Instant Pot Beef Stew

This is a take on our original stew recipe that we used to make in the crockpot. When we got an instant pot, the recipe was easily adapted for a much quicker meal! Of course, you could certainly make this recipe in the crockpot if you don’t have an instant pot. This serves five of us with enough for three or four people to enjoy leftovers the next day. If you’re new to using an instant pot, be aware that it does take about 15-20 minutes to warm up before it starts the pressure-cooking countdown, and then another 15-30 minutes (or a good 20 minutes longer sometimes) for natural release. That adds up to basically an extra hour if you choose to do natural release, so plan accordingly! This stew is amazing with freshly baked bread from my recipe I included in the post The Gifts of His Grace. This is one of our favorite fall/winter meals that makes you feel cozy and warm!

2-3 lbs stew meat, pre-cut (or if you buy it whole, be sure to cut it into roughly bite-size pieces)

6 russet potatoes, washed and cut into chunks (we don’t peel ours, but you could if you don’t like potato skins!)

1 bag (16 oz.) baby carrots, prewashed

Dried onion flakes to taste

Italian seasoning to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Onion powder to taste

8 cups of cold water mixed with 1 cup of gravy mix (or more if you prefer it thicker!)

3 beef bouillon cubes

Turn on your instant pot to saute. Drain the meat of any juice and cook until browned all over. Turn off saute setting. Add the bag of baby carrots and the potatoes. Mix with the meat. Add your water and gravy—add more water if necessary to cover the meat and vegetables. Add the beef bouillon and seasonings to taste. Put your cover on securely 😊 and press meat/stew setting on your instant pot. I usually set the cook time for 75 minutes. It’s great if you can do natural release (which means waiting to open the pot until the red button on the top pops down—usually 10-30 minutes), but you can also do instant release at this point if you don’t want to wait any longer to enjoy this delicious stew! Serve with fresh bread or crackers, cheese, and apple slices, and a big green salad.