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Quick and Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew

  • Español
Portions: 6 servings

Calories: 959kcal

An Instant Pot beef stew recipe is a great way to cook an entire, hearty meal in a fraction of the time it takes using other cooking methods like the stove or oven. Whether you have an Instant™ pot, a traditional pressure cooker, or none, we have instructions to make the best beef stew with red wine, a great soup with veggies to serve for dinner.

Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Video • Preparation

Bowl of instant pot beef stew.

Instant pot beef stew.

Why I ❤️ it

Pressure cooker or Instant Pot recipes are some of my favorites. High pressure cooking makes everything easier and faster, and I can have dinner ready in no time.

This cooking method allows us to save on cooking gas or electricity when boiling beans, and on the grocery bill by buying inexpensive cuts of meats and turning them into the best comfort food, a delectable stew with meat that melts in your mouth. You'll love this flavorful and filling pressure cooker stew, and the recipe has instructions to cook it with both types of pressure cookers.

Instant pot beef stew recipe

This free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, and I receive a small commission when you purchase, at no cost to you. Thank you!

Learn how to make instant pot beef stew with red wine, a recipe that can be made with an electric pressure cooker, or a stovetop one. Rich, flavorful, and filling, you're going to love this beef bourguignon-inspired stew, full of veggies and flavor.

Course: Dinner, Lunch
Inspiration: French
Category: beef, beef stew, beef stew in red wine, pressure cooker steak soup
Author: Clara Gonzalez

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins

Utensils and tools

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Pressure cooker or Instant pot
Pot of instant pot beef stew.
Pot of instant pot beef stew.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds of beef stew meat, [1.5 kg] chuck, blade, or flank cut into 1-inch pieces [2.5 cm]
  • 1 tablespoon of onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons of salt, (or more, to taste), divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked, or ground), (or more, to taste), divided
  • 3 cups red wine (merlot or cabernet)
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cups of beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth)
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary
  • 5 sprigs of thyme
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves (whole)
  • 2 pounds waxy potatoes, [1.25 kg], peel and cube them
  • 2 pounds carrot, [1.25 kg], peeled and sliced
  • 3 large red onions, quartered
  • 1½ cups peas, blanched (I used frozen peas)

Video

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

How to make it in an Instant™ pot or electric pressure cooker

Step 1: Browning the meat

Browning the meat.
Browning the meat.

Select the SAUTE setting on the keypad. Heat oil (about 2 minutes). Add the seasoned meat (careful with splatters). Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Brown the meat stirring to cook evenly.

Sift the flour into the pot, constantly stirring to prevent clumps from forming, and stir to mix well. Press Cancel on the keypad.

Step 2: Boiling

Boiling.
Boiling.

Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth, rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 

Close the lid to the locked position and position the pressure valve. Select PRESSURE cook on HIGH on the keypad. Set timer to 15 minutes.

Step 3: Cooking vegetables

Cooking vegetables.
Cooking vegetables.

When done, press CANCEL, let it cook down for about 3 minutes, and carefully use the quick release to release the pressure.

Remove the lid. Add 2 cups of water. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cover, and place the valve. Select PRESSURE cook on HIGH on the keypad. Set timer to 10 minutes.

Step 4: Finishing and serving

Finishing and serving.
Finishing and serving.

When done, press CANCEL and carefully use the quick release to release the pressure.

Remove the lid. Add the peas, Select the SAUTE setting on the keypad and cook uncovered until the peas are heated through (3-5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Press CANCEL to serve immediately, or cover and select KEEP WARM to serve later.

How to make it in a traditional pressure cooker

Step 1: Season meat

Heat the oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker. Add the seasoned chunks of meat (careful with splatters). Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated. Brown the meat stirring to brown evenly.

Sift the flour into the pot, constantly stirring to prevent clumps from forming, and stir to mix well.

Step 2: Brown the meat

Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 

Cover, place the pressure valve, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, counting from the time the valve starts to whistle.

Step 3: Boiling

Remove the cooker from the heat and cool under running water for 1 minute. Stop the water and carefully remove the valve to break the vacuum. Remove the lid.

