This is the best Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe! The meat is so tender and falling apart, soaked in delicious gravy, you’ll want another helping! Made with flavorful dry rub, then seared, and cooked with potatoes and carrots in Pressure Cooker, this will be your new favorite Sunday dinner meal!
Pot Roast is a classic comfort food. I think we all grew up with memories of our moms or grandmas making this dish on weekends or holidays. It’s a perfectly tender roast cooked for a few hours in a pot with carrots and potatoes, and served with delicious gravy.
Previously, I was always hesitant to make this dish myself, just because it takes too long to cook. However, when I got my Pressure Cooker, I found out that you can make this classic dish in just a fraction of the time, without compromising on flavor!
There are many classic recipes you can make in less time, like Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup, Instant Pot Turkey Chili, Instant Pot Chicken Wings, Instant Pot Boneless Short Ribs, Instant Pot BBQ Ribs Recipe, Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Taco Soup, and many more!
Also, if you want more dinner ideas made in a pressure cooker, check out my post for Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners.
Table of contents
How to make Dry Rub?
This dry rub makes the whole meal so special, bringing out delicious sweet, smoky, and spicy flavors.
For this recipe, I use the same dry rub as for my Instant Pot Pulled Pork but in different proportions.
Ingredients:
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Cayenne
- Onion flakes
- Garlic powder
Mix all the Dry Rub ingredient together (Photos 1-6).
Add the seasoning to the beef roast and mix well, until evenly coated (Photos 7-10).
How to make it
Set your Pressure Cooker to “Sauté” function.
Add olive oil and let it preheat.
When the oil is hot, place the meat in the pot and let it sear for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until it gets a golden/brown crust. Then remove the meat from the pot (Photos 11-13).
Now, we can add chopped onion and sauté it for about 5 minutes, or until it gets golden in color. Then add garlic and cook for another minute (Photos 14-17).
Add beef broth and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping off the burnt bits. Then add tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything, cook for another minute, then turn off the “sauté” function.
Put the roast back in the pot, place baby potatoes and carrots on top. Cover with the lid and make sure your venting knob is turned to “sealing” (Photos 18-23).
Cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes. When done, do 10 minutes natural pressure release.
How long to cook
The cooking time depends on the amount of meat you are using and its size. In this recipe, I use a 3-4 pounds beef roast. I like to cut it in 4 pieces, to reduce the cooking time.
I found that 40 minutes of cooking time is perfect for this recipe. After that, we can do 10 minutes natural release the pressure.
How to make gravy
After the meat and vegetables are done, take the meat and veggies out. You can put them on a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Turn on the “Sauté” function again and let the liquid get to boil. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then mix cornstarch (or tapioca flour) with water and add it to the pot. Stir and cook another 5 minutes, until the gravy gets thicker to the desired consistency.
How to serve
While the gravy is cooking, take two forks and shred the meat.
I like to serve it on a large serving plate with meat on one side and vegetables on the other side. Pour some gravy over the dish before serving.
Tips for Best Results
- If your Beef Roast is more than 3-4 pounds, just cut it in 6 pieces instead of 4. This way each piece will be small enough to cook and get tender.
- Don’t skip the searing part. That char will provide the most flavor!
- Because we cook vegetables with the roast, they will be soft (but not mushy). If you don’t like soft carrots, use large carrots instead of baby carrots, so they will better keep their texture.
Storage and Reheating
How to store. You can refrigerate it in an air-tight container for about 3-4 days.
How to reheat. You can reheat it in a pot or a deep skillet over a medium heat.
How to freeze. If you decide to freeze this recipe, I would suggest to freeze only the meat with the gravy, without vegetables. You can transfer the meat with gravy to an air-tight container and freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, just leave it in the fridge overnight, then reheat and mentioned above.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most popular cut of meat for this recipe is Beef Chuck Roast. It has beautiful marbling, which makes the braised beef juicy and tender. This type of meat comes from the front shoulder. In different stores you might find it under different names, like shoulder roast, blade roast, or chuck eye, but they all come from the same area.
Most likely, you didn’t cook it long enough. If your meat is bigger in size than stated in the recipe, you might need to add additional cooking time or cut the roast in smaller pieces.
If the meat has some extra fat around it, I prefer to trim it, so the gravy won’t be too greasy.
Instant Pot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Ingredients
Ingredients for Dry Rub:
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon onion flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Ingredients for Instant Pot Pot Roast:
- 3-4 pounds beef roast cut in 4 pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 1 pound baby carrots or 4 medium carrots
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca flour
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, mix dry rub ingredients together (½ tbsp smoked paprika, ½ tbsp salt, ½ tsp onion flakes, ½ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp cayenne) and set aside.
- Rinse the chunk of meat, pat dry, and cut in four equal pieces. Add dry rub ingredients and rub it into the meat, coating evenly.
- Set the Pressure Cooker to “Sauté” function.
- Add 3 tbsp olive oil and let it preheat.
- When the oil is hot, place the meat in the Pressure Cooker and let it sear for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until it gets a golden/brown crust. Then remove the meat from the pot.
- Add chopped onion and sauté it for about 5 minutes, or until it gets golden in color. Then add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add 2 cups beef broth and deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping off the burnt bits. Then add 2 tbsp tomato paste, and 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce. Mix everything, cook for another minute, then turn off the “sauté” function off.
- Put the meat back in the pot, place 1 pound baby potatoes and 1 pound carrots on top. Cover with the lid and make sure your venting knob is turned to “sealing”.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes. When done, do 10 minutes natural pressure release.
