Pot roast is a classic everybody loves —but when you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, it can be an intimidating ordeal. This recipe is an 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!
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A Note from Nora
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 pot for extra easy prep and clean up! And my kids love the hearty comfort food – this pot roast just as much as my Instant Pot Beef Stew, my Instant Pot Stroganoff and my Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes!
How to Make Pot Roast in the Instant Pot:
Read on for the detailed step-by-step ingredients and instructions, or scroll down for tips and the printable recipe card.
Instant Pot Pot Roast Video Tutorial:
Ingredients for Pot Roast
This all-in-one meal includes fork-tender beef, carrots, potatoes, celery and the most delicious gravy.
You Need:
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut in 4 pieces
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 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
- 1.5 pounds medium-small waxy potatoes, cut in half
- 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3-4 tablespoons cool water to make a slurry
Ingredient Swaps
- 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
Equipment Needed for Instant Pot Pot Roast
You need the following equipment ready:
- a knife and chopping board
- measuring cups and spoons
- a wooden cooking spoon
- an electric pressure cooker
- a plate to set aside the browned beef
- a small bowl for the cornstarch slurry
- a serving platter to remove the roast before thickening the gravy
Steps
Instead of cooking everything at once from the start, the meat cooks by itself for the largest portion of the cooking time.
Then the pressure is released and the vegetables are added for only the final 5 minutes of cooking: No overcooked vegetables here!
1 – Brown the Beef:
To make sure the meat turns out flavorful, season it well with salt, pepper, herbs and spices before browning.
To brown, set the instant pot to “sauté” and add some oil to the inner pot.
To make sure the beef actually browns (and doesn’t turn soggy), work in 2-3 batches to brown it. Make sure you’re browning the beef on all sides for maximum flavor!
Remove the browned beef to a clean plate and set aside.
2 – Start the gravy:
Next, stir the tomato paste into the instant pot and cook for 30 seconds.
Next, stir in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot (make sure you get them all or you may get a burn warning).
Switch off the instant pot and add the meat back into the pot.
3 – Pressure cook:
Close the lid and set the valve to the “sealing” position.
Press the “manual” or the “pressure cook” button (depends on your instant pot model) and set the timer to 50 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, let the instant pot do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then manually release remaining pressure.
4 – Cook the vegetables and finish the dish:
Open the lid and add the prepared vegetables on top of the meat.
Close the lid again, setting the valve to “sealing”. Choose “manual” or “pressure cook” and set the timer to 5 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, do a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. Open the lid and remove the vegetables and beef to a serving platter.
Set the instant pot to sauté and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the gravy has thickened to your liking (this should only take a couple of minutes, if your gravy doesn’t thicken, increase the heat or add a little more cornstarch slurry.
Tear beef into pieces to serve. And definitely smother everything in the delicious gravy.
Nora’s Tips for the BEST Instant Pot Pot Roast:
- Patting the beef dry with paper towels before browning helps the beef caramelize better, which makes the whole dish more flavorful.
- 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.
Pair this Pot Roast Recipe With:
Print the Recipe:
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut in 4 pieces
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 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
Equipment
Instructions
- Brown meat: Season beef roast with salt, garlic powder, dried parsley, 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. 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.
Video
Nutrition (this is an estimate)
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