Beef stew has never tasted so good. This recipe is comparable to others that take hours longer to get the same result. It's seriously good.
I have this theory. Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it. I get it. We all LOVE our Instant Pots, but some recipes really should be left to other cooking methods. Well, that's definitely not the case here! This pressure cooker beef stew recipe is one of the most delicious foods I've eaten in a while. And I eat a lot!
What Makes This Recipe So Special?
There are several things I did to ensure this meal tasted as great as it did in my head. The first step (that is a must!) is to sear the meat well. There's nothing worse than sad, gray meat. The sear is the only chance you get to add color. Plus, all the bits left in the bottom of the pot will help develop the flavor.
Worth the Time
You'll notice this beef stew recipe takes a little time, and several ingredients, to make. Even though this is an Instant Pot recipe, it's definitely not a "dump the ingredients, set it and forget it" method. But here's the good part... The meat is incredibly tender and the broth is seriously something special. Trust me, one bite of this stew and you'll see that it's worth the extra ingredients and time. Why have a mediocre beef stew when you can take a few more minutes and ingredients and create something amazing?
The Process
Season beef with 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.
Using sauté setting - once hot add 2 tablespoons of oil and thoroughly brown beef.
Do this in two batches and do not stir too frequently. After the first batch, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
You want a good sear on each side of each piece. Set beef aside.
Continuing on sauté setting - add onion, garlic, celery, mushrooms, and bay leaf.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, making sure to scrap up any bits on bottom.
Then add Worcestershire sauce, wine, tomato paste, thyme, and rosemary to pot, bring up to boil...
...and cook for at least 5 minutes - more time is okay. Stirring occasionally.
Lastly, add beef, stock, potatoes, and carrots, then mix well. Close lid and set manual time for 10 minutes at high pressure.
Once cook time is complete - allow pressure to release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure, then remove lid.
And the Amazing Result...
More Instant Pot Soups and Stews:
Pressure Cooker Beef Vegetable Soup
Pressure Cooker Oxtail Stew - Jamaican Style
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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Pressure Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stew beef
- 1 Tbsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil separated
- 1 cup yellow onion roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp. garlic minced
- ¾ cup celery diced
- 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup red wine
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 tsp. fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1.5 lbs baby potatoes cut larger ones in half or quarters
- 5 medium carrots peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
Instructions
- Season beef with 1 Tbsp. salt and 2 tsp. pepper. Using sauté setting on Instant Pot - once hot add 2 Tbsp. oil and thoroughly brown beef. Do this in two batches and do not stir too frequently. After the first batch, add 1 Tbsp. of oil. You want a good sear on each side of each piece. Set beef aside.
- Continuing on sauté setting - add onion, garlic, celery, mushrooms, and bay leaf. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, making sure to scrap up any bits on bottom.
- Then add Worcestershire sauce, wine, tomato paste, thyme, and rosemary to pot, bring up to boil, and cook for at least 5 minutes - more time is okay. Stirring occasionally.
- Lastly, add beef, stock, potatoes, and carrots, then mix well. Close lid and set manual time for 10 minutes at high pressure.
- Once cook time is complete - allow pressure to release naturally for at least 20 minutes. Quick release remaining pressure then remove lid. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Matthew
I grew up eating pot roast as a kid and always loved it. This recipe however, blew my shorts off like a ornery ole' Hurricane without suspenders!
Great stuff!
Linda
Sounds great. Would I add more time if I used 3 lbs. of meat? Would anything else change? Thank you.
Chef Gary
3 lbs. of meat should be just fine. The only changes you may need to make: browning beef in 3 batches (rather than 2), maybe 1 more cup of stock (enough to cover all ingredients). Gotta love a meaty stew!
Shauna
This was very good and a hit with my family. Thank you
Jones
This was absolutely delicious! Rich broth and seasoned to perfection. Will definitely be making this often!
AJ
Great roast and veggies left over, but I dumped the broth, the broth was too much and it overpowered the flavor of everything else. After dumping it I was left with a fabulously flavored roast with veggies.
Michele
Made this last night and it is a home run! I don't use thyme and substituted dried rosemary.
Sandy Olson
I'm 75 years old and have made many a stew for my family in those years. Basically, I found there are two bases for stew, Tomato and Beef. I always browned the beef after dredging in flour then cover with homemade broth then add all the veggies. The flour creates a natural thickening. My favorite stew included, beef, pork and lamb Excellent flavors and a thick beef base. I love your recipe. The pictures are awesome.
Theresa Brown
This is a great beef stew. Made it a few times for me and my husband and recently for friends. It was a hit! Everything comes out perfectly. Excellent flavor.
Matt
My wife and I made this last night and it is hands down the best beef stew I've ever eaten. This recipe will definitely be added to our list of keepers!
Bryan
I had to vary slightly using white onions .
But it really is a fantastic tasting beef stew.
I love the tenderness of the potatoes and the beef!! Great recipe.
MaryAnn
Made this today. Didn't have any red wine so I used some Better than Bouillion instead. I also added the celery and carrots at the end as I like them in the stew, not cooked down. But even at only 1 minute cook time they were softer than I like, so next time I'll do them at the end on the warm setting to control their cook time better. I also will omit the tomato paste as it's not a flavor I enjoy in stew. Otherwise I enjoyed this recipe and will make it again, and maybe even throw in some peas or corn at the end 😉
Brenda Lee Metheny
This was an amazing recipe ! Thank you for sharing , I don’t usually like vegetable soups because they are bland but this recipe is rich with flavors and tastes very sophisticated, I followed the recipe exactly.