- After the meat and vegetables are done, take the roast and veggies out. You can put then on a serving plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Turn on the “Sauté” function again and let the liquid get to boil. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then mix 2 tbsp cornstarch (or tapioca flour) with water and gradually add it to the pot. Stir and cook another 5 minutes, until the gravy gets thicker to the desired consistency.
- While the gravy is cooking, take two forks and shred the meat.
- I like to serve it on a large serving plate with meat on one side and vegetables on the other side. Pour some grave over the dish before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in 2019, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in Feb of 2020.
Yum!! Absolutely love this recipe. After reading the other comments I did leave the carrots out and steamed them separately because I like my carrots a bit harder. The flavour on the meat and in the gravy are AMAZING! Love the spices. The meat was fork tender and the potatoes were cooked great. Will definitely be making this regularly!
Thank you!!
Thank you so much, Amy! I’m glad you liked the recipe!
My family loves the idea of a pot roast, but honestly I have never found a recipe that we all loved eating. This recipe is amazingly delicious. My family ate the entire roast..no leftovers!!! They followed up asking for it again…SOON! The rub, searing the beef and using beef stock…AWESOME flavor punches!
Thank you so much, Marie! I’m so happy you and your family loved this recipe!
Absolutely delicious and TENDER! Followed recipe except cooked carrots and potatoes in oven. Have tried many recipes…this one a keeper!
Thank you so much, Roxanna!
I’m going to try this Pot Roast in my new Instant Pot – tomorrow – my question is I want to add mushrooms – when do you think I should add – sauté or add with potatoes and carrots and I know liquid will not cover or almost cover veggies on top but as long as I add 2 cups of broth – I should be ok – right?
I have always avoided making pot roast like the plague. It always comes out dry and lacking much flavor. I made your recipe tonight, and it was amazing! The meat was very tender and flavorful. The vegetables even had great flavor.
I did double all of the seasonings in the dry rub with the exception of the salt. Next time I think I’d like both sautéed onions in the bottom, and some quartered onion up top with the vegetables. I’m hoping the bigger pieces will come out tender crisp. Do you think this would work? Thank you so much for a great pot roast recipe I can finally be proud of.
Thank you so much, Rebecca! I’m so happy to hear that!
Made it for dinner tonight, it came out great, wow, it has so much flavor. I did add some sweet onions and cherry tomatoes that we’re getting soft, I hate food waste. I wish I could share my photo, but can’t get it to work. Thanks, I’ll make it again.
Thank you so much, Marla! I’m so happy you liked it!
This looks fantastic I’m cooking this for dinner tonight it’s cooking as I’m texting it smells delicious I will definitely let you know how it was… Can’t wait I’m making green beans and jasmine rice to serve with it my family loves rice and gravy
Thank you, Mary! Hope you enjoy it 😉
I’m excited to try this recipe! I’m LOVING the favors!
I need to make this for 12 people though… and I’m new to the instant pot. Is there a way to make this in the Crock Pot? I imagine doubling the recipe it won’t work.
Hi Megan! Unfortunately, I never used a Crock Pot, so I don’t know how it works. Also the cooking time will be different.
Hi for the pressure release, it says quick pressure release. Then the next step talks about after the meat and veggies are done to release the pressure again. I’m confused. Are we supposed to do a quick release after 49 minutes or let it release naturally? Thank you and can’t wait to try this!
Hi Sarah, you just need to do a quick pressure release.
Easy and really good.
Next time I will add just a little more salt. Veggies were perfect.
Thank you, Melissa!
Here’s an additional comment. Still LOVE this recipe but I’ve been making it without the veggies and then when the meat is done and resting, I put the carrots and potatoes and cornstarch slurry in for 6 minutes and they come out perfectly!
I love this recipe! We make it often. I have a silly question – when you say to sear the meat on all sides, about how many times are you flipping it? After I cut it there are really like 6 sides to it that I could potentially sear, but I don’t want to be over-cooking it.
Ha-ha, good question! It really depends on the cuts, since they are cut unevenly. Usually, I sear all the sides that are wide and look red. If you don’t want to sear all 6 of them, I would do at least 4 to get a nice char that will add the most flavor to the dish and the sauce.
My husband accidentally picked up pre-sliced beef roast.., I have about 4 lbs in 8 steak-like pieces: should I cut down on the cook time if I have 4lbs cut into 8 pieces?
Hi Lisa. I think you can keep the same cooking time, the meat will be nice and tender.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I made this last night using my instant pot for the first time and it came out amazing! My fiancé noted that he wants this once a week. Thank you again
Thank you, Sherry! So glad you and your fiance liked it!
Hi! Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Hi Stacy! I never tried making it in a slow cooker, but I’m sure you can do it. Although, you will need to adjust the timing.
This recipe deserves TEN STARS!!! I’ve never been very good at baking a roast. Its either dry as a bone or tough as a rock, BUT not anymore. This recipe was amazingly delicious. I was a bit skeptical at the 40 minute pressure cook and I only did 30 minutes. The carrots (used regular) were a bit mushy, the potatoes were perfect (used redskin) and the meat was not fall apart tender but easily forked into chunks and easy to eat. The gravy, which I’m also awful at making, was also perfect!! Did I say I love this recipe? This will be used and shared with all my family and friends. Can’t wait to explore more of your recipes. Thanks so much for posting. “hearts”
Thank you, Melinda! I’m so happy you liked the recipe!