The best beef stew, the Instant Pot way.
The middle of February is a great time for comfort food. One recipe I turn to over and over is my beloved Crockpot Beef Stew, because it’s so warm and satisfying. Have you tried it yet? It’s a fan SUPER favorite!
There’s only one problem: cooking it in the crock takes anywhere from 6 to 10 hours. That’s a good thing if you want to throw the meal together in the morning and have a hot dinner waiting at the end of the day…but what if you’ve just come home from work and you’re really in the mood for a good beef stew? It’s too late to start cooking it then.
Or at least, it used to be. But now, it’s Instant Pot to the rescue!
With the Instant Pot, you can whip up a hearty beef stew in less than an hour…including prep time, cooking time, and sitting time. So if you get home at 5:30, you can have a delicious beef stew on the table by 6:30. And that means you can have a The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew in your belly, where it belongs, by 6:45.
So now, it’s your choice…you can start your stew in the morning or in the evening. With the Instant Pot, it’s all good.
The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Place all ingredients into Instant Pot EXCEPT for the frozen peas, corn and flour/water mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Seal Instant Pot at set valve to sealing.
- Select the Meat/Stew option (35 mins high pressure)
- Once cooking time is complete, let Instant Pot sit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes is up, quick release pressure, placing the valve to the venting position.
- After Instant Pot is depressurized, Stir in frozen corn, peas and flour/water mixture and stir until stew thickens a little bit more and corn/peas are warmed, about 3-5 mins.
MORE BEEF RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE
- The Best Crockpot Beef Stew – The low and slow version of this recipe.
- Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage – quick, easy and delish!
- Easy Crockpot Beef Tips and Gravy – so comforting
- Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers – a classic
- Easy Instant Pot Pot Roast Dinner – my kid’s favorite
Get your Instant Pot Today! Click on the Instant Pot for details.
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Published on: February 16, 2017
Updated on December 8, 2019
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The Best Instant Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 32 oz beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups baby carrots carrots
- 4-5 small red potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 cups frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into Instant Pot EXCEPT for the frozen peas, corn and flour/water mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Seal Instant Pot at set valve to sealing.
- Select the Meat/Stew option. (35 min High pressure)
- Once cooking time is complete, let Instant Pot sit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes is up, quick release pressure, placing the valve to the venting position.
- After Instant Pot is depressurized, Stir in frozen corn, peas and flour/water mixture and stir until stew thickens a little bit more and corn/peas are warmed, about 3-5 mins.
Video
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Nutrition Information:
Nutrition Disclaimer
Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Randy says
Hi Corey,
This recipe sounds yum! I have to admit that I do not own an Instant Pot, but will purchase one on Amazon.
Is there a particular brand and make / model that you recommend?
In the meantime….do you have an easy Crockpot Beef Stew recipe?
I love beef stew! Healthy and tasty and easy to make!
I like to eat healthy…but am more into the easy recipes, as I cook just for myself.
Thank you.
Corey says
At the bottom of the post I have a link/image to the instant pot I used 🙂 And yes, it is an Amazon link. Here is a link to my Crockpot Beef Stew Randy. I hope you enjoy!
https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2013/10/best-crockpot-beef-stew.html
Melody says
I’m sorry I couldn’t click on the link to show me what size pot your recipe is made in. I want to buy the pot that most recipes will work with, did you use a 6qt. Or 8qt? Thanks
Corey says
I used a 6 qt 🙂
Brittany says
Will omitting the tomato paste ruin the dish? I don’t have any on hand and planned to go ahead without it. 🙂
Robin says
Not bad. However, I recommend, (1) brown the beef (adds that great caramelized beef flavor), (2) replace the tomato paste with condensed Campbell’s tomato soup (less tangy), remove the oregano entirely (over powers the beef flavor), and, skip the Instant Pot completely, just slow cook it all (unless you’re really pressed for time). Also, skip the flour; just let the potatoes and carrots thicken the sauce, then add more so they don’t turn to mush (which happens in a pressure cooker). Doh!
