Make this Instant Pot Pot Roast: The same traditional flavors but without so much of the work. Plus a special twist to keep the vegetables from overcooking!
There’s nothing more comforting than beef in a rich gravy – be it a Beef Stew, a Stroganoff, homemade Salisbury Steak or this Pot Roast. Always one of my favorites on a cold day!
I love using my instant pot to make easy dinners! This pot roast is one of my favorites. And best of all: Everything cooks hands-off in ONE SINGLE (instant) pot for extra easy prep and clean up. And my kids love the hearty comfort food – hooray for the pressure cooker!
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!
Ingredient notes
- Beef: I strongly recommend using a beef chuck roast and not any other cut for the timing in this recipe to be correct.
- Vegetables: Use green beans in place of the celery stalks
- Worcestershire: If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce, use soy sauce instead
- Seasoning: For a delicious flavor twist, use Italian seasoning in place of the herbs and spices called for in the recipe
How to make pot roast in the pressure cooker
1. Start by cutting your chuck roast into 4 equal pieces. Then, sprinkle with the seasoning and rub it all over each piece of beef.
2. Switch on your instant pot and set it on “sauté”. Add oil, then brown each piece of beef on all sides.
I work in 2 batches to make sure I have enough space to turn the meat and to keep it from getting soggy vs browning.
3. Once the beef is browned, remove it from the instant pot. Add the tomato paste and cook it for around 30 seconds. Then, stir in the beef broth.
You’ll want to simmer this until the tomato paste has dissolved into the broth. You’ll also want to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot, otherwise they could trigger the “burn” warning during pressure cooking!
Finally, season with Worcestershire sauce and add the pieces of beef back into the pot. Seal the lid and pressure cook for 50 minutes.
4. Once the first pressure cooking time is up, you’ll want to switch off the instant pot and leave it alone for 5 minutes to do a short natural release.
In the meantime, prepare the vegetables (you probably need to start this around 10 minutes before the cooking time is up, unless you are a very speedy vegetable peeler and chopper).
Manually release any remaining pressure, open the pot and carefully place the prepared vegetables on top of the beef. Seal the lid again and pressure cook for 5 more minutes.
5. After another 5 minute natural pressure release, release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Remove the vegetables and the beef and set it aside on a warm platter, tented with foil.
Set the instant pot to “sauté” and stir a cornstarch slurry into the gravy. Simmer until the gravy has thickened – this will take less than a minute.
Immediately serve the gravy over the meat and vegetables!
Recipe tips
- Patting the beef dry with paper towels before browning helps the beef caramelize better, which makes the whole dish more flavorful.
- Brown the beef in batches for best results!
- Use leftovers in a sandwich – we love ours with pickles and tartar sauce.
- For a leaner sauce, trim any visible fat from the beef before cooking.
- We buy our potatoes at the farm down the road and they come covered in soil, so I usually peel them. If you’re using small/new/clean potatoes, cut down on prep time by leaving the skin on.
- Don’t skip the natural pressure releases, or your meat may turn out tough.
- The thickening in the end should only take a couple of minutes. If your gravy doesn’t thicken, increase the heat or add a little more cornstarch slurry.
Serving ideas
If you’re looking for side dishes and desserts that go with your pot roast, here are our favorites:
Salads
- Tomato and Cucumber Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Salad greens tossed with Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
Sides
Desserts
More comfort food dinners
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Recipe details
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin optional and unconventional, but delicious
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 medium carrots peeled and cut into fourths
- 3 celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1. pounds medium-small waxy potatoes cut in half
- 1-3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3-4 tablespoons cool water to make a slurry
Instructions
- Brown meat: Season beef roast with salt, garlic powder, dried rosemary, onion powder, dried thyme and pepper. Set instant pot to „sauté“ and add oil. Brown each piece of beef on all sides. Set aside on a plate.
- Start gravy: Add tomato paste to instant pot and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in beef broth, scratching any browned bits off the bottom (do this well, or you may trigger the "burn" warning later). Stir in Worcestershire sauce and check for seasoning.
