Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew

This Instant Pot Beef stew is very easy and forgiving. It’s the perfect recipe for beginning Instant Pot users to try especially during the cold winter months.

I don’t know about you but I love soup (and stew) year-round despite living in the Arizona desert. Broth if one of my favorite things to eat (or rather slurp)! So while this is a great recipe for the cold winter months, I will make it year round because it’s so delicious!

Close up picture of Beef stew made in an Instant Pot — Easy and delicious, this Beef Stew is the best recipe for Instant Pot Newbies.

Are you looking for any Instant Pot recipe to try in your new Instant Pot? This Instantpot Beef Stew recipe was my first successful meal when I first bought my first Instant Pot.

I already made a version of it on the stove top and it’s so forgiving that it was easy to convert it to a simple Instant Pot recipe. I also love that you can modify or substitute ingredients if necessary. I have been able to consistently make AMAZING and easy Instant Pot beef stew for several years now.

Easiest Instant Pot Beef Recipe

I love soup. Soup with yummy broth, there is never enough broth by the way.

I am big of good tortilla soup or Pho, although I’ve never attempted either at home. One of my favorite soup recipes is our Sausage and Kale soup, so many fresh veggies and the broth is delicious.

Stew is usually hardier but still ends up with delicious broth which is my favorite part. This is definitely a new family favorite recipe and since I know many of you also bought an Instant Pot recently, I am sharing my favorite Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe with you!

How to make Easy Instant Pot Beef Stew

Turn your Instant Pot on to saute and add the olive oil, let it heat up while you prep the beef.

Prep the Beef for the stew

Season the flour with salt and pepper, I usually start with a couple spoonfuls and just add more if we need it. Coat the beef in the flour mixture and then brown on all sides in the Instant Pot.

It might be easier space wise, to brown half the meat first and then set it aside while you are browning the second half.

Brown your beef chunks for instant pot beef stew, you can use gluten-free flour if you need gluten free beef stew — Coat your stew meat in flour with salt and pepper

Prep your veggies for Instant Pot Beef Stew

Prep your veggies while you brown your meat. You can use a 16 oz bag of baby carrots or chop up ~2 cups of carrots.

Quarter the onions and potatoes, unless you buy small potatoes like fingerlings. Then I’d just leave them whole. It really is up to you, though.

Slice the mushrooms and dice the garlic. Or buy the mushrooms sliced and the frozen garlic already chopped. I love saving time when I can.

Saute and brown beef for easy instant pot beef stew or 21 day fix instant pot beef stew recipe — Brown your stew meat using the saute function on the Instant Pot.

Add all ingredients for Instant Pot Beef Stew

Once all of the veggies are prepped and meat is browned, dump all of the veggies in. You want to be careful not to go over the max fill line on your instant pot.

I am usually pretty close with the amounts in this recipe. I have no problem removing a few potatoes though if I am too close, they aren’t my favorite ingredient anyway. 🙂

Add the veggies for the easy instant pot beef stew and essential for 21 day fix instant pot beef stew — Prep all veggies while stew meat is browning.

Set the time for Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe

Then add the beef broth, tomato sauce and bay leaves on top. Secure the lid and press the Stew button.

Be sure the steam release valve is closed. I adjust the stew time to 35 or 40 minutes, either work great for me.