This hearty Instant Pot Chunky Beef Stew comes together so easily and results in the most tender, cozy, and warming meal. Red wine, tomato paste, and balsamic vinegar add layers and layers of flavor. This recipe is guaranteed to be a year-long staple!
Beef stew is such a classic recipe! Those unctuous and familiar flavors warm your soul and make cold nights more bearable. With this recipe, you don't have to wait hours on end for the meat to tenderize or for the flavors to marry together. Instead, it's ready to slurp in about an hour thanks to the trusty Instant Pot! By cooking the ingredients in stages, you don't sacrifice the great texture each vegetable lends to the soup, resulting in a perfect bite in every spoonful.
how to make instant pot chunky beef stew
ingredients
- Beef stew meat: I purchase pre-cut "beef stew meat" for convenience. But you can also use boneless chuck roast, bone-in or boneless short rib, or brisket. Just make sure to cut them into bite-size pieces.
- All-purpose flour: Coating the meat in all-purpose flour creates a wonderful crust and later helps to thicken the stew.
- Avocado oil: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F). Make sure to get unrefined avocado oil.
- Onion, garlic, baby potatoes, carrots, celery, & frozen peas: Classic beef stew veggies!
- Tomato paste: Adds savory richness and subtle tomato flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce: Building layers of flavor here! Both intensify the beefy flavor.
- Red wine: It adds a wonderful depth of flavor but feel free to leave it out if you prefer!
- Beef bone broth: Bone broth has more health benefits than regular stock or broth - make sure to buy the refrigerated one too.
- Dried thyme, oregano, and bay leaves: Classic herbs to flavor the soup.
- Parsley: for garnish
prep
Prepping all the ingredients and mise en place (French for "putting in place") is the most important part of cooking, in my opinion!
- Grab your tools:
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Knives and cutting boards
- Prep bowls and/or brown paper bag
- Instant Pot
- Cooking utensil, like a wooden spoon
- Prepare the vegetables.
- Scrub the potatoes and celery clean, then dry with a paper towel
- Peel the onion and garlic. Option to peel the potatoes
- Chop the onion, potatoes, and celery. I like to leave them on the chunkier side
- Mince the garlic and parsley
- Measure out the carrots and frozen peas
- Prepare the meat. If you're not using pre-cut beef stew meat, cut the beef into 1" cubes.
- Prepare the dry ingredients. Measure and place the following into separate bowls: flour, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves.
- Prepare the wet ingredients. Measure and place the following into separate bowls: avocado oil, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, red wine, beef bone broth, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Plug in the Instant Pot.
time to get cooking instant pot chunky beef stew
Before you start cooking, make sure to complete the "Prep" steps listed above. This will keep the workflow smooth, easy, and organized!
sear the meat
First, pat the beef dry and add to either a large mixing bowl or paper bag. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Toss or shake to combine until the meat is evenly coated.
Turn the Saute mode on the Instant Pot and pour in the avocado oil. When hot, add a single layer of stew meat and sear on all sides, about 3 minutes. Repeat for the remaining meat, continuing to cook in batches so the pot isn't overcrowded. This will create a delicious brown crust instead of an unappetizing grey hue which happens when the meat is steamed. Set the meat to the side.
start with the base of the stew
If necessary, add a little more oil. Add the chopped onion to the Instant Pot and sweat until the edges just start to become translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then, add the tomato paste and mix well into the aromatics. Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes to toast the paste and remove the tinny flavor.
Next, pour in the red wine and use the back of a wooden spoon to scrape up those browned (almost burnt) bits on the bottom. This is where the flavor is! Let the wine reduce for 3-4 minutes, then turn off the Saute mode.
Add the balsamic vinegar, beef bone broth, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, meat, and more salt and pepper. Stir well, then cover and seal the Instant Pot. Turn on the Manual, High Pressure mode and set the timer to 10 minutes. Let it release naturally for 10 minutes.
finishing the stew
After 10 minutes, carefully move the "Seal" to "Venting" and remove the lid. Stir in the potatoes, baby carrots, and celery. Put the lid back on, re-seal, and cook on Manual, High Pressure for an additional 5 minutes with a 3 minute natural release. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the frozen peas. Taste (be careful, it's extremely hot!) and season to taste.
Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. I love serving toasted sourdough bread to soak up the extra liquid.. yum!
more must-try recipes
Looking for more delicious and cozy meal ideas? Check these recipes out!
- Vietnamese Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage (Xoi Lap Xuong)
- Shrimp and Grits with Andouille Sausage
- One-Pot Cheeseburger Pasta
- Instant Pot Pork Ragù
- Tortellini and Sausage Bake
If you try the recipe, please take a snapshot and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @balancewithjess or #balancewithjess. I love seeing your re-creations!
Instant Pot Chunky Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs beef stew meat
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 tsp pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ onion chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine use a wine you like to drink
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3½ cups beef bone broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1-1½ lbs potatoes washed, peeled if preferred, and chopped in large chunks
- 2 cups baby carrots (about 10 oz)
- 6 stalks celery quartered
- ½ cup frozen peas
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add beef stew meat, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to a large mixing bowl or paper bag. Toss or shake until meat is evenly coated.
- Turn the Saute mode on Instant Pot. Pour in avocado oil and when hot, add a single layer of meat. Sear each side for 2-3 minutes, then set aside. Repeat for the remainder of the beef. Do not overcrowd the pot or else the beef will steam instead of sear.
- Add the onion and garlic to the Instant Pot, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add more oil if necessary. Cook until onion starts to get translucent at the edges, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and toast 1 minute.
- Pour in red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom. Let reduce for 3-4 minutes or until half its volume. Turn off Saute mode.
- Add balsamic vinegar, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, beef stew meat, and remaining salt and pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir well. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on Manual, High Pressure for 10 minutes. Let release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and add the potatoes, carrots, and celery to the Instant Pot. Re-seal and cook on Manual, High Pressure for an additional 3 minutes. Let release naturally for 5 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and stir in the frozen peas. Season to taste (careful, it'll be hot!).
- Top with parsley and serve with toasted sourdough bread or a French baguette on the side.
products i used
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