Hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe for Flavorful Weeknight Meals

Exceptionally tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a rich, flavor-packed sauce—this Instant Pot beef stew is fast and simple enough for any weeknight yet comforting enough for a Sunday supper.

Pressure cooking transforms humble chuck roast into fork-tender beef in a fraction of the time of traditional methods. This Instant Pot Beef Stew captures all the classic flavors—deep, savory meat, tender root vegetables, and a glossy sauce—while getting dinner on the table quickly.

If you enjoy a long-simmered stovetop stew, the Classic Stovetop Beef Stew remains a favorite for those lazy days. But the Instant Pot makes it possible to replicate that same comforting taste any night of the week, with far less hands-on time.

I’m a big fan of the Instant Pot for exactly that reason.

The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

Many stew recipes end up bland because the seasoning is added all at once or too sparingly. This recipe uses a simple dried seasoning blend—rosemary, thyme, marjoram, paprika, salt, and pepper—that’s layered into the pot during cooking. Layering the seasonings ensures flavor throughout the meat and the sauce.

Using a variety of spices lets you be conservative with salt while still achieving a robust, homey flavor. You can always adjust salt at the end to taste.

Ingredient Notes

• Cubed beef: Chuck is the best choice for stew. It’s affordable and becomes tender when cooked under pressure. Buying pre-cut “beef for stew” saves prep time; trim and cut any oversized pieces so the cubes are uniform.
• Oil: Use a neutral, high smoke-point oil such as avocado or vegetable oil for browning.
• Vegetables: Diced white or yellow onion, chopped celery, minced garlic, halved baby yellow or red potatoes, and roughly chopped carrots. I like to add frozen peas at the end for color.
• Seasoning: Crushed rosemary, thyme, marjoram, paprika, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a bay leaf.
• Flavor boosters: Tomato paste, a splash of medium- to full-bodied red wine (Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot), and Worcestershire sauce deepen the sauce.
• Fresh herbs: Minced parsley brightens the finished stew.
• Cornstarch slurry: A cornstarch and water slurry thickens the sauce at the end. This recipe uses no flour, so it’s naturally gluten-free provided you choose gluten-free wine and Worcestershire sauce.

How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew

Follow the step-by-step instructions below. A short video is included in the recipe card for a quick visual guide.

1. Set the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ and wait for the display to read “HOT.” Add oil and half the beef, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, and brown the meat. Transfer browned beef to a dish using a slotted spoon.
2. Brown the remaining beef with another 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, reserving the remaining seasoning for later.
3. Leave any browned bits in the pot, add more oil if needed, then sauté onion, celery, and garlic until softened. Stir in tomato paste to combine.
4. Pour in the red wine, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce, then add the remaining seasoning mix and a bay leaf.

1. Return the browned beef and accumulated juices to the pot. Scatter potatoes and carrots on top without stirring so they steam and cook evenly. Seal the lid and pressure cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
2. When cooking finishes, release the pressure according to your model’s instructions and open the lid. Press SAUTÉ, set to LOW, and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add frozen peas and parsley, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Transfer to the fridge within two hours of cooking.

Freeze: Freeze in freezer-safe bags or containers for up to 3 months. Remove excess air and lay bags flat to save space. Consider portioning into single servings for easy reheating.

Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or broth if the stew becomes too thick after storage.

Sign up for the free newsletter for the latest recipes and find more inspiration on social media.

Instant Pot Beef Stew

4.98 from 95 votes

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Pin
Print

Exceptionally tender beef, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a luscious, flavor-packed sauce. This Instant Pot Beef Stew is fast and easy enough for any night of the week.

Video

Ingredients 

For the Beef Stew Seasoning Mix

• 1½ teaspoons fine ground sea salt
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef Stew

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2½ pounds beef stew meat
• 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
• 2 ribs celery
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup medium to full-bodied red wine
• 2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes
• 3 or 4 medium carrots
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup minced fresh Italian parsley
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

• Combine the seasoning mix in a small bowl. Cut any large pieces of stew meat into 1–1½ inch cubes.
• Select SAUTÉ on the Instant Pot and wait for “HOT.” Add 2 tablespoons oil, brown half the beef sprinkled with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix, and transfer to a dish. Repeat with the remaining beef and seasoning.
• Leave browned bits in the pot, add more oil if needed, and sauté onion, celery, and garlic until softened. Stir in tomato paste, then add red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining seasoning mix, and a bay leaf. Return the beef and juices to the pot and top with carrots and potatoes; do not stir.
• Seal the lid and pressure cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release completely before opening the pot.
• Press SAUTÉ, set to LOW, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in peas and parsley. Whisk water and cornstarch to form a slurry, stir into the stew, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal

Nutrition information is an estimate based on generic ingredients. For accuracy, refer to your product labels.

Like this? Please rate & comment below!

This post was originally published on December 11, 2019 and has been updated with new text and images.