If you need a weeknight dinner for someone who craves red meat, cube steak in the Instant Pot is a great solution! Its fast, tender and full of flavor.
It is old fashioned comfort food, traditionally made in the oven. A slow cook time is typically needed to tenderize the cube steak.
But of course the Instant Pot makes it easier, faster, and just as tender.
Jump to:
Ingredients Needed
- Cube (cubed) steak
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Beef consommé
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Flour
- Olive oil
What is Cubed Steak?
Some say cube steak, others cubed steak. Either way, they are thin cuts of meat, usually sirloin or top round, which are flattened by pounding with a meat tenderizer. The name refers to the shape of the indentations left by that process. (Wikipedia)
Some people confuse cube steak with minute steak, but they are slightly different. Minute steak is cut even thinner and is not pounded to tenderize. It is called minute steak because it’s thin cut ensures it cooks very quickly.
How to Cook Cube Steak in the Instant Pot
To start, coat the steaks in flour. Then heat up a little oil in the Instant Pot and add the steaks. Brown on both sides. Do this a couple at a time and then remove the steaks to a plate until all are done.
Take a little water or broth and splash it into the hot Instant Pot. Stir to release all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing, and those brown bits are called “fond” but it more properly is spelled F-L-A-V-O-R. You want that flavor mixed into your sauce, not stuck on the bottom of the pot.
Would you like to save this recipe?
I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!
Return the steaks to the Instant Pot and add the mixture of soups, mushrooms and onions.
Set the Instant Pot cycle to cook on high for 20 minutes. When the cycle is done, let the pot depressurize naturally while you make your other dishes. Potatoes, noodles and rice are all excellent choices.
The sauce as-is will be a little thin, and I prefer to thicken it some. To do this, simply mix some flour and water together to make a pour-able slurry.
Remove the steaks from the Instant Pot, leaving the sauce behind. Turn on the sauté function. When the sauce begins to bubble, drizzle in some of the flour slurry, stirring constantly. Continue until the sauce is your preferred consistency.
More Delicious Meals from your Instant Pot
If you enjoy this meal, you might also want to try making old-fashioned Beef Stew or Pepper Steak in the Instant Pot.
In the mood for chicken? Try some Instant Pot French Onion Chicken or Chicken Stew.
The flavor and ease of the Instant Pot wins every time!
📖 Recipe
Would you like to save this recipe?
I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!
Instant Pot Cube Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cube steak
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 10.5 ounce can beef consommé beef broth may be substituted
- 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 8 ounces white mushrooms sliced or whole
- Small yellow onion chopped (or ½ medium)
Instructions
- Combine mushrooms, soup, beef consommé, and onion in a bowl; set aside.
- Place flour with garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dip cube steak in the flour mixture to cover both sides. (save leftover flour)
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté and add oil.
- Add a couple steaks to hot oil and brown both sides. Remove and repeat with remaining steaks.
- Splash a little water or broth in the pot and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom, then return steaks to the pot.
- Pour the soup and mushroom mixture over the steak.
- Cover and seal. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then allow to naturally depressurize.
- Remove steaks from Instant pot and check the sauce. If it seems too thin, add some water to the remaining flour from step 1 to make a slurry. Set Instant Pot to Sauté to heat the sauce. Once bubbling, stir and drizzle in flour slurry a little at a time until desired thickness is reached.
- Serve with rice, potatoes or noodles.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Elaine
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it turned out great!
Sula
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Sam
I love my instant pot and I’m always looking recipes to make in it. When I found your recipe I was excited to try it because I had some cube steak in the refrigerator. This was a delicious dinner recipe for my family. Mashed potatoes did Justice to it. Thanks.
Sula
Yum, I tend to make egg noodles with this but mashed potatoes sounds so good! I'll have to try that next time!
Randy
My cube steak a little bit different but when I seen your recipe, I knew that I had to give it a try. OMG, your Instant Pot Cube Steak recipe is way better than mine!! It was super easy to make and my family loved it.
Sula
I confess, easy and delicious will always win for me!
Liv
I am an Aussie girl who married an American last year and we recently moved to Boston from Port Douglas!! (lets not talk about how cold I am ALL THE TIME!) I had no idea what cubed steak was! But hubby said he loved it and it reminded him of his Nanna. So I was determined to make something he'd enjoy. Yours is the third recipe I have tried and I hit the jackpot, he said this was exactly like he remembered. So this will be my go to recipe from now on 🙂
THANKYOU
Sula
That's wonderful Liv, I'm so happy I could help bring back those memories for your hubby. This meal is officially comfort food, so hopefully it will also help you get warm LOL.
Tessa
This cube steak recipe using the instant pot is perfect. Served it with onion sauce over mashed potatoes, such a simple yet classic comfort food.
Sula
So glad you enjoyed it Tessa!
Lance Montgerard
Needed to find a recipe that was more healthy than regular cube steak. I used almond floor and reduced fat cream of mushroom. It turned out perfect.
Sula
Wonderful, thanks for sharing your tweaks!
Patrick
This tastes so good!
Sula
Its perfect comfort food!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady
I bet this cube steak is so tender and delicious. I love the mushroom sauce you've cooked it in!
Sula
The mushroom sauce really makes a difference!
Alyssa Hixenbaugh
This sounds like the perfect comforting meal! It would be great for an easy weeknight meal.
Sula
Yes, it comes together so quickly and easily!
Emily Flint
I had never cooked with cube steak before because I had no idea what to make. Since I found your recipe I have made this twice and everyone in my house loves it!!
Sula
I felt the same way about cube steak for a long time. We love this way of making it!
Christina's Bread Bakes
Quick & yummy weekday dinner (and inexpensive). I made it with pantry staples and a few fresh items, easy peasy. Thanks!
Sula
Yes I love the easy peasy aspect!
Giangi Townsend
One of my favorite recipes and now with instpot? I am in heaven. Thank you for sharing and cannot wait to make it
Sula
Yes, the Instant Pot makes everything easier!
Jessica Formicola
Cube steak is one of my favorite comfort foods! I can't wait to try it in the Instant Pot- the easier the better!
Sula
Oh yes the Instant Pot makes it so easy and so tender!
Vincit Omina
Instant Pot Cube Steak, one of the essential food groups!
Sula
It is in this house, for sure!
Blake Moon
Awesome!
Sula
Thank you!