Instant Pot Beef Stew And Dumplings are the perfect winter comfort food to load into the pressure cooker on cold winter days. Featuring homemade cheese and parsley suet dumplings along with a beef stew made of beef, swede, potatoes, and onions.

Just a few simple ingredients make this the best instant pot beef stew and dumplings, plus you will love what I do with the leftovers!

This instant pot beef stew and dumplings recipe was originally published in early 2017, just after purchasing our first instant pot. We are updating it for you with more pictures, more recipe ideas and even more instant pot beef stew tips.

instant pot beef stew and dumplings recipe
Instant Pot Beef Stew and Dumplings Recipe
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Instant Pot Beef Stew UK

I get it, as a Brit we often search the internet for one of our British classics and we can not find a single British recipe. I know that because I have done it and worn the T-shirt many, many times.

You see recipes instead for instant pot frozen pot roast and whilst it looks amazing, you want to sink homemade suet dumplings into the instant pot and steam them using the magic of the instant pot.

Well, I hear you and I too, love nothing more than a bowl of just cooked instant pot beef stew and dumplings.

Today’s recipe is an instant pot beef stew uk recipe, that is easy to adapt with your favourite stew ingredients and ideal for a dump it into the instant pot, kind of Sunday stew.

Edit: If you live in the USA, you can follow this recipe and then make beef stew with bisquick dumplings instead of our suet variation.

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Why Make Instant Pot Beef Stew With Dumplings

Because it is amazing. Its one of those beef stew recipes, that you didn’t realise you needed in your life, until you tasted it after it had been pressure cooked.

The benefit of instant pot beef stew with dumplings, is that the beef stew is much quicker than the slow cooker, and you can prep the dumplings, whilst the beef stew cooks and then add the dumplings later.

When you tuck in you will not realise that you have made English beef stew and dumplings using the instant pot and many will assume you have used the slow cooker.

With that said, you can also do many variations. Whilst the first thing I ever cooked in the slow cooker was beef stew and dumplings, you can convert any stew with dumplings to the instant pot.

Here are a few examples:

Instant Pot Lamb Stew & Dumplings – You can follow our slow cooker lamb stew and dumplings recipe, then use the cook times we have provided in this recipe. You can also mix and match what lamb you have. Remember, the instant pot does an amazing job with cheap cuts of lamb.

Instant Pot Vegetable Stew & Dumplings – Whilst you can follow our slow cooker vegetable stew and dumplings recipe, do note, that because there is no meat you don’t have to release pressure inbetween and can cook the stew and dumplings together in JUST 8 minutes.

Can You Overcook Dumplings In A Stew?

Yes, you can. And even though they will taste good, they will not hold the dumpling shape and you will end up with a mushy dumpling.

Our plan B when making a simple beef stew and dumplings, is to add the dumplings towards the end of cooking. They will then sit in the stew, get all the flavours of the stew, but will still have the fantastic dumpling texture.

Does Meat Get More Tender The Longer You Pressure Cook It?

Yes, it does. Think of it from a just cooked prospective. Braising beef or chuck roast as you might call it, is technically cooked after JUST 5 minutes. But it will be tough and unless you have amazing teeth, you are likely to need dental work before you are done.

However, the longer you pressure cook your beef the more tender it will become. I recommend when making a beef stew in the instant pot that you aim for a cook time of between 45 minutes or 1 hour 15 minutes depending on how big your pot of stew is.

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Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients

Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe

Beef – I recommend any beef stewing meat for this recipe. We used braising steak (chuck roast) that we had bought cubed from Morrisons supermarket. But you can vary it with what you have.

Onion – When I make a beef stew in the instant pot, I love to sauté the onion first and give some flavour to the instant pot, before browning the meat.

Swede – For me an English stew is not the same without some chopped up swede, or as they call it in the USA, rutabaga.

Potatoes – The potatoes are what helps keep it all together and gives it that wonderful beef stew flavour. You can also use the potatoes to thicken the beef stew if necessary.

Seasoning – I love to season my beef stew with mixed herbs, thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper. You can of course mix and match with what you have in.

Dumplings – For me, nothing beats homemade dumplings in your beef stew. I will make a double batch of suet dumplings as I find one portion is not enough when making a big batch of stew.

Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this instant pot beef stew and dumplings, it has just been our Instant Pot. We have this one and it does an amazing job and is also ideal for sauteing and then pressure cooking your stews.

How To Cook Pressure Cooker Beef Stew & Dumplings?

instant pot beef stew and dumplings step by step
  • Prep. The first step is to peel and dice your vegetables and wash any that need washing.
  • Browning. Next, I love to saute my onion, add some flavour to the instant pot and brown my meat. Then I will deglaze the instant pot with red wine before pressure cooking.
  • Mix. Add all the ingredients into the instant pot (apart from your dumplings dough) and mix well.
  • Cook. Instant pot your beef stew until wonderfully tender and do a 15 minute natural pressure release.
  • Make. Whilst the instant pot is working its magic, I recommend making your suet dumplings and letting them sit on your worktop to get some air to them prior to loading them into the instant pot.
  • Dump. After your instant pot has finished, reduce the stock by half, and then add in your dumplings, take the instant pot back to pressure and do a zero minute cook. This will cook the dumplings.
  • Serve. Then once back at pressure, do a quick pressure release before serving.