Vivian Grove says
1st time making this.. love the taste
Kathy from MN says
Agreed. This is so tasty! Have made it a few times now. It is a very easy-to-work-with recipe. One time I had only half the tomato paste, so I added diced tomatoes to make up for the missing ingredient. Another time, I had various veggies in the fridge to use up, celery and mushrooms, so I threw them in. Both times it was great – the spice combination is the key and good with everything. A very little pinch of red pepper flakes adds a some zing, if you like that, which we did most recently and enjoyed. THANK YOU for sharing this wonderful tasting recipe with clear directions for this novice Instant Pot user!
Jake says
Hi Corey,
At the last step of the beef Stew recipe, it says 1/4 C flour and 1/4 C water, After blending, you say to pour it in the pot and stir.. when i mixed the flour and water, I had a bowl of paste. What did I do wrong?
Thanks,
Jake
Corey says
Yes, the it should turn into a paste. This will thicken up the stew when your stir it in 🙂
Donna says
I made this Best Beef Stew last night and it is the BEST Beef Stew that I have every made or ever eaten. My husband could not stop bragging about it. He had to tell everybody at work today. I will not every use any other recipe. The only thing I will do is put more carrots in it. This stew is melt in your mouth great. I followed your recipe to the letter on purpose. I do have the Instant Pot 6DUO and love it. Thank you so much.
Corey says
I am so happy you and your hubby loved my recipe so much Donna! Yay!
Jolene says
I have never seen a recipe say to let it sit before depressurizing. What happens during the 12 minutes?
Ona says
The moisture the meat lost during cooking has time to reabsorb. Makes for more tender meat. Especially with a tough cut like stew meat tends to be. Much like you’d rest steak before cutting into it. I use at least a ten minute NR on most meats. Chicken breast included. Makes the breast much more tender.
Linda Vrabel says
Completely delicious. Keep the instant pot recipes coming. It turned out perfect and it is only the second
meal I have made with the instant pot.
Corey says
Awesome Linda! I have another one coming up this week! I hope you love it too 🙂
Emily says
I’m making it right now. When I pressed the meat/stew button in only showed 15, not 35? I hope it cooks!
Kathy says
I made this too. Second recipe in IP. loved the taste and presented well. Keep the recipes coming ?
Leigh says
I followed the recipe but my carrots, meat and potatoes were not completely fork tender.
During the 12 minutes of sitting before depressurization, do you leave the instant pot on warm or turn it off? Perhaps this is where I went wrong because I turned it off and after 12 minutes there was no pressure to release. Maybe that 12 minutes on warm cooks everything more???
Linda McFate says
Wonderful stew! My husband and daughter both love it. The only change I made was to switch the oregano for thyme and bay leaf, which my family prefers. I’ve had my Instant Pot for 4 months now, and I don’t k ow how I survived without it! This recipe will definitely go into the rotation.
Randy says
Hi Linda,
Have you tried this beef stew recipe in a Crockpot as well? I plan on trying this recipe in my new Crockpot.
I love beef stew but have never made it. This recipe looks really yum – and beef stew is also a healthy meal, especially with grass fed beef and organic veggies.
I did buy an Instant Pot, but have to admit that I could not figure out how to work it. Those directions were just a bit too complicated!
I knew that the Instant Pot would just sit there gathering dust. So I did the next best thing, and exchanged it for a new Crockpot, which I needed anyway.
Jessica says
Do you start with frozen stew meat or thawed?
Corey says
Thawed meat Jessica.
Rachel Scott says
Can you use frozen meat for this recipe? If so how does it change the cooking time?
Barb says
My stew meat was not completely thawed so I sprayed olive oil on surface of my cast iron pan to slightly thaw and brown stew meat. Turned out delish!
Nichole Gibson says
Is it fresh or dried oregano?
Corey says
Dried oregano 🙂
Ashlee says
Do you set the beef/stew button for the automatic time of 35 mins or set it for 60 mins? Thanks
Corey says
No Ashlee, just use the 35 mins. The 60 min time quotes as “cooking time” on the recipe card is from start to finish.
Marleina says
I too was confused about the cooking time. This is the first recipe that didn’t give a cooking time. I decided to set it at 30 and hope for the best! I think you should revise the recipe and put a cooking time on it.
