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Instant Pot Beef Stew (With A Secret Ingredient)

By on | Updated on
4.53 from 107 votes
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If you have ever opened your Instant Pot and found tough beef swimming in a thin soup instead of a rich, cozy stew, trust me, you are not alone. It happens to all of us, and it is so frustrating. 

Big white bowl of a thick beef stew with potatoes, carrots, celery and chopped parsley.

After more than 25 years of home cooking here in Texas, I wanted a hearty, thick gravy stew that tasted slow-simmered, not a watery broth with overcooked vegetables. So I spent years tweaking and adjusting until this One Pot Southern Comfort Food Recipe came together. 

The result is my go-to Instant Pot Beef Stew with tender beef, a glossy thick gravy, and a little secret ingredient that wakes up the flavor. It tastes like it cooked all day, but it is ready in about an hour and perfect for cold nights or easy weeknight dinners.

Table of Contents
A bowl of Instant Pot Beef Stew with chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and peas, garnished with herbs, sits on a blue plate next to a slice of bread, salt and pepper shakers, and a slow cooker in the background.

Why This Stew Has Tender Beef and a Thick Gravy

  • The Secret Ingredient
    Many pressure cooker stews can taste flat. I add a splash of Chili Sauce (like Heinz). It is not spicy. It adds a zesty, savory depth that tastes like the stew simmered for hours.
  • Goodbye Watery Soup
    Pressure cookers do not evaporate liquid, so stews can turn soupy. I use a tested meat-to-liquid ratio and a quick Sauté finish to create a thick, velvety gravy.
  • Melt-In-Your-Mouth Beef
    A Natural Release keeps the juices inside the beef, which prevents the meat from turning dry or tough.
  • One-Pot Comfort
    Everything cooks in the same pot. Sear, simmer, pressure cook, and thicken right in the Instant Pot for easy cleanup.

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

A variety of ingredients for Beef Stew in glass bowls on a blue surface, including raw beef cubes, tomato sauce, beef broth, soy sauce, chopped parsley, diced potato, celery, carrots, garlic, black pepper, oregano, and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Beef:
    Chuck roast is the most reliable option because it has great marbling that breaks down under pressure. Stew meat works too, but results vary depending on the mix of cuts.
  • Chili Sauce:
    Heinz style is best. It adds richness and depth without making the stew spicy.
  • Red Wine:
    This recipe uses 1 cup red wine for flavor and to deglaze the pot. If you prefer not to cook with wine, simply replace it with 1 cup additional beef broth.
  • Vegetables:
    Russet potatoes help naturally thicken the gravy. Yukon Golds hold their shape better. Cut all vegetables into large pieces so they do not overcook under pressure.
  • Seasoning:
    Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper build a savory base that balances the beef and vegetables.
  • No Tomato Version:
    Omit the Chili Sauce. Add 1 tbsp Soy Sauce. Increase beef broth by 1/4 cup.

Equipment

How To Make Instant Pot Beef Stew

1. Sear the Beef

Press Sauté. When the pot says Hot, add oil. Sear the beef cubes in batches until browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside.

Close-up of raw and partially browned beef cubes sizzling in a pan, with bubbling juices and steam-perfect for starting your favorite Beef Stew or Instant Pot Beef Stew.

2. Sauté Aromatics

Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic.

Chopped white onions and minced garlic in a stainless steel bowl, ready to be cooked or mixed into a hearty Beef Stew or Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe.

3. Deglaze

Pour in the red wine (or 1 cup broth). Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to remove all browned bits. This step helps prevent a Burn Notice.

A close-up of a pot filled with red liquid, diced onions, and small chunks of vegetables, possibly in the process of making Beef Stew. The ingredients are partially submerged and floating on the surface.

4. Add Liquids and Seasoning

Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Chili Sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Return the seared beef and any juices to the pot.

A close-up view of a pot filled with chunky Instant Pot Beef Stew, featuring diced onions, tomatoes, herbs, and spices, with visible black pepper and dried herbs sprinkled on top.

5. Layer Vegetables (Do Not Stir)

Place potatoes, carrots, and celery on top of the beef in layers. Do not stir. This keeps the vegetables from overcooking and helps prevent burning.