Add 2 cups of water. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions, cover, and place the valve. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes counting from the time the valve starts whistling.

Step 4: Cooking vegetables

Remove the cooker from the heat and cool under running water for 1 minute. Stop the water and carefully remove the valve to break the vacuum. Remove the lid.

Add the peas and cook uncovered over medium heat until the peas are heated through (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5: Finishing and serving

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

How to make it in a regular pot

Step 1: Season meat

Heat the oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker. Add the seasoned chunks of meat (careful with splatters). Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated. Brown the meat stirring to brown evenly.

Sift the flour into the pot, constantly stirring to prevent clumps from forming, and stir to mix well.

Step 2: Browning the meat

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned meat (careful with splatters). Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Sauté to brown the meat, stirring to cook evenly.

Sift the flour into the pot, constantly stirring to prevent clumps from forming, stir to mix well.

Step 3: Boiling

Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth, rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 

Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Stir often and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level.

Step 4: Cooking vegetables

Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir often and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level.

Add the peas and cook uncovered until the peas are heated through (about 5 minutes). 

Step 5: Finishing and serving

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Variations

You can perfectly make an alcohol-free version by not adding wine to it.

You may also want to check out this beef and noodles stew and this instant pot corned beef dish.

Top tips

  • Waxy potatoes are the opposite of floury potatoes. The former do not dissolve so easily during cooking. Yukon gold potatoes work very well. Russet potatoes are a great second choice.
  • Instructions for the electric cooker are specifically for the Instant™ pot cooker, as that is the one I have, but it's probably fairly similar for other brands. Consult the manual.
  • If you have any leftovers, you can freeze them in a freezer-safe container, and reheat them later. If you will eat it the next day, you can keep it in the refrigerator.
  • For a gluten-free version, do not add flour but add a cornstarch slurry made with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and some of the broth.

Cooking with pressure cookers

Pressure cookers used to have a reputation for being dangerous, and some people to this day refuse to use them. The problem of exploding cookers was largely solved by adding a second security valve that releases steam if the main valve gets clogged (which may happen with starchy foods and beans).

The advantage of the non-electric cookers is that they are inexpensive, harder to damage, and will work on whatever stovetop you have (except if you have an induction stovetop).

It's important to familiarize yourself with the owner's manual and keep the valves clean and the cooker in good condition.

Cooking with electric pressure cookers

I, too, eventually succumbed to the siren song of the modern pressure cooker and got myself an electric, programmable one. The main reason is that I now have an induction cooktop on which my mom's old one does not work, so the Instant™ Pot gives me the choice to use it as a pressure cooker, or a slow cooker.

I can say that, while I enjoy using it very much, it's not much better than my old one, as I don't need the programming functions on it. If you work outside of your home, I can see how that's a great feature to have.

Serving suggestions

You can serve this soup with some rustic bread if you wish.

Bowls of instant pot beef stew.
Bowls of instant pot beef stew.

Nutritional information

Calories: 959kcal - Carbohydrates: 51g - Protein: 47g - Fat: 53g - Saturated Fat: 18g - Cholesterol: 161mg - Sodium: 1056mg - Potassium: 2053mg - Fiber: 11g - Sugar: 12g - Vitamin A: 25535IU - Vitamin C: 45mg - Calcium: 172mg - Iron: 11.2mg

FAQs

What is the best meat for stew?

Each stew recipe may call for a different cut, but most long-cooking or pressure-cooked stews take advantage of inexpensive, tough cuts. For this one chuck, blade, or flank are perfect.

What does red wine add to stews?

Adding red wine to stews adds flavor and richness to it. If you do not wish to have alcohol, you can skip it.

What kind of red wine is used for cooking beef?

Different recipes have different suggestions; for this beef stew, cabernet or merlot are a good choice.

Why is my stew meat tough in Instant Pot?

Some meats are best cooked with short high heat, while others are best cooked at slow heat and long cooking. The latter is also best for pressure cookers. If the meat is tough, you may need to cook it longer.

Can you fix tough meat in pressure cooker?

It depends on what kind of dish you are preparing. If it's a braise or stew, a pressure cooker is perfect for tenderizing tough meat.

Does meat get more tender the longer you pressure cook it?