Corey says
Sorry, the directions said to push the stew button, and the image does show 35 mins. I will add the text in for those who missed that, and or don’t have a meat/stew button.
Tara says
Question – if i were to double the meat – would i need to double everything including the time? I have 9 to feed in my house. I have a 6 and 8 insta pot
Brennen says
Made this tonight! Left out peas, corn and flour. Very very good!! Hubby gave me high five…?. So, it’s a keeper! Thank you!!
Ali says
This was great! I coated the beef in some flour and seared it beforehand but the flavor was amazing!
Jodi says
Thanks Ali! That’s exactly what is needed, and I debated about it before cooking this. I’m new to the Instapot, so didn’t want to experiment yet. But I’m sure the searing and less liquid will prove the results.
Kristie says
Thank you for the great recipe! This was the third time using my Instant Pot and your directions and pics were very well done and easy to follow. The meat was incredibly tender and normally I’m not a fan of stew because the meat is usually tough…but not this recipe! My husband raved about how soft the meat was and said his mom’s beef stew that she slaves over the stove for three hours, is never this tender.
I will definitely use this recipe again and I’m going to try to add a bay leaf and a stalk or two of celery (for added flavor) the next time. I used the lower sodium beef broth and less than a teaspoon of kosher salt, but it wasn’t enough salt and we had to add salt while eating the stew but it’s better to not be salty enough than to be too salty. Thanks again for the recipe. 🙂
George says
Hello Kristie,
I have high-blood pressure and do my best to avoid salt.
You are on the right track with low-sodium broth. I recommend, too, using Morton Salt Substitute, available on Amazon. It is potassium salt which, if anything, lowers blood pressure. This is a zero-sodium solution and sacrifices no taste.
Happy cooking!
George
Karen says
I made this and the meat was super tender, but my veggies (carrots and potatoes) turned to mush. Not sure what happened, I followed the recipe. The pieces were pretty large too, so it wasn’t Bc I cut them too small.
Kristi says
Mine were mushy too. I got back on we’re to see if anyone else had that problem. I’m still wondering how to remedy that?
Peter says
I would say that if the meat is pre-browned, then 25 minutes (or less) for the Instant Pot is probably enough.
Tonia Reed says
I have a soup stew button on mine it is the pressure cooker xl will that work
E. Graham says
SERIOUSLY THE BEST BEEF STEW!! AND SO EASY!! EASY EASY EASY! EASIEST DISH. EASIEST BEEF STEW. EASY EASY EASY!!
I actually forgot to add the frozen peas/corns and the flour/water mixture at the end. I have a 2 yr old & a 1 yr old… so I’m always running around with my head cut off… Anyways, I forgot to add those and it still came out SO DELICIOUS!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME AN EASY GO-TO RECIPE!
Katie says
This sounds awesome – how tomatoey is it with that paste in it? My hubs doesn’t like tomatoes- gah!
Corey says
Not very tomatoey at all 🙂
Letha King says
Mine is in the pot now. This is my first time to use the Instant Pot. Can’t wait for stew to be done. Years ago I had an electric pressure cooker that I used a lot. Looking forward to many great meals with this new pot. Thanks for the recipe
Jamie says
This is a great recipe, as other people have said! I used Better than Bouillon and water instead of the beef broth, and replaced a portion of it with a can of diced tomatoes. To me, this was still a bit too soupy, so I recorded it in my recipe book with a slight change in liquid to vegetable ratio. We had a roughly 2lb bag of stew meat in the freezer. We thawed it mostly in water, but some of the pieces were probably still a bit frozen. No issues whatsoever. So it was very friendly for an after work recipe.
I did add some dried thyme, and next time I’ll add more carrots and potatoes as much as my 6 quart pot will let me!! The carrots were totally falling apart/melt in your mouth. The potatoes I had were a bag of red and gold ‘creamers’ so I just halved them – I just used these in another Instant Pot recipe and they were totally tender at 10 minutes, so I was afraid to cut them too small lest they melt away to nothing. I also used an adjusted amount of cornstarch but I’ll try flour next time. This is the tastiest, most delicious stew I’ve ever made at home. Puts all my slow cooked versions to shame. It’s not too tomatoey, tastes super rich. I cannot wait for the leftovers. Thank you for sharing!!!
