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Beef Stew with Butternut Squash (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Stovetop)

Avatar photoby Updated: Sep 10, 2024

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This homemade beef stew features tender chuck roast paired with hearty veggies and is made extra fast and easy in the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.

instant pot beef stew in white bowl with fork

The hype around the Instant Pot may have subsided, but my love for this appliance is still strong. I’ve got several Instant Pot recipes, like my Instant Pot oatmeal, my creamy chicken and wild rice soup, and my fettuccine alfredo. Plus, it cooks hard boiled eggs that peel like a dream every.single.time. It saves me valuable time in the kitchen, helped minimize my collection of duplicate appliances, and its capabilities know no bounds. And, it’s even made meal planning a habit I’m actually becoming a fan of. What can’t this workhorse of an appliance do? 

I made this traditional beef stew with a slew of nutritious veggies in my cooker on the pressure cooking setting, and the whole stew was cooked and ready to eat in just 40 minutes. Compare that to 2 hours or more on the stove top and you’ll know why I’m such a fan. BUT! If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this beef stew is just as easily prepared on the stovetop, or in the slow cooker, with directions for both below.

The game changer for me is the ability to sauté and brown right in the cooker. That means if you’re slow cooking or pressure cooking, there’s no need for dirtying up extra pans in the cooking process, and all of the browned flavor tidbits stay in the pan to add more flavor and depth to whatever you’re cooking.

best beef stew ingredients laid out on countertop

What’s in Beef Stew

The classic beef stew combination of carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion are all represented here but I chose to add mushrooms—because we love ’em—and butternut squash because beef and butternut squash together simply make magic. It doesn’t matter if you’re making Instant Pot beef stew or using your slow cooker, the ingredients list doesn’t change.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Flour
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • Garlic salt
  • Beef chuck
  • Vegetable oil
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Celery
  • Red wine—if wine isn’t your thing, I recommend red wine vinegar which will still impart the flavor that red wine brings. But if you don’t have any, you can just use extra beef broth
  • Beef broth
  • Beef base
  • Carrots
  • Mushrooms
  • Butternut squash
  • New red potatoes
  • Bay leaves
  • Thyme

pressure cooker beef stew in Instant Pot

How to Make Instant Pot Stew

The steps for making Instant Pot stew and slow cooker beef stew are very similar. I walk you through both in the recipe card below, but here’s an overview of the cooking process if you’re making Instant Pot beef stew:

  1. Place the beef cubes, flour, kosher salt, garlic salt and black pepper in a freezer bag and toss to coat.
  2. Brown the beef in the Instant Pot along with the garlic. Transfer to a separate bowl.
  3. Add more oil to the Instant Pot and sauté the onion and celery until softened. Add to bowl of beef.
  4. Add red wine to the Instant Pot and bring to a boil.
  5. Add everything into the Instant Pot, set to the stew setting, and let cook for 30 minutes.
  6. Use natural release, then serve.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Making slow cooker beef stew is very similar to making Instant Pot beef stew. The main difference is that you brown the beef and sauté the veggies in a dutch oven, then transfer everything to the slow cooker insert and cook. Slow cooker beef stew needs to cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

How to Make This Stew On the Stovetop

Brown the beef and sauté the veggies in a dutch oven, add the rest of the ingredients and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer for 2 hours or until the beef is tender and vegetables are cooked.

ladle of instant pot stew

How Do you Make Beef Stew Tender?

It’s all about the cut of meat. Please don’t use stew beef here. Beef chuck roast is just the right cut for this type of stew thanks to its marbling that adds flavor and tenderness in a shorter amount of cooking time. Better flavor, better texture, better stew. Bam.

What Gives Beef Stew its Flavor?

There are so many flavor carriers here, and they all play together so nicely. Browning the beef is number one here. That’s essential for giving this stew the wonderful umami flavor it’s known for. Beef broth and beef base are supporting cast members in this department, followed by a healthy dose of garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and veggies. Deglazing the pan with the red wine also adds incredible depth to the stew.

Should Beef Stew Be Soupy?

Beef stew can be as thick as you would like it to be. In addition to flour, the starch from the potatoes naturally thicken the stew. Mine is a touch on the thicker side, but it’s not a gravy. If you want it even thinner, you can omit the flour, and if you want it thicker, you can make a slurry, but this would be more conducive to the stovetop cooking method. You can also just use less liquid.

instant pot beef stew in ladle

Tips for Making the Best Beef Stew

Save even more time by chopping up all of your veggies in advance, and storing them in Tupperware containers in the fridge.

Choose a bottle of wine for this Instant Pot stew that you’d enjoy drinking on its own. You don’t want to skimp on flavor with a cheap bottle that adds skunk instead of spunk. Again, you can always sub red wine vinegar if you don’t have wine or would rather omit it.

If you don’t have butternut squash on hand, swap in cubed sweet potatoes instead. Both are quite sweet, so I think this pairing would be delicious too.

We love eating this beef stew with some crusty bread, but sometimes serve it over egg noodles or creamy polenta. If you want to serve it over mashed potatoes, that would definitely not be a bad idea (you can never have too many potatoes).

two servings of best beef stew in white bowls

More Beef Dinners Recipes to Try

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.



4.49 from 91 votes

Beef Stew with Butternut Squash (Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Stove Top)

Tender chuck roast beef pairs with classic stew vegetables plus butternut squash for extra nutrition in this velvety sauced stew with instructions for making in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop.
Print
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword stew
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 422kcal

Equipment

  • I use a 6QT Instant Pot for this recipe, or a traditional slow cooker, or Dutch oven if making on the stovetop.

Ingredients 

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour , divided
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds beef chuck cut into cubes
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided
  • 4 cloves garlic , pressed or minced
  • 1 large onion , chopped, about 2 cups
  • 3 ribs celery , chopped, about 1 cup
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon beef base
  • 2 cups chopped carrots
  • 1 pound cremini or brown mushrooms , quartered
  • 12 ounces butternut squash , cubed
  • 2 cups quartered new red potatoes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 thyme stems

Instructions

  • Place 2 tablespoons flour, kosher salt, garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper in a gallon freezer bag and toss to mix. Add the beef chuck cubes to the freezer bag and toss the cubes in the flour mixture to coat.

Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker:

  • Press sauté and heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add half of the floured beef cubes to the oil and brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and brown the rest of the meat on all sides. Add the garlic to the beef and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add this beef to the bowl.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and cook the onion and celery for 4-5 minutes or until softened, then add to the bowl with the beef.
  • Add the wine to the Instant Pot and bring to a boil, scraping the bits from the bottom of the cooker. Add the beef broth and the beef base to the Instant Pot and mix with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.
  • Add the browned beef and sautéed veggies, along with the butternut squash, carrots, red potatoes and mushrooms to the pot with the bay leaves and thyme.
  • Seal the Instant Pot and set to the Stew setting and cook for 30 minutes. Natural release, remove the bay leaves and serve.

Slow Cooker:

  • In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil and add half of the floured beef cubes, then brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker. Add another tablespoon of oil to dutch oven and brown the rest of the meat on all sides. Add the garlic to the beef and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant. Add to the slow cooker.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and cook the onion and celery for 4-5 minutes or until softened, then add to the slow cooker with the beef.
  • Add the wine to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot. Whisk the 2 remaining tablespoons of flour into 2 tablespoons of the beef broth, then mix into the rest of the liquid and beef base and add to the slow cooker with the beef, vegetables, bay leaves, and thyme.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Stove Top:

  • In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the oil and add half of the floured beef cubes, then brown the beef on all sides. Add another tablespoon of oil to dutch oven and brown the rest of the meat on all sides. Add the garlic to the beef and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until garlic becomes fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot and cook the onion and celery for 4-5 minutes or until softened, then set aside with the beef.
  • Add the wine to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot. Whisk the 2 remaining tablespoons of flour into 2 tablespoons of the beef broth, then mix into the rest of the liquid with the beef base. Add the reserved beef, vegetables, bay leaves, and thyme.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover tightly and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender. Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1246mg | Potassium: 1348mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13239IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 5mg

instant pot or slow cooker beef stew in white bowl

More Instant Pot Dinners to Try

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Comments

    4.49 from 91 votes (81 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  2. Patty Castello

    5 stars
    As the temperature is cooling I prepared this dish for a family dinner; it was a big hit. I served it with bread and butter to soak up the delicious gravy. Two notes: I prepared the dish using the “stovetop method”. The recipe says transfer the beef to the “slow cooker”. Just a typo, of course. Also, it requires a 6-quart pot which is noted in the recipe, but best to ensure you have a pot that large before starting. I prepared the recipe exactly as published and it was fabulous. Next time I will prepare in the slow cooker.

    Reply

    • Hayley

      Hi Sheri! You could use red wine vinegar (do 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar mixed with 1/2 cup water). Or, you could use a non-alcoholic red wine. We hope this helps!

      Reply

  8. Dale

    5 stars
    Great stew recipe and I can’t wait to make it again. As for the folks having trouble getting this to fit in a 6 qt IP maybe too many potatoes and or carrots? I googled 2 cups of each and for potatoes it’s 1 lb and for carrots was told 3 medium carrots. It seemed a little overloaded with mushrooms to me so next time I will probably use ~ 12 oz.

    Thanks for sharing another great recipe!

    Reply

  9. maggie

    hi heidi; quick question – if we are to do this with nearly defrosted or frozen beef, how would that change the cooking process?

