Perfect Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe (the BEST gravy!)

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 servings

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This Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe is an easy, comforting dinner that comes together so quickly in the pressure cooker! With tender veggies (not mushy!), a fall apart tender roast and seasoned gravy. With step by step VIDEO

Love pot roast? Try my Easy Pot Roast recipe or my Slow Cooker Pot Roast next!

overhead image of instant pot roast with potatoes and carrots

This recipe was originally posted in 2018, but has been updated to include new step by step photos and video.

September is one of the best months of the year, and not just because it’s my birthday month. It means that things like this Instant Pot Pot Roast are back on the table.

Comfort foods, especially those that are healthy and nourish our bodies, are my favorite kinds of meals!

This Potato Soup, this Rigatoni Pasta Bake, and so many of these Easy Crockpot Meals are popping up on our table again and again (and no one’s mad about it).

When the weather starts cooling off, there is just nothing like a cozy meal to gather around with the family — especially if it’s cooking in the Instant Pot, hands off!

This Instant Pot Roast comes out perfectly cooked and has the best gravy (just check out the reviews below!), plus no mushy vegetables to speak of!

You can even throw the roast in completely frozen if you’ve got a little extra time to let it cook (and it turns out just as great as these Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot and this Instant Pot Whole Chicken you can cook from frozen as well!)

instant pot pot roast with potatoes and carrots in pressure cooker

Why we love this Pressure Cooker Pot Roast!

This Instant Pot Roast is so tender it falls apart when you try to take it out. It has such great flavor, that you can even skip the searing if you want (I’ll be honest, I am often to lazy to sear my meat first!).

One thing it is missing? Mushy vegetables.

Vegetables in the Instant Pot cook very quickly, often just a few minutes or less, so it’s better to leave them out while the roast cooks, and add them later at the end.

I know that this is an extra step and you might be wondering if it’s worth it.

Trust me on this one.

This way, you will have a perfectly juicy and tender pot roast, and perfectly cooked but still totally appetizing veggies.

You know I’m not into any extra unnecessary steps (or dishes, or ingredients!), but the potatoes and carrots will cook in just a few minutes and if you buy small, pre-washed potatoes, you don’t even need to chop them.

close up image of gravy being poured onto instant pot beef roast
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How to make Instant Pot Pot Roast:

  1. Season and sear: Cut your roast beef into roughly 1 pound pieces and coat them with the seasoning blend. Meanwhile, turn your Instant Pot to saute, and brown each piece in oil on every side. You can skip this step, but I find it does add a lot of flavor and helps to keep the juices in the meat.
  2. Remove the beef and cook the onions: cooking the onions adds another layer of flavor to our gravy! Then add the garlic and cook just a minute, so that it doesn’t burn.
  3. Deglaze the pot: Add the rest of the gravy ingredients (still on saute). Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot with a wooden spoon to remove any bits that might be stuck on the bottom.
  4. Add the roast and pressure cook until tender: If your roast is cut into 1 lb chunks, it shouldn’t matter how large it was to begin with — they will all cook in about the same amount of time. I cook mine for 60-65 minutes. Depending on the type of roast you have and how you like your meat cooked, you may want to add additional time.
  5. Let the pressure release and add the vegetables: at this point you have the option to remove the roast if it is cooked and tender, and shred it while the vegetables cook, or just add the vegetables on top of the roast.
  6. Once everything is cooked, let the pressure release again and serve: Letting the pressure release naturally, completely (turning it off and not opening the valve until the pin goes down on its own) is the best way to ensure moist and juicy pot roast. Once the pressure is released, open it up and thicken the gravy on saute if desired.

Instant Pot Pot Roast FAQs

What is the best cut of meat for pot roast?

  • You don’t have to spend big money on a great cut of meat to make a pot roast — the Instant Pot tenderizes an inexpensive roast in an hour or less! This is one time where you can save a little and still have an amazing meal.

