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It’s so quick and easy to make the most delicious pot roast in the pressure cooker. This Instant Pot Pot Roast is wonderfully flavored and so easy to make. Ready to serve in a fraction of the time!

instant pot pot roast served on a white plate

Pot roast is one of my favorite comfort foods, but I don’t always have the time or patience to make it and that’s where my trusty Instant Pot comes in!

Ready to enjoy in a fraction of the time but without sacrificing the delicious flavor. This instant pot chuck roast is incredibly tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious – a must-try recipe!

Be sure to check out my other favorite Instant Pot recipes like my ribs, white chicken chili, chicken noodle soup, and goulash.

Why you will love this Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe!

Most tender & juicy pot roast: This is a fool-proof recipe to achieve the most tender and flavorful roast beef in the instant pot. I am sharing my recipe tips & notes below.
Simple ingredients: Besides a roast, you only need a few common seasonings and pantry staples to make this stunning family dinner.
Family favorite comfort food: This pressure cooker roast is so delicious, everyone will be asking for seconds.

pressure cooker pot roast served on a black plate with a fork

Ingredients

Roast: I used a 3lb roast for this recipe, you can make this with a larger roast if you like, notes are included on how to recalculate the cooking time.
Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, rosemary, thyme.
Olive oil: To sear the roast. You can use another high heat oil.
Beef broth/stock: To add more flavor. You can use a low sodium stock if you like.
Tomato paste: To add a rich tomato flavor to the sauce.
Worcestershire sauce: This sauce adds a really nice tang with a hint of spice.
Red wine: For a fully rounded sauce.
Vegetables: Onion, garlic, potatoes, and carrots.

The Best Cut of Meat for Instant Pot Pot Roast

I usually use chuck roast, a highly marbled cut of meat that has a richer and more flavorful taste than other cuts. It may be labeled chuck roast, shoulder steak, boneless chuck roast, or chuck shoulder pot roast. For optimal results, choose one that is well-marbled!! This is very critical. It is so delicious and tender when cooked in the pressure cooker.

Other good cuts of meat for pot roast are brisket cut and round roast cut (also called rump roast or bottom round roast). They are leaner than chuck roast. If you use a leaner cut of meat, you might have to increase the cooking time a little bit.

Certified Angus Beef has detailed information on the specific cuts that are best for braising. Check it out HERE.

How to make Instant Pot Pot Roast

In a small bowl mix the spice rub for the roast (salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, rosemary, thyme).
Rub the roast with the spice mix all over and on all sides very well.
Heat olive oil on the Saute setting in the Instant Pot, and when the oil is hot, add the seasoned roast and brown on ALL 6 sides using kitchen tongs to prop it when browning. Transfer to a plate.
Pour beef stock and deglaze the pot using a wooden spoon. Once deglazed, add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, red wine, and return the roast back to the pot. Close the lid, turn the valve to sealing and cook on Manual or High Pressure for 1 hour.
Once the cook time is over, do a quick release, and carefully open the lid. Add the chunks of potatoes, carrots, onions, and minced garlic. Close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. When ready, let the pressure release naturally.
Carefully remove the roast from the pot using kitchen tongs, remove carrots, potatoes, and onions using a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a large platter
Scoop a little bit of the sauce to a small bowl, add 2 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) to the bowl, and mix until the starch completely dissolves. Add the cornstarch slurry back to the sauce in the pot, and turn the Saute setting. Cook the sauce, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. If the sauce is not thick enough, you can repeat this step and make a slurry in a bowl again and add it back to the pot.
Transfer roast to a serving platter surrounded with the veggies and pour sauce over the roast.

Pot Roast Dry Rub

This simple dry rub for pot roast adds so much flavor to the meat and the gravy. It’s made with salt, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Mix the ingredients in a small bowl, and simply rub the meat generously with the spices on all sides. There is no need to add more seasoning to the stock in the pot.

How Long Do You Cook A Roast in the Instant Pot

Depending on the size of the cut of meat you buy, adjust the cooking time in the recipe, and cook it on high pressure for 20 minutes per pound of meat. A 3 lbs whole roast cooks perfectly in 1 hour, and a 4 lbs roast needs 1 hour and 20 minutes to be tender and moist.

If you want to speed up the cooking time, you could also cut the chuck roast into 3 or 4 pieces and cook it for about 30 minutes.

If you open the pressure cooker and your pot roast looks tough and chewy, you probably need to cook it a little bit longer. Perfectly cooked chuck roast will be incredibly tender and literally falling apart as you take it out and will easily separate when you touch it with a fork.

beef roast in instant pot served with potatoes and carrots on a white plate

Can you make it ahead of time?

Yes, you can totally make this ahead of time, in fact, it tastes even better the next day! Let it cool to room temperature after cooking and then store covered in the fridge. It will keep well for 3 to 4 days.

To reheat, slice the roast and place in a casserole dish with the pan juices, cover with foil and reheat at 325F.

pressure cooker roast with vegetables served in black plates

Do you have to brown the roast before cooking it?

Yes, don’t skip this step! Searing the meat helps to caramelize it to create a rich and delicious flavor. It also helps it to not dry out when it is cooking, locking all of those juices in.

What do you serve it with?

This pressure cooker pot roast is great to serve with all of your usual vegetable and potato sides. I added potatoes and carrots to the roast in the instant pot at the end and cooked them for 5 minutes on high pressure. But you can also make only the chuck roast in the Instant Pot and serve it with your favorite sides. Try it with:

close up of pressure cooker beef roast with potatoes and carrots on a plate

TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN

Recipe Notes and Tips

Adjust cook time according to meat size. If the roast is more than 3 lbs, adjust the time accordingly, and cook it for 20 minutes per pound of meat. I.e. 4 lbs of meat = 1 hr 20 minutes.
If the chuck roast is tough and chewy when the pressure cook cycle is over, you most likely need to cook it a little bit longer. (Try another 15 minutes of cook time.)
If you want to speed up the cooking time, you can cut your chuck roast in 3 or 4 pieces, and reduce the cooking time to 30 minutes.
Substitute wine if you prefer. If you don’t want to use wine, you can add in some extra stock in its place.
Add the potatoes and carrots at the end for only 5 minutes of pressure cook time. If you add them at the beginning with the roast, after an hour of pressure cooking, they will turn to mush and lose their texture.
Let the roast cool to room temperature before storing.
You can also freeze leftovers. Wrap the cooled meat in foil and place in freezer bags. It will keep well for up to 6 months. Defrost fully overnight before reheating and serve with homemade beef gravy.

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If you loved this recipe, check out these readers’ favorite instant pot recipes. I am sure they will become your family favorites too!

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Instant Pot Pot Roast