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An instant pot makes rich, flavorful, fall-off-the-fork tender pot roast so easy! The instant pot infuses the beef with flavor and tenderness while you are busy doing something else. It’s a win-win for sure!
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You’re Going to ❤️ This One
I’ve been making Sunday roast beef type dinners for my family for decades, and I have to say this beef pot roast in the instant pot is my very favorite. Why you’ll love it:
- It’s mostly a hands off recipe - set it and forget it, and after it's done cooking, it will keep it warm for you until you’re ready to make the gravy and serve it.
- Pressure cooking the beef roast really sends that roasted, rich, savory flavor deep into the meat. Those flavors and juices make really amazing gravy, too.
- It’s great for meal prep - feel free to make extra by doubling the recipe so you can take advantage of some delicious leftovers!
Simple Ingredients
- Beef - the best cut of meat for this recipe is a boneless chuck roast, but other good candidates are rump roast, or beef brisket. Choose a type of beef roast that has a lot of connective tissue, which breaks down during pressure cooking, making a very tender “fall off the fork” pot roast.
- Beef broth - I like to use homemade beef stock or bone broth when I have some, but any kind of beef broth will make a delicious pot roast.
- Oil, for browning the meat. This can be olive oil if you want, but I like using avocado oil in most of my recipes.
- Soy sauce - Soy sauce has the perfect savory flavor for the best pot roast. We tried Worcestershire sauce, but we found it too sweet for a pot roast. I would not use coconut aminos for that same reason. Soy sauce is definitely the winner.
- Spices - garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper
*Cornstarch (not shown) - I forgot to include this in my photo! Adding cornstarch and water to the juices in the bottom of the pot is an easy way to make the most delicious gravy!
Can You Cook a Frozen Roast? ❄️
If it’s already cut into smaller pieces that would fit in an instant pot, then cooking a frozen roast should not be any different. The cooking time will be the same - 90 minutes, but it will take longer for the instant pot to build up pressure before the countdown timer begins.
So it will take longer before the roast is ready, but it will not require any extra effort on your part to make it.
Tools You Might Need
Here’s the electric pressure cooker I use for making the mashed potatoes seen in the photos here, boiled eggs, and so many things every single week. It’s such a time saver! You can set it up and leave it alone to do its work, while you do yours. Mine is this 6 quart instant pot. Here’s where you can get one:
The Star of the Show
Buy Now → Instant Pot Roast Beef Step -by-Step
Look over these steps to get an idea of what you need to do to make my instant pot pot roast recipe. But be sure to scroll down to the recipe card to get the full recipe.
Step 1. Cut beef into large chunks and trim extra fat.
Step 2.Salt the meat, add spices. Chill, uncovered, in the fridge
Step 3. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Sear the beef on all sides.
Step 4. Add beef to the instant pot.
Step 5. Add some broth to the skillet with the pan drippings. Scrape up the brown bits before adding to the instant pot.
Step 6. Add the rest of the broth and the soy sauce to the instant pot.
Step 7. Choose the meat/stew setting for 90 minutes.When it’s finished cooking, release the pressure.
Step 8. Remove meat and skim fat.
Step 9. Combine cornstarch with water and whisk until smooth.
Step 10. Choose the Sauté setting and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry until thickened.
Serve the gravy over mashed potatoes and the delicious, tender beef. Roasted vegetables are the perfect combo with this comfort food classic.
How to Store Leftover Pot Roast
Leftover pot roast can make a hearty meal, like roast beef sandwiches or beef and bean quesadillas.
Store any leftover beef pot roast in an airtight container with a little liquid. Broth is ideal, but you can even add a spoonful of water if that’s all you have. Storing cooked meat with a little broth keeps it from drying out.
Reheat it along with the liquid in the microwave for 2-3 minutes (depending on how big the portion is). The broth makes it taste fresh and delicious again - try it and you’ll see what I mean!
Fork Tender Pot Roast - Easy Instant Pot Recipe
An instant pot makes rich, flavorful, fall-off-the-fork tender pot roast so easy! The instant pot infuses the beef with flavor and tenderness while you are busy doing something else. It’s a win-win for sure!
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast (see Notes)
- Salt, about 1 teaspoon (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oil for browning
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut beef into large chunks and trim extra fat.
- Salt the meat, add garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Chill, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or more.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat. Add the beef pieces, but don’t crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed. Brown the beef for 3-5 minutes before turning it over to get a good sear (about 8 minutes total).
- Add the beef to the Instant Pot.
- Pour a little of the beef broth into the skillet with the pan drippings. Use a fork to scrape up all the good browned bits before adding it to the Instant Pot.
- Add the rest of the broth and the soy sauce to the Instant pot.
- Choose the meat/stew setting for 90 minutes (high pressure).When it’s finished cooking, release the pressure using a quick release or let it come down naturally.
- Remove the meat and skim the fat from the cooking liquid if desired.
- Combine cornstarch with water and whisk until it’s smooth.
- Choose the Sauté function on the instant pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry, cooking and stirring until smooth and thickened. Serve the gravy with the beef.
Notes
Good cuts of beef for this recipe - chuck roast, rump roast, or beef brisket. Choose a beef roast with lots of connective tissue, which breaks down during pressure cooking and becomes very tender and juicy.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ pound
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 261.4 mg
- Fat: 13.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 45.1 g
- Cholesterol: 134 mg
Instant Pot, Pot Roast Questions
You always need to add some liquid when using an instant pot. A pressure cooker like the instant pot needs liquid in order to build up pressure required to do the cooking.
The general rule is to allow 20 minutes per pound of beef when cooking in an instant pot.
A boneless chuck roast is my top choice for the best flavor, but a rump roast or a beef brisket are both great choices. The trick is to choose a cut of meat that contains a lot of connective tissue, which breaks down during the pressure cooking process. This gives a very tender, juicy end result that is absolutely delicious.
It may be because you used a cut of beef that is too lean. Fat adds flavor and tenderness to a pot roast.
Another reason may be that it was not cooked long enough. Even with using an instant pot, it may take 90 minutes before the muscle fibers have broken down enough for a tender pot roast.
What recipes pair well with classic Pot Roast?
- Low carb mashed potatoes (shown in the photos in this post)
- Gluten free Corn bread
- chopped salad with crispy chickpeas and cucumbers
My Favorite Instant Pot Recipes
Gluten-free Beef Recipes
Recipe creator: Kristie Winget, who loves making Sunday dinner for the whole family - pot roast is a favorite. Here's a little more about me.
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