Instant Pot Beef Stew (2024)

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November 4, 2019 — last updated January 23, 2024 54 comments »

There is nothing more comforting than this Instant Pot Beef Stew. It’s simple, hearty, and absolutely delicious!

There is nothing more comforting than this Instant Pot Beef Stew. It’s simple, hearty, and absolutely delicious. You’ll love how easy it is to make and you won’t believe it didn’t simmer for hours. Because, friend, who has time for that?

I am honestly giddy to share this Instant Pot Beef Stew with you. You probably already know I’m soup obsessed (it’s no secret) but stew has never been my favorite. That’s pretty surprising I think since comfort food is my jam. I just always found most beef stews to be a little underwhelming. Not this one. It is so rich and flavorful I swear I swooned like a romance novel heroine when I had my first bite. Don’t judge. I clutched my chest and asked for smelling salts and everything. Good food can do that to me.

There are a few things that really make this a spectacular stew. First, it’s fast. That’s enough to get me excited. Same? Second, we take the time to sear the meat and sauté the garlic, onion, and celery to really bring out those big flavors. Third, plenty o’ veggies. And finally, the balsamic vinegar. You might be surprised by that one. I hear ya. It’s one of my favorite replacements for wine (which you find in lots of stew recipes) and it brings a depth of flavor to this recipe that you just can’t beat.

I top my finished stew with chopped fresh herbs because I’m always pro fresh herbs wherever possible and literally always have some in the fridge I want to use up before it goes bad. You can always skip that if you’re not so inclined.

For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):

Stew beef or beef chuck roast
Olive or avocado oil
Minced garlic
White or yellow onion
Celery
Balsamic vinegar
Beef stock
Tomato paste
Baby potatoes
Carrots
Dried herbs
Salt and pepper

Why no flour in this stew?

You may notice that this Instant Pot Beef Stew doesn’t include any flour. Gasp! Most stews use flour to thicken the broth but honestly this doesn’t need it. Your potatoes serve as a natural thickener and I love the texture of the finished stew. I find it to be plenty thick and hearty!

However, if you do want to thicken your stew I won’t stop you! A great way to accomplish this while still sticking to clean ingredients is to incorporate arrowroot flour. If you’re new to arrowroot flour there are a few tricks to working with it but once you try it you’ll be a fan. Just remember to add after cooking is complete (not during cooking) and always mix with equal parts cold water to create a slurry.

Start with one tablespoon arrowroot flour and shake it in a small jar with one tablespoon cold water. (Yes, it must be cold. Don’t use hot water.) Then stir your flour slurry into the stew and watch it thicken. Add another tablespoon of flour and water (always shake together first) if you need more.

Slow Cooker Instructions (if Instant Pot isn’t your thing)

Add olive oil and stew meat to a skillet on the stove top (medium high heat) to get a quick browning on the outside of your beef. Beef should not be cooked through.
Once you’ve seared your meat, add the onion, celery and garlic. Let it sauté while you stir until fragrant and onion is a bit translucent.
Deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar, scraping up all the yummy browned bits on the bottom.
Pour everything from the pan to your slow cooker. Add in all other ingredients. Stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.

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5 from 35 votes

Instant Pot Beef Stew

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Yield: 12 (1 cup) servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

2 to 2 1/2 lbs stew beef or beef chuck roast, Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
3 tbsp olive oil, Can use another cooking fat of choice.
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 large white or yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups beef stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved, about 4 cups
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into circles
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
fresh herbs to garnish when serving, (optional)

Instructions

Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. When it’s hot, add your olive oil (or another cooking fat of choice) and then your stew meat. Sauté your beef until you get some nice browning, stirring constantly. This only takes about 2 minutes if your pot is hot when you start.
Add onion, celery, and minced garlic to the Instant Pot. Stir and let the onion get a bit translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once done press the cancel button to stop sautéing.
Pour the balsamic vinegar in the Instant Pot first to deglaze the bottom. Use a spatula and scrape up any of those amazing bits that caramelized and may be stuck after sautéing. There’s so much flavor in there and we don’t waste it, friend.
Now add the rest of the ingredients. Everything goes in!
Seal the Instant Pot. Set it to Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on the model Instant Pot you have) on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Once cooking is complete, natural release pressure for at least 10 minutes. (That means don’t release the steam. Just let it do it’s thing on it’s own.) This will result in more tender meat and it’s totally worth it! (But yes, you can do a quick release if you don’t have the time to wait.) Ladle into bowls and top with chopped fresh herbs if you’re wanting it to look extra gorgeous. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 212kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 46mg, Sodium: 606mg, Potassium: 761mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 2790IU, Vitamin C: 14.4mg, Calcium: 49mg, Iron: 2.6mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @thewholecook and hashtag it #thewholecook on Instagram.

