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Beef Stew Recipe Instant Pot – this is seriously the best way to make a delicious stew with beef in the Instant Pot. A few simple ingredients and you can make this hearty and flavorful family meal.

This is my classic beef stew recipe adapted to be cooked in an electric pressure cooker. With just a few easy steps and the right ingredients, you can make it in 1 hour. Feed your family, take to a potluck, use for meal prepping or save for later. Beef stew is always a good idea, especially in the colder months.

Serve with my Crusty No Knead Dutch Oven Bread or Cauliflower Rice and you have a satisfying dinner.

Since homemade stew usually takes hours to make, depending on the type of meat used, I’m going to share my pressure cooker option to make. You’ll find an oven cooking option below.

Beef stew

What is it? A beef stew is a thick soup, made with tender chunks of beef, veggies like potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, mushrooms and even okra and a flavorful sauce, that could be made with wine. If you are serving it to children, you can certainly make this soup without the wine. It tastes just as good.

Stews are cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan with a lid on the stove top or in the oven.

Do you add wine to beef stew?

As I already mentioned you can add some wine to this beef stew. With red meats, I like to use red wines like merlot and cabernet. It will make the sauce more flavorful. Since wine is an acid ingredient, meat cooked in wine is very tender.

If you choose to omit the wine in the recipe, use more vegetable or beef stock instead.

What meat is best for Beef Stew?

So what is the best beef for stew? You know these packages in the supermarket that say “Stew Meat”? I never use them! But I should start buying these, since they are reasonably priced.

I usually use beef chuck meat or ribeye.

With stews, you generally want to use a tougher cut of meat, that will tenderize in the cooking process. If you choose to use a tender and lean meat, the final product might be too dry. Did I mention these cuts of meat are also less expensive? Stew meat is supposed to be reasonably priced!

Boneless Beef Chuck Roast. I like it for soups and stews. I used it in my favorite Old fashioned beef and vegetable soup. You can cut the meat into bite sized pieces or slightly larger ones.
Ribeye steak – yes, often times I male my stew with Ribeye meat. I know it is quite pricey, but If I get my Ribeye from Costco of a local butcher shop, I sometimes get a good deal and and allow myself to use it in soups and stews.
Any leftover beef (but keep in mind that leaner cuts will dry out quickly).

How to make Beef Stew Recipe Instant Pot?

You can make it in any electric pressure cooker, but I use an Instant Pot. This stew could be also made in a stove top pressure cooker.

The ingredients:

Boneless beef chuck roast
Vegetable oil
Red Wine (optional)
Beef or vegetable stock. Preferably beef, but vegetable also works, because the beef releases a nice flavor while cooking. You can use beef bouillon or “Better Than Bouillon” mixed with water.
Onions
Fresh garlic – pressed or minced
Carrots
Potatoes – any potatoes of your choice will work.
Peas (optional) – I used peas, that were previously frozen.
Tomato sauce
Salt
Black Pepper
Dried Thyme
Bay Leaf
Cornstarch
Water

Other veggies that you may add – green beans (I love the combination with beef), sweet potatoes, mushrooms, corn or okra (it will thicken the stew naturally).

Directions:

Set the Instant Pot to “Saute”.
Add 2 tbsp of oil. Wait until it says hot.
Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper. Cook in batches for 2 minutes per side until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate.
Add more oil and the onion and garlic.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the carrots, cook for 1-2 minutes.
Next, add in the potatoes, peas, more salt, black pepper, thyme, bay leaf, beef stock (or vegetable stock), tomato sauce and wine.
Cancel the “Saute” option.
Close the lid and set the valve to sealing.
Cook on manual high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow for 15 minutes of natural release. After that release the remaining pressure manually.
Add in the cornstarch mixed with cold water. Stir, then set the Instant Pot to “Saute” and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened.

What is the best way to thicken a stew?

Since stews are known for their “thick”sauce.

But do you really need to thicken this beef stew made in the Instant Pot?

When using potatoes, they release plenty of starch into the stew and thicken the sauce. Many times, when making this stew in a rush I forget to thicken the sauce. And my family still loves it.

There are two ways to thicken this stew: With cornstarch and water and with flour and water.

I prefer cornstarch, because when using flour, you may get a “floury” taste. This could be avoided if you make a roux – mixing 1 tablespoon of flour with 1/2 cup of liquid and cooking it on the stove top for a few minutes, until thickened. It is extra work, that I avoid, so I just use cornstarch.

Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Add to the stew once ready, stir and cook for additional 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce.

In this Instant Pot recipe – once the pressure is released, open the Instant Pot lid and add the cornstarch and water mixture. Stir and set to sautee. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes, until the sauce is thick.

There is one more reason, why I like to thicken sauces with cornstarch – they get glossier that sauces thickened with flour.

What to serve with?

To me, this is a meal on its own. It is quite nutritious and filling. You have beef, veggies and sauce.

It is best served with warm homemade crusty bread like this Dutch Oven Bread. I wouldn’t serve it with white rice, but cauliflower rice would be a good option.

Fresh salads like this Cucumber and Onion Salad or Easy Tomato Salad will pair well with this homemade stew.

Stove top cooking option:

Heat oil in a pot.
Add the bite sized meat pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat for 1-2 minutes pre side, until no longer red.
Transfer to a plate.
Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and carrots. Cook for additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Next add the meat back to the pot, the tomato sauce, peas, potatoes, seasoning and beef or vegetable stock. Add the wine.
Cover and cook in the oven at 350 for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
STOVE TOP – bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.
Once the stew is cooked, the veggies and beef are tender, stir in the cornstarch mixed with cold water. Cook for 2 minutes, for the sauce to thicken.

More Instant Pot Recipes:

This Instant pot chicken thighs and rice takes only 30 minutes to make and tastes delicious.
Lentil soup is a staple in my family. For busy weekdays, I love making this Instant Pot Lentil Soup With Potatoes. It cooks fast and tastes amazing!
This Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry from Seasonal Cravings is easy to make and perfect for a quick one-pot dinner.
Love pork tenderloin? There is a foolproof way to cook it in the pressure cooker. Check out my Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe.
This Instant Pot Chicken Tinga from Domestic Diva solves a classic problem: a family pleasing, healthy meal on the table in a flash! A perfect taco filling, this subtly spicy tomato based shredded chicken will be a hit!

3 Comments

Melissa says:

January 3, 2022 at 12:27 pm

In your recipe for beef stew, you say to sear the meat and set aside on a plate. But Is that it to Cooking it? When do you combine it back into the dish? After the veggies cook? It is never added back in!
Also, could I season the meat with Lipton onion soup mix powder or will it burn? That is what I usually use.

1. Lyubomira says:
  
  January 4, 2022 at 1:49 pm
  
  Hi Melissa,
  You add the meat, before you close the pot and pressure cook the food.
  
Iness says:

January 23, 2022 at 10:46 am

Looks like my kind of soup

Beef Stew Recipe Instant Pot