Description

This Instant Pot Beef Stew is a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal perfect for a comforting dinner. Tender beef stewed to perfection with savory herbs, tender carrots, celery, red potatoes, and a rich tomato base, all pressure cooked to seal in flavors and quickly produce a delicious, thick stew finished with peas and a touch of fresh parsley.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Aromatics

1 ½ pounds beef stew meat (lean)
2 tablespoons oil (avocado or olive oil)
3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
1 small sweet onion (finely diced)

Liquids and Sauces

3 cups beef broth (regular sodium, divided)
8 ounces tomato sauce (canned)

Vegetables

1 ¼ pounds red potatoes (cut into ½-inch cubes)
3 celery stalks (cut into ¼-inch pieces)
1 pound carrots (cut into ½-inch pieces)
1 cup frozen peas

Seasonings

2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon ground sage

Thickening Agent

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Optional

Parsley (for garnish)

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Instructions

Sauté Beef: Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to sauté function and add the beef stew meat along with avocado or olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the meat is lightly seared on all sides, which helps develop flavor.
Sauté Garlic: Add the finely minced garlic to the pot and sauté for an additional 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Add Broth and Ingredients: Pour in 3 cups of beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the tomato sauce, red potatoes, celery, carrots, diced onion, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, and ground sage. Stir well to combine, then secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the pressure release valve is set to the sealed position.
Pressure Cook Stew: Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 30 minutes. Once cooking completes, allow the pressure to naturally release (NPR) over 10 minutes before carefully turning the valve to vent to release any remaining pressure.
Prepare Slurry: While the stew is resting, combine the remaining ½ cup of warm beef broth with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in a small bowl, whisking until the mixture forms a smooth slurry. This will be used to thicken the stew.
Thicken Stew and Add Peas: Switch the Instant Pot back to sauté mode for 3-5 minutes. Gradually stir in the slurry and frozen peas. Continue sautéing until the stew thickens to your preferred consistency and the peas are heated through.
Serve: Ladle the hot beef stew into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve with gluten-free bread or crackers to complete this comforting meal.

Notes

For a thicker stew, you can add a little more cornstarch slurry while sautéing.
Use lean beef stew meat to avoid excess fat in the dish.
If you prefer a lower sodium version, opt for low or no-sodium beef broth and adjust salt accordingly.
Natural pressure release helps keep the beef tender and prevents splattering.
Frozen peas are added last to retain their bright color and fresh flavor.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.