Yes, up to a point. Overcooked meat will be mushy and flavorless in the end.

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Instant Pot Beef Stew with Red Wine

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef stew meat [1.5 kg] chuck, blade, or flank
  • 1 tablespoon of onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons of salt (or more, to taste), divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly-cracked, or ground, (or more, to taste), divided
  • 3 cups red wine merlot or cabernet
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 cups beef broth or chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary
  • 5 sprigs of thyme
  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves of garlic (whole)
  • 2 pounds waxy potatoes [1.25 kg], peel and cube them
  • 2 pounds carrot [1.25 kg], peeled and sliced
  • 3 red onions quartered
  • 1½ cups peas blanched (I used frozen peas)

Instructions

Step 1: Season meat

  • Heat the oil over medium heat in the pressure cooker. Add the seasoned meat (careful with splatters). Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated. Brown the meat stirring to brown evenly.
    Sift the flour into the pot, stirring constantly to prevent clumps from forming, stir to mix well.

Traditional pressure cooker Traditional pressure cooker

    Step 2: Brown the meat

    • Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 
      Cover, place the pressure valve, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, counting from the time the valve starts to whistle.

    Step 3: Boiling

    • Remove the cooker from the heat and cool under running water for 1 minute. Stop the water and carefully remove the valve to break the vacuum. Remove the lid.
      Add 2 cups of water. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions, cover, and place the valve. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes counting from the time the valve starts whistling.

    Step 4: Cooking vegetables

    • Remove the cooker from the heat and cool under running water for 1 minute. Stop the water and carefully remove the valve to break the vacuum. Remove the lid.
      Add the peas and cook uncovered over medium heat until the peas are heated through (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    How to make it in an Instant™ pot or electric pressure cooker

      Step 2: Browning the meat

      • Select the SAUTE setting on the keypad. Heat oil (about 2 minutes). Add the seasoned meat (careful with splatters). Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Brown the meat stirring to cook evenly.
        Sift the flour into the pot, stirring constantly to prevent clumps from forming, stir to mix well. Press Cancel on the keypad.

      Step 3: Boiling

      • Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth, rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 
        Close the lid to the locked position and position the pressure valve. Select PRESSURE cook on HIGH on the keypad. Set timer to 15 minutes.

      Step 4: Cooking vegetables

      • When done, press CANCEL, let it cook down for about 3 minutes, and carefully use the quick release to release the pressure.
        Remove the lid. Add 2 cups of water. Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cover, and place the valve. Select PRESSURE cook on HIGH on the keypad. Set timer to 10 minutes.

      Step 5: Finishing and serving

      • When done, press CANCEL and carefully use the quick release to release the pressure.
        Remove the lid. Add the peas, Select the SAUTE setting on the keypad and cook uncovered until the peas are heated through (3-5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
        Press CANCEL to serve immediately, or cover and select KEEP WARM to serve later.

      How to make it in a regular pot

        Step 2: Browning the meat

        • Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned meat (careful with splatters). Simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Sauté to brown the meat, stirring to cook evenly.
          Sift the flour into the pot, stirring constantly to prevent clumps from forming, stir to mix well.

        Step 3: Boiling

        • Add the marinade, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of broth, rosemary, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, and bay leaf. 
          Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Stir often and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level.

        Step 4: Cooking vegetables

        • Add garlic, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Stir often and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level.
          Add the peas and cook uncovered until the peas are heated through (about 5 minutes). 

        Step 5: Finishing and serving

        • Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

        Notes

        Waxy potatoes are the opposite of floury potatoes. The former do not dissolve so easily during cooking. Yukon works very well.
        Instructions for the electric cooker are specifically for the Instant™ pot cooker, as that is the one I have, but it's probably fairly similar for other brands. Consult the manual.

        Nutrition

        Calories: 959kcal

        Publicado por Tia Clara - Nov 25, 2013

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        1. Samantha

          January 27, 2017 at 10:16 pm

          Can you modify the recipe using an electric pressure cooker? I have an instapot and I would like to make this recipe.

