Pot roast lovers, this recipe is for you. This Instant Pot Pot Roast combines a well-seasoned chuck roast, lots of hearty vegetables and a silky homemade gravy — all finished in a fraction of the time it takes in the oven. The pressure cooker builds deep flavor while keeping meat tender and juicy.
The Ultimate Hearty Meal
When the weather turns chilly, few meals are as comforting as a slow-simmered pot roast. Using an Instant Pot cuts the hands-off time dramatically while still delivering a rich, slow-cooked taste. This method concentrates meaty flavors, preserves the juices and gives you fork-tender beef in about two hours total.
What is Chuck Roast?
Chuck roast comes from the shoulder area of the cow. It’s a flavorful, well-marbled cut that becomes very tender when cooked low and slow — or under pressure. In stores it may be labeled as chuck roast, pot roast or shoulder roast. For this recipe we used a boneless chuck roast, but bone-in works too (note that a bone-in roast may require extra cook time).
How Many Pounds of Chuck Roast Do You Need?
This recipe uses a 2.5 lb (about 1.1 kg) chuck roast and serves roughly 6–8 people. Roasts between 2.5 and 3.0 lb work well; adjust pressure-cooking time slightly for larger or smaller pieces.
Note on timing: cook time in the Instant Pot can vary with roast size and thickness.
How to Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
Overview
Key steps: make a bold seasoning rub, sauté aromatics, sear the roast, deglaze the pot, pressure-cook the meat, cook the vegetables briefly, thicken the drippings into gravy and shred the beef. The result is rich gravy, tender beef and perfectly cooked veggies.
Step 1: Pot Roast Seasoning
Blend the seasoning and rub it all over the roast to build a savory crust. The seasoning used here balances sweetness and herbs:
- Brown sugar
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme
- Dried parsley
- Coarse salt
- Black pepper
Step 2: Sauté Aromatics
Use the Instant Pot’s sauté function to add depth of flavor and reduce extra dishes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sauté smashed garlic, chopped white onion and the white part of a leek until softened (about 3–4 minutes). Remove and set aside.
Step 3: Sear the Roast
Add 2 more tablespoons of oil and sear the seasoned roast for 3–4 minutes per side using the sauté function. Browning creates flavor and helps lock in juices. After searing, remove the roast and set it aside.
Step 4: Deglaze the Pot
Pour in 1/2 cup dry red wine, 1 cup beef broth and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, then scrape the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Deglazing prevents a burn notice and adds concentrated flavor to your gravy.
Step 5: Pressure Cook the Meat
Return the sautéed aromatics to the pot, place the roast on top, close the lid and set the valve to seal. Program the Instant Pot to Manual/High pressure for 90 minutes. Allow the pot to build pressure before the timer starts. When cooking finishes, perform a quick release. The roast should be very tender and easy to shred; if not, cook an additional 5–10 minutes under pressure.
Step 6: Cook the Vegetables
While the roast rests, add the remaining vegetables on top of the cooking liquid: quartered red potatoes, chopped carrots and chopped celery. Seal the pot and pressure-cook on High for 2 minutes, then quick release. Check for doneness — if the pieces are still firm, reseal and cook for 0–1 minute more.
Step 7: Make the Gravy
Remove solids from the pot, leaving the liquid. Turn on Sauté and whisk in 2 tablespoons cornstarch until dissolved and the sauce thickens, 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer the gravy to a serving jar.
Step 8: Shred and Serve
Use two forks to shred the roast into large pieces. Discard any large pieces of fat. Toss the shredded beef with a little gravy to keep it moist. Serve the meat alongside the cooked vegetables and additional gravy.
How to Store Pot Roast
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To Reheat Pot Roast
Oven: place meat and vegetables in an oven-safe dish, cover and reheat at 325°F (160°C) for 10–15 minutes or until heated through.
Stovetop: warm in a skillet with a splash of olive oil or a few spoonfuls of gravy over medium heat until heated through.
Ingredients (for about 6–8 servings)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2.5 lb boneless chuck roast
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1 leek, white part only, chopped
- 6 medium carrots, chopped
- 6 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 medium red potatoes, quartered (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions (condensed)
- Mix the seasoning ingredients and rub all over the roast.
- Sauté garlic, onion and leek in 2 tablespoons oil until softened; remove and reserve.
- Sear the roast in remaining oil, 3–4 minutes per side; remove.
- Deglaze with wine, broth and Worcestershire, scraping all brown bits.
- Return aromatics and place roast on top. Pressure cook on High for 90 minutes; quick release.
- Remove roast and keep the liquid. Add potatoes, carrots and celery; pressure cook 2 minutes; quick release.
- Turn on Sauté, whisk in cornstarch until gravy thickens, season to taste.
- Shred roast, discard large fat pieces, serve with vegetables and gravy.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 447 kcal · Carbohydrates: 37 g · Protein: 28 g · Fat: 19 g · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 8 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate.
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- Mongolian Beef Flank Steak
- Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli