Best Ever Instant Pot Beef Stew – This comforting and easy Whole30 Instant Pot Beef Stew will be one of your favorite Instant Pot recipes! Tender beef stew meat simmered in a hearty and flavorful broth that’s loaded with veggies!
Paleo Instant Pot Beef Stew is one of my favorite cozy, comfort dinners to make on a chilly day (other than this Instant Pot Pulled Pork Ragu) – and it’s one of the first recipes I remember making with my mom so it holds a special food memory for me as well!
With tender chunks of beef stew meat that simmers on the stove all day, low and slow with a beefy broth that is hearty and will warm you up. Seriously, what’s better?
This recipe calls for the same ingredients from my mom’s beef stew, but what makes it the best beef stew is the use of an electric pressure cooker.
Pressure cooking this Instant Pot Beef Stew in less time – that’s what makes it better! All the same flavors in loads less time. What a win.
ingredients in this whole30 beef stew recipe
If you enjoy cozy, hearty, and healthy recipes that will please everyone at the table, then this Instant Pot Whole30 Beef Stew is the best thing to cook in an Instant Pot!
- beef, chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into 1-2-inch chunks – you can also use beef stew meat
- avocado oil – or olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup beef broth – or stock, or bone broth
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 1/2 cups red potatoes, peeled and cubed – can also use Russet potatoes
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup sliced celery, roughly chopped
- 3 cups tomato juice – such as V8
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil spice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or arrowroot powder – can use cornstarch or flour if not on whole30
- 2 tablespoons water
how to make beef stew in the instant pot
- Brown the beef. To your instant pot/electric pressure cooker, add avocado oil and turn on the saute function. Allow pot to heat (will indicate “hot” when ready). Season beef with salt and pepper. Once hot, add beef (may need to do this in batches) and saute until all sides are browned.
- Deglaze the pot. Add beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot for 3 minutes; stir and scrape the bottom to remove any browned beef bits. These bits add loads of extra flavor. Don’t skip this step!
- Stew for 30 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato juice, garlic and spices. Make sure that the release valve is in the sealing position. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn and lock the lid. Using the stew/meat setting, set timer for 30 minutes. then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Thicken beef stew. Mix together tapioca starch and cold water in a small bowl to create slurry. With the sauté function on and while stirring, slowly pour the slurry into the beef stew, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.
storage tips for whole30 instant pot beef stew
- To Store. Refrigerate beef stew in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- To Freeze. Freeze beef stew in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop.
frequently asked questions
how to make beef stew in the slow-cooker
- Brown the meat. Just like the instant pot, you’ll want to brown the beef stew meat first. You can do this by adding to a dutch oven or if your slow-cooker has a saute function (some do) you can brown in the slow-cooker. Alternatively, if you have an actual Instant Pot branded electric pressure cooker, you can use the slow-cooker function if you need to cook for a longer time.
- Cook everything in the slow-cooker. Add the browned beef, broth and all the other stew ingredients, except for the tapioca starch and water and cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-9 hours or until beef is tender.
- Thicken the stew. Following the same instructions as above. More info in the recipe card below.
how to thicken beef stew
You will easily create a “slurry” by mixing tapioca starch and water together until no lumps exist. Then pour the slurry into the stew once the beef is tender (more instructions in the recipe card below) while the stew is still hot. Let it cook together on a low bowl for 2-3 minutes, until beef stew has thickened.
To keep this beef stew recipe whole30 compliant, make sure to use either tapioca starch or arrowroot powder.
If you are not on a whole30, you can use cornstarch or even flour.
what is stew beef meat?
Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, namely chuck and/or round. When you simmer it in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.
You can usually find stew beef meat that has already been cubed at the butcher or you can take a chuck roast and cube yourself with a chef’s knife. Doing it yourself will usually save you but, stew beef meat is inexpensive in general.
sides to serve with beef stew
As-is, this whole30 instant pot beef stew is a complete meal, but here are some side ideas:
whole30 instant pot beef stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef, chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into 1-2-inch chunks - you can also use beef stew meat
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil - or olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 cup beef broth - or stock, or bone broth
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 1/2 cups red potatoes, peeled and cubed - can also use Russet potatoes
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup sliced celery, roughly chopped
- 3 cups tomato juice - such as V8
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil spice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch or arrowroot powder - can use cornstarch or flour if not on whole30
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Instant Pot
- To your instant pot/electric pressure cooker, add avocado oil and turn on the saute function. Allow pot to heat (will indicate "hot" when ready).
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Once hot, add beef (may need to do this in batches) and saute until all sides are browned.
- Add beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot for 3 minutes; stir and scrape the bottom to remove any browned beef bits.
- Add the potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, tomato juice, garlic and spices – stir to combine. Make sure that the release valve is in the sealing position. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn and lock the lid.
- Using the stew/meat setting, set timer for 30 minutes. then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Mix together tapioca starch and water in a small bowl to create slurry. With the sauté function on and while stirring, slowly pour the slurry into the beef stew, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Slow-Cooker
- Place a large, deep Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil. Season beef with salt and pepper. Once hot, add beef (may need to do this in batches) and saute until all sides are browned.
- Add beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the Dutch oven pot for 3 minutes; stir and scrape the bottom to remove any browned beef bits.
- Add the potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, tomato juice, garlic and spices – stir to combine. Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 8-9 hours or until beef is tender.
- Mix together tapioca starch and water in a small bowl to create paste. Stir into the stew a little bit at a time to thicken. Cover and cook 10 minutes, until beef stew has thickened.
Notes
- To Store. Refrigerate beef stew in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- To Freeze. Freeze beef stew in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop.
Nutrition
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Lindsay Cotter says
This is just the dinner I need! It’s so cold here! This looks so cozy and delicious!
Toni says
This will quickly become a favorite in my house!
Toni says
Looks like a new favorite in my house!
Liren | Kitchen Confidante says
What a clever use of V8!! Great idea!
Jen says
Beef stew is one of my absolute favorite meals! Yum!