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originally published on Nov 4, 2019 (last updated Jan 23, 2024) by Christina

54 comments Leave a comment »

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe!

Joelle Bartholomew — November 4, 2019 @ 6:49 pm Reply
Very flavorful and so yummy. This was so easy to prepare and get on the table! We had NO leftovers it was that good. 🙂
Susan — November 4, 2019 @ 11:13 pm Reply
O yum! I can’t wait to make this! I’ve been following you since I did my 1st Whole30 in September 2017. What I like about your recipes, even when I’m not on a round, they are comfort foods made Whole30 with easily obtainable ingredients. You are Whole30’s Pioneer Woman. I look forward to your cookbook!
- Christina — February 4, 2020 @ 12:52 pm Reply
  That is so nice, thank you!!
Diana — November 8, 2019 @ 8:06 am Reply
Wow. I have always have been underwhelmed with stew, also, so I rarely make it. I had a request from my 91 yr old mother in law to make some….I had no choice! Wow. This recipe will be in my regular winter roundup…as it was easy, and so delicious!! The flavor was so so good. Used grass fed stew meat and the instant pot — the meat was unbelievably tender. Thank you for creating such delicious recipes that make me look like a star in the kitchen! Wow!!
- Christina — February 4, 2020 @ 12:52 pm Reply
  You can’t say no to a 91 year old mother in law! It’s a rule! 😉 So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Jackie — January 6, 2020 @ 5:55 pm Reply
Made this tonight and it was amazing!! By far the best stew I have ever had.
- Christina — February 4, 2020 @ 12:37 pm Reply
  Love hearing that!
Meredith — January 17, 2020 @ 6:14 pm Reply
So good and fast!
Janice — February 27, 2020 @ 10:01 pm Reply
This is such a delicious stew! We all thoroughly enjoyed it. I baked it in my regular oven on low heat and it still turned out great, and my house smelled wonderful! Thank you for sharing so many awesome recipes!
- Christina — March 1, 2020 @ 9:49 am Reply
  Love hearing that! Thank you!
Gregory Schultz — May 2, 2020 @ 6:19 pm Reply
Wow. My kids couldn’t stop eating it!!!
- Christina — May 8, 2020 @ 4:25 pm Reply
  That’s how you know it’s good! So happy your family enjoyed it!
Taylor — May 26, 2020 @ 8:47 pm Reply
It’s so hard to find a good beef stew, but I think we found one! So so so good, and do exactly as the recipe says let it self release (I forgot about it and went back 22 minutes later woops!) it really does make the meat so tender.
I didn’t measure out the veggies or potatoes I just threw in what i thought looked good. Definitely will be making again, thank you for sharing this with us!!
- Christina — May 29, 2020 @ 3:38 pm Reply
  So happy to hear that! Thanks so much for the kind words!
Maureen madden — August 21, 2020 @ 11:08 am Reply
I dont hav a slow cooker..can i make this on stovetop please??
Marianna — September 1, 2020 @ 11:45 am Reply
Hi,
Thanks for posting this recipe!
See Also
Best Instant Pot Beef Stew | Tested by Amy + Jacky
I have a question: Can I omit the 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar? (I am sensitive to it) Instead can I use water?
Thanks!
Marianna
- Christina — September 8, 2020 @ 12:30 pm Reply
  You could. It would alter the taste a bit but that’s all.
Kelli — September 8, 2020 @ 4:55 pm Reply
When are you supposed to put the carrots in? I don’t see it mentioned in the recipe.
- Christina — September 9, 2020 @ 9:04 am Reply
  They go in at step 4 where it says to add everything else in.
  - Kelli — September 10, 2020 @ 1:20 pm Reply
    Whoops! I put it in with the onion, celery and garlic, but it still turned out amazing! I also added a little red wine in it before putting it on manual pressure 🙂
Jolene Sorenson — October 4, 2020 @ 2:46 pm Reply
We loved it! Very easy and tasty.
Mini — October 4, 2020 @ 6:02 pm Reply
Excellent recipe! Followed it exactly except for thyme- didn’t have any but it was delicious!
Shannon Winder — October 26, 2020 @ 9:23 am Reply
This was delicious! It was so flavorful and easy. Only thing is, I must be a slow vegetable chopper because it took me much longer than 10 minutes to prep this. Even still, it was worth every minute of it. My 5 year older daughter who seems to hate all dinners I make these days couldn’t get enough of it. We will definitely be adding this to our meal rotation!
Kathrin — November 3, 2020 @ 12:20 pm Reply
Just amazing! My husband loves soups and stews and he couldn’t get enough. Love your recipes. Would you consider making more instant pot stew/soup recipes?
Meredith — November 9, 2020 @ 6:24 am Reply
Could I freeze and reheat the leftovers for another meal?
- Christina — November 9, 2020 @ 10:57 am Reply
  Absolutely! All of my soups freeze well except for the Chicken Zoodle Soup (since zoodles can break down so much).
Mel — November 20, 2020 @ 1:38 pm Reply
This was absolutely delicious. I’ve made it twice now and can’t believe how tender the beef comes out! A new family favorite.
Sara — December 7, 2020 @ 9:35 pm Reply
Absolutely delicious! I was a little nervous adding the 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, but wow, what great flavour :). We couldn’t wait to enjoy the leftovers. One thing I would do is add more carrots…otherwise, it’s perfect.
Helen — December 12, 2020 @ 6:12 pm Reply
Hello, can I use normal brushed/russet potatoes instead? Thanks in advance!
- Christina — January 8, 2021 @ 10:07 am Reply
  Absolutely.
Nyree — January 5, 2021 @ 4:25 am Reply
