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Instant Pot Beef Stew

Instant Pot beef stew with tender 1 1/2-inch cubes of chuck and thick gravy from cornstarch slurry. Pressure-cook on HIGH for 35 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, then simmer until rich and hearty.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 lb beef chuck
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 3 garlic minced
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
beef broth
  • 2.5 cup beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
bay leaf
  • 1 bay leaf
Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
  • 1.5 lb Yukon gold potatoes cubed
carrots
  • 4 carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
cornstarch slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry
frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and black pepper. Brown the beef in olive oil on SAUTE in batches until well browned.
Build the stew base
  1. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes on SAUTE. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, then pour in 1/2 cup broth and deglaze by scraping the bottom.
Pressure cook
  1. Add the browned beef, remaining broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, bay leaf, cubed Yukon gold potatoes, and carrots. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on HIGH pressure for 35 minutes.
  2. After cooking, allow a natural release for 10 minutes before switching off pressure. Keep the lid sealed during the natural release.
Thicken and finish
  1. Switch to SAUTE and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Simmer until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  2. Stir in the frozen peas and remove the bay leaf. Simmer just until the peas are heated through, then serve.

Notes

Pro tip: Brown the beef in batches so the cubes sear instead of steaming, which helps the stew develop a deeper, thicker gravy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot using SAUTE. Freezing is not recommended for the best potato and thickened-gravy texture. For a gluten-free version, use a Worcestershire sauce brand labeled gluten-free.