Chopped potatoes, celery, and carrots with ketchup, herbs, and seasoning in a metal pot-perfect ingredients for a hearty Beef Stew.

6. Pressure Cook

Seal the lid. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on High and set to 35 minutes.

Close-up of an Instant Pot control panel with cooking options like soup, rice, and Beef Stew. The digital display shows

7. Natural Release

Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then vent any remaining steam.

A top-down view of a pot of hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew with chunks of beef, potatoes, and carrots, next to a bowl, sliced bread, a dish of butter, salt and pepper shakers, and parsley on a wooden table.

How to Make Thick Gravy in the Instant Pot

  1. Press Cancel, then Sauté.
  2. Whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water.
  3. Stir the slurry into the bubbling stew.
  4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy thickens and becomes glossy.

Recipe Tips for Success

Cut vegetables large so they hold up under pressure.
• Avoid Burn Notice: Always deglaze after searing to avoid the Burn Notice.
• Layer Ingredients: If your Instant Pot runs hot, add onions under the beef to create a moisture layer.
• Thickening Stew: The stew will thicken more as it cools.

Variations

  • Red Wine Stew:
    Use the full 1 cup wine for deeper flavor. Or leave out, if desired.
  • Add Peas:
    Add frozen peas after pressure cooking during the thickening step.
  • No Tomato Stew:
    Use soy sauce and extra broth (directions in Ingredient Notes).
A bowl of Instant Pot Beef Stew with chunks of beef, potatoes, and carrots, garnished with herbs. The bowl is on a wooden table beside parsley, spoons, and another pot of stew.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

  • Store: 4 days in the refrigerator
  • Freeze: Up to 3 months
  • Reheat: Microwave or gently simmer with a splash of broth if needed

What to Serve With This Stew

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is my beef tough?

Quick Release forces moisture out of the meat. Always use Natural Release.

Can I use frozen beef?

Yes, but skip the searing step. The Instant Pot will take longer to come up to pressure.

How do I avoid the Burn Notice?

Scrape the bottom clean after deglazing. Do not store the vegetables into the liquid.

Can I use the Slow Cook function?

Yes. To slow cook the beef stew, sear first, then slow cook on High for 4 to 5 hours or Low for 8 to 9 hours.

A bowl of hearty Instant Pot Beef Stew with chunks of beef, carrots, and potatoes, garnished with fresh parsley, sits on a blue-patterned plate as a spoon lifts a bite; a pressure cooker is in the background.

More Instant Pot Comfort Food

If you loved this recipe, you will love these other pressure cooker / Instant Pot Recipes:

Check out this recipe round up if you are looking specifically for more Southern and Tex-Mex Instant Pot Recipes.

More Beefy Recipes

  • Crockpot Chuck Roast – with roasted potatoes, carrots, and onions, that is juicy, tender and flavorful.

Be sure to check out the rest of our delicious Instant Pot Soups.

Did You Make This Recipe?

I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and a 5-star rating below. It helps other readers find the recipe and helps me create more content for you!

Recipe

Instant Pot Beef Stew (With A Secret Ingredient)

By Michele @ Flavor Mosaic
4.53 from 107 votes
A warm, hearty Instant Pot beef stew with thick gravy that tastes slow-simmered, ready in about an hour, and perfect for cold nights or easy weeknight dinners.
Overhead shot of a big white bowl with beef stew with potatoes, carrots, celery, and parsley. A green napkin is next to the bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 661

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds stew meat or chuck roast , cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 2 medium russet potatoes , cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 large onion , chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 stalks celery , chopped
  • 2 cups carrots , chopped
  • 1 cups red wine
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 1/4 cup Chili Sauce (A Tomato-Based Chili Sauce like Heinz)
  • 2-1/2 cups beef broth (Recommend using low-sodium version)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro , chopped

