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    Home » Main Dishes

    Classic Beef Stew in the Instant Pot

    Published: Oct 9, 2019 · Modified: Feb 10, 2025 by Sula · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    When cool weather tiptoes in, that’s a sign: find a recipe for beef stew, sure to warm you through and through. It’s traditional comfort food at its finest: meat, potatoes and carrots.

    Traditionally made by slowly simmering the stew for hours, we can now make this old-fashioned meal with new-fashioned methods! I made it for many years using my slow cooker, letting it slowly cook the stew all day long while I was at work.

    Now, I've adapted this recipe to the Instant Pot to make beef stew that is just as tender and delicious in a fraction of the time!

    Instant Pot beef stew served on a plate with green beans and bread.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients Needed
    • How to make Beef Stew in a Crockpot or Slow Cooker
    • How to make beef stew in an Instant Pot
    • More Delicious Recipes to Try
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients Needed

    ingredients: potatoes, broth, carrots, onion, stew meat, V8, flour, worcestershire, and spices.

    **Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**

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    How to make Beef Stew in a Crockpot or Slow Cooker

    I’ve been using this beef stew recipe for at least 20 (of my 21 😀) years and for most of that time I have used a crockpot. For a weeknight meal I would prep it all the night before by browning the meat and cutting the vegetables. I put everything in the crockpot insert and placed it in the refrigerator overnight. Since I could use Blood Mary mix as an ingredient I would sometimes mix a beverage for myself. 😍

    In the morning, the insert came out of the fridge and went into the crockpot. Using a low temperature setting, I let it cook all day. By the time I came home the stew was ready to be thickened. Delicious.

    If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet, use this method. Oh, and then remember to put “Instant Pot” on your Christmas list.

    Beef Stew

    How to make beef stew in an Instant Pot

    Now – new and improved! - an Instant Pot makes it even easier. First, use the Sauté function to brown the meat, then add everything else. Set the cook cycle (meat/stew) and close and seal the Instant Pot. This is an 18 minute cook time for my Instant Pot, and total time is about an hour with the pressurize/depressurize steps. Once the cycle is complete, thicken with flour and it’s ready to serve.

    This is great on the day you make it, and an excellent leftover meal. It also freezes well. It makes a great meal prep solution. 😀

    Instant Pot Beef Stew served in a bowl with a slice of crusty bread.

    More Delicious Recipes to Try

    If you want something delicious to go with this stew, try some easy homemade drop biscuits.

    Want some other ideas for your Instant Pot? Try some Split Pea Soup or Vegetable Beef Soup, two more classics that are easy and delicious.

    For a lower carb version of this beef stew, try my keto beef stew.

    And if you'd like to branch out with new flavors, try some Korean Beef Stew or maybe Nigerian spinach stew. Or try a Lebanese cauliflower tahini stew with beef, it opens up a whole new world of flavor! There are plenty of ways to make a delicious stew that will please the palate for sure!

    A plate of beef stew with beans and bread.

    📖 Recipe

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    red bowl of instant pot beef stew
    5 from 43 votes
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    Beef Stew - Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

    Use a Crockpot or Instant Pot to make this classic stew!
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 285kcal
    Author: Sula

    Ingredients

    • 1 TB olive oil
    • 1½ pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
    • 1½ cups Bloody Mary mix or vegetable juice cocktail
    • 1½ cups beef broth
    • 2 medium carrots peeled, sliced 1-inch
    • 2 medium potatoes peeled, cubed
    • 1 medium onion cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
    • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ½ cup water
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    Instructions

    For Instant Pot:

    • Turn Instant Pot to “sauté” setting. Add olive oil, then beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned (5 to 7 minutes).
    • Add all remaining ingredients, except flour and water.
    • Seal Instant Pot and set to “meat/stew” (18 minutes). Once cooking cycle is done, allow to vent naturally for at least 20 minutes.
    • Stir together water and flour in a cup or small bowl until smooth.
    • When Instant Pot has vented, remove lid and stir flour mixture into beef mixture, stirring constantly. If mixture does not thicken, turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes to thicken the sauce.

    For Crockpot:

    • Warm olive oil in 10-inch skillet until hot; add meat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned (5 to 7 minutes).
    • Place meat in slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except water and flour.
    • Cover; cook on Low heat for 8 to 9 hours, or High heat for 5 to 6 hours or until beef is tender. Uncover; remove bay leaf.
    • Stir together water and flour in a cup or small bowl until smooth. Add flour mixture into beef mixture, stirring constantly. Cook on High heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened (8 to 10 minutes).
    • TIP: Add more flour if a thicker stew is desired.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 439mg | Potassium: 946mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3895IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. nancy

      December 24, 2021 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      The tastiest Beef Stew ever! it was so comfy and we ate so much rice with this!

      Reply
      • Sula

        December 25, 2021 at 8:11 am

        Having rice with it sounds delish!

        Reply
    2. Jules

      December 24, 2021 at 2:28 pm

      5 stars
      OH my Gawd, this looks so yum!

      Reply
      • Sula

        December 25, 2021 at 8:14 am

        It really is so good! I hope you give it a try - I make it on repeat!

        Reply
    3. Dave d.

      April 02, 2020 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Sula

        April 02, 2020 at 5:20 pm

        You are welcome. Please enjoy. 🙂

        Reply
    5 from 43 votes (40 ratings without comment)

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