Surprise — you can make a rich, comforting beef stew on a weeknight when you use boneless beef short ribs and an Instant Pot. This version is fast, full of deep flavor, and perfect served over mashed potatoes so you don’t miss a drop of the gravy.
I like to serve this stew in a pasta bowl over creamy mashed potatoes and add a side of French-cut green beans for color and texture. The gravy is the star, so a wide, shallow bowl helps everyone get plenty of sauce with each bite.
How To Make World Class Stew In About One Hour
If you’re new to pressure cooking, the Instant Pot is a fantastic way to get deep, slow-cooked flavors in a fraction of the time. The key to a great Instant Pot beef stew is browning the meat well and building flavor from the very beginning.
Boneless beef short ribs are lean, economical, and very forgiving in the Instant Pot. Ask your butcher if you don’t see them packaged — they’re a terrific choice for a quick, hearty stew.
Before cooking, trim visible excess fat with a sharp knife but don’t strip every last bit; a little fat contributes flavor. Cut the ribs into roughly equal, bite-sized cubes — about the size of ice cubes — so they brown and cook uniformly. If the meat is slightly frozen it’s easier to slice evenly. Season the cubes with freshly cracked black pepper or a seasoned pepper blend, pressing it into the meat.
The Secret To The Most Exceptional Beef Stew
Great stew flavor starts with aromatics and a good sear. Chop a medium onion and press two garlic cloves. Saute the onion and garlic on high in about three tablespoons of olive oil until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Add the beef cubes a few at a time and sear them until well browned. Don’t crowd the pot — you may need to add a little more oil because boneless short ribs are lean. Those browned bits on the meat are essential; they create the deep, glossy gravy you want.
When all the beef is browned, remove it from the pot and pour in three cups of water. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up every browned fond bit from the bottom of the pot — that’s flavor. Stir in three heaping tablespoons of a paste-style beef bouillon, return the beef to the pot, and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 35 minutes.
While the beef cooks, peel and slice about two cups of carrots and prepare mashed potatoes if you plan to serve them. After the 35-minute cook, quick-release the pressure and add the sliced carrots. Seal and cook on high pressure for another six to eight minutes, then quick-release again.
Here Are The Final Steps To Make It Into Perfect Beef Stew
Switch the Instant Pot to sauté. To thicken the gravy, combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup cold water in a jar or shaker and shake until smooth. As the stew simmers, slowly add the cornstarch slurry while stirring constantly. Add the slurry gradually until you reach the consistency you prefer — you may not need the entire amount.
Serve the stew over freshly made mashed potatoes or over cooked noodles. For an attractive, balanced plate, present the stew in a pasta bowl with a side of French-cut green beans. Quickly warm the beans in the microwave, drain, then drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt to enhance their flavor.
Instant Pot Beef Stew — Recipe Details
Yield: 9 servings · Prep Time: 15 minutes · Cook Time: 45 minutes · Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, excess fat removed and cut into cubes
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 2–3 teaspoons seasoned pepper (or freshly cracked black pepper)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed
- 3 cups water
- 3 heaping tablespoons beef-flavored bouillon paste
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch blended into 1/2 cup cold water (for thickening)
Instructions
- Trim excess fat and cut the boneless short ribs into uniform, ice-cube-sized pieces.
- Saute the chopped onion and pressed garlic in olive oil in the Instant Pot until translucent and fragrant.
- Add beef cubes in small batches and sear until nicely browned on all sides. Remove browned beef and set aside.
- Pour 3 cups water into the pot and scrape up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Return beef to the pot, stir in beef bouillon paste, and pressure-cook on high for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to drop slightly, then quick-release.
- Add sliced carrots, reseal, and pressure-cook on high for 6–8 minutes. Quick-release when done.
- Switch to sauté, whisk the cornstarch slurry briefly, and add it slowly to the bubbling stew while stirring until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
- Serve hot over mashed potatoes or noodles, with French-cut green beans if desired.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories: 692 · Total Fat: 54 g · Saturated Fat: 20 g · Unsaturated Fat: 27 g · Cholesterol: 148 mg · Sodium: 200 mg · Carbohydrates: 8 g · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 2 g · Protein: 41 g
If you want more ideas using boneless beef ribs, try recipes like Instant Pot beef noodle soup or a quick tender short ribs recipe. Pressure cooking highlights rich, meaty flavor while keeping the meat tender and juicy.
Have you cooked with beef short ribs before? If not, give this Instant Pot beef stew a try — it’s a great introduction to the cut and to pressure-cooked comfort food. Let me know how it turns out!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on your social media. I’d be very grateful!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