  • With that being said, chuck roast (as it will be called in the United States) or blade roast (as it is called in Canada) is the most common choice for pot roast. It is not an expensive cut, but it has great marbling which leads to very tender meat. You can use other varieties, but one that is labelled “pot roast” in Canada will be your best bet!
  • How long do you cook a pot roast in the Instant Pot?

    The short answer? About 1 hour.
    The long answer:How long a roast will need to be pressure cooked depends mostly on how large the roast or the pieces are that you cut it into. I prefer to cut my roasts into chunks that are approximately 1 lb in size (so if you have a 3lb roast, you’ll cut it into 3 pieces).
    However, the cook time also depends on the thickness of the pieces, so there has to be some wiggle room. To be on the safe side, you can always allow for a little extra time pressure cooking the meat — I opt for about 1 hour pressure cooking on high for smaller pieces.
    If your roast is frozen, or it is in one large piece, you will want to add a significant amount of time to ensure that your meat is fall apart tender.

    Can I cook a frozen roast in the Instant Pot?

    Absolutely!
    Increase the cook time to 90-100 minutes for a 3 lb roast, and 100-110 minutes for a 4 lb roast, and 120 minutes for anything larger than 4 pounds.
    You won’t sear a frozen roast, but you can sprinkle the seasoning on and add the liquids as the recipe calls for below.

    Why is my pot roast tough?

    Chances are, it just hasn’t cooked long enough. A beef roast will safe to cook long before it is tender, so giving it a little extra time doesn’t hurt anything.
    I like to cut my pot roast into smaller chunks so that it cooks and tenderizes more quickly. If you are using a less-than-ideal type of roast (something lean with not much fat), you may want to cut it into even smaller pieces.

    Do I have to trim my roast?

    It’s up to you! I don’t usually trim much, as the fat makes the roast so juicy as it cooks. It can easily be trimmed once it is cooked.
    If you prefer less fat cooking with your fat, you can trim the larger pieces.

    close up image of pressure cooker pot roast in bowl with fork

    Tips for making the best Instant Pot Pot Roast:

    • Like I mentioned before, please do not add the veggies for the first cook time. You do not want your veggies cooking an extra 60+ minutes under high pressure! 3 minutes and they are perfectly tender and fluffy.
    • You can skip searing the meat if you need to cut out some prep time, but it does add significant flavor to the dish overall. If you don’t sear, you’ll find that your juices (and therefore gravy if you thicken it) will be more “beefy” and you will taste less of the other flavors.
    • If you need to save some time, cut the roast into 2-3″ chunks and pressure cook for 40-50 minutes, or save even more time by using pre-cut stewing beef.
    • All of my Instant Pot recipes are tested in a 6 quart Instant Pot.

    Looking for more Instant Pot dinner recipes?

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    Instant Pot Pot Roast (with the BEST gravy!)

    4.94 from 461 votes
    This Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe is an easy, comforting dinner that comes together so quickly in the pressure cooker! With tender veggies (not mushy!), a fall apart tender roast and seasoned gravy. With step by step VIDEO 
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    Time to build and release pressure 40 minutes
    Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
    Cuisine American
    Course Main Course
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 447cal

    Ingredients

    • 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Lawry’s)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 3 lb beef chuck roast cut into 1lb chunks
    • 2 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
    • 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
    • 2 cups low sodium beef broth
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 ½ lb Creamer potatoes (or baby potatoes) whole
    • 3 large carrots peeled and cut into thick slices
    • 1 tablespoon ketchup (or honey)
    • 2 tablespoons corn starch
    • 2 tablespoons water

