This Instant Pot Pot Roast will give you tender melt-in-your-mouth goodness every time. It’s simple, hearty, and absolutely delicious.

About My Instant Pot Pot Roast

A Sunday roast is reminiscent of childhood (don’t worry, I’m not about to spiral into an anecdotal paragraph about my family and food, stick with me), which is why I love it, and also why I really wanted to put a modern spin on it. These days, weekends are hectic and not all of us have the luxury of a slow Sunday.

But we should still be able to have our roasts.

So I took my slow cooker pot roast recipe and flipped it into a nice and quick comfort meal that can be done and ready in about an hour! Seriously, that’s it.

How Long to Cook Roast in an Instant Pot

You’re looking at 45 minutes of cooking time under pressure. Aside from that, there’s a bit of extra time put into searing the beef beforehand (about 10 minutes), and however much time it takes for your Instant Pot to come to pressure (also about 10 minutes).

What to Serve With Pot Roast

Ingredients

Here’s a quick glance. Find the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt + cracked black pepper
  • Boneless chuck roast
  • Dry red wine
  • Beef broth
  • Beef bouillon paste
  • Brown sugar
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Stone ground mustard or Dijon
  • Corn starch
  • Fresh rosemary
  • Fresh thyme
  • Garlic
  • Yellow onion
  • Baby bella mushrooms
  • Carrots
  • Celery

How to Cook a Roast in an Instant Pot

This is a quick glance at what’s involved. Find a detailed description in the recipe card below.

Season your chuck roast generously with sea salt, cracked pepper, and some chopped fresh rosemary.

Activate Sauté mode (Normal) on the Instant Pot. Drizzle in some olive oil and, once heated, pop the seasoned beef into the pot to sear for about 4-6 minutes per side—just enough to give it a nice crust. Then, using strong tongs, remove it from the pot and set it aside.

Add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic into the pot. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms have softened a bit. Pour in the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Use a spatula to deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping up all of those brown bits (which will add a lot of flavor).

Now add the beef broth, stone ground mustard, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and beef bouillon paste. Stir to combine. Then nestle the beef (I cut it into two to nestle it in more easily) into the pot along with the carrots and celery. Secure your herbs with some butcher’s twine and nestle them into the pot as well.

Cancel Sauté mode, secure the lid onto the Instant Pot, and position the valve to SEAL. Cook on manual high pressure for 45 minutes. (Note that there’s about 10-15 minutes before the pot comes to pressure and seals).

When done, let the pot do a natural release for 15 minutes, then carefully move the valve to VENT for a quick release.

Remove the lid and activate Sauté mode (Normal) to bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the pot until your gravy reaches the thickness you prefer.

Do a taste test and season with more salt and pepper if necessary, then serve!

Recipe Tips + Substitutions

  1. Depending on your roasts size and shape, it may be easier to cut it in half or into four pieces prior to searing it in the pot, and searing it in batches.
  2. The best red wines to use for cooking a roast tend to be heavier dry wines, like pinot noir or merlot.
  3. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, you can replace the red wine with extra beef broth.
  4. Some folks aren’t big on mushrooms. You can omit the mushrooms or swap them out for small potatoes instead, and then serve your roast with greens instead of on top of mashed potatoes, like I suggest.

Storage Tips

  • This roast can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Store the gravy in a separate container and use it within the same timeframe.
  • To freeze, store the roast in an airtight freezer-friendly container or bag, and pop it in the freezer for about 3 months; the gravy should keep in the freezer for about 6 months.
  • Always wait for the roast to be cooled before storing it in the fridge or freezer.

Useful Kitchen Tools

  1. Instant Pot
  2. Sharp knife
  3. Cutting board
  4. Measuring cups + spoons
  5. Tongs
  6. Butchers twine

Have You Made This Recipe?

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You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme

More Roast Recipes You’ll Love

Instant Pot Pot Roast

This Instant Pot Pot Roast will give you tender melt-in-your-mouth goodness every time. Simple, hearty, and absolutely delicious.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Dana Sandonato

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • Sea salt + cracked pepper
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 lb boneless chuck roast
  • 1/3 cup dry wine Merlot or Pinot Grigio are good choices
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp beef bouillon paste Better Than Bouillon is my go to
  • 1 TBSP brown sugar
  • 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
  • 1 TBSP Stone ground mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 2 TBSP cornstarch
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary You could also use a packet of Poultry Blend herbs
  • 4 cloves of garlic, smashed and sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
  • 10 oz baby bella or cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
  • 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 rib of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Fresh chopped parsley, to serve

Instructions

  • Mix the salt, pepper, and rosemary into a small bowl.
  • Pat the chuck roast with a paper towel to rid of excess moisture. Rub the roast with a bit of olive oil and season it generously with the sea salt, cracked pepper, and rosemary blend.
  • Activate the Sauté mode (Normal) on the Instant Pot. Add 1 TBSP of olive oil. When the oil has heated through, transfer the seasoned roast to the pot and sear it for about 4-6 minutes per side. You just want to achieve a nice crust on the exterior. Using strong tongs, remove the roast from the pot and set it aside on a plate or cutting board.
  • Add the other TBSP of oil to the pot, then add the mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Let it all simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms have softened. Add the red wine, bringing it to a simmer, and use a spatula to deglaze the bottom of the pot to scrape up the brown bits (which will add a lot of flavor).
  • Add the beef broth, stone ground mustard, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and beef bouillon paste. Stir it well to combine, then nestle the beef into the pot. (I cut it into two to nestle it in more easily). Add the carrots and celery. Secure your herbs with some butcher’s twine and nestle them into the pot.
  • Cancel Sauté mode, then place and secure the lid onto the Instant Pot. Position the valve to SEAL and cook on manual high pressure for 45 minutes. (Note that there’s about 10-15 minutes before the pot comes to pressure).
  • When it's ready, allow a natural release for 15 minutes, then carefully move the valve to VENT for a quick release.
  • Remove the Instant Pot lid and activate Sauté mode (Normal) again to bring the liquids to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Whisk it into the pot until your gravy reaches the thickness you prefer.
  • Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary, then serve!