This Beef Stew Will Ruin Every Other Stew for You

Instant Pot Beef Stew – Chasing Foxes

Instant Pot Recipes

Rich, fall-apart tender, and done in under an hour. Your Instant Pot is about to become your favorite appliance.

⏱ 55 Min Total🍖 6 Servings🌡 High Pressure⭐ Freezer Friendly

15Prep Min

35Cook Min

380Cal / Serving

3Days Fridge

You know that stovetop beef stew that simmers for three hours and makes the whole house smell incredible?

This Instant Pot version gets you exactly there in under an hour.

The beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender. The broth is deep, rich, and almost velvety. The vegetables are perfectly soft without being one bit mushy. And the whole thing comes together with almost zero babysitting on your end.

“This is the kind of meal that makes people put down their phones and actually focus on dinner.”

One thing that surprises people: the pressure cooker doesn’t just cut down time. It actually intensifies the flavors because the steam has nowhere to escape. So you’re getting a richer, more concentrated broth than most stovetop versions.

✨ Fun Fact

Pressure cooking at high heat breaks down collagen in beef chuck into gelatin — which is what gives that silky, almost glossy broth texture. Science doing delicious things. 🙌

Stick with me through the Pro Tips section. There are a couple of steps that can completely make or break this recipe, and I want you to nail it on the first try.

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What You’ll Need

The Beef + Main Stars

2 lbs (900g) beef chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & chunked

3 large carrots, peeled & thick-sliced

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

The Broth + Flavor Builders

2 cups beef broth (low sodium)

1 cup red wine or extra broth

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For Cooking + Finishing

2 tbsp all-purpose flour (to coat beef)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water (slurry)

Fresh parsley, for garnish

🛒 Shopping Tip

Buy beef chuck roast as a whole piece and cube it yourself. Pre-cut “stew meat” is often inconsistently sized and may include tougher cuts. Cutting it yourself takes 5 extra minutes and makes a real difference in texture.

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Tools You’ll Need

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Tool	Why You Need It
6-Quart Instant Pot	The heart of this recipe — any electric pressure cooker works
Sharp Chef’s Knife	Clean cuts mean even cooking, especially on the beef
Cutting Board	Large enough for 2 lbs of beef plus vegetables
Wooden Spoon / Spatula	Essential for deglazing — protects the pot surface
Small Bowl	For mixing the cornstarch slurry
Measuring Cups + Spoons	Precision matters for the broth-to-pot ratio
Ladle	Serving a thick stew neatly without spills
Paper Towels	Patting beef dry — more important than you think

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Pro Tips

These are the things that separate a good stew from a genuinely unforgettable one.

1

Pat your beef bone dry before searing Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Wet beef steams instead of browns, and you lose that gorgeous crust. Press paper towels firmly on every side. It takes 30 seconds and the difference is visible.

2

Sear in batches — never crowd the pot If you pile all the beef in at once, the temperature drops and you’re back to steaming. Two to three pieces at a time, 2-3 minutes per side. Yes, it takes longer. Yes, it’s completely worth it.

3

Deglaze like you mean it Those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot are pure concentrated flavor. Pour in your wine or broth and scrape every single bit up with a wooden spoon. This also prevents the dreaded “BURN” notice from your Instant Pot.

4

Cut your beef chunks BIG 1.5 inches minimum. Smaller pieces turn mushy under pressure. Bigger chunks hold their shape and stay tender without falling apart into strings.

5

Always use the cornstarch slurry at the end A pressure cooker doesn’t evaporate liquid the way a stovetop does, so your broth won’t thicken on its own. The slurry on Sauté mode at the end is what turns a soup into a proper stew.

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Substitutions & Variations

Ingredient	Swap It With	Diet / Reason
Red wine (1 cup)	Extra beef broth	Alcohol-free
Beef chuck	Boneless short ribs or brisket	Richer flavor
Yukon Gold potatoes	Baby potatoes or red potatoes	Firmer texture
All-purpose flour	Cornstarch or arrowroot	Gluten-free
Beef broth	Vegetable broth + 1 tsp soy sauce	Lighter
Olive oil	Avocado oil or butter	Flavor preference
Carrots + celery	Parsnips, turnips, or mushrooms	Seasonal swap

💡 Want it spicier?

Add 1/4 tsp cayenne or a teaspoon of chili flakes when you add the other spices. It adds a subtle warmth in the background — not heat-punch spicy, just the kind that makes you keep going back for another spoonful.