Instructions 

  • Cut the beef into about 1-inch bite-size pieces or use pre-cut stew meat.
  • Chop the potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery. This can be done the day before if desired.
  • Press the Sauté button. Wait until "Hot" appears on the front of the Instant Pot. Then add oil to the inner liner pot within the Instant Pot.
  • When the oil starts to sizzle, add the stew meat. Let it brown for a couple of minutes. Then turn the meat so it browns on all sides. Don’t cook it all the way through. The goal is to just brown the outside of the meat.
  • Add the chopped onion and garlic to cook. Add additional oil, if needed. Cook until the onions are translucent.
  • Deglaze the pan by pouring in the wine. Scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. That adds flavor to the sauce and helps to prevent getting the "Burn" warning on the Instant Pot.
  • Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  • Add the beef broth, Worcestershire, and chili sauce, followed by salt and pepper as well as Italian Seasoning.
  • Pressure cook the beef stew with high pressure for about 35 minutes.
  • Release the steam naturally for about 15 – 20 minutes. This time can vary.
  • If the gravy is too thin, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and stir into the beef stew while it is hot.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

Video

Tried this recipe?Please Rate this Recipe!

Notes

How To Thicken Beef Stew Gravy

  1. If the gravy is too thin, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and stir into the beef stew while it is hot.

Tips For Perfect Instant Pot Beef Stew

  1. Use Chuck Roast or Stew Meat. This cut has more fat and adds more flavor.
  2. Cut the meat and vegetables to be approximately the same size. This will allow everything to cook more evenly.
  3. Sauté the beef to brown it before starting to cook. This sears the beef and gives it so much more complex flavor. The Instant Pot makes this easy because it has a sauté setting so that you can brown the meat in the Instant Pot before you start pressuring cooking the beef stew.
  4. Chop vegetables ahead of time. Save time and stress by chopping your vegetables ahead of time, such as the night before. Store in air-tight containers and refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Deglaze the pot with red wine to ensure that get all the brown bits off the bottom from the beef because those add flavor, as does the red wine.
  6. Use Cornstarch mixed in cold water to add to the beef stew to thicken the beef gravy, if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 661kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 1745mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 11113IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 7mg

Pin To Save 

Instant Pot Beef Stew Pin

Originally published on January 1, 2019 and updated March 5, 2020, to add a photo of ingredients, and step by step photos, a tutorial video, a variation of beef stew, and links to other Instant Pot recipes.

More Instant Pot Soups Recipes

Comments

  1. Debbie says

    5 stars
    Oh my Goodness…this was fantastic! My husband kept saying over and over how good it was. I used Beef Bone Broth..no wine..tomato sauce and a bit of ketchup too. I did use chuck roast as we don’t care for “stew meat”. Italian Grinder mix for seasonings. This recipe is highly recommended by my family.
    ** For some reason I kept thinking a bit of cognac would taste good in this. Might try it some day. Thank you for sharing!!!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Debbie,

      I’m so glad you liked it. It sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing! Be sure to check out our other wonderful recipes.

      Michele

      Reply

  2. melissa says

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe three or four times now and it is a family favourite! Love it – I’ve used chicken stock when I don’t have beef stock, and soy sauce instead of Worcestershire since I ran out. I do add cornstarch to thicken at the end as suggested. I serve it with a baguette. Yum – thank you for such a fantastic instant pot beef stew!! Great flavour.

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Melissa,

      Thanks for the kind comment. I’m so glad you and your family like it. Be sure to check out our other Instant Pot recipes as well.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

  3. Denise says

    Can the beef be frozen? Or does it need to be thawed?
    Thank You,
    Denise

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Denise, yes you can use frozen beef stew meat. Don’t change the time. Just be aware that it might take a little longer to come up to pressure and release pressure.

      Michele

      Reply

  4. Holly C says

    Can you clarify how much broth To use when we have no wine? Making sure I understand the “by equal amount” .

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Holly,

      Yes, certainly. If you don’t use wine in the recipe, then you need to increase the amount of beef broth by 1 cup to replace the wine. Therefore, instead of using 2-1/2 cups of beef broth, you will use 3-1/2 cups of beef broth.

      Michele

      Reply

      • Dena says

        5 stars
        Honestly the BEST beef stew I have even eaten!! This will be the only beef stew recipe I will use from now on!!! Beyond delicious!