- Pressure cook: Add the beef back to the instant pot, seal the lid and set the valve to „sealing“. Choose „manual“ or „pressure cook“ (wording depends on your model) and set the timer to 50 minutes.
- Add vegetables: Once cooking time is up, do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then manual release remaining pressure. Add vegetables to instant pot, seal the lid and set the valve to „sealing“. Choose „manual“ or „pressure cook“ (wording depends on your model) and set the timer to 5 minutes.
- Finish dish: Once cooking time is up, do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes. Manually release remaining pressure and open lid. Remove meat and vegetables from pot to a plate. Set instant pot to „sauté“ and stir cornstarch slurry into gravy. Simmer until thickened, serve over meat and vegetables.
Notes
Ingredient Notes:
- use green beans in place of the celery stalks
- if you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce, use soy sauce instead
- for a delicious flavor twist, use Italian seasoning in place of the herbs and spices called for in the recipe
Cooking Tips:
- Patting the beef dry with paper towels before browning helps the beef caramelize better, which makes the whole dish more flavorful.
- Brown the beef in batches for best results!
- Use leftovers in a sandwich – we love ours with pickles and tartar sauce.
- For a leaner sauce, trim any visible fat from the beef before cooking.
- We buy our potatoes at the farm down the road and they come covered in soil, so I usually peel them. If you’re using small/new/clean potatoes, cut down on prep time by leaving the skin on.
- Don’t skip the natural pressure releases, or your meat may turn out tough.
- The thickening in the end should only take a couple of minutes. If your gravy doesn’t thicken, increase the heat or add a little more cornstarch slurry.
Nutrition
More recipe information
More instant pot recipes
Recipe first published on 09/23/2019. Updated with more tips on 01/05/2021. The recipe has stayed the same.
Mary says
Turned out fork tender and delicious in instant pot. Will make it again soon.
Kristen K Williams says
Amazing!!!
Lisa says
I’ve made this recipe several times now and it turns out perfect every time. It’s so easy and doesn’t take long. One of my favorites.
Juanita says
Can I substitute sweet potatoes?
Nora says
Juanita, I personally would not. Sweet potatoes cook a lot faster and I guess you’d have to turn them into mash when cooked in the instant pot for the length the recipe calls for.
Valerie Vanbergejik says
This turned out great. I think my cut of meat was a bit tough but I added a few more minutes to the time until it was tender. The gravy is what puts this over the top! I also prefer to make masked potatoes and carrots separately but I like you idea to add those closer to the end so they don’t get mushy. Great recipe!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Valerie!
Shari H says
Delicious. Will make again..
Nora says
I’s one of our favorites, so I’m glad to hear this, Shari!
Will says
The pot roast was a huge hit with with the family! I left out the tomato paste as I didn’t have any. I left out the cornstarch at the end and the gravy that was made from cooking was delightful enough. I made a little over 5 lbs of chuck roast with a bag of baby peeled carrots and 2 lbs of new red potatoes. It was all devoured. I made some dinner rolls which made a perfect carb to the meal and also was a great way to soak up some of the extra gravy on the plate.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Will!
Michele says
This looks delicious! I have an 8 quart InstaPot and a 2 pound chuck roast. What changes will I need to make to enjoy this recipe? Do you think I’ll need more liquid? Thanks for your help. I’m new at this.
Nora says
Michele, I’m pretty sure the 8 quart instant pot needs a minimum of 2 cups liquid. So you would need to use 2 cups broth instead of 1. You’ll need to double the cornstarch in order to thicken the gravy in the end, too. Hope this helps!
Pais says
hi! I plan on making this for Christmas Eve! Do I pressure cook this on high?
Nora says
Yes, on high!
Don O says
Made this tonight…..Winner Winner Pot Roast dinner!! Meat fell apart and the gravy was some of the best! Thanks for a great recipe
Safire says
Outstanding flavor! I found my new favorite Pot Roast recipe, and the rest of the crew approved, too!
