Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe

Start by cutting your chuck roast in half. This helps it fit better in the pot and cooks it more evenly. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper on all sides.

Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Place the beef in the pot and let it brown on one side for about 4 minutes—don’t touch it! Once it releases easily, flip it to brown the other side. This step adds a ton of flavor to the final dish, so don’t skip it!

With the beef set aside, add the chopped onion to the pot. Sauté until the onion softens and turns golden, scraping up those delicious browned bits from the bottom as you go. Then, add the garlic and cook for just 30 seconds until fragrant.

Stir these in to create the base for your gravy. Be sure to scrape the pot bottom well to avoid a “burn” warning from the Instant Pot later.

Place the beef back in the pot, nestle in the thyme sprigs, and close the lid. Set to high pressure for 60 minutes. After the cook time, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Open the pot, layer the carrots and potatoes on top of the beef, and cook on high pressure for another 5 minutes. Again, allow a 10-minute natural release before opening.

Remove the beef and veggies to a platter. For a thicker gravy, switch the Instant Pot back to sauté, mix the cornstarch and water, and stir it into the pot juices until thickened.

Pour the gravy over the pot roast and veggies, or serve it on the side. Dive in and savor each tender, flavorful bite!