This is one of those Instant Pot recipes you make when you want something hearty and reliable without a lot of fuss. It uses simple, everyday ingredients and comes out tender and full of flavor – the kind of pot roast you can count on turning out right.
Classic Pot Roast, Done Faster
The Instant Pot is a great fit for pot roast because it gives you the same tender beef and rich gravy without waiting all day. Chuck roast, carrots, potatoes, and a simple gravy come together in just over an hour, start to finish. It’s the kind of meal that usually takes most of the day, but the pressure cooker gets you there much faster.
Best Cuts of Beef for Pot Roast
Chuck roast is ideal for pot roast, especially in the Instant Pot. It has the right amount of fat and connective tissue to break down during pressure cooking, which is what gives you tender, pull-apart beef and a rich, flavorful cooking liquid. It’s the cut used in this recipe and the one I recommend for the most consistent results.
That said, people often use other cuts of beef for pot roast. Here’s a quick look at some of the more common options and what to expect:
- Bottom round or rump roast – Leaner cuts that can work, but the beef will be firmer and less juicy than chuck.
- Top round or sirloin tip – Very lean and more likely to turn out sliceable rather than fall-apart tender.
- Eye of round – One of the leanest cuts. It’s usually tough for pot roast, even with pressure cooking. I don’t recommend using eye of round.
- Brisket – Very flavorful, but typically more expensive and better suited for slicing than shredding. Another I don’t recommend.
For this recipe, chuck roast consistently gives the best balance of tenderness, flavor, and reliability.
Ingredients (and What They Do)
- Chuck roast (2.5–3 lb) – The best cut for pot roast. It has enough fat and connective tissue to break down in the Instant Pot, so you get tender, pull-apart beef instead of chewy slices.
- Red potatoes (about 1.5 lb / 10–12 small) – Red potatoes hold their shape during pressure cooking and soak up the cooking juices without turning to mash.
- Carrots (about 1.5 lb / ~6 carrots) – Add a little natural sweetness and balance out the savory beef flavor. They also hold up well and don’t fall apart.
- Onion (1 medium) – Cooks down into the broth and helps build a richer, more flavorful “gravy-like” base.
- Montreal steak seasoning (2 tbsp) – This is the main seasoning blend. You’ll find it near the seasonings at the supermarket. It gives you the classic pot roast flavor fast: salt, pepper, garlic/onion notes, and a little bite without needing a long ingredient list.
- Worcestershire sauce (2 tbsp) – Adds depth and that extra savory “beefy” flavor that makes the broth taste like it cooked all day.
- Beef broth (2 cups) – Creates the pressure-cooking liquid and becomes the flavorful base that everything cooks in. It also gives you plenty of juices to spoon over the beef and vegetables when serving.
What Is Montreal Steak Seasoning?
Montreal steak seasoning is a simple, bold seasoning blend that is awesome on steak and great with various beef recipes. It’s made with coarse salt and black pepper along with spices like coriander, garlic, dill seed, and a touch of heat. It adds a lot of flavor without needing a long list of ingredients.
You can find Montreal steak seasoning in most supermarkets, usually in the seasonings and spices aisle. If you don’t have it on hand, you can easily make your own.
Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning
Mix together:
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dill seed
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Use this blend just like store-bought Montreal steak seasoning.
Preparation & Cooking
Start by trimming any large pieces of excess fat from the chuck roast, then cut it into 4–6 fist-sized chunks. Cutting the roast into pieces helps everything cook evenly and keeps the total cooking time reasonable.
Season the beef generously on all sides with the Montreal steak seasoning. Set it aside while you prep the vegetables.
Add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to the Instant Pot. Place the seasoned beef chunks directly into the liquid, then layer the onions, potatoes, and carrots on top. There’s no need to brown the meat first for this recipe — the seasoning, broth, and pressure cooking provide plenty of flavor.
Secure the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. When the cooking time is done, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure.
If using a frozen chuck roast, it can go straight into the Instant Pot. Just increase the cooking time by 20–30 minutes.
Optional Gravy
Transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving platter. The cooking liquid is flavorful as-is and can be spooned over everything.
For a thicker gravy, mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water to make a slurry. With only the liquid left in the pot, press Sauté and slowly stir in the slurry. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until thickened. Press Cancel and serve.
Serving
Serve the pot roast hot with the beef, potatoes, and carrots arranged on a platter or straight from the pot. Spoon some of the cooking liquid or gravy over everything before serving to keep it moist and flavorful.
Goes Well With?
Our pot roast is a pretty complete meal as is. But, we have a few excellent suggestions for recipes to accompany this awesome dish!
Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread
This the perfect companion for our pot roast. It’s easy to make and can be done right on the stovetop while the pot roast is cooking in the Instant Pot.
Best Damn Chocolate Fudge Cookies
No doubt you’ll want a little something for dessert after enjoying this hearty meal. How about some homemade cookies? These are awesome! I mean, really awesome. It’s an easy recipe and makes a truly delectable cookie.