        Reply

        • Michele says

          Hi Dena,

          I’m so happy you love this! I agree. It is our favorite beef stew! Please share with friends and be sure to check out our other recipes as well.

          Michele

          Reply

  5. Rita says

    This was wonderful. I substituted a cup of dark beer for the wine. The chili sauce is indeed the secret ingredient.
    I let it rest the full 20 minutes before releasing the steam . Delicious! Thank you !

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Rita,

      I’m so glad you liked it. I bet it was delicious with the beer. Thanks for letting me know. Be sure to check out my other recipes as well.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

  6. Lisa says

    5 stars
    Mine came out watery but we added egg noodles and cooked for 10 more minutes and it came out perfect! Excellent recipe! I might add that I don’t ever cook anything passed grilled cheese (my husband cooks every night) and even he was impressed with this recipe!!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Lisa,

      I’m so glad you liked it. That’s a great tip for thickening the stew by adding the noodles and giving it more time. It is good to have options. For the future, if you don’t want to add the egg noodles and wait 10 minutes, make a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water mixed together) and pour that into the stew and stir. It will thicken up in a couple of minutes.

      Please be sure to check out our other recipes too. You might like the Instant Pot Beef Tips And Gravy, and The Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is very popular as is the Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Chicken And Rice Casserole.

      Reply

  7. Jules says

    This really is a fantastic recipe! The stewing beef cubes and vegetables came out so perfectly tender, all nestled in an amazing beef gravy.
    We thoroughly enjoyed it!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Jules,

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. My family loves it as well. Be sure to check out our other recipes as well.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

  8. Aileen says

    Would this freeze well.? I looking to have some good meals ready on those busy week nights . Made for the first time, easy to prepare and tastes delicious .

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Aileen,

      Yes. This will freeze well. Just be sure to use an airtight freezer-safe container.

      Michele

      Reply

  9. Trisha says

    Can you double this recipe in a 8 quart instant pot?

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Trisha,

      Yes, you should be able to double this recipe in an 8-quart Instant Pot. Just be sure to not go over the fill line marked on the inner liner pot.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

  10. Laura says

    5 stars
    I’ve never been able to make a good beef stew. We loved this!! My husband told me not to lose this recipe. Lol. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Laura,

      I’m so glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing your feedback. Be sure to check out our other recipes at Flavor Mosaic, we have over 500 recipes.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

  11. Connie says

    This was amazing! I made it without wine simply because we do not like it. I used extra beef broth instead. I think we ate at least a half loaf of French bread to sop up the delicious broth.
    Thank you so much for this recipe.

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Connie,

      I’m so glad you liked it. Be sure to share the link to this recipe with your friends and check out our other recipes. We have almost 600 recipes.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply

    • Lisa D says

      My family and I loved it. The only thing I left out was celery because it is n ok t a favorite of ours but it was delicious

      Reply

      • Michele says

        Hi Lisa,

        I’m so glad you and your family loved it. Thanks for the nice comment.

        Michele

        Reply

  12. christina rea says

    5 stars
    I can’t wait to make this tonight..if I don’t have celery can I use some celery salt? Thank you

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Christina,

      That is ok if you don’t have celery. Celery salt would probably taste good. I think that would be fine.

      Michele

      Reply

  13. Gail says

    Wonderful recipe. One of the best I have ever tasted.

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  14. Michele P says

    One of the best stews I have ever eaten!

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Thanks Michele. I’m so glad you liked it!

      Reply

  15. Julie Ligthfoot says

    4 stars
    I can’t figure out why I have so much liquid. When I finished I had 8 cups total and gravy seemed thin even though I did add the suggested 2 tbl cornstarch stirred into 1/4 cup water. Flavor is very good and all ingredients done right.. I cooked on Manual for 20 minutes and kept in on warm for 33 minutes.

    Reply

    • Michele says

      Hi Julie,

      The Instant Pot requires a certain amount of liquid to function, and it may seem like a lot of liquid when you first open it. However, if you need to, you can increase the amount of the cornstarch slurry added and/or use the SAUTE feature for a few minutes after pressure cooking to thicken the beef stew.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
4.53 from 107 votes (75 ratings without comment)

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