Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

This Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup is my go-to cozy, comforting meal when I want the slow-simmered flavor of a soup that tastes like it’s been cooking all day – without actually spending hours in the kitchen. Packed with tender beef and plenty of veggies, it’s hearty, budget-friendly, and a family favorite. It’s the kind of weeknight meal that lets me step away, tackle everyday tasks, or slow down and enjoy the moment – maybe even while a batch of homemade biscuits bakes in the oven!

Ingredients Needed (Plus Substitution Options)

• Beef stew meat: ‘Stew meat’ or any tougher cut of meat that benefits from slow (or in this case fast but under high pressure) moist-heat cooking. It’s made by cutting beef chuck roast (or shoulder) or round (rump) roast into cubes. I often buy a large roast and cut my own stew meat at home, as it’s a great way to save some money.
• Potatoes: I prefer using red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or Russet potatoes in this Instant Pot soup. Most of the time, I’ll leave the skin on to increase the fiber while cutting down on prep time. Sweet potatoes or butternut squash could also work, too. 
• Green beans: I normally use fresh green beans, but if I’m in a pinch, I’ll opt for frozen green beans cut and trimmed into 1-inch pieces.
• Beef broth: I use a low-sodium beef broth, but beef stock can also work. If beef stock is used, the soup may need an additional teaspoon of salt added in if the stock is unsalted. 
• Diced tomatoes: If I want to achieve a richer tomato flavor, I’ll add 4-6 ounces of tomato paste in place of the diced tomatoes.
• Thyme: Either fresh or dried thyme will work perfectly. I have discovered that oregano can also be used if that’s all I have on hand!
• Carrots
• Celery 
• Frozen peas
• Onion 
• Garlic
• Fine salt and black pepper 

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How To Make Homemade Veggie Beef Soup

1. Brown the beef cubes: Select the ‘Saute’ function on the Instant Pot, and add the oil to the bottom of the pot. When it starts to shimmer, add half of the meat and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned. Flip the cubes of beef over and repeat on the other side. Remove the meat to a plate and repeat browning with the remaining beef cubes. Press ‘Cancel’ when the second half of the meat has been browned. Return all protein to the Instant Pot.
2. Add the vegetables: Add the onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, broth, thyme, and Italian seasoning (reserving the peas and green beans for later). Stir, lock the lid into place, and set the valve to the ‘Sealing’ position. I’ve found that 20 minutes is the ideal time for the beef to be tender and the veggies to turn out just right and not too mushy.
3. Release the pressure: After cooking time is up, allow for 10 minutes of natural pressure release before flipping the vent valve to ‘venting’ to quickly release any residual pressure. Remove the lid. Press ‘Cancel’ then select the Saute function.
4. Add the frozen vegetables: Add the frozen peas and green beans to the soup. Stir then cook for 5-6 minutes or until they are heated through. I’ll then taste the vegetable beef soup and season it with additional salt and pepper to taste. 

Note: To make a slow cooker version of this comforting soup, I’ll cook the beef and non-frozen veggies on low in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours. I’ll then add the frozen green beans and frozen peas 30 minutes before serving, adding more broth if needed.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Serve With Bread Or Biscuits

While this hearty soup is essentially a meal in a bowl, it never hurts to serve it with a biscuit or bread. I often pair it with my tried-and-true flaky biscuits, gluten-free biscuits, or buttermilk biscuits during soup season. I also always keep my freezer stocked with the most delicious sourdough breads that can be baked from frozen, which makes for an easy and classic pairing.

Reheating Instructions

To reheat, I add the desired amount of thawed soup to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 1 ½ minutes. Then, I stir and continue heating in 30-second increments until hot. To reheat on the stovetop, I transfer the soup to a pot over medium heat and warm it to the desired temperature, stirring every 30 seconds. The soup can also be reheated from frozen; it will just require a bit of extra time.

Reasons Why I Love My Instant Pot

I’ve found that an Instant Pot is hard to beat, especially when time is tight, and I need to get dinner on the table fast. Here’s a few other reasons why I love my Instant Pot and always recommend to my friends and family that they get one:

• It’s more than just a pressure cooker: Though most people use their Instant Pot almost exclusively for pressure cooking, it’s actually a ‘multi-cooker.’ It has a variety of functions that allow me to do everything from sauteing and steaming to making yogurt and more.
• It’s efficient: The Instant Pot uses little energy because cooking times are significantly reduced as compared to slow cooking.
• It’s safe: All Instant Pot models feature 10 or more built-in safety mechanisms, making them the safest way to pressure cook.
• It’s easy to clean: Both the inner stainless steel pot and the lid are dishwasher safe. The pot can be washed in the bottom rack of the dishwasher, and the lid and seal can be washed on the top rack.

Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

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