Beef stew on a weeknight usually means hours of simmering, and who has that kind of time? This Instant Pot beef stew is ready in about 55 minutes, with chunks of beef, carrots, celery and peas in a rich, savory gravy. It’s the cozy dinner I make when the weather turns cool.
We ladle it over a big scoop of creamy mashed potatoes, and it’s just as good with rice or biscuits. There’s also one quick step that keeps your Instant Pot from flashing the burn error halfway through dinner, and I show you exactly where it goes.
This pressure-cooker beef stew is the perfect comfort meal for a winter night.
Made with chunks of meat, potatoes, carrots, and peas in a savory gravy, this recipe will become a new family favorite.
- Beef stew is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. It’s warm, filling, and rich with meaty flavor.
- The gravy is thick and savory, with a touch of natural sweetness from the carrots. The beef turns out tender, so it’s wonderful ladled over mashed potatoes. That’s how we love it.
- It’s ready in about 55 minutes. The Instant Pot gives you that slow-simmered taste on a weeknight, with no all-day wait.
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Become an Instant Pot Pro With These Tips!
First, read your owner’s manual before using your pressure cooker. Then, see our Instant Pot basics! to get you started.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
One of the biggest risks with pressure cooking comes from overfilling the pot. Pay close attention to the marks in the pot to keep from overfilling it. And, when making soups allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 5 minutes before initiating a quick release.
Ingredients
- Olive oil: it helps the beef brown and keeps it from sticking to the pot. Swap: avocado oil, vegetable oil, or any neutral cooking oil.
- Onion: it builds the savory base of the whole stew. Swap: any kind you have (yellow, white, or sweet), or use frozen chopped onion.
- Beef stew meat: beef chuck is usually what’s sold as stew meat. It cooks up tender and full of flavor. Swap: a chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes, or round steak. If you start with frozen cubes, add 5 minutes to the pressure time.
- McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning: it gives you that classic stew flavor in one packet. Swap: any brand of beef stew seasoning, or 2 beef bouillon cubes (your notes say this).
- Dried thyme: it adds an earthy, herby note. Swap: 1 tablespoon fresh thyme for each 1 teaspoon dried, or a pinch of Italian seasoning.
- Low-sodium beef broth: it’s the liquid that cooks the stew, and it lifts the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Low sodium lets you control the salt. Swap: beef bouillon dissolved in water, or beef stock.
- Carrots: they add a touch of natural sweetness and hold their shape. Swap: parsnips, or sweet potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Celery: it adds depth and a little freshness. Swap: leave it out and add an extra handful of carrots.
- Frozen peas: they go in at the end for color and a pop of sweetness. Swap: frozen corn (already in your variations), green beans, or a frozen mixed vegetable blend.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For those of you who like making soups and stews: keep frozen vegetable mixes in your freezer. They keep for months and it’s great to have them on hand.
Recipe Variations
- Serve over rice, or egg noodles.
- Use frozen corn in place of peas
- Try a different type of stew meat like chuck roast or round steak
- Stir in a 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke for a smoky beef stew flavor
- Add diced mushrooms to the mix
- Top with shredded cheese when serving
- Stir in some chopped fresh parsley, rosemary, or thyme before serving
How to Make Beef Stew
Easily make this recipe in the Instant Pot. Pressure cooking speeds up the process while stewing the meat at the same time. I find that pressure-cooked meat is a little more flavorful.
In this recipe, the beef and onions are browned in the sauté mode. The sauté mode is my favorite feature. Not only does it give color to the meat and vegetables by browning them, but it adds flavor to the dish.
If using frozen meat, simply skip sautéing the meat beforehand. While this process certainly creates the juiciest and most tender beef, it is not absolutely necessary. I do, however, suggest that you still sauté the onions for the best flavor.
Deglazing
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Browning meats and vegetables in the pan leaves a flavorful fond (or residue) on the bottom of the pan.
When liquids are added – like the broth, it releases the fond. That’s called deglazing and it adds great flavor to the food.
So, there’s a lot more reasoning to browning meats than just “browning” them. Deglazing also helps prevent getting that dreaded burn error.
You definitely don’t want to skip this step!
Serving Suggestions
Pressure cooker beef stew goes amazingly well with Instant Pot potatoes mashed. It gives the creamiest, richest taste to this dish. So, serve this over mashed potatoes as we do.
The dish is also perfect with Jasmine rice in the Instant Pot, the best potato casserole recipe, biscuits from self rising flour, or even on its own. It’s a hearty and filling meal that will leave you feeling satisfied.
This hearty beef stew is the perfect St. Patrick’s Day food ideas, bringing rich, comforting flavors to your holiday table with every warm and savory bite!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, to use frozen cubes sauté the onions first then add the cubes and add other ingredients as directed in the recipe.
Sure! After adding peas, turn the Instant Pot to sauté (normal) and let it simmer until it is the consistency you like. This will probably take 5-10 minutes or so.
You can use any brand you like. If you don’t have any, use two cubes of beef bouillon or two Tbsp of Better than Bouillon paste for the best flavor.
To store, allow it to cool completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, simply place the desired amount in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Just place the bowl in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.
To freeze, simply allow it to cool completely then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat it on the stove over medium heat until warmed through.
More Easy Dinners To Love…
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Instant Pot Beef Stew
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot - or any electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
- 1 packet McCormick Beef Stew Seasoning (*see notes for substitutions)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 cup beef broth, low sodium
- ½ pound carrots, sliced 1"
- ½ cup celery, sliced 1"
- ½ cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to saute. Add the olive oil. Once the pot reaches temperature (mine displays HOT), add the stew meat and brown for 2 minutes on each side. *If using frozen beef cubes, skip browning, sauté the onion, and them with the onions in step 2, add 5 minutes to the pressure cooking time."Push the browned beef to one side, add the onions in the on the other side and saute the onions for 3 minutes.
- Stir beef and onion together. Add the beef broth to deglaze the pot, stirring and scraping until the bottom is smooth and clear of the fond. Add carrots and celery, sprinkle McCormick beef stew seasoning and thyme on top and stir. Twist on lid, close sealing valve, press cancel, and set for 25 minutes at high pressure. Add 5 minutes if using frozen stew meat.
- At the end of the pressure cycle, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then quick release any remaining pressure. Wait until all pressure has escaped and the pressure button has dropped before opening pot.
- Press the cancel button, and set to saute mode. Add peas, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, before serving.
Notes
- You can use any brand of beef stew seasoning. If you don’t have any beef stew seasoning, use 2 cubes of beef bouillon, 2 Tbsp of Better than Bouillon paste, or double the beef broth for the best flavor.
- One of the biggest risks with pressure cooking comes from overfilling the pot. Pay close attention to the marks in the pot to keep from overfilling it. And, when making soups allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 5 minutes before initiating a quick release.
- For those of you who like making soups and stews: keep frozen vegetable mixes in your freezer. They keep for months and it’s great to have them on hand.
- Browning meats and vegetables in the pan leaves a flavorful fond (or residue) on the bottom of the pan.
- Serve over mashed potatoes )like we do), rice, or egg noodles.
- Use frozen corn in place of peas
- Try a different type of stew meat like chuck roast or round steak
- To store, allow it to cool completely. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, simply place the desired amount in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Heat until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Just place the bowl in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through.
- To freeze, simply allow it to cool completely then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- When ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then, reheat it on the stove over medium heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
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Pamela S says
I make this for our family and they loooove it!!! We make it at least 3 times a month. My husband and a 6 year old , plus mom. We substitute egg noodles for the potatoes for the kid. Its super easy to freeze and make the noodles when ready.
Thank you so much for the recipe.