Go Back
–+ servings
Instant pot beef stew in a white bowl
Print

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Instant pot beef stew pairs succulent melt-in-your-mouth beef with oodles of nutritious veggies swimming in layers of yummy satisfying flavor.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword beef stew recipes, instant pot beef recipes, instant pot stews, stew recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
Calories 301kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil, as needed
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon beef flavor Better Than Bouillon,
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Turn a 6.5-quart Instant pot onto saute function. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the display reads "hot". Add the beef in batches, in a single layer, and brown. Remove to a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining oil as needed and beef.
    How to make instant pot beef stew , brown the beef
  • Add the onions (1 ½ cups) and garlic (4 cloves) to the Instant pot and saute, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste (2 tablespoons), stirring constantly, and continue to saute for 1 minute.
    How to make instant pot beef stew , saute
  • Add beef broth (3 cups) stirring, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen all brown bits on the bottom of the pan (do not skip or the burn light may turn on).
    How to make instant pot beef stew , add broth
  • Add dissolved Better Than Bouillon (1 tablespoon), Worcestershire sauce (2 tablespoons), Italian seasoning (1 teaspoon), thyme (1/2 teaspoon), bay leaf (1), salt (2 ¼ teaspoons), and pepper (1 teaspoon) and stir to combine. Add in potatoes (2 cups), carrots (2 cups), and browned beef.
    How to make instant pot beef stew , add browned beef
  • Lock the lid and set the valve to seal. Set the function to "manual mode-high pressure" for 35 minutes. The instant pot will start on its own.
  • Switch the valve to the "venting" position to quick release for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the lid (there will likely still be some remaining steam). Remove and discard bay leaf. Gently stir in the peas (1 cup) and cornstarch slurry (3 tablespoons). Turn off the heat and allow it to sit for 3-4 minutes to thicken before serving.
    How to make instant pot beef stew , add cornstarch slurry

Notes

  1. Browning The Beef: Building incredible flavor into this stew is done in stages, the first stage being browning the beef. It’s important to brown your beef in a single layer even if you must brown a couple of batches. This creates proper browning which caramelizes the exterior of the beef and creates a fond (the little brown bits on the bottom of the pot) which adds a ton of flavor to your instant pot beef stew recipe.
  2. Sauteing Aromatics: Take the time to sauté your onions and garlic until soft. Sautéing veggies helps coax out their milder sweeter flavors.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 1000mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5630IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg