Instant Pot Spicy Asian Beef Stew

Need dinner in a hurry? In my 20+ years as a personal chef, this jalapeno-spiced Instant Pot Asian Beef Stew is one of the recipes I make most often. It takes just 5 minutes of hands-on prep, turns economical stew meat into tender, saucy beef, and has been a family favorite for years.

A quick look at this recipe

• Recipe Name: Instant Pot Asian Beef Stew
• Ready In: 5 minutes prep, 35 minutes cook time, 15 pressure release
• Serves: 6
• Calories: 658 per serving
• Main Ingredients: Beef stew meat, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, ginger root, beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar
• Difficulty: Easy

Does this happen to you? It's 4 pm and you have no idea what to make for dinner. It seems that dinner sneaks up on me, and I'm at a loss as to what to make.

Even if you're getting a little hangry, this one's on your side. There's no browning and minimal chopping, just about 5 minutes of hands-on work. Toss everything into the Instant Pot, walk away, and dinner is ready in a little over an hour. Tender chunks of beef are bathed in a gingery, garlicky sauce that gets its heat from jalapeño.

It's perfect for those nights when standing over the stove for hours making dinner is not an option. My Instant Pot is such a timesaver and makes super tender beef. I use it to make my corned beef and cabbage too.

Making one pot stews like this one and my Beef Tenderloin Stew is one of my favorite ways to cook. Brown up some beef, chicken or pork. Toss in some veggies like potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Add stock and let it simmer away. But sometimes I am looking for a speedier stew and not a cook on top of the stove all afternoon stew.

Ingredients

With about 3 pounds of beef stew meat (thanks to my butcher for cutting the roast into chunks for me) and a few ingredients from my pantry, a spicy, Asian inspired Instant Pot dinner is quick to throw together.

• Red onion
• Jalapeno
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Soy sauce - Substitute tamari to make the dish gluten free.
• Beef stock
• Sesame oil
• Rice wine vinegar
• Brown sugar
• Beef stew meat
• Cornstarch
• Sesame seeds
• Scallions

The Best Cut of Beef for Stew Meat

The best cuts for stew are the tougher, well-marbled ones like chuck roast or bottom round. Chuck is my favorite because it has just enough fat to stay juicy and tender under pressure. Save the sirloin and strip steaks for quick-cooking recipes like my steak and potato kabobs. Lean cuts of meat can turn dry and stringy in the Instant Pot.

To save time, I pick up beef that's already cut for stew. Or I ask my butcher to cube a chuck roast for me. If you're cutting it yourself, aim for 1-½ inch chunks so everything cooks evenly.

A Stew Meat Recipe That Isn't a Heavy Stew

If you have a package of stew meat in the fridge and you're tired of the usual potatoes-and-carrots beef stew, this recipe is for you. It's less of a brothy stew and more like saucy, fall-apart braised beef, a lot like something you'd order from your favorite Asian takeout spot. Spoon it over rice or noodles, add some crisp vegetables, and it feels like a completely different dinner from the same cut of beef.

Do I Need To Brown the Meat First?

Nope! I know this goes against most traditional beef stew recipes. But with my recipe, everything goes in the pot at once. The soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic give the sauce so much deep, savory flavor that you won't miss the searing step.

Skipping it saves you time. Plenty of readers have commented that they were skeptical at first and were pleasantly surprised at how flavorful it turned out.

How to Make Instant Pot Asian Beef Stew

This really is one of the easiest dinners you'll ever make. This is just a quick overview. Scroll to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

1. Add everything to the pot. Combine the red onion, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, beef stock, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar in the Instant Pot. Add the beef and stir so every piece is coated. There's no browning required!
2. Pressure cook. Seal the lid, make sure the valve setting is closed, and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
3. Let it rest. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Then carefully release the rest. This resting time helps keep the beef tender.
4. Thicken the sauce. Move the beef to a bowl, stir a cornstarch slurry into the liquid, and simmer on the sauté setting for 2 to 3 minutes or until it's glossy and thick. Pour it over the beef and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

How Do You Cook Beef Stew Meat So It's Tender?

In a pressure cooker! Cooking tough cuts of meat in an Instant Pot makes it fork fall apart tender and rich in beef flavor. And it takes only a fraction of the time compared to traditional slow cooking methods.

When cooking under pressure, the tough collagen and fat in the meat breaks down and melts. The result is super tender and delicious beef stew. Only 5 minutes of hands-on work, and dinner's ready in a little over an hour.

Expert Tips

• To speed up the prep work for the stew recipe, I buy chuck or round roast that is already cut in chunks.
• Taste a tiny piece of the jalapeno before adding it to the Instant Pot. The level of heat in a pepper can vary from mild to inferno. If you want to make the recipe more on the mild side, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before adding it along with the other ingredients.

Variations

Adjust the Heat

• Milder: Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeño, or leave it out entirely.
• Spicier: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, or 2 to 4 dried red chilies along with the other ingredients.
• Korean-style: Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of gochujang into the sauce before cooking for a sweet, smoky heat.
• Finish with a kick: Drizzle sriracha or chili crisp over each bowl.

Add Vegetables

• Carrots and potatoes: After the natural release, add 1½-inch chunks of carrots and baby potatoes. Seal and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then quick release before thickening the sauce. Added at the beginning, they'd turn to mush.
• Broccoli, snap peas or bell peppers: Toss them in during the sauté step while the sauce thickens. Two to three minutes keeps them crisp-tender.

About the Ginger

The ginger slices soften as they cook. Fish them out before serving, or leave them in for the ginger lovers at your table. You can also swap in 1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger.

No Instant Pot? No Problem

• Slow cooker: Combine everything except the cornstarch and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. Thicken the sauce in a saucepan on the stove.
• Stovetop or oven: Add an extra cup of beef stock and simmer, covered, over low heat for 2 to 2½ hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Or bake in a covered Dutch oven at 325 degrees F for 2 ½ to 3 hours.

What to Serve With Asian Beef Stew?

Pair with perfectly fluffy rice, thin rice noodles, or even mashed potatoes. I like some simply blanched vegetables (about 3 to 4 minutes in boiling water) like broccoli, carrots, asparagus or green beans. Or these easy roasted carrots and parsnips make a delicious side dish.

Storing, Freezing and Meal Prep

This stew tastes even better the next day, so it's great for meal prep.

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: Warm over low heat on the stovetop. Or heat in the microwave on 60 percent power for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meal prep: Divide the beef and rice into containers with some steamed broccoli for grab-and-go lunches all week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Cooking under high pressure breaks down the tough collagen in stew meat much faster than simmering on the stovetop. 35 minutes on high pressure plus a 15-minute natural release gives you fall-apart tender beef.

It almost always needs more time, not less. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Both make tender beef. The Instant Pot is my choice for weeknights because dinner is ready in about an hour. The slow cooker is great for when I want to start it in the morning and forget about it. You'll find slow cooker times in the Variations section above.

Yes, you can, as long as you stay under the max fill line of the Instant Pot. The cook time stays the same, but it'll take longer for it to come to pressure.