There is probably nothing cozier than homemade stew. This instant pot beef stew has a Filipino / Spanish influence and is a recipe my family absolutely love! Best of all it's made in 30 minutes instead of 3 to 4 hours in a slow cooker.
It is warm and comforting like soup, but it is also hearty and filling, and packed with nutrients. This particular recipe is an instant pot beef stew with a tomato sauce base. It was inspired by culture. I took my favorite elements and blended them to create something tasty and healthy that feels like a childhood favorite with a twist. It's my favorite Filipino beef stew! I made it in the instant pot pressure cooker. If you don’t already have one, now is the time to invest! This recipe is easy to make, and my favorite part about using the instant pot is that requires no extra dirty dishes! Everything cooks right in your instant pot.
Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Tomato Beef Stew
- Ditch the Dishes – Everything is prepared right in your instant pot. So this recipe is perfect for those nights when you don’t have time to do tons of prep, or spend a lot of time over the sink at the end of the meal. This is my favorite Filipino beef recipe is perfect for busy nights when you still want to get a nice, warm meal on the table but don’t have time to spend your whole night in the kitchen.
- Budget Friendly – This recipe is super affordable, and your shopping list won’t be very long. You likely already have several of these ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
Ingredients For Instant Pot Beef Mechado
- Chuck Roast – Chuck is a great option for stew and it is inexpensive. Prepare it in stew-sized cubes.
- Tomato Sauce – Packed with lycopene, vitamin C and K, tomato sauce is the base of this stew. Any plain canned tomato sauce will do.
• Sugar – A little sugar will lend some sweetness to this dish. Regular cane sugar works. - Soy Sauce – The salty, umami flavor of soy sauce is part of what gives this dish a unique flavor that sets it apart from traditional American stews, and brings in Filipino influences.
- Salt and Pepper – Regular salt and pepper are important for seasoning.
- Peas – Peas are so healthy and tasty. I recommend using frozen ones for this recipe. Canned peas work, but frozen will hold up better in the pressure cooker.
- Potatoes – Add your favorite kind of potato to this recipe. Yukon gold or red potatoes are both low starch options that will hold up well in this stew, but you can use any type you like.
- Carrots – Full of beta-carotene, fiber, and potassium, carrots are a signature part of any stew.
- Olive Oil – You can use whichever type of oil you have on hand. You will only need 2 tablespoons for sautéing in the beginning.
- Minced Garlic – For this method of cooking, minced garlic will do better than garlic powder.
- Bell Pepper – You can adjust this portion of the recipe to your likings. Use somewhere between 1-2 bell peppers, opting for the color of your choice. Yellow peppers will add a little sweetness, while green add a bright earthiness. Red offer a little bit of zest. You can toss in any combination that suits you.
How to make Instant Pot Tomato Beef Stew
1. On sauté mode add oil and minced garlic
2. Add meat and sprinkle salt and pepper, cook until nicely browned
3. Add carrots, potatoes, peas and peppers.
4. Add soy sauce, then tomato sauce and sugar.
4. Cook on high pressure 35 minutes
5. Serve with rice
Step by Step Instructions
First, turn your instant pot pressure cooker on to sauté mode. Add your cooking oil and minced garlic. Heat oil, and allow the garlic to sauté for about a minute, until fragrant.
Next, add your cubes of chuck roast. I prefer these cuts of beef because it tends to have some marbling in them. Sprinkle your salt and pepper over top of the meat. Leave it to cook in the instant pot until it is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
Once your meat is ready, add your chopped carrots, potato cubes, chopped bell peppers.
Next, make your sauce. Add the soy sauce to the meat and veggies. Then add your tomato sauce and sugar.
Once all of your ingredients have been added to the instant pot, turn it to high pressure, and then leave it to cook for 30-35 minutes. Release pressure, open when complete and add frozen peas. Allow it to cook a bit until vegetables are tender. Then serve with white rice.
Cooks Tips
- Keep your potato chunks and vegetables relatively large. You don’t want them to be huge, but cubes that are too small will cook too quickly and will get mushy in the stew, ruining the consistency.
- Opt for slightly marbleized beef. It will lead to a more tender beef stew. That said, a leaner meat will still work!
- Leftovers are good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To reheat leftovers, allow your beef stew to thaw, if frozen, and then warm in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- I prefer beef chuck meat as opposed to stew meat because it tends to produce more tender beef stew.
FAQ
Add all of your ingredients to your instant pot and then cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. There is also a stew setting which will automatically set itself for 35 minutes.
Yes. Pressure cooking utilizes steam in its method, which in turn helps to make meat more tender. That said, you don't want to cook it too long, it will start falling apart. Beef stew will get more tender the longer it cooks. The meat itself will take a bit longer than the veggies, which is why it gets added first. Since we are using chuck in this recipe, the meat doesn’t get tough as it cooks, but stays juicy and tender in the pressure cooker.
I highly suggest using beef chuck roast. It has some fat content yielding a much softer and tender stew. Stew mea t will work but will be a little drier.
This recipe uses tomato sauce. If you only have tomato paste on hand, you can always dilute it with water, veggie broth, or beef broth.
Looking for more easy family dinners Try these:
Thank you Instant Pot for sponsoring this post.
Instant Pot Beef Stew Filipino / Spanish Inspired Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 lb chuck roast cubed like stew
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
- ¼ c. sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ c. Frozen peas optional
- 1-2 potatoes cubed (cut largely otherwise they’ll turn to mush), peeled or unpeeld
- 3-4 whole carrots cut slanted medium thickness
- 2 tbs Oil
- 1 tbs minced garlic
- 1-2 bell pepper red green yellow
Instructions
- On sauté mode add oil and minced garlic
- Add meat and sprinkle salt and pepper, cook until nicely browned
- Add carrots, potatoes, peas and peppers.
- Add soy sauce, then tomato sauce and sugar.
- Cook on high pressure 30 minutes
- Serve with rice
Any suggestion if I double the recipe?
Hi. You probably have to use two instant pots or just do it twice. I wouldn't want an accident to happen if it was overloaded!
Great recipe. No kidding about not cutting veg too small. Thanks
My family loved this! It was my first time cooking beef afritada in instapot I was hesitant at first but it turned out perfect! Thank you!
Thank you so much for trying! Give my chicken adobo recipe a try. it's also in the instant pot 😉
Can you make thus in the crockpot instead
Hi Leanne: Yes, it should work, but I haven't tested the exact times? I highly suggest using slightly marbled meat and not stew meat, for example chuck it may come out dry with extensive cooking
what about water?? how many cups did you use? i mean this a stew/soup..so how come you did not mention on how many cups of water that is used to make the stew?
You don't need water for this dish. When cooking in an instant pot, the tomato sauce and soy sauce is plenty. Thanks!