Mary says
Made this tonight.Used a 1 pound roast and halved the spice ingredients.Cooked roast 25 min.Was perfect.Did same amount of everything else and veggies were good.Next time will leave seasoning spices the same .I do not think it will be too much.Very good. A keeper! I just got my instant pot and this was my second meal in it. Thanks for the recipe.
Vanessa says
I made this tonight followed. The recipe to a T!! And man!!! Holy good god I am literally drinking the gravy! It is hands down 5 star!!!
Thank you!!!
Rosa S says
O.M.G! I can’t get over how delicious this pot roast is!
Thank you!!!!!
Morgan says
This is a dumb question, I’m sorry….but when you say “brown” the meat, do you mean cook it all the way through by itself or just brown the outside and it will cook through with the rest of the ingredients? I’m making it tonight and I’m not that brilliant with cooking terms hahaha
Nora says
Morgan, there are no dumb questions – only dumb answers 🙂 browning means you’ll just brown the outside of the meat. It will cook through with the other ingredients in the instant pot! Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions.
Kristina says
This was delicious! I’ve never made pot roast before and this recipe was easy and the entire family loved it!
Kathy says
This recipe turns out perfectly every time and is DELICIOUS!! I’ll never go back to using my slow cooker for pot roast because the meat comes out so much more tender and juicy this way and the gravy it makes is a flavor bomb. My whole family loves it.
Nora Rusev says
I’m so happy to hear this, Kathy! It’s one of my favorite comfort food recipes, so I’m glad your family enjoys it so much.
Annie says
This was such an easy and delicious recipe. The Instant Pot makes it so simple to prepare.
Peggy BRAGG says
I made your instant pot pot roast with carrots and potatoes. I also added some onions and it was the best recipe for roast my husband and I ever had. Instead of searing it in the pot I used my flat cast iron fry pan and go a good sear. It was as you said . It had a deeper flavor. Thank you so much. I will always have this in my file. The gravy was also excellent .
Nora Rusev says
I’m so, so happy to hear this, Peggy. Thank you for coming back to leave a review, I appreciate it!
Amanda says
Hi I loved this recipe the first time- What would I need to change if I were feeding 10 ppl with 5-6 lbs of meat??
Nora Rusev says
Amanda, I’d say you probably need an 8 quart instant pot for that, if you’re going to double the vegetables as well. The cooking time wouldn’t change as long as you cut the meat in the same size pieces. Hope that helps!
Martha R Johnson says
Hello Nora, I’m a 74 year old retiree with too much time on my hands, and my husband bought me my first instapot for Christmas. Last weekend I finally got to try it out and made your recipe for my son and daughter in law, what a wonderful meal! Like my dearest late mother used to make on Sundays when I was a little girl, only in a fraction of the time. We devoured it, and then had her rice pudding for dessert, everybody was full and happy! Thank you for sharing your recipes, it is a true treasure chest. Best wishes from Washington.
Nora Rusev says
I loved reading this, Martha. Thank you so much for sharing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the roast so much.
Wilma says
I liked your recipes much better than some others I have seen.
Nora Rusev says
Thank you so much, Wilma! That means a lot.
Lola says
Making this tonight. Ingredients call for fried rosemary, but instructions call for dried parsley. Do you use them interchangeably? Novice cook asking!
Lola says
*dried rosemary
Nora Rusev says
Lola, sorry that was a complete mistake on my part! It’s dried rosemary. I’ll correct that ASAP – so sorry for the confusion!
Peter J. says
made for NYE, easy to prep, clear instructions, good result. looked just like the photos. thank you for sharing.
Nora Rusev says
I’m so glad to hear this, Peter. Thank YOU for making it, and for taking the time to leave a review – I appreciate it very much. Happy New Year!
Ashlynn says
i recently made dinner for my fiancées parents for the first time, and chose this recipe. so glad I did!! it was very well recived (they now think I can cook… lol). skipped the celery bc I didn’t know how they like that, and added an extra carrot. served with the green beans you linked. everything was amazing, thank u so much for saving my butt!!!!!!
Nora Rusev says
Haha, that is amazing, Ashlynn! Thank you so much for putting your trust in my recipes for such an important occasion!