By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 5
495 cal · 60 min
Life-Changing Instant Pot Beef Stew
Recipe GLPRb6642c85aeed38
A classic French-inspired beef stew made effortlessly in the Instant Pot. Tender chunks of chuck roast are pressure-cooked with fresh vegetables and a subtle sweetness from tomato juice and sugar, creating a rich and deeply satisfying one-pot meal. The natural pressure release allows flavors to meld beautifully while the meat becomes fall-apart tender.
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Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, cut diagonally into thick pieces
6 carrots, cut diagonally into thick pieces
2 tablespoons small tapioca pearls
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Directions
Trim any excess fat from the beef chuck roast and cut the meat into 1- to 2-inch cubes. Slice the onion thinly and cut the celery and carrots diagonally into thick, uniform pieces.
Add the beef chunks, sliced onion, celery pieces, and carrot pieces to the Instant Pot.
Sprinkle the tapioca pearls, salt, and sugar evenly over the beef and vegetables. Pour the tomato juice over everything, stirring gently to combine.
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and select the stew or meat setting on high pressure. Cook for 35 minutes.
When the cooking time is complete, allow the pot to rest naturally for 10 minutes to begin releasing pressure gradually. Then carefully release any remaining steam using the quick-release valve.
Serve the stew warm. For enhanced depth and a light crust on the meat, you may transfer the stew to a baking dish and brown it briefly in a preheated 450°F oven for 5–8 minutes before serving.
Comments
This is a solid weeknight Instant Pot stew with readily available ingredients at any Charlotte grocery chain—chuck roast, onion, celery, carrots, tomato juice, and tapioca are standard stock items. Cost per serving runs roughly $2.50–$3.00 depending on beef prices, which is reasonable for a filling main. The stated 60 minutes is honest if you count prep, though actual hands-on time is under 15 minutes, which fits the Instant Pot promise. The stew reheats beautifully and feeds a family without fuss, though the "life-changing" claim oversells a straightforward braise—it's satisfying comfort food, not revelatory.
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