Why Extra Beef Stock?

I do this on purpose so that I can create extra beef stock for another recipe. I will add double the liquid needed for the stew, drain half and then reserve this half for another recipe.

I also do this because it will take longer for the instant pot to go to pressure and this will make the beef even more tender.

How Long Does Beef Stew Take To Cook In The Instant Pot?

This depends on how full your instant pot is. But for the average sized stew that would feed six people, then note that you are wanting to pressure cook for 45 minutes.

Though note, that because the instant pot is often full when making beef stew, you will have extra cook time for the time it takes to go to pressure.

What Is The Meat/Stew Setting On The Instant Pot?

The meat and stew setting on the instant pot, is a preset button, to make it easier for you when cooking stew in the instant pot.

It saves you having to push the button all the way up to 45 minutes on manual and you can choose if you use it or not.

What To Do With Beef Stew Leftovers?

What To Do With Beef Stew Leftovers

I am sure I am not alone, with being the one that has an instant pot of leftover stew and no dumplings. And how every family member argues over who gets the last dumpling.

But what I love is to save the leftover stew for another day to make into something yummy.

But I did something different with this beef stew. I made sure the ingredients used matched what was traditional for a Cornish pasty, that way I could make air fryer Cornish pasties with what is left. This of course suits it more, when you don’t have as much leftover, if you have a lot, I recommend instead reheating the beef stew for 0 minutes and then serving it with warm crusty bread.

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More Stew & Dumplings Recipe Suggestions

Instant Pot Beef Stew And Dumplings
5 from 6 votes

Instant Pot Beef Stew And Dumplings

Instant Pot Beef Stew And Dumplings are the perfect winter comfort food to load into the pressure cooker on cold winter days. Featuring homemade cheese and parsley suet dumplings along with a beef stew made of beef, swede, potatoes, and onions.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

Kitchen Gadgets:

Instant Pot Beef Stew Ingredients:

Instructions 

  • Peel and slice up your onion and place it into the instant pot with the extra virgin olive oil. Sauté your onion until it starts to change colour. Add in your stewing steak and brown on all sides using the same oil. Then deglaze your instant pot with red wine.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Whilst the instant pot is warming up for its sauté, peel and dice your swede and potatoes.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Add in your swede, potato and seasoning and mix well.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Pour in 1 litre (just over 4 cups) of water or stock until the beef is covered.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Pressure cook for 45 minutes followed by a 15 minute natural pressure release. Whilst the stew is cooking make your dumplings and roll into balls.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Once the pressure has finished releasing, half the liquid and put half aside to save for beef stock for future recipes. Then stir what is left.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Place dumpling balls over and place the lid back on the instant pot. Set the valve to sealing again and cook for 0 minutes and then do a quick pressure release. Your dumplings will be cooked in the time it takes to go to pressure.
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
  • Once you have released pressure, serve up your stew and dumplings!
    Instant Pot Beef Stew & Dumplings Recipe Ingredients

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Stock. I always double the liquid I need into the instant pot. Then half can come out for beef stock for another recipe, then the extra liquid will mean it will take longer to go to pressure = more tender beef.
Pasties. We used specific ingredients in this recipe to be able to make air fryer Cornish pasties with the leftovers. You can do the same or you can mix and match the ingredients with what you have in.
Dumplings. You can use any dumplings. They can be with or without suet, you can also make bisquick dumplings too.
Pressure. Because the instant pot is already hot, it doesn’t take long to bring the instant pot back to pressure to cook the dumplings.
Thanks for reading our instant pot beef stew and dumplings recipe on Recipe This. We have many more instant pot recipes for you to check out next. Though if you are looking for more winter dinner ideas, then I recommend you try our Instant Pot vegetable soup with frozen vegetables next.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 864mg | Potassium: 762mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 5mg
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About Recipe This

Hi! I am Sam and along with my chef hubby Dom we love sharing with you easy everyday recipes using kitchen gadgets. We are also the authors of The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook, an amazing air fryer cookbook filled with 140+ everyday air fryer recipes.

Beyond the air fryer we also love the instant pot, slow cooker, soup maker, ninja foodi, pie maker and several other kitchen gadgets.

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25 Comments

  1. Thanks so much for this recipe and the dumpling hint. Made it with homemade dumplings… we don’t have fancy package stuff in NZ! Family hve all had two helpings!

    1. Hi Rita,

      Basically 0 minutes means when you set the time set it to 0 so when you press cook it will come to pressure but as soon as it has hit pressure it clicks of and finishes, so really the coming to pressure cooks the food inside at that time 🙂

  2. Hi MrsJ80,

    Yes all of our pressure cooker recipes are cooked at high pressure. If it is at low pressure we always put that in the recipe instructions 🙂

  3. 5 stars
    Used instant pot for first time. Went right by recipe and my husband and I made delicious pot of stew and dumplings! Thank you- so easy!