Instant Pot Beef Stew is perfect for those cool fall nights, and great when you want to whip up cozy beef stew in under an hour! Sauté the beef in the bottom of the instant pot, throw in your veggies and broth, turn it on and call it a day!
For more cozy fall soups and stews, check out our Best Ever Chili, this Cream of Mushroom Soup, or this Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Gosh, if there were ever a soup that depicted cozy nights and hearty fall soups, it would be Instant Pot Beef Stew. Of course we love beef stew because it’s DELICIOUS, but we also love it because it has a little bit of everything. Beef? Check! Veggies? Check! Hearty? Check! Totally delicious??? Check check check!
While most versions of beef stew take hours to cook so the meat can tenderize, using the instant pot takes this three to four hour recipe down to a mere hour – tops. We saute stew meat in the bottom of the instant pot, and once it’s brown, cover it in big pieces of carrot, celery, onion, and potatoes.
The meat and veggies get drowned in broth, and then we will the instant pot go to town!
Ingredients in Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Olive oil. For beef stew, I like to cook the meat in a light olive oil – canola oil also works.
- Beef. You can use a chuck roast and cut it yourself, but I find it’s easiest to just buy stew meat already cut up and trimmed at the butcher counter.
- Veggies. For our version of Instant Pot Beef Stew, we use the classics – carrot, onion, celery, potatoes, and peas (at the end). You could also throw in some parsnips, green beans, or pearl onions if you want to up the veggie ratio.
- Garlic. Not much to explain here! Garlic. Always lots of garlic.
- Tomato paste. We love to use tomato paste in our beef stew because it helps to thicken the stew. It also has a really concentrated tomato flavor, so it adds a ton of flavor.
- Tomato puree. You could use tomato puree or canned tomatoes here. My kiddos don’t really like whole tomatoes, so I sneak them in this way. If you have canned diced tomatoes on hand, that works too!
- Seasoning. You don’ need much in terms of seasoning – we use LOTS of salt, a few bay leaves, a little bit of Worcestershire sauce, and just a pinch of sugar.
- Broth. You’ll want low-sodium beef stock or broth. We always use low-sodium so we can control the amount of salt that goes into our dish.
How to Cook Beef Stew Meat:
Beef stew meat is notoriously tough, so it’s important you give it enough time to cook. Also, we want to get as much flavor out of the beef itself, so it’s also important to sear the beef before you let it cook with the veggies and the broth. Usually this takes many hours, but since we are using the instant pot today, it’s only going to take about 35-40 minutes. Wild stuff!
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew:
- Sauté the beef. Turn the instant pot to the sauté function. Season the beef with lots of salt and pepper. Add your oil to the bottom of the instant pot and then add half of the beef. Sauté until brown. Remove and sauté the rest of the beef.
- Stir in tomato paste. Once the beef has cooked, add the beef you already cooked back to the instant pot. Add the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bottom of the pan. Stir in tomato paste, tomato puree, bay leaf, Worcestershire, sugar, and salt.
- Add everything else. Place the veggies on top.
- Cook! Put the lid on, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Press the instant release button. Watch out!
- Thicken the stew. Add a mixture of cornstarch and beef broth to the beef stew. Turn the instant pot back to saute and whisk in cornstarch mixture. Stir until thickened. Add in peas. Let the cook until thawed. Serve with lots of fresh parsley and crusty bread! Oh! And don’t forget to season with salt and pepper.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Beef Stew:
- Beef Stew is nothing without a little crusty bread. Try out this Miracle No Knead Bread – so delicious!
- If you’re looking for something green and refreshing, try out this easy Greek Salad.
- Looking for something indulgent? This Garlic Bread will hit the spot!
Can I Make Beef Stew In Advance?
Yes! Instant Pot Beef Stew is a great dish to make in advance. Just make from start to finish (don’t add peas). Cool completely and store in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, pour the beef stew in a pot and bring to a boil. Add in peas. Cook until thawed.
You can also heat the soup individually in microwave-safe bowls. Add the peas before you microwave.
More Delicious Stew Recipes to Try:
- Chicken Stew
- Beef Stew with Bacon
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Tuscan Vegetable Chicken Stew
- Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Equipment
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Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stew meat
- 1 tbsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracker black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 32 oz low-sodium beef stock
- 2 oz tomato paste
- 14 oz tomato puree
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5 medium yukon gold potatoes cut into quarters
- 1 large onion, chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 3 celery stalks cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
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Turn the instant pot on to the saute function. Season beef with two teaspoons of salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the instant pot. Once hot, add half of the beef. Let the beef brown for 3-4 minutes and turn. Brown on all sides. Remove to a plate once beef is all brown. Add the remaining olive oil and repeat with the rest of the beef.
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Add the beef broth on top. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in tomato paste, tomato puree, bay leaves, worcestershire sauce, sugar, and remaining salt. Stir until tomato paste is distributed.
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Add all the vegetables except for the peas on top. Cover with the lid. Turn the instant pot to the HIGH manual setting for 25 minutes. Manually release the pressure on the instant pot.
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Once the steam releases, take the lid off. Turn the instant pot back to the saute function. Whisk cornstarch and water together in a smal bowl. Slowly whisk in to the beef stew. Let the stew cook for another 3-4 minutes until thickened. Add in the frozen peas. Cook until thawed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.
Nutrition
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