David says
I have a pressure cooker but not an Instant Pot. I’d like to make this recipe. How long does the meat cook in step 3? Thanks.
Anna-Liisa McAdams says
35 Minutes
Donna Easter says
Just tried the beef stew for the first time and it was awesome.Followed the recipe as printed . Wouldn’t change a thing ..Thank you !
Ashlie says
of course I didn’t follow directions and put the flour in and corn and peas all together. Is this going to make it really disgusting I really hope I did not waste the whole thing.
Tiffany says
How did yours turn out? I’m in the same
Boat at this very moment and just waiting for the end.
Christina says
I just got an instant pot for Christmas yesterday and this is the first recipe I’m trying out. I have a question and it might be a really dumb one, but I honestly don’t know. When I pressed the Stew function on my pot it said 40 minutes. Then it took about 20-30 min to pressurize. Is that the hour this recipe is calling for, or do I need to add 30 min to the pot?
Michael says
Michael made Great Northerns and sausage. Turned out wonderfully!
Lin Bee says
I found your stew and made it in my new mini InstantPot which was our only 25th wedding Anniversary gift to each other. It is the best stew I ever tasted and would be proud to serve it to guests at anytime. I did tweak it with some celery, chili/tomatoes and a couple other little things but other than that, it was just as your recipe stated. I also served it with my very own buckwheat/almond flour GF bread with cream cheese which made a nice addition. Thank you so much and I will look forward to many other meals from your delightful blog. God bless your family !
Lin
Janice Gendron says
My 1st recipe in my new Instant Pot and it was an instant hit! Delicious! I did exactly as your recipe was written, including the 12 minute wait time. My hubby cannot believe how good the taste is for cooking such a short amount of time. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe — I will look for more from you! Happy New Year!
Lee says
Would Yukon gold potatoes be ok to use? I don’t have any red potatoes in the house and don’t want to go to the grocery store. 🙂
Corey says
Yes! I think those would be yummy!
Quinn says
I’m a big fan of your original recipe and am making it for the first time in my new Instant Pot. Is there a reason the IP version omits the celery? Just curious …
Annette Derry says
Perfect. Set up my Instant Pot with all the ingredients bright and early this morning before heading to work. Used the slow cook feature with delay timer and came home to a fabulous dinner. House smelt comforting and ready for a home cooked meal during this terrible cold snap we have been having.
Thanks so much for posting, pretty sure this will be a go too recipe!
Laura says
We made this! It was my first time to EVER make a meal in my pressure cooker. The steam was brown from the soup ??
But it was SOOOOOOOOOO good. Thank you!
Erika says
Making this for dinner tonight as I type! My IP only said 20 minutes when I pushed the Meat/Stew button though, so I freaked out and upped it to 35 minutes like your picture showed… Lol. Should I have left it at the 20 minutes?? (I’m a newbie…) I have the 6 quart Duo. Can’t wait to dig in when it’s done!
Kathy says
I’m going to use boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of beef. Should I saute the chicken first?
Wayne Anstey says
Made your Beef Stew recipe as my first attempt on our new IP. My wife and I loved it. Particularly liked the tang which the tomato paste added. This is definitely a keeper.
Brenna says
I’m making this now and my meat/stew button starts at 1hour. Reading comments I saw a note that it should only be set to 35 mins. I reset it to that so hope it turns out!
Allison says
In my instant pot booklet it says that for “fall off the bone” tender meat you keep the pressure setting on high and then press the add/plus/+ button until you reach 45mins. This also changes the red light from “normal” to “more”. I have the 8 quart and it takes about 25 mins to get to pressure, then it cooks for 45 mins, then it sits for 12 mins. So “cook time” for me is about 80 mins not 60mins. This is the best beef stew I have ever made. The only thing I did differently was I added fresh thyme and omitted the corn and peas. The instant pot is a game changer!!!!
