Use Your Instant Pot for Fast & Flavorful Beef Stew

The official first day of spring has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we’re saying goodbye completely to some of our favorite winter dishes. Take beef stew, for example — it’s warm and comforting and will make you feel all sorts of cozy on a chilly spring evening.

But you probably don’t have four hours to spare after work to create a rich, complex beef stew in the oven. Enter: the Instant Pot. With only six ingredients and 45 minutes, this is how you make beef stew on a weeknight.

The recipe instructions couldn’t be easier: Simply add chuck roast, onion, celery, carrots, tapioca, tomato juice, salt, and sugar in your Instant Pot; select the stew/meat setting; and then once it’s done (after 35 minutes), let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before releasing the pressure.

There are two little tricks employed here to make this a successful finished product. First, the little tapioca balls dissolve as the stew is cooking in the Instant Pot and, in turn, help thicken the stew (as an alternative to a roux). Second, the author suggests transferring the stew from the Instant Pot to a large oven-safe dish and cooking it (uncovered) at about 400°F for 10 to 20 minutes to get some browning on top for added color and texture. This step is totally up to your preference, though!

Then all you have to do is serve the stew with hunks of crusty bread for dipping and pour yourself a glass of red wine.

→ Get the Recipe: Instant Pot Beef Stew from Pinch of Yum