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            January 28, 2017 at 12:11 pm

            Hi Samantha. I have an old-fashioned pressure cooker (which is probably about 30 years old). I don't have an electric one to test the recipe, and I don't think I know how they work. You can try and test it, I'd love to hear if it works in one of those.

            Reply
            • Ingrid Fynn-Thompson

              February 27, 2017 at 2:33 pm

              Trying this today in my instant pot (electric pressure cooker) I will let you know how it turns out. I live where I am the only Dominican in illinois and I am craving my moms cooking! Hoping this will hit the spot! Thank you!

            • Tia Clara

              March 11, 2017 at 8:19 pm

              Yes, please do let me know. 🙂

            • Rochelle Maccabee

              October 29, 2020 at 1:05 am

              How did it turn out? I have an Instapot and am curious as I'd like to try.

            • Tia Clara

              November 02, 2020 at 4:44 pm

              I just added the instruction for an Instant pot. 🙂

        2. TTPATC

          April 07, 2016 at 9:55 pm

          5 stars
          First let me say that I bought my first pressure cooker in December and don't know how I ever lived without one before. I splurged because I wanted easy and safe. I cook in it several times a week, mostly after work and delicious dinners are on the table in 45 mins or less. I took a stab at this today and let me say this stew was a winner. I halved. everything because there are only 3 of us. I used both chuck and skirt steak. The skirt steak was best. The only thing I changed was salt "to taste" and added some tomato sauce. Aroma was amazing. Thanks!

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            April 25, 2016 at 10:54 am

            I am very glad you loved it. It's one of our favorites too. 🙂

            Reply
        3. Alvi

          September 23, 2015 at 7:47 pm

          Hello Aunt clara. I own an electric pressure cooker. I want to tru this. Do you know how I can cook it in the electric pressure cooker? Thanks!

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            September 26, 2015 at 12:27 am

            I have an old-fashioned one, but I would guess that it should be the same time-wise.

            Reply
        4. Jorge

          December 06, 2014 at 12:33 pm

          I saw the rosemary in the pic and had to know the details about this stew. Mom has a pressure cooker but I've always been apprehensive about using it. Would marinating the meat over night intensify the marinade? I'm curious. I haven't gone into marinating with wine yet, just basic stuff like lime, worcestershire sauce and herbs. Thanks for sharing this, love the site and love that bit of Spanish on step 9 of the recipe!

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            December 07, 2014 at 12:04 am

            I am not sure what the effect of marinating overnight would be, as I didn't test it that way. It may be worth the experimenting though, if you do, please report back. And thanks about the untranslated word, it's funny that I usually write the recipes in English, then translate into Spanish, this one seems to have been done the opposite way. 🙂

            Reply
        5. Shelley

          August 06, 2014 at 8:07 am

          I am looking for a pressure cooker beef cheek recipe. I will try this today. Yeah I know it's July, and I'm in Nebraska, but my mother has cancer, she's always cold with no appetite. She though beef stew sounded good. I hope she can eat it (she enjoys spice). I will let you know how it goes. Oh, and Linda, do invest in a pressure cooker, you won't regret it. I use mine all the time for many recipes. Thanks Aunt Clara!

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            August 07, 2014 at 3:08 pm

            Good luck to your mom, Shelley. And do let me know how it works.

            Reply
        6. Linda

          May 12, 2014 at 1:47 pm

          I don't have a pressure cooker, but would love to try this recipe! Can you provide the steps for stovetop or slow cooker cooking? Thank you!

          Reply
          • Tia Clara

            May 13, 2014 at 8:22 am

            I wish I could, but I haven't tested it any other way and my guess would be as good as yours.

            Reply
          • Aspiring chef

            June 23, 2014 at 1:16 pm

            Do invest in one Linda! I was like you until I bought one. It just saves you time, and the flavor you get from a pressure cooker is no match! Here are some reviews to help you buy one. Good luck.

            Reply
        7. Two Red Bowls

          November 27, 2013 at 9:37 am

          This stew looks divine. Gorgeous photos, too. Glad you're getting a little respite from the heat! Thank you for posting this 🙂

          Reply

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        Hi, I'm Tía Clara! I have been a recipe developer, and recipe writer for 20+ years, and here I share my easy recipes you'll love.

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