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I might have fallen in love all over again with my Instant Pot the night this pressure cooker beef stew recipe was created.

Big chunks of juicy, tender beef stew meat…

Bite-sized pieces of carrots, potatoes, and celery…

Tons of herbal goodness in every spoonful.

What’s the Best Thing About this Soup?

This Instant Pot Beef Stew was done in under an hour!

Yup, no simmering a pot on the stove for hours at a time, or waiting all day for the slow cooker to do its thing. You can have a big bowl of comforting beef stew ready to eat on any night of the week!

Ingredients

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.

Carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, peas, beef, cornstarch, beef broth, and canned tomatoes are the ingredients for this recipe.
  • Meat. Organic or grass-fed beef stew meat is ideal if you can find it. Stew meat can be any tougher cut such as a beef chuck roast, round, sirloin, or brisket. The slow cooking allows these to become tender and moist, so choose whatever one you can find!
  • Garlic. Fresh garlic cloves are best. Garlic powder may be substituted if that’s all you have.
  • Beef broth. Regular sodium broth was tested, but you can use reduced sodium if needed. Avoid chicken or vegetable broth to get the most authentic tasting stew.
  • Herbs. A mixture of dried thyme, rosemary, and sage complement everything else nicely. Fresh herbs will work as well but you will need more.
  • Vegetables. Onions, carrots, potatoes, celery and peas not only taste great, but they offer lots of nutrients. You can leave out the peas if you’re on a Whole30 or Paleo diet. Also, be sure to cut the veggies into large chunks so they do not disintegrate while pressure cooking.
  • Tomato sauce. Make sure to select sauce and not tomato paste or crushed tomatoes. (Tomato “passata” will work if you can’t find tomato “sauce.”)
  • Starch. A mixture of water and starch helps to thicken up the stew. You can choose cornstarch, arrowroot, or even tapioca starch.
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How to Make Beef Stew in the Instant Pot

Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.

Diced beef is seared in the instant pot.
Brown the beef.
Beef broth is poured into the instant pot.
Add broth to the pot.
  • Sear the meat. Load the beef stew meat and oil into a 6-quart pressure cooker set to the sauté function. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until the meat is lightly seared. This step adds a wonderful depth of flavor! Stir in the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
  • Add the broth. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pot by scraping the bottom to loosen up any bits of meat. This is crucial to avoid a burn error.
Diced vegetables are added to the pressure cooker.
Mix in other ingredients
Ingredients are all stirred together and cooked in the instant pot.
Stir until combined.
  • Build the soup. Mix in all of the remaining ingredients except for ½-cup broth, starch, and peas. Combine everything, cover with the lid, and ensure the pressure release valve is set to sealed.
The pressure release valve is shown on the instant pot.
Move pressure valve to sealed.
  • Pressure cook and release. Use the manual settings to set the pressure cooker to High Pressure for 30 minutes. Once it is done, allow a 10-minute natural pressure release. Use a wooden spoon to carefully release the pressure valve.
Cornstarch and water are mixed together.
Mix cornstarch and broth.
Cornstarch mixture is added to the beef stew.
Add to the instant pot.
Peas are added last to the beef stew.
Mix in peas.
  • How to Thicken Beef Stew? While you are waiting for the natural pressure release you can prepare the starch slurry. Heat ½-cup of broth, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of starch. After the pressure is released, remove the lid, set to sauté, and mix in the slurry and peas. Simmer the soup for 3-5 minutes or until your desired consistency is reached.

What to Serve with Beef Stew?

Garnish with additional parsley, serve with Homemade Croutons, Sweet Mini Cornbread Muffins, Gluten-free Cornbread, or even crackers.

You can also pair it with your favorite salad. Try this Fall Harvest Salad with Apples and Pecans or this Chopped Kale Salad with Cranberries.

Enjoy!

Beef stew is loaded with vegetables and comforting broth.

Meal Prep and Storage

  • Prep-Ahead: Chop the celery, carrots, and onions and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking the soup.
  • Storage: Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
  • Freezing: Let the soup come to room temperature first and then place in an airtight plastic container. Fill the container as close to the top as you can, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to the freezer for up to 6 months. Here’s some more information on How to Freeze Soup.
  • Reheating: Warm the soup in a pot on the stovetop, or pop it in the microwave.

FAQs

Why is my stew meat tough in the Instant Pot?

