Beef Stew with Tomatoes (Instant Pot)

Get warm and cozy with this Instant Pot Beef Stew with Root Veggies - a hearty, comforting one-pot meal that is keto-friendly, easy to make, and full of depth and flavour. Incredibly tender, rich, and satisfying all in about an hour and a half.

1 lb beef stew meat or 1" cubed chuck roast
¾-1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
½-1 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil or other high heat oil
½ cup shallot, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 tsp. olive oil
½ cup red wine
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
½ cup whole tomatoes in juice
1 cup beef broth
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
4 cups or 1.5 lbs combined root vegetables: 3 red potatoes, 1 parsnip, 2 rutabagas, 2 carrots, cut into 1-2" chunks
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Pat the meat chunks off with paper towels, soaking up any moisture. The less moisture the better the sear, which will give the meat better flavour and texture. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Set instant pot to sauté function. Add oil and sear beef chunks in two batches, remove beef from pot and set aside.

Sauté shallots, celery, garlic, olive oil (if needed) among all the leftover bits in the pot for about 2 minutes.

Add red wine, balsamic, Dijon, tomatoes, beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Mix around, scraping the bottom of the pot to get off any stuck bits. Smash up the tomatoes against the side to break them up a bit. Add seared beef. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, making sure to seal the steam valve. Prep your veggies.

Allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.

Add the root vegetables in with the stew and set to low pressure for another 3-4 minutes, depending on your preference of doneness.

Manually release the steam valve. Add fresh parsley and serve with sourdough biscuits.

Cook's Notes:

Adjust the secondary cook time according to how your vegetables are cut. I kept mine in 1-2" chunks. If you opt for smaller vegetables go for the lesser time.

An alternative short cut if you are going to cut your own chunks from chuck roast- sear the entire roast in a Dutch Oven on both sides and then cut when it is cool.

Though we have not tested these cuts, they are known to be used for stew: bottom round, chuck roast, chuck steak, beef shoulder, pot roast.

Yes! This can be done in a slow cooker. Sear meat in a pan, briefly sauté shallots, celery and garlic. Add all ingredients, except parsley, to slow cooker. Cook on high 6-8 hours. Stir in parsley when ready to serve.