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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.
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 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
- Why This Stew Has Tender Beef and a Thick Gravy
- 🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Equipment
- How To Make Instant Pot Beef Stew
- How to Make Thick Gravy in the Instant Pot
- Recipe Tips for Success
- Variations
- Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- What to Serve With This Stew
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- More Instant Pot Comfort Food
- More Beefy Recipes
- Recipe
- Reviews
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
- 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
- 6 or 8 Quart Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Megachef
- Wooden spoon (affiliate link placeholder)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Ladle
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.
2. Sauté Aromatics
Add the onions to the pot and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garlic.
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.
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.
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.
6. Pressure Cook
Seal the lid. Select Manual or Pressure Cook on High and set to 35 minutes.
7. Natural Release
Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes, then vent any remaining steam.
How to Make Thick Gravy in the Instant Pot
- Press Cancel, then Sauté.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water.
- Stir the slurry into the bubbling stew.
- 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).
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
- Crusty Irish Soda Bread Muffins, dinner rolls, or garlic bread
- Cornbread – An easy homemade buttermilk cornbread recipe.
- Mashed Potatoes – An easy Instant Pot recipe for creamy mashed potatoes.
- A fresh green salad with vinaigrette – like my Chopped Vegetable Salad
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick Release forces moisture out of the meat. Always use Natural Release.
Yes, but skip the searing step. The Instant Pot will take longer to come up to pressure.
Scrape the bottom clean after deglazing. Do not store the vegetables into the liquid.
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.
More Instant Pot Comfort Food
If you loved this recipe, you will love these other pressure cooker / Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Braised Beef Short Ribs – Fall-off-the-bone beef short ribs in a rich, savory sauce.
- Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy – Similar flavor, but uses a sirloin and mushroom gravy.
- Instant Pot Chicken Stew – A rich, thick Chicken Stew made in the Instant Pot.
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings – The ultimate comfort food.
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
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
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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.
Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, a home cook with 25+ years experience, and former AllRecipes Allstar, creating bold & easy Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes. Featured in publications like Parade and BuzzFeed. Read More…
Jennifer M says
This was delicious! I def had to thicken it with a slurry at the end. The chili sauce made it really good – I think I might add a little more next time as I prefer more of a tomato base. Made some biscuits with this and it was a very filling meal! This recipe is a keeper!!!!!
Michele says
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so glad you liked it! I love this recipe because it has so much flavor. Be sure to share this recipe with your friends, and check out our other recipes too. Our Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is delicious too!
Michele
Christine DIXON says
Is the nutritional value listed PER serving?
Thanks!
Michele says
Hi Christine,
Yes it is. However, those would be large servings. You could easily get more servings out of this.
Michele
Brittany says
Hi Michele!
I’m looking forward to making this tonight, but I am unable to have red wine due to stomach issues. Do you recommend using something different instead?
Robert S says
Everything was great until I stirred the stew and that’s when all the Yukon potatoes turned to mush in the stew. What went wrong?? I set IP on stew and used the natural release.
Michele says
Hi Robert,
I’m so sorry you had that issue. It could be that you had cut the potatoes in smaller pieces than I did and then they would cook faster. It could also be differences between Instant Pots. You could also try russet potatoes next time.
Michele
Jessica says
Could I make this in a crock pot for a larger batch?
Michele says
Hi Jessica,
Yes. You could make it in a crock pot. I would recommend browning the meat in a skillet first and then adding to the crock pot. It is not required but I think it adds flavor. Then you could add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
Thanks,
Michele
Barb H says
Went over really well with my husband and mom. I didnt have chili sauce so I made my own with ketchup, chili seasonings and a couple tablespoons of bbq sauce. I made Jiffy cornbread to go with it. I did cut potatoes too small.. next time bigger chunks, but other than that, it turned out so good ymmy! Will make sgain.
Kclark says
Could I make this in the crockpot and just brown the meat on the stove?
Michele says
Absolutely, you can make it in the crockpot. Brown the meat in a skillet on the stove on medium heat and then cook in the crock pot on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
Michele
Tracey lear says
Followed recipe to a tee. Flavour was great but way too much liquid. I ended up doubling the corn starch/water and was still not thickening up..would definitely cut back on the broth.
Otherwise a good recipe.
Teresa W Reynolds says
I made it; We loved it. Spouse ate two helpings. The only two changes I’ll make next time is to drop the Worcestershire and add two beef bouillon cubes before adding the surry to thicken. I will also cut out the celery. The herbs, onion, garlic, carrots, plus the seasoning is sufficient. I need the beef to shine through. Chile sauce is key. The most amazing thing is that a cut-up chuck roast cooks in 35 minutes and is not stringy to cut, like in the crockpot. Whole chunks of beef like butter in your mouth. Surry proportions perfect.
Ashley says
ARe you talking chili sauce, like Asian chili garlic sauce? The spice stuff?
Michele says
Hi Ashley,
No. It is not the Asian chili garlic sauce. It is a tomato based sauce, like Heinz, that is more similar to a slightly spicy ketchup, or similar to a cocktail sauce.
Michele
Amanda says
I was wondering once you brown meat do you take meat out to sauté vegetables or leave it in
Michele says
Hi Amanda,
In this recipe, I don’t remove the meat. I hope that helps.
Thanks,
Michele
Lisa says
If you don’t have chili sauce can you substitute it by using tomato sauce and adding chili powder?
Michele says
Hi Lisa,
You can substitute the tomato sauce. However, here is a recipe for a Homemade Chili Sauce in case you want to make your own from scratch.
Michele
Rob says
Great recipe. You can brown the meat more easily in a few big chunks, and cube it after browning.
Donna says
Great recipe..Kids loved it. I did add green beans and corn. Next time I will add a few extra potatoes.
lori bartholomew says
Can I make this in the ninja foodi xl ?
Michele says
Hi Lori,
I’m not familiar with the ninja foodi xl. However, if it is a pressure cooker that holds at least 6 quarts, then you should be able to use it. However, read the instructions from the manufacturer to verify.
Thanks,
Michele
Michelle says
So good! Even my hubby and kids loved it!