Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
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Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon, also known as Beef Burgundy, is the ultimate beef stew recipe. Deliciously tender beef chunks are cooked in a rich red wine sauce in a fraction of the time with a pressure cooker.
This classic French dish is perfect for cold weather, special occasions, or dinner party when you need an easy meal to impress your guests!
If you like this recipe, you will find many more on my Instant Pot Recipes page.
This classic French beef stew tastes just as good as it looks!! I thicken my gravy more than most people do, it’s worth the effort but not required.
The original recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon was made famous by Julia Child, but her version has too many steps and just seemed to fussy for a weeknight meal. I am all about easy recipes!
I skipped over sautéing the button mushrooms in butter, and I am not a fan of pearl onions so I substituted chopped yellow onion. I also added Worcestershire sauce because I always use it in my stew recipes. Feel free to leave it out if you wish.
Ingredients needed to create this recipe
- Beef chuck roast is best for this dish – it cooks down perfectly tender
- Smoked, thick-cut bacon will give your stew a smoky taste. I prefer un-smoked.
- Yukon gold potatoes hold up best and keep their shape.
- By definition, burgundy would be the wine of choice. Interestingly enough, burgundy is made from pinot noir grapes in the Burgundy region of France.
- To keep things simple, I use dried thyme leaves. Obviously fresh would be delicious as well.
- Tossing the beef in all-purpose flour adds a thickness to the sacue, but not enough for me. The cornstarch is used at the end to give it that thick, rich sheen.
How to make Beef Bourguignon in an Instant Pot
Turn on your Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Add the bacon and cook until almost crispy.
Remove the bacon from the pot with a spider strainer or slotted spoon to leave the bacon fat behind, and place it in a bowl. Set aside.
Add the beef chunks in batches and cook until browned.*See notes below*
They do not need to be thoroughly cooked, that comes later.
Remove the browned beef and place them in a large bowl. Continue cooking remaining beef until they are all browned. Add the flour to the cooked beef, and toss to coat.
Add the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove all the browned bits.**See notes below.**
Next add the potatoes, carrots, onions, thyme, garlic, mushrooms, bacon, bay leaves, coated beef, salt and pepper.
Carefully stir to combine. Press the Cancel button. Secure the lid and make sure the pressure knob is in the Sealing position.
Press the Manual/Pressure Cook button and use the – or + buttons to adjust the time to 25 minutes on High Pressure.
When the pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully turn the knob to release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
For a thicker gravy: remove 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and place it in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to create a slurry.
Press the Cancel button, then press the Sauté button. Add the slurry to the pot and stir until thoroughly combined and the gravy starts to thicken and bubble.
Press the Cancel button. Ladle the beef stew into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.
So, so delicious! Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or bed of noodles, with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
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Expert Tips
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- This is the Spider Strainer that I have been using for the past 30+ years. I love it and use it all the time!
- Try to cut the beef, potatoes, mushrooms and carrots into similar sized chunks so they cook evenly.
- If you need Gluten-free: substitute tapioca or arrowroot starch for the flour.
- I used this 6 Quart Instant Pot to create this recipe. I do not have a 3 qt or 8 qt, so I do not know what adjustments need to be made.
- Chefs Knife and Cutting Board to chop the vegetables and beef.
Helpful Instant Pot Tips
You may have noticed that I am using a newer Instant Pot. I purchased this one specifically to see what the differences are between the newer version and the original, that are causing a BURN notice.
*It would be best to sauté the bacon and brown the beef in a separate skillet. This is a hassle, and most of you will tempt fate anyway. So I have some suggestions for you:
- **be very diligent about removing all cooked on bits off the bottom of the pan!
- When you are finished browning the beef, use a clean liner to cook your stew.
- You can purchase an additional liner, or scrub the used liner clean before proceeding.
- If you do get the dreaded BURN notice –
- release the pressure
- Once again try to scrape everything off the bottom of the pan.
- Add additional liquid (there has been evaporation), I added one cup of beef stock.
- Reseal the lid and cook for the remaining time. You will need to reset the clock, so you may need to guess how much time is left. It generally takes 10 to 15 minutes to build pressure, so subtract that from the original total and continue on. I set mine for 15 minutes.
As you can see the final product is perfect, it just took a few extra steps. Just b-r-e-a-t-h-e and work through it. It is not ruined, the pot is just confused, lol.
FAQ’s
While traditional Beef Bourguignon is made with a Burgundy wine like Pinot Noir, you can use other red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot if you prefer. The flavor of the wine will have a big influence on the flavor of the finished dish. Choose a wine that you enjoy drinking.
Tougher cuts of beef like chuck beef, stewing beef, or brisket are ideal because they become tender and flavorful during the slow cooking process. You can also use cuts like short ribs.
