Description

This Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast is a hearty and flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender beef chuck roast cooked to perfection with caramelized onions and rich beef broth. Utilizing the convenience of the Instant Pot, this recipe ensures juicy, fall-apart meat and a luscious gravy thickened with cornstarch in under two hours, making it an ideal comforting dinner for family gatherings or weeknight meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 10 chunks

Seasonings

3 tablespoons steak seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf

Vegetables

2 large white or yellow onions, sliced

Liquids & Others

1 ½ cups reduced-sodium beef broth, divided (1 1/4 cups + 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon Better Than Beef Bouillon
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the Meat: Begin by cutting the boneless beef chuck roast into 10 chunks for even cooking and placing them into the Instant Pot inner pot.
Season the Meat: Sprinkle the chuck roast pieces evenly with 3 tablespoons of steak seasoning and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to build flavor.
Add Ingredients: Pour 1 and 1/4 cups of reduced-sodium beef broth over the meat. Then add the minced garlic on top of the beef and layer the sliced onions over everything.
Seasonings: Add 1 tablespoon of Better Than Beef Bouillon and 1 bay leaf to enhance the depth of flavor in the pot roast.
Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid by closing and locking it, ensuring the pressure release valve is set to sealing. Select manual high pressure and cook for 60 minutes.
Natural Release: When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for 25 minutes before opening the pot.
Shred the Meat: Carefully remove the cooked beef chunks and shred them. Discard the bay leaf from the pot.
Thicken the Gravy: In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup beef broth with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until smooth. Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode, then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until the gravy thickens to desired consistency.

Notes

Using reduced-sodium beef broth helps control the saltiness of the dish.
Letting the pressure release naturally improves the tenderness of the beef.
The Better Than Beef Bouillon adds a rich umami flavor, but can be omitted or substituted with beef base if preferred.
For thicker gravy, more cornstarch slurry can be added gradually as needed while sautéing.
Leftovers store well and can be reheated gently on the stove or in the microwave.