pot.

Give everything a brief stir to combine.

It’s always a good idea to give the stew a final taste and adjust the salt if needed. I added a touch of parsley for color, but the flavor of the stew is just fine on its own!

Serving Suggestions

I highly recommend a good crusty bread to go along with your bowl of stew. A cheap loaf of fresh French bread from the bakery department at your grocery store would be perfect. I sometimes make my no-knead bread when I have the time because it’s so worth it. I also like to serve this beef stew over mashed potatoes, with a side of egg noodles, or with some creamy polenta.

Storage and Reheating

Let any leftovers cool before portioning them into airtight containers and storing them in the fridge for 3-4 days. This pressure cooker beef stew also freezes great, but the vegetables do get softer after thawing and reheating. Freeze it for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. I’d reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring often.