Instant Pot Beef and Vegetable Stew

Instant pot beef and vegetable stew. This is the best beef and vegetable stew recipe you'll every make.. it is so good that it is a recipe I've made for my family dozens of times! I made my beef stew with seasonal vegetables and potatoes and stew beef.

You don't need to do anything fancy at all to get perfect buttery stew beef.. all you need is a pressure cooker or an instant pot and less than 45 minutes.

I love dinner recipes that I can make quickly! I have been really getting a lot of use out of my instant pot lately. At first, it was an appliance that sat in the cupboard for year, and pretty much all I made in it was beans. But, then I started experimenting with meals and was so shocked at how delicious they turned out! Think slow cooker tender meats in a fraction of the time!

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HEALTY BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW INGREDIENTS

Okay, so the list of ingredients healthy beef and veggie stew may look long for this instant pot recipe, but really most of them are either vegetables or spices. And I'd bet you probably have most of them in your kitchen already!

• Aged stew beef or regular stew beef
• Avocado oil
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Beef stock
• Tomato paste
• Baby potatoes
• Carrots
• Mushrooms
• Seasonings: pink sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and dried thyme

WHAT ARE THE BEST VEGETABLES TO PUT INTO BEEF STEW?

In my opinion, using fresh local and in season vegetables are the best option for beef stew! Not only will seasonal vegetables have a better flavor, but they are also healthier for you. I typically make my beef stew in the winter, so I'll use vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots (which store well in the winter), and mushrooms. Sometimes I throw in a nice leafy green like kale too.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BEEF AND VEGGIE STEW IN YOUR INSTANT POT- PICK GREAT INGREDIENTS!

• Aged stew beef. Aged beef adds a lot of amazing flavor to this recipe. If you can't find aged beef, you can simply substitute in regular stew beef in my beef stew recipe. Stew beef is just cut up chuck or round beef.
• Avocado oil. Avocado oil holds up to heat really well over other vegetable oils, and is a very healthy oil.
• Yellow onion. I just learned the scale of bitterness to sweetness for onions. First you have shallots, then yellow onions, white onions, red onions, and finally sweet white onions.
• Garlic. Make sure you use a fresh bulb of garlic and mince it up. It makes a HUGE difference in flavor over pre-minced garlic from a jar.
• Balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar adds a hint of a tangy flavor to this delicious beef stew. Believe me, it adds such an amazing depth of flavor that you don't want to leave it out!!
• Beef stock. I love using bone broth to add more protein to my healthy beef stew.
• Tomato paste. Tomato paste gives this stew a little bit of a thicker texture without having to use flour.
• Vegetables. Try to pick organic and local when possible for the best flavor beef stew.
• Spices/seasonings: pink sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and dried thyme. Check the dates on your spices! Spices can start to lose their flavor after sitting on the shelf for over a year 🙂

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK STEW BEEF IN THE INSTANT POT?

To get the perfect buttery melt in your mouth texture, I would recommend pressure cooking stew beef in your instant pot for 30 minutes.

WHAT IS THE SECRET TO TENDER BEEF STEW?

I saw this question asked 100s of times.. why is my stew chewy, why is it not tender? The answer is that you have to pressure cook it for long enough in some kind of liquid, like broth, that also has an acid, like balsamic vinegar and/or tomato paste.

Here's my formula for perfect beef stew every time:

1. Saute beef before pressure cooking to lock in flavor
2. Add something acidic like red wine, vinegar, or tomato. Even lemon juice would work.
3. Add broth to completely cover the beef chunks.
4. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
5. And if you have time, let the pressure release naturally rather than quickly releasing it.

Perfect melt in your mouth stew beef in less than 1 hour.

HOW TO MAKE BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW IN YOUR INSTANT POT (OR PRESSURE COOKER)

Beef stew is SO easy to make in your instant pot or pressure cooker and is a total life saver when you want a quick and easy dinner. My beef and veggie stew recipe has instant pot directions, but if you are using a classic pressure cooker, simply bring it up to high heat, then reduce heat and let it pressure cook for the same amount of time, 30 minutes.

