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Hearty Instant Pot Poor Man’s Stew with Root Vegetables

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A budget-friendly, one-pot stew made with ground beef and root vegetables, cooked in an Instant Pot for deep, slow-cooked flavor in under an hour. This comforting meal is perfect for busy weeknights and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt to taste (start with 1 teaspoon)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and cubed
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 large parsnip, peeled and chopped (optional)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (optional, for thickening)

Instructions

  1. Brown the Ground Beef: Turn Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ (High). Add olive oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned (5-7 minutes). Transfer beef to a plate, leaving drippings in the pot.
  2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add diced onion to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add Tomato Paste: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until darkened.
  4. Deglaze the Pot: Pour in ½ cup of beef broth and scrape up all browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Add Remaining Broth and Ingredients: Return beef to pot. Add remaining broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, smoked paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir. Add carrots, potatoes, celery, and parsnip. Stir to combine.
  6. Pressure Cook: Secure lid and set valve to ‘Sealing’. Select ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ (High Pressure) for 15 minutes. Allow 10-15 minutes for pot to come to pressure.
  7. Natural Release: After cooking, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn valve to ‘Venting’ to release remaining steam. Remove lid.
  8. Add Peas and Thicken (Optional): Remove bay leaf. Stir in frozen peas. For thicker stew, mix cornstarch and cold water into a slurry, then stir into hot stew. Turn to ‘Sauté’ and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
  9. Taste and Adjust: Add more salt or pepper if needed. Optionally add a splash of Worcestershire or red pepper flakes.
  10. Serve: Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Enjoy with crusty bread or cornbread.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the meat and deglazing the pot—this builds flavor and prevents a ‘Burn’ warning. Cut vegetables into uniform 1-inch cubes for even cooking. Natural release for 10 minutes is crucial for tender vegetables and melded flavors. The stew tastes even better the next day. For a slow cooker version, brown meat and sauté vegetables on stovetop first, then cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Nutrition

Keywords: poor man's stew, instant pot stew, root vegetable stew, ground beef stew, budget-friendly stew, one-pot meal, comfort food

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