    Reply

  10. Gretchen

    5 stars
    This was a lot of prep for the insta pot but totally worth it! The most delicious beef stew I have ever made! I will definitely make again!

    Reply

  11. DeanaD

    What size instant pot was this recipe designed for? It does no specify the serving number. I have a 3 QT – the Mini – and wish to adapt to the smaller size. Thx u!

    Reply

  12. Lydia

    2 stars
    I tried this with my 6 qt. Instant Pot. After getting the “burn” notice, we added more liquid. It got to pressure again, but the burn notice came up a second time. It got transferred to the crock pot, but this means we had to find an alternative dinner. Disappointed. Also, people have pointed out that the recipe doesn’t tell you when to add the beef back to the pot.

    Reply

    • Ashley @ Foodie Crush

      I am so sorry to hear that, Lydia! The instant pot can be finnicky sometimes. Adding the beef back in will be the final step. Thank you for your comment.

      Reply

  13. Carol Vermeer

    Made this tonight, in my Instant Pot 6 qt. Was looking for something to do with a leftover butternut squash besides curried soup. It was fantastic, and I used stewing beef, and only 1 lb for budgetary reasons. Little more squash, little less mushrooms because that was what I had. Will definitely make again.
    Pot was fairly full but not iverly so, no problems.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  16. D. McGee

    5 stars
    Awesome recipe! I normally do a recipe by the letter the first time and don’t think this needs any modifications; however, was emboldened to make a few changes based on a need to reduce red meat and a desire not to make a trip to the supermarket! I swapped the beef out for black beans, cooking them with the onions, garlic, celery, and salt and pepper together (in retrospect, I should have added the 2tbsp of the flour for the beef here to help thicken things up later). I only had 1 cup of beef broth so I added a cup of water and an extra tsp of beef base for flavor. And finally, I had a number of shallots to finish off so I used them instead of yellow onions. What came out was delicious!!!! I might have done better with 2tbsp of beef base as opposed to the single tbsp in the recipe to amp up the flavor since there’s no meet here, but nothing a little seasoning at the table couldn’t handle! Kudos!!!

    Reply

  17. Mary Mayhew

    5 stars
    This beef stew with butternut squash was amazing! Will have to try more or your recipes! I’m loving this insta-pot! Who says that fast can’t be amazing? :)

    Reply

  18. Mary Mayhew

    5 stars
    This was amazing! Will have to try more or your recipes! I’m loving this insta-pot! Who says that fast can’t be amazing? :)

    Reply

  19. Cathy Hind

    This is hands down the BEST stew i have ever had! I made it a couple months ago after listening to my daughter rave about it. She uses her instant pot but mine is too small so I opted for the slow cooker. The slow cooker recipe clearly states when to add the beef so Yay for that! My daughter uses only broth but I used the wine too. I have never been a big fan of stew…I ate 2 bowls of this on the first night! My husband did the same and we ate every drop of the leftovers! SOOO good. I added extra beef base for a little extra flavor and used GF flour.

    Reply

  21. Elena

    Holy moly, this did not fit in a 6 quart instant pot. Owners of 8 quarts might have more luck but mine was filled to the very top and did not come to pressure.

    Reply

  23. Rich

    This is a fantastic stew. Every time I make it family raves about it. The only modification I regularly make now is to double the butternut squash and leave out the potatoes, but only because I prefer to use up the whole squash at once and it’s a little less prep that way. It’s delicious either way.

    Reply

  24. Dee

    This is really, really, good. I’ve made it several times and it always turns out great. I leave out the flour, don’t usually have beef base, substitute turnips for potatoes, and use dried spices. It’s always good!

    Reply

  28. Cecile

    This looks so delicious – and the broth has a lovely, dark richness. I LOVE butternut squash, and, like you, I adore mushrooms. I’m gonna have to look into the Instant Pot. I’ve never heard of it and it sounds like a great thing to have – 2 hours versus 40 minutes – OH YEAH!! ; o )

    Reply

  33. Kate

    Tried this tonight in my InstantPot and love it! A question though: when exactly do I add the beef back into the InstantPot? I didn’t see it in the directions, did I somehow miss it?

    Reply

  34. gina

    Thank you for this.! Ive never made beef stew. What exactly is a beef base, please? Also, If I don’t use any wine, do I increase the amount of beef broth? OK to use olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Kathy Martin

      You can find beef base usually on the top shelf in the grocery store above the beef and chicken broth. It’s a flavor concentrate usually a creamy consistency. And yes increase beef broth to replace the amount of wine. And if using olive oil just be careful not to get the pan too hot and burn it since it has a lower smoke point.

      Reply

    • Hayley

      Hi Gina! Beef base is like a more concentrated stock (it’s a super flavorful paste you mix with water like a stock, just with much more flavor). Also, if you don’t have wine, you can just increase the amount of beef broth, and yes, you can totally use olive oil!

      Reply

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