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Instant Pot Beef Stew

By Martis Guleryan Updated

In short: Brown chuck cubes on Sauté, pressure cook the beef 25 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, then add potatoes and carrots for 5 minutes more and thicken. About 1 hour 45 minutes total, including pressure time. Serves 6.

  • 1 hr 45 min
  • 6 servings
  • Medium
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Hearty beef stew with chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots and peas in a terracotta bowl with crusty bread
Illustrative AI-generated photo.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Beef stew usually means an afternoon at the stove. The pressure cooker gets chuck tender in a fraction of the time, and splitting the cook into two stages keeps the potatoes and carrots in neat chunks instead of dissolving into the gravy.

  • Honest timing — about 1 hour 45 minutes, including pressure build-up and release.
  • Deep flavor from browned beef and tomato paste.
  • Even better the next day, so it is a good make-ahead dinner.

Why two pressure cycles

Beef chuck and potatoes need very different cooking times under pressure. Cubes of chuck need roughly 25–35 minutes to soften, while 1½-inch potato chunks are tender in about 5. Cooking everything together means choosing between tough beef or falling-apart vegetables.

The second cycle costs a few extra minutes of build-up, since the pot is already hot, and it gives you a stew that looks and eats like a long stovetop braise. If you do not mind softer vegetables, you can add them at the start and cook everything for 30 minutes.

Ingredient substitutions

Instead ofYou can use
Yukon Gold potatoesRed potatoes. Russets work but break down more and thicken the stew.
Cornstarch2 tablespoons all-purpose flour whisked into ¼ cup of the cooking liquid, simmered 3 minutes.
Part of the brothReplace ½ cup with dry red wine. Simmer it a minute on Sauté before sealing.
Beef stew with potatoes and carrots in an Instant Pot insert with a ladle

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Pressure build-up and release
35 min
Total
1 hr 45 min

Ingredients

Servings
6 servings

Beef

Stew base

Vegetables and thickener

Metric weights use ingredient-specific densities from King Arthur Baking — Ingredient Weight Chart. For baking, weighing is more accurate than cups.

Instructions

Tap a step number to mark it done.

  1. Step 1: Brown the beef

    Pat the beef dry and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (high). Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and brown half the beef 4–5 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.

    Tip: Browning in two batches keeps the pot hot enough to sear. Crowded beef steams and turns gray instead of brown.

  2. Step 2: Build the base and deglaze

    Add the onion and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly until no browned bits remain stuck, then add the Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaf and the beef with its juices.

  3. Step 3: Pressure cook the beef

    Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes. The pot takes about 10–15 minutes to come to pressure. When the timer ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest.

  4. Step 4: Add the vegetables

    Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Lock the lid again and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release. The beef should be fork-tender and the potatoes just cooked through.

    Tip: Cooking the vegetables separately keeps them from turning mushy during the long beef cook.

  5. Step 5: Thicken and finish

    Remove the bay leaf. Set the pot to Sauté, stir the cornstarch into the cold water, and stir it into the simmering stew. Cook 1–2 minutes until thickened, then stir in the peas for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Equipment

Tips for the best results

  • Buy a whole chuck roast and cube it yourself. Packages labeled stew meat often mix cuts that cook unevenly.
  • Scrape the bottom of the pot well after sautéing. Stuck-on bits are the most common cause of the Burn warning.
  • If the beef is not tender after the first pressure cycle, add 5 more minutes at High Pressure before adding the vegetables.

Storage, reheating and freezing

Refrigerator
Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. The flavor improves on day two.
Reheating
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until it reaches 165°F (74°C). Add a splash of broth if the gravy has thickened too much.
Freezing
Freeze up to 3 months. Potatoes soften and can turn slightly grainy, so for the best texture freeze the stew before adding the potatoes and cook fresh ones when reheating.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use natural release or quick release for beef stew?

Use a 10-minute natural release after the beef. A sudden quick release can tighten the meat fibers. Quick release is fine after the short vegetable cycle so they do not overcook.

Why did my Instant Pot show a Burn warning?

Usually browned bits or tomato paste stuck to the bottom, or not enough thin liquid. Scrape the pot clean when you deglaze and keep the tomato paste stirred into the broth, not sitting on the base.

How long does Instant Pot beef stew really take?

About 1 hour 45 minutes. That includes 20 minutes of prep, browning, 30 minutes of pressure cooking, and roughly 35 minutes to come to pressure twice and release.

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Written by Martis Guleryan

Martis Guleryan is the founder of Joyful Home Cooking and writes and edits the recipes and cooking guides on the site, with a focus on easy weeknight dinners, family-friendly baking and clear, practical steps.

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Sources and food safety references