Absolutely delicious! All the things a good stew should be, like a warm hug on the inside! I added some red wine I had leftover & boom! So flavoursome, although I’m sure it would have been good without the wine, too.
Debbie Irwin — January 15, 2021 @ 5:30 pm Reply
I have struggled to find a great beef stew recipe, and thanks to you I have finally found it! My family loved it and we almost polished off the whole pot in one setting. Everyone when back for seconds.
Cara — February 2, 2021 @ 10:12 pm Reply
This is the best beef stew I’ve ever had! Such a great, rich, and vibrant flavor to the broth.
Angie — February 24, 2021 @ 2:29 pm Reply
I didn’t know how much I needed balsamic vinegar in my life until I made this stew. It just has such a richer flavor that is magnificent. This is another staple in my kitchen now.
Cassie — March 18, 2021 @ 7:16 am Reply
This is hands down one of our favourite recipes & I share it with all my friends and family! We make it about once a month (winter’s freakin long up here in Canada 😉 ) and we fight over who gets to eat the leftovers. It’s super easy and so flavourful. I add some arrowroot flour at the end to thicken things up a bit. It’s legit comfort in a bowl!
Kelly — March 30, 2021 @ 1:06 pm Reply
Finally, a stew that doesn’t need a flour or corn starch for thickening! Thank you, I’m pinning this straight onto my clean eating board, yum 😊
Jaycee Thexton — May 10, 2021 @ 3:23 pm Reply
Excellent recipe!! I season my stew meat with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, kosher salt and black pepper, prior to cooking for added flavour, but recipe is delicious as written too. Easy to follow directions.
Emily — July 24, 2021 @ 8:21 am Reply
Delicious, so full of flavor with and easy with minimal ingredients. My whole family loved it! Will definitely keep this on regular rotation!
Vannessa — September 1, 2021 @ 1:09 pm Reply
Hi Christina! Made this twice so far and both times it was a hit! I’ve saved this as my “go to” beef stew. Thanks for taking the time and energy to put this together for us healthy comfort food lovers.
Just in case someone is using low sodium beef broth like I did… Increasing to 1.5tbsp of sea salt did the trick (I do love salt).
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Cheers!
Kristin — October 24, 2021 @ 5:40 pm Reply
I’ve had my InstaPot for a while but got frustrated because so many quick/easy recipes seem to have a lot of pasta or cream of something, so I almost gave up on the thing. So, I am VERY glad to have found this recipe! It is actually quick/easy prep, “set it and forget it,” tasted fresh , hearty but not too heavy. Great flavor! Will definitely make again
Kristen — November 10, 2021 @ 8:17 am Reply
This was super easy and so delicious!
Peggy Bull — January 7, 2022 @ 6:16 am Reply
The balsamic vinegar and tomato paste were the new ingredients for us. Wow that was good. I used my cast iron deep pan and baked it in a slow oven. They all loved it- me too.
- Christina — February 10, 2022 @ 9:58 am Reply
  So happy you enjoyed, Peggy!
Julie — January 11, 2022 @ 7:18 am Reply
I love a good beef soup. What I loved about this soup was that the broth thickened up and was very hearty. Next time I will only put in 1 teaspoon of pepper because it was a little too peppery for my taste. An easy adjustment!
- Christina — February 10, 2022 @ 9:56 am Reply
  I’m happy you enjoyed it, Julia! Thank you for the taking the time to leave a nice comment! 🙂
Lori — January 28, 2022 @ 6:45 am Reply
I was looking for a simple, easy, and ‘fast’ no-frills beef stew recipe for my instant pot. Wow! I found your recipe and made it for dinner. It was truly one of the best stews I’ve ever had! The meat was SO tender and the meal had just the right amount of spices. It was SO tasty, my family even made positive comments about the meal. Thank you for posting this!
I’m saving this recipe!!!
Barbara — December 22, 2022 @ 4:02 pm Reply
Oh! So delicious! I’ve never made Beef Stew in the pressure cooker, and now I’m hooked! My husband said it looked hearty, and after the first bite he texted our kids that it was delicious and they should hurry home to get some!!! Thanks for ANOTHER quick, wholesome, easy dinner : – )
Alina — January 12, 2023 @ 10:09 pm Reply
Wow this is amazing. I used 1 can of tomato sauce and 2 cups of broth and added a bay leaf! Also used Worcestershire sauce instead of balsamic vinegar and added a red bell pepper and it turned out beyond delicious. My picky eater said it’s the best thing he’s ever tried!
Asia — January 14, 2023 @ 11:50 am Reply
Love this recipe! It’s a staple in my house. I have always used stew meat… I only have beef brisket in my freezer. Has anyone tried using this cut of meat and would like to share their experience? Thanks!
Andreah — January 17, 2023 @ 6:41 pm Reply
Made this recipe last week in an instant pot VERY GOOD AND EAZY!! 👏 Will make it often!! 😊
Thank you for this recipes!!
- Christina — January 24, 2023 @ 3:42 pm Reply
  I’m so glad! Thank you!
Kim P — January 28, 2023 @ 3:00 pm Reply
Beef stew has always been a favorite in our house. When I made this, my husband said, this is the best beef stew I’ve ever had!
- Christina — January 30, 2023 @ 3:54 pm Reply
  Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment, Kim! So happy you enjoyed the stew!
dianne krenzer — September 22, 2023 @ 12:22 pm Reply
You will not be disappointed one of the best flavors I have ever had. Meat comes out so tender. Also super easy. LOVE