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, combine seasoning salt, garlic, parsley, onion powder and pepper. Sprinkle over roast to season.
    • Turn Instant Pot to saute. When it reads hot, add the oil and sear roast on all sides. To do this, place the roast in the pot and do not move for 2-3 minutes. When you flip it, it should release from the pan easily. You may need to add extra oil to brown all of the pieces and cook them in 2 batches. When browned, removed the meat from the Instant Pot.
    • Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened (adding more oil if necessary). Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
    • To the Instant Pot add broth, vinegar, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce — if there are brown bits stuck to the bottom from the meat, give them a scrape with a wooden spoon and they should release easily — this will help to prevent a burn message. Stir to combine. 
    • Add the meat back into the pot. Put the lid on and turn the valve to sealing. Select Manual or Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 65 minutes on high pressure (90-100 minutes for a frozen roast).
    • When the cook time is over, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally (this should take 10-15 minutes) before turning the valve to venting and opening the lid.
    • Remove the roast to a plate, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots, put the lid back on, turn the valve to sealing and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 3 minutes.
    • While the potatoes and carrots cook, shred the beef and keep warm.
    • When the cook time is over, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before moving the valve to venting, gradually releasing remaining pressure and opening the lid. 
    • Remove potatoes and carrots from Instant Pot and place on a platter with the beef.
    • Stir in ketchup (it's not necessary but as a nice brightness and contrast to the savory flavor of the beef). Whisk together corn starch and water and stir into gravy.
    • Turn Instant Pot to saute and cook, stirring often, until gravy has thickened. Serve with roast beef and vegetables.

    Notes

    *UPDATED December 3, 2021. 
    I made a few changes to this recipe to make it even more flavorful (and get us more gravy!). I wanted to list them here so you can see what has happened.
    • I added a sauteed onion and garlic to the gravy. You can skip this if you didn’t miss it 🙂
    • I increased the broth to 2 cups from 1 cup — this gives us more gravy! I also increase the vinegar, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to match.
    • I removed the roast after pressure cooking to add the potatoes and carrots, but you can still do it either way. This way, the roast has time to rest and we can shred it while the vegetables cook. 
    • I added a tablespoon of ketchup to the gravy — this just brightens the flavors and adds a subtle touch of sweetness.

    Nutrition Information

    Serving: 261grams | Calories: 447cal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 1236mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3921IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 5mg
    Keywords instant pot beef roast, instant pot roast, instant pot roast beef, pressure cooker pot roast, pressure cooker roast

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    Meet Ashley

    My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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    Comments

    1. Erin Williams says

      I’ve made this 3 times now and it’s been delicious, tender and cooked to perfection every time. I followed your instructions exactly and it’s SO good! My roasts have been 2.5 lbs, I cut it in 3 big chunks prior to searing. It has come out great each time! For anyone wondering, I’ve used chicken broth instead of beef and the flavor still comes out great! I also use an 8 quart instant pot and cook time 55 mins.

    2. Bridgett says

      I made this with my 6qt today. This is the first meal that I have made in my instapot. My husband HATES ROAT BEEF! He went back for 2nds. I added onions, celery and mushrooms, cooked for an extra 3 minutes…PERFECT! I even made the gravy.

    3. Jackie says

      Came across this pot roast recipe and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
      I’m glad you had the reminder about the extra time for pressure etc as I actually allowed the time as I have not in the past and dinner was ready right on schedule. My husband would have eaten it all but I wanted leftovers so it saves me time the next day. It was very tasty and I will definitely make it again. Thanks

    4. Natalie says

      Just made this tonight and it was delicious! The sauce is to die for and the meat was so flavorful and perfectly tender. Really the best pot roast I’ve made yet. I cut the meat in 4 pieces, all a little under a pound each and cooked for 55 minutes on manual high. I also used just 1 lb of baby red potatoes since that’s what I had on hand but added extra carrots.

    5. Cathy says

      With the exception of adding a sliced onion, I followed this recipe exactly. It was delicious! Will definitely make again. Thanks very much for sharing.

    6. Marybeth says

      I came back a second time to make this! I was in a hurry the last time and forgot to save and say ty! Lovely recipe, so delicious! I love to cook and the insta pot help to make it easy especially when I’m in a hurry after a long day of work❤️

    7. Renee says

      This is the best roast we’ve ever tried. The whole family loves it. We’ve made it multiple times and it’s always a huge hit.