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Make-Ahead Tips

This stew is genuinely better the next day. The flavors deepen overnight, the broth thickens, and the beef soaks up even more seasoning.

• Prep the vegetables up to 2 days ahead. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Cube and season the beef the night before. It can marinate in the fridge overnight for extra depth.
• Make the full stew on Sunday and you have incredible weeknight dinners ready to go.
• Don’t add the cornstarch slurry if you’re making ahead to freeze — thicken it fresh when reheating instead.

⚠️ Heads Up Before Freezing

Potatoes don’t freeze well — they go grainy and watery when thawed. If you’re planning to freeze a batch, leave them out and add freshly cooked potatoes when you reheat. Everything else freezes beautifully.

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How to Make It

1-Season and Coat the Beef

Pat beef cubes completely dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Toss in flour until lightly coated on all sides.

2-Sear in Batches

Set Instant Pot to Sauté (High). Add olive oil, let it heat 1 minute. Sear beef 2-3 pieces at a time, 2-3 minutes per side until deeply golden. Set aside.

3-Cook the Aromatics

In the same pot, cook onion 2-3 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens slightly.

4-Deglaze the Pot

Pour in wine or broth and scrape every browned bit from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Every single bit. This step is non-negotiable.

5-Build the Stew

Add beef back in. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add thyme, rosemary, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Give it a gentle stir to combine.

6-Pressure Cook

Seal the lid, set valve to Sealing. Select Manual / Pressure Cook on High for 35 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest.

7-Thicken the Broth

Switch back to Sauté mode. Mix cornstarch + cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the slurry into the stew. Simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring, until thickened.

8-Taste, Adjust & Serve

Taste the broth. Add salt, pepper, or a dash more Worcestershire if needed. Ladle into bowls, top with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

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Nutritional Breakdown

Per serving (approx. 6 servings). Values are estimates.

380Calories

34gProtein

22gCarbs

14gFat

3gFiber

520mgSodium

🥩 Why Beef Chuck?

Chuck roast is high in protein, iron, and zinc. The fat marbling is what makes it ideal for pressure cooking — it renders down during cooking and keeps the meat incredibly moist. Leaner cuts like sirloin go tough under pressure. Don’t be tempted to swap.

Pairs Well With

🍞 Sourdough bread🥗 Green salad🍜 Egg noodles🍷 Red wine🧈 Buttered rice

Leftovers & Storage

❄️Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat on stovetop or microwave in 90-second intervals, stirring between each.

🧊Freezer

Freeze (without potatoes) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop. Add fresh cooked potatoes when serving.

“Day-two stew tastes richer than day-one stew. Every single time. Make extra on purpose.”

FAQ

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Chuck is ideal because the fat and connective tissue breaks down beautifully under pressure. Brisket and boneless short ribs also work well. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin — they go tough.

Do I have to use wine?

Not at all. Swap it 1:1 with extra beef broth. The wine adds depth and a subtle acidity that balances the richness, but the stew is still delicious without it.

My pot gave a “BURN” notice. What happened?

Almost always means the bottom wasn’t fully deglazed before pressure cooking. Scrape up every browned bit after adding liquid. Also confirm you have at least 1.5 cups of liquid in the pot total.

The beef is still a little tough after 35 minutes. Now what?

Seal the lid again and pressure cook for another 10 minutes on High. The collagen just needs a bit more time to break down. This sometimes happens with thicker chunks of beef.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, as long as you don’t fill the pot past the max line (typically ⅔ full). The cook time stays exactly the same — pressure cooking doesn’t scale with quantity the way stovetop cooking does.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

It can be. Skip the flour coating on the beef and use cornstarch instead (same amount). Also verify your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free — most brands are, but it’s worth a quick label check.

Can I make this in a slow cooker instead?

Yes. Sear the beef and sauté aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours or High for 4-5 hours. The flavor will be slightly different but still really good.

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Wrapping Up

There’s a reason this recipe gets made on repeat in so many households.

It’s hearty, warming, and genuinely satisfying. The Instant Pot cuts the time dramatically without cutting any corners on flavor. And it’s the kind of meal that makes people forget they were about to order takeout.

Give it a go this week. You’ll be surprised at just how good a weeknight dinner can be. 🍲

And when you make it — drop a comment below! Tell me how it turned out, which variations you tried, or any questions that came up along the way. I love hearing how these recipes come to life in real kitchens.