Chunky Beef and Vegetable Stew (Instant Pot)

This beef stew is loaded with vegetables, spices, and healthy ingredients. It’s chunky and you can even make it vegetarian by substituting beefless tips and vegetable broth. Grab your instant pot and get ready to enjoy in an hour!

If you need me this winter, I’ll be over here making all of the soups and stews this season!

I don’t know about you, but as we enter December and the colder weather creeps in, I start craving stews and hearty soups that leave me feeling full and satisfied. After a very indulgent period of travel around Thanksgiving, I knew that I wanted to create a version of beef stew that still keeps things light and loaded with vegetables upon our return.

This was also my first time using our Instant Pot, which we have had for a year now. (Does the concept of pressure cooking and releasing the steam intimidate anyone else?)

Well, I’m happy to report that the entire process was extremely easy, once I figured out how to use it with the appropriate settings. The recipe you see listed below is catered to the Instant Pot, but you could transfer it to the stove top if you had more time and patience by browning the meat, adding the liquids and spices, and simmering until the vegetables turn soft for at least two hours.

But let’s keep things simple today by covering specific Instant Pot directions. And trust me, if I can figure it out, you can too!

Fancy kitchen gadgets are not my thing. I’m pretty old school when it comes to just doing things the way I’m used to as opposed to my husband who tries any new gadget that make things easier for almost anything.

But really, this is so simple. Trim and cube your meat, prep your vegetables, measure out your spices, grab your instant pot and get started!

When you’re using an instant pot, however, know that order of ingredients matter — especially with stews. To avoid burning, start with the vegetables at the bottom, then add meat, then liquids and spices.

For this recipe, you will cook everything except the frozen vegetables and parsley together. After 35 minutes of cooking, the stew will be done. Then, you’ll go back and add the frozen peas, frozen green beans, and parsley. (I also threw in a little garlic for extra flavor, but this is completely optional.)

That’s it! Then you stir and serve hot with a side of crackers or bread, if desired. Easy, right?

I prefer my soups and stews to be hearty and chunky, and the consistency of this recipe is perfect — not too thick or thin. If you’d like it a little thinner, add more broth. If you’d like it a little thicker, mix a bit of cornstarch and water together in a separate bowl, then add that to the instant pot with the tomato paste before cooking.

I made this last night and finished off another bowl and a half for lunch today, and it was even better the second time around. Just like most stews, this one packs extra flavor the longer it simmers and sits.

Okay, let’s dive right into the good stuff because my belly is full from leftovers and you need to know how to make this for yourself as soon as possible. YUM!

Here’s the how-to:

(Simply right-click the photo above to save, pin, or print the recipe.)

Please let me know if you give any of the recipes featured on this blog a try. I’d love to hear your thoughts or tweaks if you made them!

All right, I better go try to figure out what’s for dinner now. Unfortunately, this stew is long gone — super sad face. Thanks for checking in today, and I’ll see you back here at the end of the week with a new set of Friday Favorites.

Have a great night!

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• Black Bean and Vegetable Soup
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