    8. Anna says

      Great recipe! I made the full amount of sauce and only used a little over a pound of meat, which worked fine. Also, I think it was round and not chuck, and it was extremely tender. For the balsamic vinegar, I used some high end thick balsamic which added a hint of sweetness to the sauce. Thanks for sharing this one.

    9. Cham-O-Te Lars says

      Since Ashley said she isn’t afraid of customizing recipes, I took that ball and ran with it. No Lowry’s on the shelf so checked Google and cobbled together home made seasoning salt with sugar, dried parsley, smoked paprika, turmeric, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and cayenne. Had Korean BBQ on the brain so added a little Korean gochugang paste to the tomato paste, and a small amount of toasted sesame oil to the liquid just before starting 55 minute pressure cook cycle. I totally agree with putting root vegetables in for a short second cycle, many cooking bloggers don’t seem to get this crucial step. Put the root veg in for 4 mins and didn’t wait the full 10 minutes for natural pressure release before venting, everything was cooked perfectly. It was very popular at our house, thanks Ashley!

    10. Megan says

      I should have this recipe memorized by now because I’ve made it so many times but here I am coming back to read it again so I can make it yet again for dinner! SO delicious! My family gobbles it up and leaves no leftovers behind. One of my teenagers is a vegetarian (she just doesn’t like the texture of meat) so she just eats the vegetables from this recipe but loves the flavor that is absorbed from the seasoning. The others in the crew eat it all. It is so flavorful and juicy. No knives needed, just forks and napkins! It is practically a staple in our house- I make it every other month, sometimes once a month if the family is craving it again.

    11. Working mama says

      Seems like a great recipe, unfortunately was misled by the total time listed at the start of the recipe. Rush from work to have something prepared in about an hour for our family ( we have a little one). Started the recipe to find if you scroll down it actually takes 2 hours to make NOT 1 hour 13 min total time. I’d suggest updating the time to reflect. Now I have to make two dinners to avoid meltdown from the little one. Pretty frustrating.

      • Ashley Fehr says

        I understand your frustration, but the time listed includes the prep time and cook time, as most recipe cards do. The time to heat the Instant Pot (or the oven, in that case) is not usually listed because it varies. I have included an estimate of total time in the notes as a helpful tip.

    12. GRETCHEN GARBETT says

      It came out perfect 60 min with a chuck roast. I eliminated the tomato paste and vinegar and replace with 1/2 cup of brewed coffee for the acidity.

    13. Robin says

      Yum! Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe! My 13 year old son said he usually doesn’t like pot roast but he loved this one.

    14. Libby says

      Wow. I honestly can not remember the last time, if ever, I had such tender, juicy beef. My husband said it was like candy! Everything was cooked to perfection! Definitely a keeper!

    15. Kathy says

      We just got a pressure cooker and this was our first meal…boy did we pick the right recipe. Since this was my first experience, I followed the recipe exactly and even did the veges (carrots/potatoes/onions) at the end. We couldn’t decide what was more delicious – the meat, the veges, or the gravy. I hardly ever give a 5-star rating to anything, but I would give this 6 stars if I could.

    16. Khristine W. says

      I’ve made this recipe many times, and it’s a hit in our family! For the most part, I follow the recipe, but I tweaked mine slightly. I season the chuck roast with a little more salt, and I use regular beef broth (not low sodium). Lastly, I pressure cook the meat a little bit longer. Rather than the recommended 55-65 minutes, I leave it on pressure cook for 1 hour 15 mins. The meat gets so tender! Delicious!!!

    17. Sherri R says

      We thought it was pretty good. The veggies had more flavor than the roast, even though I’d made a rub & let it stay on the roast in the fridge overnight. It’s the same issue I have with making roast in a crockpot. It just seems to leech out a lot of the flavor. We just like roast done in the oven so much better. BUT turning on the oven in Texas summer heat is a no go. I did have to cook the veggies much longer than expected (approximately 15 minutes)to get them really tender.

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