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Using an Instant Pot to make Pot Roast means delicious comfort food in record time. Supremely tender, fall-apart beef in only 60 minutes means you can make this for dinner any night of the week, no problem.
Some folks swear by their Instant Pot and probably make pot roast all the time, along with a bunch of other dependable recipes. Others have an Instant Pot but have no idea how to use it. (Totally understandable; it’s not all that intuitive.)
If you’ve never worked with one before, start with the classic: pot roast. It’s so easy and makes the most deliciously tender beef you’ve ever had. Even better, everything is made in one pot and ready to eat in about an hour. It will quickly become one of your favorite instant pot recipes.
Table of Contents
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Beef roast: You can be a little flexible here. Chuck roast, aka shoulder steak or boneless chuck roast, has the boldest beef flavor. But brisket or round roast, aka rump roast, are also good choices that turn tender in the pressure cooker. Choose a size that will fit in your machine. A 3-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If your pressure cooker is 6 quarts, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast. And if you’re working with an 8-quart pot, you can make a 6 to 7-pound roast.
- Carrots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, may be substituted for the baby carrots.
- Potatoes: Small red potatoes are low in starch and hold their shape well during the long cooking time. Starchier potatoes, such as russets or even Yukon golds, will get mushy or may even dissolve.
- Red wine: I use Pinot Noir, but you don’t have to. Just pick something dry that you don’t mind drinking; you only need about a cup of wine. If you don’t have it, add more beef broth or use chicken broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Step-by-step instructions
- Start by patting the meat dry with paper towels, then season all sides with salt and pepper. Set the pressure cooker to the sauté function and pour the olive oil into the bottom of the pot. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- To the pot add the carrots, onions, and potatoes and cook until they begin to brown, stirring occasionally. Then add the garlic and continue to sauté, but only about 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Get every last bit. Then add the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, then return the beef to the pressure cooker and cover and lock the pot.
- To cook, press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set it to cook for 60 minutes. When finished, let the steam pressure release naturally, about 15 minutes. When the valve drops, unseal the top of the pot and take out the roast and the vegetables. Keep them warm while you make the gravy.
- Pour the drippings in the pressure cooker into a separate dish and allow the fat to rise to the top. Using a flat spoon, skim off as much of the fat as you can. Set aside about ¼ cup of the fat for the gravy, and pour it into a saucepan on the stove. Over low heat, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour and fat mixture becomes bubbly. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.
- Then measure out the remaining meat juices. You need 2 cups of the cooking juices, but if you don’t have enough, top the measuring cup off with some water to reach the mark. Pour the liquid into the saucepan with the flour and fat, then return the pan to medium-high heat and bring the gravy to a boil. Stir the whole time, to prevent scorching.
- As the gravy cooks, it will thicken. After a minute or so, it should be thick enough for serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with the pot roast on a serving platter.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe should feed 12, with each person eating 3-4 ounces of pot roast as a meal.
- Storage: Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container, and eat them within 4 days.
- Make ahead: Pot roast always tastes better the next day, so plan on making it ahead if you have time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 325 degrees until hot, in a slow cooker on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or in a pot on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Freezing: Leftover pot roast freezes beautifully for meal prep and last-minute lifesaving dinners. Freeze with the gravy in a freezer-safe container, if you like, for up to 3 months. Thaw the roast overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as you like.
- Vegetables: Some cooks recommend adding any vegetables into the pot midway through the cooking so they stay firm. But I prefer the flavor they add to the roast and don’t mind them softer.
- Larger cuts: For more flavor, cut a larger (5-pound or more cut of beef) roast into two smaller chunks to fit into the pot. That allows more surface area for browning.
- Slicing or shredding: If you love a shredded roast, use two forks to do the job. If a slice of meat is more your style, slice the roast against the grain to keep the roast intact.
- Oven-braised: Try my classic pot roast recipe if you want to make pot roast in the oven.
More hearty meal ideas
Beef Recipes
Shepherd’s Pie
30 Minute Meals
Chicken Stroganoff
Casserole Recipes
Turkey Tetrazzini
Soup and Stew Recipes
Beef Stew Recipe
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Instant Pot Pot Roast
Using an Instant Pot to make Pot Roast means delicious comfort food in record time. Supremely tender, fall-apart beef in only 60 minutes means you can make this for dinner any night of the week, no problem.
