Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew

You can make a hearty, healthy, and delicious Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew 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
• Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew

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.

If you get a chance to make this Instant Pot Frozen Beef Stew, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.