Recipe
Best Easy Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Total Time: About 1 hour 15 min
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Description
A comforting Instant Pot pot roast made with chuck roast, potatoes, and carrots in a rich, savory broth. Simple steps with delicious results!
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb. – 3 lb. Chuck Roast
- 1.5 lb Red Potatoes, small (about 10-12)
- 1.5 lb carrots (about 6 carrots)
- 1 Medium Onion
- 2 tbs Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 cups Beef Broth
Instructions
- Trim chuck roast of excess fat and cut into fist-sized chunks, about 4-6. Season on all sides with the seasoning rub.
- Scrub potatoes clean, leave whole. Cut carrots into large chunks (about 3″ each), peel and slice onion into large chunks.
- Pour beef broth into Instant Pot and add the Worcestershire Sauce. Place meat into liquid, followed by onions, potatoes and carrots. Secure lid.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 40 minutes followed by a 15 minutes natural release (quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes).
- Remove all ingredients and serve. Use liquid in pot to pour over dish, thickening with cornstarch if desired (see notes below).
Notes
- To make an awesome gravy from the liquid, create a slurry by adding 3 tablespoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup of cold water. With meat, potatoes and carrots removed from the pot, slowly pour slurry into the liquid and whisk together. Press saute on Instant Pot and heat liquid for just a few minutes until desired consistency.
- If you don’t have Montreal steak seasoning you can use another dry steak seasoning blend. For a very simple Montreal seasoning, use this: ½ tbs kosher salt, ½ tbs course ground black pepper, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp dill weed, ⅛ tsp cayenne
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min (+15min NPR)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Maggie Ellis says
This was a great recipe!! I’ve already given it to a couple people!!
RecipeTeacher says
Awesome! Thanks Maggie!
Sharon says
I’ve made this many times and it’s super delicious. I couldn’t find a suitable roast cut so bought stewing beef, thinking of reducing the cook time by a few minutes to account for smaller chunks of meat… hoping that works!
RecipeTeacher says
You’ll be just fine with the stew meat. You can keep the cooking time the same.
Alexandra says
I used the DIY Montreal seasoning and it was greatly under seasoned. Usually Jason’s recipes are on target but my first try was vastly under seasoned, so I remade it and increased all the seasonings, especially the salt, onion garlic and dill. Still under seasoned. Also 40 minutes in my Instant Pot Pro overcooked eveything. The meat, potatoes, carrots and onions. I followed the timing of the recipe exactly so I don’t know what went wrong. Also, the pieces of meat with more fat tastes better. I followed the directions and trimmed the meat but the pieces with less fat/tissue overcooked. Even the largest chunks. Finally. The cornstarch slurry did not thicken sufficiently. I used “let’s do organic cornstarch and followed thr the directions. I did add 2 parsnips into the mix but I don’t think this would have caused such an issue? Is Diamond crystal salt not salty enough? I even browned the meat first for added flavor but no dice.
RecipeTeacher says
I’m so sorry this didn’t work out for you! It’s been a really solid recipe. The Diamond salt is just fine. The parsnips are just fine. The amount of salt/seasoning should be more than enough as-is. There’s also plenty in the broth. We’re all your settings on your Instant Pot correct? Have you had any issues with other recipes?
Laurel says
My first recipe that I decided to try. Meat was wonderfully done. Taste was great. The only thing my husband didn’t like were the carrots. He is not fond of mushy carrots. I would make again.
Bernadette Graham says
Just made this..it was absolutely awesomely delicious ????
Pamela Watson says
We love this recipe so much! So delicious! Easy to make I’ve made it several times and my family loves it! This stays in my ROTATION! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Donna Lynn says
Well, I did it anyway. We will see how it comes out. I did not want to defrost it in the microwave. I just threw everything into the instant pot! I set it on 1 hour high, instead of 40 minutes, because it was frozen. It is about a pound and a half, to 2 and a half pounds. I can smell it cooking. It smells “scrumptiousliumptious”!!!
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Donna. I usually recommend using defrosted meat for this recipe. How did it turn out for you?
Nora says
I just came across your website and have subscribed. In making old fashioned beef stew (using all the ingredients you listed) can I add celery with the other vegetables and peas at the end? Thank you.
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Nora,
You certainly can.
Carol says
I’ve made this recipe many times and it is by far the best. I did however add a little red wine to the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and also added some whole mushrooms. Thumbs up!!!!
RecipeTeacher says
Hey Carol. Red wine in recipes such as this is awesome!!! It really livens up the flavor profile. I’m so glad you like the recipe. Thanks for the feedback!
Donna says
Can I cook the sirloin pot roast whole, and frozen, for 10 minutes more? Also I added golden mushrooms soup.
Susan F says
Question – I have an Instant Pot that has a meat setting. Would it be better to use that setting on High or the regular setting on high?
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Susan, use the high pressure setting as the recipe states. I honestly don’t use any of the presets very often.