Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
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A pressure cooker spin on a classic, rustic French stew. While this rich, melt-in-your mouth Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon is easy to make, it results in an impressive cold weather dinner or holiday dish.
Or you may want to try our Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon instead.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Well-tested – I tested, retested, tweaked, and retweaked this classic French recipe until I got it perfect for the Instant Pot and as Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon.
- Easy to make – After the chopping of the veggies and bacon, this one-pot dish only requires a few simple steps. The Instant Pot does most of the work.
- Complex flavor – The bacon, aromatics (onions, carrots, celery, and garlic), and beef add major flavor to start with. Then, the red wine, soy sauce, tomato paste, and mushrooms add a deep savory meatiness to the sauce (or is it gravy?). The end result is a velvety, rich dish that is melt-in-your mouth divine.
- Dairy-free and gluten-free – You’ll never miss either! Like our Instant Pot Bourbon Chicken, this is a wonderful dish to serve to anyone avoiding those ingredients. Note: To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Freezer-friendly – You can prep it ahead and freeze before pressure cooking it or after it’s fully cooked and cooled. Check out our best Instant Pot Freezer Meals.
Ingredients
You’ll find these simple ingredients at any store.
Ingredients Notes:
- Meat to Potato Ratio: I gave a range of the amount of potatoes and meat you can use in this stew. I tend to like mine heavier on the vegetables, but the classic version is very heavy on the beef. You really can’t mess this up. I’ve tested it all the ways and it’s delicious! So choose your own path.
- Dry red wine – Buy a dry red wine you would enjoy drinking. America’s Test Kitchen recommends using Pinot Noir, so that’s what I always use in this recipe. Julia Child (my culinary hero) recommended a “full-bodied, young red wine such as Mâcon, Burgundy, or Mountain Red”, but I can’t find those easily.
- Fresh thyme – I find that the fresh herb is so much better than dried thyme leaves, which actually can be pretty hard and spiny! You can substitute 1 sprig fresh rosemary sprig if you can’t find thyme. If you absolutely can’t find fresh herbs, use a 1/4 teaspoon of ground thyme (not the dried leaves).
- Button mushrooms – Ok, the way you decide to use this meaty, savory ingredient in the stew is up to you. I’m not a huge mushroom fan, so I slice mine. Since this is a rustic-looking stew, however, you can quarter them or even leave them whole if they are small. We also use mushrooms in our Cancer Fighting Soup.
- Beef stew meat – If you can’t find stew meat, you can buy a chuck roast. Trim it of most visible fat and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Tip: Place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. It makes the meat much easier to work with.
- Cornstarch – This is an easy, gluten-free way to thicken the stew. However, you can sub arrowroot powder–just follow the directions on the package.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
Find the full recipe below in the recipe card.
Saute Ingredients
Turn on the Saute function. Fry bacon pieces until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot.
Next, saute the onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes as they cook. Stir in the garlic the last 30-60 seconds.
Make the Sauce
Whisk in the wine, broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce until smooth, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Press Cancel.
Add Ingredients & Cook
Add the cooked bacon, beef chunks, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined. Add the thyme springs and bay leaf on top.
Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release and then quick release of the pressure. Discard bay leaf and thyme stems.
Thicken the Stew
Turn on the Saute mode. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the stew and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. (It will thicken more as it sits.)
Serve
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with our delicious Garlic Bread or Cheesy Pesto Bread.
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon
Make It A Freezer Meal
You can either fully cook, cool, and freeze Beef Bourguignon. Or, you can prep it before pressure cooking it. This means it will turn out tasting like a fresh meal. Here’s how…
Freeze It For Later: Follow Steps 1 and 2 (sautéing the bacon and making the sauce). Let the bacon and sauce cool and then add to a one gallon freezer bag or pressure cooker-shaped container with lid. Place the beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and bay leaf in the same bag or container. Seal, toss gently to combine, and freeze. (Notes: Set the freezer bag in a bowl in the freezer for a few hours to help it freeze in the shape of the pressure cooker. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid to avoid browning.)
Prepare from Frozen: Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Follow Steps 4-6. (The frozen meat will cook the same amount of time as from fresh.)
P.S. Check out our favorite freezer meal containers.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just follow my Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon recipe.
If you can’t find stew meat, you can buy a chuck roast. Trim it of most visible fat and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Tip: Place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. It makes the meat much easier to work with.
Buy a dry red wine you would enjoy drinking. America’s Test Kitchen recommends using Pinot Noir, so that’s what I always use in this recipe. Julia Child recommended a “full-bodied, young red wine such as Mâcon, Burgundy, or Mountain Red”, but I can’t find those easily.
More Instant Pot Beef Recipes
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Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon
A pressure cooker spin on a classic, rustic French stew. While this rich, melt-in-your mouth Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon is easy to make, it results in an impressive cold weather dinner or holiday dish.
Ingredients
- 4 slices uncured bacon, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine (recommended: Pinot Noir)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (sub: beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (sub: coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (sub: 1 sprig fresh rosemary)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced (about 1/2-inch thick slices; about 2 cups)
- 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes, 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (see Cooking Notes for alternative option)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (sub: arrowroot powder)
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Instructions
Make It Now:
- Saute Bacon: Turn on the Saute function. Fry bacon pieces until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside, leaving the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Make Sauce: Next, saute the onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes as they cook. Stir in the garlic the last 30-60 seconds. Whisk in the wine, broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce until smooth, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Press Cancel. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Add All Ingredients: Add the cooked bacon, beef chunks, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined. Add the thyme springs and bay leaf on top.
- Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release and then quick release of the pressure. Discard bay leaf and thyme stems.
- Thicken the Stew: Turn on the Saute mode. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water until smooth. Stir this slurry into the stew and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. (It will thicken more as it sits.)
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Freeze It For Later: Follow Steps 1 and 2. Let the bacon and sauce cool and then add to a one gallon freezer bag or pressure cooker-shaped container with lid. Place the beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and bay leaf in the same bag or container. Seal, toss gently to combine, and freeze. (Notes: Set the freezer bag in a bowl in the freezer for a few hours to help it freeze in the shape of the pressure cooker. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged in the liquid to avoid browning.)
Prepare from Frozen: Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Follow Steps 4-6. (The frozen meat will cook the same amount of time as from fresh.)
Notes/Tips
- Slow Cooker Version: Try our Crock Pot Beef Bourguignon.
- Stew Meat Sub: If you can’t find stew meat, you can buy a chuck roast. Trim it of most visible fat and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Tip: Place it in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. It makes the meat much easier to work with.
- Meat to Vegetable Ratio: I gave a range of the amount of potatoes and meat you can use in this stew. I tend to like mine heavier on the root vegetables but the classic version is very heavy on the beef. You really can’t mess this up. I’ve tested it all the ways and it’s delicious!
- About the Wine: Buy a red wine you would enjoy drinking. America’s Test Kitchen recommends Pinot Noir, so that’s what I always use in this recipe.
- Gluten-Free Version: To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos.
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