INSTANT POT BEEF STEW

Instant Pot Beef Stew is such a comforting dish on a cold day. This easy pressure cooker recipe is full of tender meat with carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes & celery.

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 pounds beef chuck roast , trimmed and cut into 1 - 2 inch chunks (OR beef stew meat if you can't find chuck roast)
1 -2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning, divided
1/3 cup flour , use gluten free flour or arrowroot starch if needed (leave out for keto)
cooking oil
1 medium onion , cut into large chunks
3-4 cloves garlic , minced
6 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine
4 medium Yukon potatoes , peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks (sub with cauliflower for low carb / keto)
1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped into 1 inch chunks (swap with pumpkin for low carb / keto)
3 medium carrots , peeled and cut into slices (leave out for low carb / keto)
2 ribs celery chopped
1-2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
4-5 cups beef broth, homemade or low sodium
water as needed to cover the vegetables
1-2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley for garnish
1/2 star anise, optional but adds SO much depth and flavor
salt and pepper to taste

TO THICKEN STEW (OPTIONAL):

Make a slurry with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch or flour , all purpose, gluten free or arrowroot powder+ 3 tablespoons cool water
Instantpot, I have the 6 Quart DUO PLUS

Instructions

In a large zip-top bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning. Add meat and shake until well coated.
Browning the meat: (feel free to skip to step 5 and add all the ingredients together instead). Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, add cooking oil and brown the meat on all sides. Meat will not be cooked through. (Be sure not to crowd the pot - you may have to work in batches). Transfer browned meat onto a large plate.
Place the pot back in the pressure cooker and add onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or two then add the balsamic vinegar and tomato paste until just hot enough to deglaze the pot, about 1 minute.
Add the beef back into the pot along with potatoes, sweet potato, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, bay leaf, beef broth and (star anise if using). Stir to combine. If there is not enough liquid to cover the vegetables, add water - only as much as needed.
Cover and seal the lid and set to 20 minutes with High Pressure on Manual mode. Allow the pressure cooker to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary (discard bay leaf and star anise if used). Serve hot with fresh parsley.

TO THICKEN STEW (OPTIONAL):

Make a slurry by whisking 3 tablespoons of cool water with 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (all purpose, gluten free or arrowroot powder). Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and allow the stew to come to a boil and thicken up.