You can make a hearty, healthy, and delicious beef stew in your Instant Pot in under an hour...using frozen stew meat and fresh vegetables. This recipe is so easy to make and perfect for a weeknight meal.
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Why I love this Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew
I love this Instant Pot Beef Stew because you can use frozen or thawed beef, fresh vegetables, and a mixture of herbs and spices that make this stew irresistible.
I also love that you can use a pre-made seasoning packet for ease, or use your spice cabinet at home which probably has most of the needed ingredients.
Another great thing about this stew recipe is that it is kid-friendly so it's the perfect weeknight meal and can be put together in just under an hour.
Ingredients Needed to Make Beef Stew in under an Hour
- beef stew meat
- beef broth
- Knorr vegetable recipe mix packet (or seasoning mix found in recipe card)
- carrots, peeled and cubed
- celery, diced
- medium onion, diced
- red potatoes, cubed
- fresh ground pepper
How to make Instant Pot Stew from Frozen Beef
Cook the beef first: Place the frozen stew meat and 1 cup of beef stock in the Instant Pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 28 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook again: Remove the lid and add the Knorr Vegetable Mix, prepared vegetables, and 1 more cup of beef stock. Pressure cook on HIGH for 4 minutes, quick-release the steam, season with pepper, and serve.
What is Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix?
Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix is a premade mix usually found in the soup or dip aisle in your grocery store. It has a ton of vegetables like carrots, onions, tomatoes, celery root, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower, green peas, and potatoes.
It pretty much has all of the seasoning and flavor you need to make a delicious and healthy stew. I always have a packet or two in my pantry for emergency dinners or a quick sip to take to a gathering.
Vegetable Mix Substitution
The vegetable mix mentioned above is very convenient but sometimes it can be hard to find or you may just not have it on hand. If that's the case try this mix of spices from the pantry instead.
If you don't have everything on the list, that's ok. Use what you have and what you like, your beef stew will still turn out great!
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground (dried) turmeric or paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Can I Make This Stew if my Beef is not Frozen?
Yes, you can make this stew with unfrozen meat. All you need to do is cut down the meat pressure cooking time to 20 minutes instead of 28 minutes. Follow the rest of the recipe as written and you will have a delicious stew in no time!
Can this Beef Stew Recipe be Made in the Slow Cooker?
Yes, you can make this beef stew in the slow cooker. That's how I used to make this stew before I got my Instant Pot! There are a few small changes to the recipe below:
- Use meat that has been completely thawed before cooking.
- You do not need to add beef stock to the slow cooker because the water from the beef and the vegetables will cook out and create a nice broth.
- You can always add stock at the end of cooking if you want more broth but I would wait until the stew has fully cooked.
- Place all of the ingredients (minus the beef stock) in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
What Vegetables to Use for this Beef Stew
I used carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes because that was what I had on hand. Here are some other ideas for vegetables that would also work in this Instant Pot Beef Stew.
- turnips
- parsnips
- mushrooms
- rutabagas
- garlic
- kale
What Garnishes work well with Beef Stew?
This Instant Pot Beef Stew is really good right out of the Instant Pot or slow cooker. However, you could add some fresh herbs to the top like parsley, oregano, or chives.
I also like to serve mine with a dollop of sour cream. It adds a nice creaminess to the stew and also helps cool the stew off a bit since it's nice and hot when served.
How to store Instant Pot Beef Stew
This Instant Pot Beef Stew can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe because of the potatoes.
Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups beef broth (can sub vegetable broth)
- 1 packet Knorr vegetable recipe mix (or make your own spice mix, recipe in the notes)
- ¾ cup carrots, peeled and cubed
- ¾ cup celery, diced
- ½ medium onion, diced
- ¾ cup red potatoes, cubed
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Place the frozen stew meat and 1 cup of beef stock in the Instant Pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 28 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, mine took 18 minutes (don't skip this step or your meat will be tough).
- Once the steam pin drops, carefully remove the lid and our in the Knorr Vegetable Mix.
