This Instant Pot Roast Dinner Recipe is the one my family of 8 requests on repeat — tender shredded beef, carrots, potatoes, and a rich homemade gravy all made in one pot in about an hour. Even the kids who claim they do not like vegetables clean their plates every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
This is the recipe I put on the menu when I know the week is going to be crazy. I spend 10 minutes on it in the morning, walk away, and dinner is done by the time everyone gets home hungry. No checking on it, no stirring, no standing at the stove — just a hot meal ready and waiting.
- Feeds 8 for well under $20 — rump roast is one of the most affordable cuts of beef at any grocery store
- Slow-cooked flavor in about an hour — the Instant Pot does what the slow cooker does in 8 hours in a fraction of the time
- One pot meal — beef, vegetables, and gravy all made in the same Instant Pot with minimal cleanup
- Fall-apart tender every time — pressure cooking breaks down tough cuts of meat better than any other method
- Made with pantry staples — Italian seasoning, garlic, beef broth, and cornstarch are all you need
- Even picky eaters clean their plates — the homemade gravy makes everything irresistible
If you love a hearty one pot dinner like this one, you will also love our Crock Pot Pot Roast for an all-day version, our Instant Pot Beef Stew for another pressure cooker favorite, and our Instant Pot Pork Roast for a delicious twist. They are all made with the same budget-friendly approach and are just as easy to pull together on a busy night.
Why The Instant Pot Makes the Best Roast
The Instant Pot uses pressurized steam to cook meat at a much higher temperature than a slow cooker or oven. That pressure breaks down the tough collagen in inexpensive cuts like rump roast and chuck roast faster and more completely than any other cooking method.
The result is beef that is genuinely fall-apart tender, the same result you would get from 8 hours in a slow cooker. The sealed environment also traps all the flavor from the beef, broth, and seasonings so nothing evaporates. Which is why the gravy from an Instant Pot roast is so much richer than a stovetop version.
Ingredients
- Rump roast — an inexpensive cut that becomes incredibly tender under pressure. Chuck roast, brisket, and bottom round also work — buy whichever is on sale
- Potatoes — russet, red, Yukon gold, or baby potatoes all work. Baby potatoes are the fastest since they need no cutting
- Carrots — whole carrots cut into chunks or baby carrots both work. Baby carrots save prep time
- Onion — cut into large chunks so anyone who does not love onion can easily pick them out
- Beef broth — the base of the gravy. Use low-sodium so you can control the saltiness
- Minced garlic — jarred or fresh both work. Use whatever is easiest on a busy night
- Italian seasoning — gives the roast a well-rounded herby flavor without needing multiple spice jars
- Cornstarch and water — whisked together at the end to turn the cooking liquid into a thick rich gravy. Do not skip this step
How to Make Instant Pot Roast
Step 1 – Place Roast in the bottom of the pot.
Step 2 – Add all of the seasonings to the roast. Just a few ingredients gives this roast amazing flavor.
Step 3 – Pour the beef stock on top.
Step 4 – Put the lid on and set it to sealing. Cook on the high pressure setting for 50 minutes and do a slow (natural) release.
Step 5 – After this cooking time, remove and shred the beef with two forks.
Step 6 – Add your vegetables to the instant pot (with the beef juices) and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a quick release. Remove the vegetables from the Instant Pot after this cooking time.
Step 7 – Change the instant pot setting to the sauté feature. In a small bowl whisk together the ¼ cup of water and the cornstarch.
Step 8 – Whisk in the water and cornstarch mixture in with the beef juice in the instant pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes until it begins to thicken.
Step 9 – Drizzle the gravy over the roast, potatoes, and carrots and enjoy!
Forgot to Thaw Your Roast? No Problem.
You can cook a frozen roast in the Instant Pot without thawing first. Simply increase the cooking time to 30 minutes per pound — a 2-pound frozen roast cooks for 60 minutes, a 3-pound roast for 90 minutes. Skip the searing step since you cannot sear frozen meat. Everything else stays the same.
This is one of the most useful things about pressure cooking — it saves dinner on the nights you forgot to take anything out of the freezer.
Tips for Success
- Sear the roast first if you have 5 minutes. Use the sauté setting with a tablespoon of oil and brown all sides before pressure cooking. This adds a deeper flavor to both the meat and the gravy and is worth the extra step
- Always add vegetables after the roast. Cook the beef first for 50 minutes then add the vegetables separately for 10 minutes. This is the most important tip — adding them together results in mushy vegetables every time
- Use the natural release for the beef. A slow natural release allows the meat to keep cooking gently as the pressure drops — this is what gives you truly fall-apart beef rather than meat that is cooked through but still slightly tough
- Quick release is fine for the vegetables. After the 10-minute vegetable cook time do a quick release — they are already tender and do not benefit from the natural release the way the beef does
- The gravy thickens as it cools. Do not over-thicken the cornstarch gravy while it is hot — it will continue to thicken as it sits on the plate. Pull it off the sauté setting when it is slightly thinner than you want
Variations and Substitutions
- Add 1 cup red wine to the beef broth for a richer deeper gravy
- Stir in a small can of tomato paste for extra body and flavor
- Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce for a bolder savory note
- Add sliced mushrooms or onions to the vegetable cook for extra flavor. Feel free to add in other veggies
- Use baby yellow potatoes and baby carrots to skip all the cutting and save 5 minutes of prep
- Add in ½ teaspoon of fresh thyme and rosemary for even more flavor.
