Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe (5 Spice Beef Stew)

By Becky Hardin

Published Jan 17, 2018

This INSTANT POT 5 SPICE BEEF STEW is topping my list of favorite Winter soups this year. So comforting, easy, and unique! It's made in minutes in the pressure cooker and sure to please the entire family. So much flavor and so little effort. My kind of recipe. - 2

Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe (5 Spice Beef Stew) is topping my list of favorite Winter soups this year. There’s just something about this Beef Stew. It’s so comforting, easy, and unique! It’s made in minutes in the pressure cooker and sure to please the entire family. It’s loaded with carrots, parsnips, beef, spices, and more! So much flavor and so little effort. This Instant Pot Beef Stew is my kind of recipe.

bowl of beef stew with toasted bread - 3

Beef Stew made in an Instant Pot

I’m so excited about the Instant Pot Beef Stew with Five Spice. Raise your hand if you’re absolutely fall on your face OBSESSED with your Instant Pot! Every time I use it I pretty much swear its going to be the only kitchen tool I ever use again. I mean I know we have crazy technology left and right but I’m just honestly in awe of how fast the pressure cooker works.

Of all the cool stuff in our world right now, I know its not that ground breaking…but it sure is cool. I mean we cooked a Thanksgiving Turkey breast in ONE HOUR !? Mind blowing. I have so many recipes that I want to learn how to cook in an instant pot, but this 5 Spice Beef Stew was high on my list.

I love a comforting soup or stew for Winter, and this Instant Pot Beef Stew is top notch. Unique, flavorful, EASY, and oh so delicious. Cold weather has nothing on us when we are eating this for dinner!

a bowl of beef stew with carrots and bread - 6

a bowl of beef stew with carrots and bread - 7

Instant Pot Beef Stew with 5 Spice

Regular Beef Stew (or Guinness Beef Stew if you’re a beer drinker) is awesome on its own, but I happen to just love this 5 Spice version. I lovvvve the flavor and I think it’s perfect in this stew. Adds just enough difference to really make it stand out. You can buy the blend in any grocery store spice aisle.

What is 5 spice (or all spice)?

Five Spice is a seasoning blend traditionally used in Chinese cooking. It typically includes star anise, sichuan pepper, black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. You can make it on your own or buy it premade at any grocery store in the spice aisle. It’s absolutely DELICIOUS in this Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe. You’re going to love it!

instant pot beef stew with cilantro and toasted bread - 8

instant pot beef stew with cilantro and toasted bread - 9

What veggies are in this stew?

We loaded this 5 Spice Beef Stew with tons of healthy veggies like carrots, potatoes, turnips, parsnips, and onion. If you like peas, you can throw those in as well. My dad HATES peas so if my Mom is helping in the kitchen, they’re usually the first to go. :) Pat hates onions but I could care less. He’s just flat out wrong when it comes to onions!

Can you use chicken broth in a beef stew?

You can! If you prefer chicken stock/broth or already have that in your pantry, feel free to use that. It won’t taste chicken-y…it will be just fine.

Is the Instant Pot safe? Can it explode?

The Instant Pot has 10 different safety mechanisms in place to make sure it doesn’t explode. It’s not anything like scary pressure cookers of the past. Most accidents are totally due to user error and can be easily avoided. Be sure to follow instructions but you’re in good hands.

How can you thicken a beef stew?

If you want your stew thicker, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of stew liquid and stir until a paste forms. Add it in gradually to your Beef Stew, stirring as you combine.

If you haven’t tried out an Instant Pot yet…what are you waiting for!

OBSESSED! I have linked my favorite sizes and styles below in the shop this post section. If you’re looking for other IP recipes, be sure to check out our Pressure Cooker Honey Baked Ham , Classic Pot Roast , and Apple Pie Oatmeal (8 minutes to the best breakfast ever!).

We have so many great Beef Recipes that I hope you stick around and try! Some notables are our Hungarian Goulash , Stovetop Burgers , BEST Chili Recipe , and French Dip . MMMMMM! And don’t forget this Red Wine Beef Stew if you don’t have an Instant Pot.

See the recipe card below for full details on how to make Instant Pot Beef Stew. Enjoy!

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or 1 tablespoon butter
▢ 2 pounds beef stew meat
▢ 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
▢ 1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice seasoning
▢ 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
▢ ¼ cup tomato paste
▢ 32 ounces low-sodium beef broth
▢ 3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
▢ 1 cup chopped celery
▢ 1 cup scrubbed and chopped carrots
▢ 1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
▢ 2 parsnips peeled and chopped
▢ 2 turnips peeled and chopped
▢ 2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

Sprinkle the stew meat with salt, pepper and Five-spice seasoning.
Set the Instant Pot to sauté. After 1 minute, add the olive oil and sesame oil. Place half of the stew meat in the pot and cook it until meat has seared on both sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining stew meat. Set aside.
If needed, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot. Add the onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir.
Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits.
Add Hoisin sauce and the seared beef. Mix well.
Add celery, carrots, sweet potato, parsnip and turnips.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the steam valve is closed.
Set the manual button to 25 minutes of high pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally.
When pressure has released, remove the lid and taste the stew. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
This is delicious served on a bed of white rice and with a side of roasted broccoli.
Enjoy!
*Note: If stew needs thickening, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the stew. Stir to thicken.

Equipment

Instant Pot

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

AROUND THE WEB: Wanting to try different stew recipes? Here are some we love: Oyster Stew , Chicken Stew with Quinoa , and Slow Cooker Pork Stew .

Instant Pot 5 Spice Beef Stew

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or 1 tablespoon butter
2 pounds beef stew meat
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice seasoning
1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ cup tomato paste
32 ounces low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup scrubbed and chopped carrots
1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
2 parsnips peeled and chopped
2 turnips peeled and chopped
2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

Sprinkle the stew meat with salt, pepper and Five-spice seasoning.
Set the Instant Pot to sauté. After 1 minute, add the olive oil and sesame oil. Place half of the stew meat in the pot and cook it until meat has seared on both sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining stew meat. Set aside.
If needed, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot. Add the onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and stir.
Add the tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the beef broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits.
Add Hoisin sauce and the seared beef. Mix well.
Add celery, carrots, sweet potato, parsnip and turnips.
Close the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure the steam valve is closed.
Set the manual button to 25 minutes of high pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally.
When pressure has released, remove the lid and taste the stew. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
This is delicious served on a bed of white rice and with a side of roasted broccoli.
Enjoy!
*Note: If stew needs thickening, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and add it to the stew. Stir to thicken.

Nutrition

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!