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Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew

Name: Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 28 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs lean beef stew meat (round chuck), cut into bite-sized pieces; Salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 8 ounces sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms; 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups); 2 celery sticks, diced (about 1 cup); 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 can (14.9 ounces) Guinness or other stout beer; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 bay leaves; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 cup beef stock; 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (about 4), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces; 4 to 5 carrots, peeled or scrubbed, and cut into 1/2-inch rounds; 3 tablespoons cornstarch

By Kara Lydon, RD, LDN - February 23, 2023 - Updated July 12, 2024

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A delicious one pot Irish meal, this Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew is hearty and savory, packed with potatoes, carrots and mushrooms.

This Instant Pot Irish beef stew is a family favorite and a reader favorite!

Seared beef, tender carrots, creamy potatoes, and all the umami flavor in a thick savory stew.

Plus, it’s super easy to make in the Instant Pot. Set it, and forget it!

We love eating this stew with some of our other favorite Irish recipes like whole wheat Irish soda bread or Irish soda bread muffins. It would also be delish served over my vegan colcannon.

This stew is perfect for any cold winter night and is also a fun addition to a St. Patrick’s Day menu.

It’s a recipe that I think would make my Irish ancestors proud!

Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients for instant pot guiness beef stew lay on a white table.

Notes on Ingredients:

lean beef stew meat (round chuck): any of the tougher cuts of beef work perfectly in stew. Chuck, beef shin, brisket and short ribs are always good cuts to go for but most supermarkets and butchers will be able to guide you as to what cut of beef is best for your stew!
sliced cremini or baby Bella mushrooms: contain umami which will add so much savory flavor to the stew!
tomato paste: can substitute with tomato sauce or ketchup if needed.
Guinness or other stout beer: Will enhance the overall flavor but can swap in any stout, porter, brown, or amber ale. As long as it’s not too hoppy, it will work just fine!
Dijon mustard: for flavor and spice.
Worcestershire sauce: savory and sweet with a distinct tang provided by the vinegar
bay leaves: for added flavor
fresh thyme: for flavor, can substitute for rosemary if needed
beef stock: can substitute with chicken or vegetable broth but might lose some of the beef flavor
yukon gold potatoes: one of the creamier potato varieties but feel free to substitute for other varieties as needed!
cornstarch: to thicken the stew. Can substitute with flour or arrowroot starch if needed.

Equipment You’ll Need (affiliate links – if you make a purchase I receive a small commission)

Instant Pot

How to Make Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew

Sear the beef. Season with salt and pepper. Turn Instant Pot on to Sauté function and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add beef (working in two batches) and let cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.
Sauté mushrooms. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and mushrooms and saute until browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Set cooked mushrooms aside.
Sauté the aromatics. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, onions and celery, and let saute until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and continue sautéing until garlic is fragrant and tomato paste has darkened in color, about 2 minutes.
Deglaze the pan and add other ingredients. Add Guinness to deglaze the pan. Add seared beef, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, bay leaves, thyme and beef stock.
Pressure cook. Secure lid, make sure valve is set to sealing, and set Instant Pot to Meat/Stew function for 30 minutes. Use quick release valve to release steam.
Add vegetables. Remove lid, add potatoes and carrots. Secure lid back on and set to pressure cook/manual for four minutes. Use quick release valve to release steam.
Thicken the stew. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add cornstarch slurry and cooked mushrooms to the stew and stir to thicken (stew will continue to thicken as it sits).

Expert Tips

No need to do a natural release for the meat despite what other recipes may say. I tested it both ways and thought the meat was more tender with the quick release!
Be sure to cut the potatoes small enough (think bite-sized pieces) so that they cook through all the way to fork tender!
I like to use kitchen shears to cut the stew meat into smaller pieces right into the pot. You can leave the meat the size it is out of the packaging but I find this way it’s easier to eat.

Recipe FAQs

1.What if I don’t have any Guinness on hand?

You can swap in any stout, porter, brown, or amber ale. As long as it’s not too hoppy, it will work just fine!

2. What if I don’t want to use beer at all?

You don’t have to! You can swap the Guinness for more beef stock or vegetable broth.

3. What kind of beef is used for stew?

Any of the tougher cuts of beef work perfectly in stew. Chuck, beef shin, brisket and short ribs are always good cuts to go for but most supermarkets and butchers will be able to guide you as to what cut of beef is best for your stew. I used stew beef, which is usually chuck.

Storage and Preparation

Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Beef stew also freezes well! Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Recipes that Pair Well

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Vegan Colcannon

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

beef stew in a white speckled bowl, slices of bread, glass and can of guinness

For more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check out more of mine below!

Vegetarian Irish Stew

Vegan Asparagus Leek and Hemp Soup

Shamrock Shake Smoothie

Gram’s Irish Raisin Bread

If you like this recipe, please be sure to comment and give it a 5 star rating below. If you make it, share it on Instagram and tag me @karalydonrd and I’ll re-share it with my followers! If you want to save this recipe for later, be sure to pin it on Pinterest!

This recipe was retested, reshot and revamped to bring you the most delicious (and most beautiful) dish! The original post was published March 2018.