Easiest Instant Pot Beef Stew

Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe with red wine, tender cuts of beef and vegetables is a super flavorful, hearty and delicious dinner that will warm you right up. Best stew ever!

You guys, I have a ton of Instant Pot recipes on the blog, but my family honestly thinks this easy beef stew recipe is one of the best! It’s a simple one pot dinner with meat, veggies and potatoes in a delicious, rich sauce.

My grandma used to make old fashioned beef stew that was simple and satisfying but took several hours to make on the stove. And, while I love making Beef Burgundy (Beef Bourguignon) in my Dutch oven, I almost never have that kind of time.

So, I found a way to make beef stew in the Instant Pot in about an hour. My recipe requires very little prep work or chopping. Other than chopping an onion and a few stalks of celery, you just throw everything else into the pot and pressure cooked! This is comfort food, folks, that will warm your heart and soul!

How to Make Beef Stew in the Instant Pot

First, pat the stew meat dry with a paper towel. This makes browning the meat easier. Then, I season the meat and brown it in some oil on the sauté setting in the Instant Pot.

Browning the meat adds flavor. But, if you’re really pressed for time or just plain tired, you can skip this step.

It’s best to work in batches so the meat browns faster — about a pound at a time. Just remove the beef to a plate and cover it until you’re done, then add it back to the pot.

Then, add some red wine, and deglaze the pot with a spatula or wooden spoon to remove any browned bits from the pot. Next add your beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and onions.

The key to making the easiest Instapot beef stew is using baby potatoes and carrots and layering them so they’re not sitting in the liquid. This lets you skip peeling and chopping, and your veggies won’t turn to mush.

They’ll be tender but not mushy! I also like to throw in some celery leaves for extra flavor.

Add in some tomato paste at the end, and then, I sprinkle in the piece de resistance — some herbes de Provence for extra flavor. I absolutely love this French seasoning, and I make whole chicken in the Instant Pot with it.

If you can’t find herbes de Provence, you can leave it out or use Italian seasoning. Don’t sweat it!

The beef stew tastes great without it, but if  you want a flavor boost, go with the herbes!

How Long to Pressure Cook

I pressure cook the stew for 30 minutes. The beef is fork tender, and the veggies are just right.. Be sure to allow a 10 to 15 minute natural release.

After the beef stew cooks, you can add frozen peas if you want. You can serve it right away if you like a thin sauce. If you like your sauce thicker, add a cornstarch slurry.

How to Thicken Stew

Just mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Turn your pot to sauté, and stir in the slurry.

Allow the pot to bubble away for about 5 minutes or so. Now, your sauce should be thick and rich!

What Red Wine is Best

Traditional beef Burgundy recipes use wine from the Burgundy region of France. You don’t have to use French wine, but try to use a light, dry wine such as pinot noir, merlot or cabernet.

Also, be sure to only cook with wine that you would actually drink. Don’t use table wine that may ruin the flavor of the stew or any dish.

Don’t want to use wine? You can use beef broth only. You can add in a little Dijon mustard for extra flavor if you want.

More Instant Pot Beef Recipes

• Instant Pot Swiss Steak
• Easy Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
• Delicious Instant Pot Mississippi Roast
• Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
• Easy Instant Pot BBQ Beef
• Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

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This recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2020. Changes are noted in the recipe card.