Yes, Beef Bourguignon actually improves in flavor if made a day in advance. The flavors meld together even more when it’s reheated. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.
Yes of course. Follow the same steps for cooking the bacon and searing the beef, but do so in a large pot or large Dutch oven.
Add the chopped onions, carrots, and garlic to the pot and sauté until they become fragrant and slightly caramelized.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to deepen the flavors.
Pour in the red wine and use it to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Pour in the beef broth, add the mushrooms and potatoes, then stir in the thyme and bay leaves.
Bring the stew to a simmer. Reduce to low heat and cook slowly until the meat is tender, 2.5 to 3 hours.
Yes you can! Allow to cool to room temperature, and divide servings between freezer zipper top bags. Remove as much as as possible and store flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator over night and reheat before serving.
More delicious chunky soup recipes
- Instant Pot Irish Beef Stew – with Guinness
- Guinness Beef with Dumplings
- Creamy Seafood Chowder
- Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
- Whole30 Clam Chowder
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!
Tag @cookingwithcurls on Instagram & Facebook and leave a ⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐ review below!
Enjoy!!
Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon cut into chunks
- 3 pounds chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
- .25 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pinot noir or red wine of your choice.
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound small Yukon gold potatoes cut into quarters
- 8 ounces button mushrooms cut in half
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- .5 teaspoon ground black pepper
Slurry
- 4 tablespoons cooking liquid
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Add the bacon and cook until almost crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot with a spider strainer or slotted spoon to leave the bacon fat behind, and place it in a bowl.
- Add the beef chunks in batches and cook until browned.* Remove the beef and place them in a large bowl. Continue cooking remaining beef until they are all browned. Add the flour to the cooked beef, and toss to coat.
- Add the wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove all the browned bits.**See notes below.**
- Next add the potatoes, carrots, onions, thyme, garlic, mushrooms, bacon, bay leaves, coated beef, salt and pepper. Carefully stir to combine.
- Press the Cancel button. Secure the lid and make sure the pressure knob is in the Sealing position. Press the Manual/Pressure Cook button and use the – or + buttons to adjust the time to 25 minutes on High Pressure.
- When the pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully turn the knob to release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
- For a thicker gravy: remove 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and place it in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to create a slurry.
- Press the Cancel button, then press the Sauté button. Add the slurry to the pot and stir until thoroughly combined and the gravy starts to thicken and bubble.
- Press the Cancel button. Ladle the beef stew into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Try to cut the beef, potatoes, mushrooms and carrots into similar sized chunks so they cook evenly.
- If you need Gluten-free: substitute tapioca or arrowroot starch for the flour.
- *It would be best to sauté the bacon and brown the beef in a separate skillet. This is a hassle, and most of you will tempt fate anyway.
- **be very diligent about removing all cooked on bits off the bottom of the pan!
- When you are finished browning the beef, use a clean liner to cook your stew.
- You can purchase an additional liner, or scrub the used liner clean before proceeding.
-
If you do get the dreaded BURN notice –
- release the pressure
- Once again try to scrape everything off the bottom of the pan.
- Add additional liquid (there has been evaporation), I added one cup of beef stock.
- Reseal the lid and cook for the remaining time. You will need to reset the clock, so you may need to guess how much time is left. It generally takes 10 to 15 minutes to build pressure, so subtract that from the original total and continue on. I set mine for 15 minutes.
- Please see original post for all of the FAQ’s to help you make this perfectly delicious meal.
I did this recipe at the Family residence in intellectual disability where I work as a Mental Health Worker. I bring my 6qt Duo plus IP to convince the 2 responsibles to buy one for the residence !! We have 6 wonderful and adorables young man ( with a big appetite 😂) and the 3 of us at the table (9 persons) and I wanted to show how IP would be a genius investment to save time and be able to do some incredibles comforting and elaborated dish that we dont usualy have time to do (check it all the time in the oven). We have a slow cooker but it is definitively not the same and they don’t like it for many reasons that I agree with. SC results are often to liquids, need to be planned almost the day before and
I add that you can’t put frozen meat in it, as you do with the IP, so convenient with an hole chicken and many others !!!
SO, I choose this recipe with the hope I would impress them ah ah and show how it was different from a slow cooker !
I have mine since a year and now handle it pretty well, often with no recipes but this time I wanted to shine 🙂
The recipe is perfect in all points, not to liquid, full of taste and have been impress over my owns expectations 💞 I reach my goal, I made a star of the IP !!!
The only thing is that I made the mistake to put more potatoes and carrots to get enough for all of us and my 6qt was so full that the sauce overflowed 😅🤷♀️ So they will buy a 8 and maybe a 10qt, considering also that we love having leftovers for the lunchs on the next day.
We all thank you for this amazing, comforting, easy doing, well explained and delicious recipe💖❤🧡
The insanes Family’s loving house
Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada 🥰😘