Delicious and tender Instant Pot Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes is full of flavor and perfect for busy nights. Learn how to cook a roast in the Instant Pot with just a few simple steps. It can be done in just over an hour, to be eaten right away, or for a meal several hours later.
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Pot roast has to be one of our families favorite meals. It is probably one of the easiest dishes to make, yet feels like you’ve been hard at work all day in the kitchen. It is hearty, filling and especially perfect for those cold winter days.
Pot roast can be prepared in many different ways, but ever since getting my very own Instant Pot in the fall of ’17, I’ve easily found my favorite way.
It’s fast, simple AND best of all, the meat is fall apart tender. If you are totally new to the Instant Pot, you can find my How To Use An Instant Pot guide here.
This is especially important for our family, because we buy grass fed/grass finished beef.
These calves aren’t fattened on GMO grain, which makes it a little leaner. But, when cooking it this way, it’s not the least bit tough! It’s just as tender as the store-bought beef.
We love to serve ours alongside a steaming hot bowl of garlic mashed potatoes, and a little homemade sauerkraut.
Tools You May Need:
- 6 Quart Instant Pot: I highly recommend this one, because it has the yogurt button. Making homemade yogurt is my favorite thing to do in the Instant Pot.)
- Berkey Water Filter (This is what we use to filter all our water. You can get my full review here.
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Tongs
- Cutting board
Instant Pot Pot Roast Video Tutorial
Instant Pot Pot Roast Ingredients
- 2.5- 3 lb roast – I use grass-fed chuck roast
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5 or 6 whole carrots- cut in large chunks
- 2 medium onions- peeled and cut in half
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Several grindings of fresh black pepper
- 2 cups water, you could also use beef broth.
How to Cook a Pot Roast in the Instant Pot Instructions
Step 1: Brown The Veggies
- The first step is to get the veggies browned and the meat seared. This just adds extra flavor to the veggies and locks all of the delicious-ness inside the meat.
- To do this, press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Allow it to get really hot. This will take a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel your onions and cut them in half, and chop the carrots into large chunks.
- Add two tablespoons of butter into the Instant Pot, and place the onions and carrots into the hot butter. Allow them to cook until the have a nice browned color on them.
- Once all the veggies have been browned a little, set them aside in a separate bowl.
Step 2: Brown and Sear The Meat
- Next, give your roast a little rinse in cold water and pat dry.
- Sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the garlic powder and pepper.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the Instant Pot, and then add the meat.
- Give it a few minutes on all sides, to get some nice browned color on it.
- Searing meat helps it to keep all the flavor inside during the duration of the cooking process.
Step 2: Pressure Cook The Pot Roast And Veggies
- Once the meat is seared, add the veggies back on top and around it. Add in two cups of filtered water. Sprinkle on the remaining half teaspoon salt.
- Set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and allow it to cook for 60 minutes. Make sure that you have the little knob at the top set to sealing, as opposed to venting.
- When the 60 minutes is up, fast release the pressure by flipping the nob from sealed to venting. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep the juices in the meat.
How To Make This Roast Ahead Of Time In The Instant Pot
Going to be out all afternoon and need a good meal when you get back in? Roast is the perfect solution for that!
Follow the steps above, but skip the releasing the pressure part. Instead, just allow the Instant Pot to naturally release and automatically go to warm. It can slow cook and the warm setting for several hours.
When you are finally ready to eat, the pressure will already be released. The Instant Pot will slowly let it out, as it sits on the warm setting.
If you are doing it this way, there is no need to let the meat rest. Just dig in!
Find More Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- How to Make Yogurt in the Instant Pot
- Homemade Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
- Homemade Applesauce in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
Instant Pot Pot Roast Printable Recipe Card
How to Cook a Roast in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 21/2 - 3 lb roast
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 5-6 whole carrots cut in large chunks
- 2 medium onions peeled and cut in half
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Several grindings of fresh black pepper
- 2 cups water
Instructions
Brown the veggies and sear the meat
- Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Allow it to get really hot. This will take a few minutes. Meanwhile, peel your onions and cut them in half, and chop the carrots into large chunks.
- Add two tablespoons of butter into the Instant Pot, and place the onions and carrots into the hot butter. Allow them to cook until the have a nice browned color on them. Once all the veggies have been browned a little, set them aside in a separate bowl.
- Next, give your roast a little rinse in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the garlic powder and pepper. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the Instant Pot, and then add the meat. Give it a few minutes on all sides, to get some nice browned color on it. Searing meat helps it to keep all the flavor inside during the duration of the cooking process.
Put it in the Instant Pot
- Once the meat is seared, add the veggies back on top and around it. Add in two cups of filtered water. Sprinkle on the remaining half teaspoon salt.
- Set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and allow it to cook for 60 minutes. Make sure that you have the little knob at the top set to sealing, as opposed to venting.
- When the 60 minutes is up, release the pressure. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- The Instant Pot makes even the leanest cuts of meat fall apart tender.
Nutrition
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This post was updated November 2019.
Cassie Orner says
Hi, any recommendations for using a crock pot or Dutch oven? Thanks! Cassie
Lisa Bass says
You can use it in a crockpot on low for 6-8 hours.
Micah says
I’ve made this twice and each time the meal is quite soupy and the vegetables mushy. What am I doing wrong?? 😭
Lisa Bass says
That’s interesting. I’ve not had that problem. You could try adding the vegetables a bit later or reduce the liquid slightly.
Haley says
I’ve just started cooking beef again after not eating it for years. Could I use beef brisket in place of chuck roast?
Bee says
Thank you so much for this recipe and video! I replaced my Crock Pot with an Instant Pot last year after all my friends were going ga-ga for it on Facebook. I liked its smaller footprint, easier cleaning, the stainless steel insert, and the variety of functions in just one appliance. I was intimidated by the pressure cooking functions though and attempted to only use the slow cooker function at first and ruined 2 roasts with it. It’s basically just been a bone broth maker since then. I decided to take a chance with your recipe and video tutorial and it was AMAZING. Delicious, the roast fell off the bone, and it was perfect. Thank you so much!
Elizabeth says
I want to add potatoes with the roast and carrots. Any idea if I should just cut the potatoes in half or leave them whole?
Toni says
This is such a great instant pot recipe! Such a huge hit at my house!