STEP 1: SEAR THE STEW BEEF

First, set your instant pot to the sauté setting.

Add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil and allow the oil to heat up for a few minutes.

Next, add the 2 pounds of stew beef and cook until the beef is brown on all sides.

STEP 2: ADD AROMATICS

Add 1 large diced yellow onion and cook it into the beef until the onion is soft.

Next, add 3 cloves of minced garlic. Stir the garlic in and cook it only until it just becomes fragrant. You don't want to brown your garlic, which can give off a bitter flavor.

STEP 3: DEGLAZE THE PAN

Add ⅛ cup of balsamic vinegar to scrape the bottom of the pan. Those bits that you scrape off are super flavorful!

STEP 4: ADD EVERYTHING ELSE

Finally, add the rest of your ingredients: 3 cups beef stock, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 pounds sliced baby potatoes, 5 sliced carrots, 6oz sliced mushrooms, 2 teaspoons pink sea salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Stir together gently to fully combine all the ingredients.

STEP 5: PRESSURE COOK (final step!)

Set your instant pot to 30 minutes on high pressure. Make sure the steam valve on the lid is adjusted to the "sealing" position.

Allow your aged beef stew to naturally release for at least 10 minutes after cooking. After that you can release the rest of the pressure and remove your lid.

Stir your beef and vegetable stew again to make sure everything is combined.

And that is is! Your delicious and flavorful dinner is ready in under 1 hour!

CAN I MAKE STOVETOP BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW IF I DON'T HAVE A PRESSURE COOKER?

I have not tried this recipe over the stove. But, as it goes with most instant pot to stove recipes, you can make them over the stove but it will take longer for the ingredients to cook down.

Stew beef has the best tender texture when it is cooked in the slow cooker over a long period of time, or in the instant pot on high pressure. Both of these techniques will break down that tough connective tissue in chuck beef or round beef for a very delicious and tender texture.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT BEEF AND VEGETABLE STEW

Store your aged beef and vegetable stew in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store it either right in a pan and reheat it over the stove. Or, store it in separate glass containers so that you can heat the containers up in the microwave. This stew makes a delicious lunch for the next few days!

Other warm and healthy recipes you might like for this winter:

1. Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup
2. The Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup!
3. Purple Sweet Potato Soup
4. Instant Pot Acorn Squash Soup
5. 13 Bean Soup
6. Tomato Soup with Bone Broth
7. Butter Chicken
8. Chicken Curry
9. Chicken Tikka Masala
10. Chicken Chana Masala

FAQ's

Why is my instant pot beef stew tough?

Stew meat has tough connective tissues, making stove top cooking or roasting a poor choice. For perfect buttery texture, make sure to pressure cook your beef for long enough in a liquid broth. The beef will achieve a buttery texture this way.

How do you tenderize stew meat in the instant pot?

Stew meat is quickly tenderized in the instant pot when you pressure cook it on high. To tenderize stew meat in the instant pot, add your meat with water about 1 inch over the meat, place the lid on your pot. Set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. Allow your instant pot to naturally release for the best tender meat texture.

How long do you cook beef cubes in a pressure cooker?

Unlike traditional cooking methods for stew beef (like the slow cooker or the stock pot), you can cook beef cubes quickly in the pressure cooker to break down that tough cartilage. Set your pressure cooker to cook on high for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow your pressure cooker to naturally release the steam before removing the lid for the best tender texture.

How can I thicken my beef stew gluten free?

You can make any stew thick using either cornstarch or arrowroot starch. Simply mix about 1 tablespoon of either with 2 tablespoons of water and add it to your stew. Stir it into your stew and let it thicken for about 5 minutes over medium heat. If you want an even thicker broth, just add another tablespoon of the cornstarch or arrowroot starch.

If you try my Beef and Vegetable Stew Recipe, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube!