
The ultimate comfort food just got better. Beef stew is such a staple in every American home especially during the winter months. Everyone needs to have a go to beef stew recipe. And honey, this is it! This instant pot beef stew is going to be your family’s new favorite cold weather comfort food.

Now I know a lot of you are wondering what you should make in your new Instant Pots you got for Christmas. Well, since you are always asking me for more instant pot recipes, what better way to start than with everyone’s favorite comfort food. Whether you are meal-prepping, making dinner for the family or having a few friends over, instant pot beef stew is the way to go!

So, what’s so special about this beef stew? Apart from the fact that it’s easy and delicious. It’s definitely over the top because we are using short ribs. Forget “stew meat”. Using boned-in short ribs in place of stew meat adds more richness and flavor to the stew. And of course, cooking our stew in the instant pot is going to cut the cooking time in half and allow you to have dinner on the table in no time.
Instant Pot Beef Stew: feed a crowd or have a romantic and cozy dinner for two

Another wonderful thing about beef stew is how accessible it is. It’s a great freezer-friendly meal. You can make a batch, and freeze it for up to three months for an easy and nutritious dinner you can just reheat and enjoy. It’s a great crowd pleaser but also makes a wonderful romantic and cozy dinner for two.
Don’t over think it. Just head to the store, grab the ingredients (you probably have everything in the fridge, freezer or pantry) and make this beef stew right now! Then, thank me laters.

Check out our other Whole30 favorites to help take the guess work out of your January Whole30.
Let’s get cooking
Let’s get cooking

INSTANT POT BEEF STEW
The perfect cold weather comfort food. Short ribs seared and braised in the instant pot with root veggies and a rich tomato-based sauce.
The perfect cold weather comfort food. Short ribs seared and braised in the instant pot with root veggies and a rich tomato-based sauce.
Prep Time:10 mins
Cook Time:45 mins
Total Time:55 mins
Yields:6 SERVES
1X
2X
3X
Ingredients
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3
ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
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1
tbsp. Grass-fed ghee
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2
lbs. pasture raised bone-in beef short ribs -fat trimmed
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salt and pepper
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4
small sticks of carrots or 2 large sticks (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
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4
garlic cloves (minced)
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1
large onion (cut into chunks)
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2
tbsp. Arrowroot starch
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2
cups beef broth
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1
14.5 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
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1
tbsp fish sauce
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2
tbsp. Coconut aminos
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1
bay leaf
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1
lb. red or gold baby potatoes (halved)
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1/4
tsp. Sea salt
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1
tsp. Italian seasoning â I like Primal Palate Amore seasoning
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1/2
tsp. Smoked paprika
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1
tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
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freshly chopped cilantro or parsley to serve
Instructions
- To begin, put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour about 1 cup of warm water over the mushrooms and set them aside for ~10 minutes to dehydrate them.
- Now, pat the ribs dry and season it generously with salt and black pepper. Now, select “sauté” on the instant pot and wait for the pot to read “HOT”. Add the ribs to the pot and sear them for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove the ribs from the pot and set them aside.
- Then, add the carrots, onions, and garlic to the instant pot and sauté for a few minutes to add some color to the vegetables. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and stir in the arrowroot starch. Cook the starch for about a minute, then pour in the bone broth, diced tomatoes, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Stir the mixture to combine all the ingredients and deglaze the pot. Return the ribs to the pot, add the bay leaf and cover the instant pot (make sure the steam valve is sealed). Select “STEW/MEAT” on the instant pot and set the time to 20 minutes.
- When the alarm indicating the cook time is over goes off, open the steam valve to release the pressure, and remove the lid from the pot. First, remove the bay leaf and discard it. Now, use tongs to remove the ribs from the pot and transfer them to a cutting board. Carefully pull the meat off the rib bones (discard the bones or save them for bone broth) and cut the meat into bite size pieces.
- Now, return the meat to the instant pot and add the potatoes, the mushrooms plus about 1/4 cup of the mushroom liquid (cut the larger pieces of mushrooms in half), salt, Italian seasoning, paprika and crushed red pepper flakes to the pot. Cover the instant pot, select “MEAT/STEW” and set the time for an additional 10 minutes (to cook the potatoes). When the alarm indicating the cook time is over goes off, open the steam valve again to release the pressure and remove the lid. Stir the stew, taste and season with a little more salt if necessary. Select “SAUTÉ” on the instant pot and let the stew simmer for ~5-7 minutes to allow it to thicken a bit. As the stew cools down, it will thicken up a lot more.
- Serve the stew in individual bowls and finish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro or parsley leaves.
Notes
- Leftovers of the beef stew can be transferred to freezer-friendly bowls (or bags) and stored in the freezer for up to three months.