Ingredients
- 1 (3 to 4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast (see note 1)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces baby carrots about 1 ½ cups (see note 2)
- 2 large onions thinly sliced, about 2 cups
- 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (see note 3)
- 1 cup red wine (see note 4)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper all over. Set Instant Pot to Saute and heat oil until shimmering. Brown beef on all sides until a deep brown crust develops, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef to platter or cutting board.
- Add carrots, onions, and potatoes to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in red wine, deglaze pot by scraping up brown bits.
- Add beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. Return beef to pot. Cover and lock Instant Pot. Press Manual or Pressure Cook button and set for 60 minutes. When timer beeps, allow pressure to release naturally until the float valve drops, about 15 minutes. Unlock lid and remove beef and vegetables (discard bay leaf). Keep warm while making gravy.
- To make the gravy, pour drippings into a bowl. Allow fat to rise to the top. Skim off fat and reserve ¼ cup. In a large saucepan over low heat, pour in reserved fat. Whisk in flour and stir until mixture is bubbly. Set aside to cool.
- Measure remaining meat juices and add water until it reaches 2 cups liquid. Add mixture to sauce pan, return to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pot roast with vegetables and top with gravy.
Notes
- Beef roast: You can be a little flexible here. Chuck roast, aka shoulder steak or boneless chuck roast, has the boldest beef flavor. But brisket or round roast, aka rump roast, are also good choices that turn tender in the pressure cooker. Choose a size that will fit in your machine. A 3-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If your pressure cooker is 6 quart, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast. And if you’re working with an 8-quart pot, you can make a 6 to 7-pound roast.
- Carrots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, may be substituted for the baby carrots.
- Potatoes: Small red potatoes are low in starch and hold their shape well during the long cook time. Starchier potatoes, such as russets or even Yukon golds, will get mushy or may even dissolve.
- Red wine: I use Pinot Noir, but you don’t have to. Just pick something dry that you don’t mind drinking; you only need about a cup of wine. If you don’t have it, add more beef broth or use chicken broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
- Yield: This recipe should feed 12, with each person eating 3-4 ounces of pot roast as a meal.
- Storage: Refrigerate the leftovers, and eat them within 4 days.
- Make ahead: Pot roast always tastes better the next day, so plan on making it ahead if you have time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 325 degrees until hot, a slow cooker on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or in a pot on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Freezing: Leftover pot roast freezes beautifully for meal prep and last-minute lifesaving dinners. Freeze with the gravy, if you like, for up to 3 months. Thaw the roast overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as you like.
- Vegetables: Some cooks recommend adding any vegetables into the pot midway through the cooking so they stay firm. But I prefer the flavor they add to the roast and don’t mind them softer.
- Larger cuts: For more flavor, cut larger (5-pound or more) roasts into two smaller cuts to fit into the pot. That allows more surface area for browning.
- Slicing or shredding: If you love a shredded roast, use two forks to do the job. If a slice of meat is more your style, slice the roast against the grain to keep the roast intact.
- Oven-braised: Try my classic pot roast recipe if you want to make pot roast in the oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 4ouncesCalories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 31gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 309mgPotassium: 906mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2646IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 4mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I only have russets. Woulld it be better to start without the potatoes and add them in at the end for say maybe 4 min?
Hi Linda, thanks for your question! If you use Russets, I would cut them into pieces on the larger side and add them in as directed. If you release the pressure and open the lid to add them, it will not cook properly and may take even longer for the roast to cook and become tender. Sorry about that. – Meggan
Sooo good! Really easy to set it and forget it. I usually make this at least once a month.
So glad you love it, Darren! Take care!
I can fit (2) 3.5-lb chuck roasts in my 8qt instant pot. I cut each roast into three pieces. How long do I need to cook it on high pressure? Will 60min still suffice?
Hi Kimiko, yes! That should be perfect. I cut mine into pieces too sometimes when it doesn’t fit well. Take care!
So I’ve made your pot roast both the long way and this way. I rarely reach for my instant pot because I usually plan ahead enough and I’m home all day anyway but I have to say that this version is surprisingly just as good if not better and I’ll probably only make it this way from here on out! Love it!
Thank you Lindsay! I’m so glad you loved it. – Meggan