KayRay Sutton says
It is delicious!!! I’m new to the instant pot so I was nervous, but it turned out great!!!
Loren says
I am wondering if I can sub out the tomato paste for tomato sauce? I do not have the paste on hand and I’m wanting to make this for dinner!
Morgan says
This was my very first Instant Pot meal. Absolutely delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe and for the detailed Instant Pot directions which made it so easy to operate the appliance.
Jane M says
My Instant Pot was just about to become a planter after my first recipe attempt, but then I found this stew recipe. Probably the best stew I ever made. Thank you.
Dina says
lol same!! My first recipe bombed and hubby isn’t too impressed. Have this in the IP now and crossing my fingers!
John C says
This was simply one of the best stews I have ever eaten. Even my 8-year old daughter loved it and she hates pretty much anything I cook….. Perfect as written and very easy to make. I’ll never make stew any other way. Thanks….
Kristin says
I have made this SEVERAL times and we love it! I’ve even brought it to a few friends who have had babies or who are sick and they always ask for the recipe! It’s the easiest and yummiest beef stew. I should also add that I use organic frozen veggies from Costco and it includes carrots so I don’t add the extra baby carrots. Thanks for sharing it!
Jaimie K says
Has anyone tried doubling this recipe? What should I adjust the cooking and release time too? Looking to try this tonight and make enough to last a couple days. Thanks!
EJ says
Did you double this successfully? I want to make this for my family of 5 and feel like I need to double it. My hubby and 2 preteen kiddos have hefty appetites! (I have an 8qt pot)
Peggy L says
Very good!!! My husband loved this! I substituted vegetable broth for the beef broth, basil for the oregano, and added bay leaf and parsnips.
John says
The recipe doesn’t indicate time for the pot to pressurize. It took me longer than an hour to be ready to eat. Did I mess up somewhere?
Corey says
No John, every cooker takes a different amount of time to pressurize, depending on make and size.
Gayle Rollins says
I think turned out great. My first suggestion is to put the cooking time in the printable instructions. All I did differently was to sautee the stew meat, onion, and garlic and in my second attempt I cut the cook tome to 25 minutes because the bite sized potatoes were mush.
Corey says
I am so happy it turned out great for you! The recipe card at the bottom of the post does have a printable version, if you hit the print button 🙂 I hope that helps!
Adrienne says
I bought my Instant Pot at a large store that also sells groceries so I gathered up the ingredients for this stew and this was my very first IP meal ever! This was perfect. I kept the potatoes in rather large chunks so they would not get mushy and, wow. I took everything pretty much from the grocery bag into the pot. I was so pressed for time that I splurged and bought onions that were already chopped up. I used crushed garlic from a tube and I had all the ingredients sealed and ready to go in about 8 minutes. This was perfect and, as my first recipe ever, I plan to go back to it in the future! Thank you!!!!
Eneida says
With the cold upon us, I decided to make something hot and hardy. It came out very delicious. I loved how easy it was to follow. Had some left over stew this afternoon and it was even tastier. The broth was also much more thicker and savory. Will definitely make again.
CJ says
Hello, what city was this recipe cooked at? I’m in denver, co and wondering about time cook time adjustment for altitude at 5300 ft.
Allison says
Hi CJ,
I live in Colorado Springs at 7,000 feet which is higher than Denver, and the only thing I did differently was to increase the cook time so I had more tender meat. I did this not because of the elevation, but because when I was reading the Instant Pot booklet it said for “fall off the bone” tender meat you keep the pressure setting on high and then press the add/plus/+ button until you reach 45 mins. This also changes the red light from “normal” to “more”. I have the 8 quart and with all of these ingredients it takes about 25 mins to get to pressure, then it cooks for 45 mins, then it sits for 12 mins. So “cook time” for me is about 80 mins not 60 mins. This is the best beef stew I have ever made!!!
Dora Limongelli says
Hi, I want to try this but I need to know if after the 35 min cook time, do u put the pot on saute function when u stir in the veggies and thickening agents?
Corey says
No, the soup is still very hot. You can just keep it in the warm mode.