While the Instant Pot is known for getting tender results in less time, it is possible to cook the stew too quickly, resulting in tough meat. To avoid this, be sure to let it come to pressure, cook for the required time, and do a natural release for at least 10 minutes.

What is the secret to tender beef stew?

The secret to tender beef stew is to cook it low and slow for a couple of hours, or speed this process up by using your pressure cooker.

What is the best way to thicken soup or stew?

You can thicken a stew by making a starch slurry and mixing it into your soup. To do this, heat up ½-cup of broth, water, or milk, and whisk in 3 tablespoons of starch. Add the slurry to the soup or stew while simmering and stir occasionally until your desired consistency is reached.

Recipe Tips

  • Add a dash. Mix in Worcestershire sauce either in the pot while cooking, or afterwards to season your own bowl.
  • Scrape it good. Release any bits from the bottom of pot to avoid getting the dreaded burn error on the pressure cooker.
  • Cut them large. Keep the chunks of vegetables on the chunkier side so they do not break down too much.
  • Save a little. You will need ½-cup of the broth to make the cornstarch slurry at the end.
  • Double it up. Make a big batch and freeze some to enjoy all winter long.
Beef stew is eaten with a metal spoon from a bowl.

Other Soup Recipes

Soup is one of the best comfort dishes around. And there are so many varieties.

Stuffed Pepper Soup is a unique twist on a classic favorite.

Chicken Taco Soup, Irish Beef Stew and Cabbage Soup with Vegetables are sure to satisfy on a cold day.

You can’t go wrong with Roasted Tomato Basil Soup or Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

More Instant Pot Recipes

The Instant Pot is a fantastic way to save time when making your favorite dishes.

Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice, Instant Pot Sloppy Joes, and Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs are so delicious.

If you’re looking for more soup recipes, then try Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup.

Tap stars to rate!

4.41 from 10 votes

Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

By: London Brazil
Save time with this Instant Pot Beef Stew, a classic comfort food made in under an hour. You'll find it so quick and easy to combine meat, potatoes, and carrots in a tomato-based sauce in a pressure cooker for the most filling and satisfying Fall dinner.
Bowls of pressure cooker stew are shown on the counter.
Yield 6 servings
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 1 hour
Print Pin Comment
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Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ pounds beef stew meat lean
  • 2 tablespoons oil avocado or olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 3 cups beef broth regular sodium, divided
  • 8 ounces tomato sauce canned
  • 1 ¼ pounds red potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 4 stalks celery cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • 1 pound carrots cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 small sweet onion finely diced
  • 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons salt to taste
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon thyme dried
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
  • ½ teaspoon sage ground
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca starch
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Parsley optional

Instructions 

  • Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to the sauté function and add beef stew meat and butter or oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until meat is lightly seared.
    1 ½ pounds beef stew meat, 2 tablespoons oil
  • Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
    3 garlic cloves
  • Pour 3 cups broth into pot and scrape the bottom to loosen up any bits of meat. Add all of the ingredients except for the remaining ½ cup broth, starch, and peas. Give the ingredients a good stir, place the lid and ensure the pressure release valve is set to sealed.
    3 cups beef broth, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 1 ¼ pounds red potatoes, 4 stalks celery, 1 pound carrots, 1 small sweet onion, 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, ½ teaspoon sage
  • Set Instant Pot to High Pressure for 30 minutes. Once the timer goes off let the stew sit for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure release valve. (NPR 10 minutes.)
  • While stew is sitting, whisk together ½ cup broth that has been warmed up with 3 tablespoons starch to form a slurry that will help thicken the stew.
    3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function for 3-5 minutes and add in the slurry and the frozen peas. Sauté until your desired consistency is reached.
    1 cup frozen peas
  • Serve with parsley, gluten-free bread, or crackers and enjoy!
    Parsley
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.41 from 10 votes

Video

Notes

  • Diet: If on a Whole30 diet, simply leave out the peas.
  • Storage: Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing: Let the soup come to room temperature first, then place in an airtight plastic container. Fill the container as close to the top as you can, and place it in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to the freezer for up to 6 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 384kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1690mg, Potassium: 1611mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 13197IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 5mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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    4.41 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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    Comments

      1. Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Mary. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!

        Reply

      1. Hi Sarah! Yes! You absolutely can. Simply brown the meat in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet first and then add it into your Crock-Pot. Low for 6-8 hours should do the trick! Would love to hear how it turns out for you 🙂

        Reply