- Add the prepared vegetables and 1 more cup of beef stock. Place the lid back on the pressure cooker and ensure the steam valve is closed. Pressure cook on HIGH again for 4 minutes. This time you can carefully quick-release the steam. Add pepper if you would like, there is no need to add additional salt since it's in the broth and vegetable dip mix.
- Add any toppings of choice and serve immediately.
Notes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon ground (dried) turmeric or paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you make this Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew?
I always want to see what my readers are making in their kitchens, especially if they get a chance to make one of my recipes. Snap a photo of your Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew and tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me your meal!
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Jacqueline says
A tablespoon of salt? I see sodium count is over 2000 mg, is this correct? Thanks
Emily says
Hi, yes the nutrition info was created using an online calculator. The sodium count is high in the vegetable mix or if you season it on your own using the ratios in the recipe. Of course, you can reduce the amount of salt you use.
KP says
Was in a dash to find a recipe using frozen stew meat and found your recipe. It was really good! I made the seasoning pack since I didn't have the Knorr and it was so easy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Emily says
Yay! Thanks for letting me know. I'm so glad you found and liked this recipe, it's one of my go-to's on busy nights.😀
Leigh says
Do you have any substitutes for the Knorr seasoning mix?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Emily says
Leigh, I think you could make a mix similar to the Knorr version by using a combination of these spices:
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground (dried) turmeric
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 tsp celery seeds
1 tablespoon salt
You may not have all of them (or like all of them) so you can decide what works for you. Start small since you can always add more but you can't take it out. Enjoy!
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
Such a hearty looking meal, perfect for an easy dinner! I haven't made one in ages, thanks for reminding me:))
Emily says
I love easy meals that fill you up! I hope you try this one!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
Seeing all the instant pot recipes lately and now your delicious stew, makes me want to go out and buy one! Yum!!!
Emily says
I resisted for a while but now I don't know how I would live without it!!😁
Sue says
I love that I can make this with frozen stew meat - no more waiting for it to thaw!
Emily says
Nope, the Instant Pot is a total game-changer for weekday dinners!! Enjoy.
Arica says
Awesome tips for a quick and easy meal! I haven't had beef stew in so long. Yours looks so good!
Emily says
Thanks, Arica! Beef stew is always a good staple recipe to have on hand, you never know when you need it.
Jeannie says
thanks for sharing meal ideas that are easy to prepare and can be meal prep in advance.
Emily says
Everyone is busy these days so I totally get the need to plan ahead and have a meal ready to go. The easier the better!😀
Colette says
I think the Instant pot is one of the best inventions ever! 😁 It's amazing how fast you can cook frozen meat in it. I love stews; we make them a lot at our house. I'm so in love with your instant pot recipes. I've never used the Knorr vegetable mix before in stews, but I bet it's delicious! I'm writing it down to my grocery list right now. Thanks for sharing your recipe; I'm going to make it tonight.
Emily says
I totally agree, Colette! I don't know what I did before I got my Instant Pot. The vegetable mix is so yummy and has everything you need to season this stew. I can't wait to hear how it turns out!
Francy says
I don't use much instant pot and l was looking for new ideas to make, this fast recipe is perfect, looks very good
Emily says
The Instant Pot can come in handy when you need a quick meal. I hope you get a chance to try this stew, you will love it!
Giangi says
Perfect dinner for tonight! I happen to have all the ingredients on hand and did not know what to make for dinner.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Emily says
That's the best when that happens, enjoy!
Leslie says
Perfect, hearty, beef stew recipe!
Jill Patel says
love that this is such an easy meal in the instant pot!
Emily says
It's so easy and so yummy!
Chef Dennis says
Your recipe came out perfectly and everyone loved the beef stew!
Emily says
So happy to hear it was a success!
Audrey says
Very tasty instapot recipe!
Amy says
This recipe was delicious! Gosh I love my instant pot!
Emily says
I agree, the Instant Pot is so amazing!
Alexandra says
This makes for such an easy and delicious dinner! We all enjoyed it!
Emily says
I'm so glad to hear it!
Capri says
Such a great recipe for a hearty family meal! Thanks for the recipe!
Emily says
You are welcome, it's a perfect family meal.