FAQs

Why is beef stew tough Instant Pot? ›

Why is My Stew Meat Tough In Instant Pot? The cut of meat you select for stew plays a big role in its tenderness once cooked. Beef chuck roast, I find, is the best cut of meat for beef stew recipes. Be sure to also let your pressure release naturally.

Discover More ›

Do you have to brown stew meat before Instant Pot? ›

The Secret to Super Tender Beef

The best way to ensure your beef is tender in your Instant Pot stew is to braise it (aka pan sear it first, then let it stew).

Read On ›

Is beef stew better in Instant Pot or crockpot? ›

The Instant Pot is a fantastic tool because it cooks even frozen meats to tender perfection. Pressure cooking beef stew is much faster than cooking beef stew in the slow cooker. Also, to get the beef, potatoes and carrots really tender, you have to cook it longer in the slow cooker.

How long is the stew setting on an Instant Pot? ›

Instant Pot Instructions: Place everything in the Instant Pot. Select the stew/meat setting (about 35 minutes, high pressure). After it's done, let everything mellow out for about 10 minutes before releasing the steam. Technically at this point, it's done.

Get More Info Here ›

Does beef get more tender the longer you stew it? ›

Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender. Rush the cooking process and the beef will be tough and chewy. Follow this tip: For really tender meat, cook the stew low and slow, for approximately two hours.

Read On ›

How long does it take to cook 2 lb of beef in a pressure cooker? ›

For example, cook a 2-pound pot roast at high pressure for 40 minutes and a 3-pound pot roast for 60 minutes.

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What happens if you don't brown meat for stew? ›

"The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish." If you are making a slow-cooked recipe that calls for ground beef, like chili, beef stew, or meat sauce, browning the meat beforehand makes a huge difference.

Get More Info ›

Should you salt stew meat before browning? ›

To this end, I always recommend salting your steak either the moment before cooking it or at least 45 minutes before cooking it. During the time between one and 45 minutes after salting, your steak will have a layer of moisture on its surface that's been drawn out through osmosis. This can hinder browning.

Read On ›

Should I flour stew meat before browning? ›

The key to a stew that is full of flavor as well as just the right consistency is, surprisingly, flour. The cubes of beef need to be dredged in flour before browning in the pan for the perfect result. As a bonus, this flour also helps thicken the whole thing as well.

Which meat is better for stew? ›

Chuck. Chuck is one of the leaner types of beef, making it perfect for stews because it melts into delicious pieces as it cooks. A chuck roast has a large amount of connective tissue, which allows it to retain its moisture during the cooking process.

Read On ›

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

This completely depends on the type of meat you are planning on cooking. Because slow cookers take longer to cook, they are better suited to breaking down fat in meat while adding moisture. So if you are planning on cooking a whole rump beef, then a slow cooker is a better choice.

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What is the advantage of cooking a stew in a pressure cooker? ›

Benefits of a pressure cooker. Pressure cooking reduces the cooking time for most foods. This shorter cooking time can result in fewer nutrients being leeched out of food during the cooking process. Put another way, your food keeps more of the nutrients inside.