What to Serve with Roast Beef
If you have a few extra minutes, whip up a batch of Homemade Biscuits or Homemade Dinner Rolls. And you guessed it, go ahead and put a little gravy on that yummy bread.
Sometimes, I like to make a platter of The Best Deviled Eggs Recipe. These deviled eggs are so creamy and delicious. They go perfectly with this yummy roast.
Try some of our other What to Serve with Pot Roast ideas.
Leftover Ideas
- Mashed potato bowl — mash the leftover potatoes with a splash of the broth and spoon the gravy over the top for the best next-day comfort food
- Open faced roast sandwich — pile shredded beef onto bread or leftover biscuits, top with mashed potatoes and gravy, and serve open faced
- Sliders — load shredded beef into slider buns, top with cheese, and broil for 2–3 minutes until melted. Great for school lunches and parties
- Beef hash — chop leftover beef and potatoes and crisp them in a skillet with a little butter for a hearty next-morning breakfast
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store beef and gravy together in an airtight container for up to 4 days — keeping them together prevents the meat from drying out
- Store potatoes and carrots separately so they do not get waterlogged in the gravy overnight
Freezer
- Let the beef and gravy cool completely before freezing
- Store in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months
- Freeze beef and gravy only — make vegetables fresh when reheating for the best texture
Reheating
- Stovetop — reheat beef and gravy over medium-low heat with a splash of beef broth to loosen the sauce
- Microwave — heat in 60-second intervals stirring between each until warmed through
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common reason is not enough cooking time. Rump roast and chuck roast need a full 50 minutes at high pressure plus a full natural release to become truly tender. If your roast is still tough after cooking, seal the lid and cook on high pressure for an additional 15–20 minutes. Do not rush the natural release — that extra time matters.
Chuck roast is the most popular choice because the higher fat content and connective tissue break down beautifully under pressure. Rump roast is slightly leaner and often less expensive — it works just as well and is our top pick for a budget-friendly version. Brisket and bottom round also work.
No — searing is optional. The roast will be tender and delicious without it. However searing adds a browned crust that deepens the flavor of both the meat and the gravy significantly. If you have 5 extra minutes it is worth doing on the sauté setting before adding the broth and sealing the lid.
This Easy Instant Pot Pot Roast is the dinner I reach for when I want the whole family at the table with full plates and zero complaints — and the Instant Pot makes it possible on a Tuesday night instead of just Sundays.
If you make it leave a star rating and a comment below — I love hearing whether your family fought over the last of the gravy the way mine always does.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Instant Pot Roast Dinner Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 lbs roast
- 1.5 lbs any potatoes of your choice cut into chunks (I used small baby yellow potatoes so there was not cutting)
- 4 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- ½ onion cut into chunks
- 4 cups beef stock or broth one carton
- 1 teaspoon minced Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup water for the gravy
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Add 2 to 3 pounds roast to the Instant Pot.
- Season the roast with 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Pour 4 cups beef stock or broth over the roast.
- Put the lid on and set it to sealing. Cook on the high pressure setting for 50 minutes and do a slow (natural) release.
- While the roast is cooking, cut 1.5 pounds potatoes, 4 peeled carrots, and ½ onion into large chunks.
- After this cooking time, remove and shred the beef.
- Add 1.5 pounds potatoes, 4 peeled carrots, and ½ onion to the Instant Pot with the beef juices. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the vegetables from the Instant Pot.
- Now, time to make the gravy. Change the instant pot setting to the sauté feature.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ¼ cup of water and the cornstarch.
- Whisk in the water and cornstarch mixture in with the beef juice in the instant pot.
- Bring to a boil, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes until it begins to thicken. It will thicken as it cools as well.
- Drizzle the gravy over the roast, potatoes, and carrots and enjoy!
I love using my Instant Pot, and this is now my favorite meal to make in it. Came out delicious. The only issue I had was the gravy was not thick, at all. I read someone else ask about what to do with the meat after it was shredded. I didn’t return it to the Instant Pot and maybe that had something to do with the watery gravy. At any rate, this was a great find, and I thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your positive review and I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. If the gravy does not thicken after the cornstarch is added, stir in more cornstarch and cook until it’s thickens. Also, I leave the shredded roast out of the instant pot and serve it topped with the gravy from the instant pot.
I’m confused – after meat is cooked, you take it out and shred…. do you put it back in with the vegetables? seems like the meat would get cold while the veggies are cooking for 10 minutes…..
Yes after you shred the beef place it back in the Instant pot.
Hi, I made this a couple weeks ago and it was OUTSTANDING! I do have a question though, it says that you need to do a slow natural release with the meat, but I waited 20 minutes and it still wasn’t released, so I did it manually. Is this normal? I have not used the pressure cooker very many times yet, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to do.
Yes, that’s normal. Each pressure cooker releases pressure at a different rank so it’s fine to manually release the pressure after 20 minutes.
How long do I cook a frozen roast?
I would increase the initial cook time from 50 minutes to 60-70 minutes based on how large your roast is.
What kind of roast do you use for this recipe? Can I use a beef striploin boneless roast?
Made it tonight and very good.. Will make it again.. I love your recipes..
Thanks for sharing Robin!
Did you do this with a frozen roast for 50 minutes?
Lacey – I cook this for 50 minutes for a thawed roast.