Description
Instant Pot Beef and Lentil Stew, hearty lentils with tender pieces of beef chuck, ready in about an hour, thanks to pressure cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dry lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large onion, minced
- 1 rib celery, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup red wine
- 4 cups beef broth or chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (if using homemade broth)
- 14- to 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the lentils: Sort through the lentils, removing any debris or broken lentils. Put the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer, rinse with cold water, and set aside for later.
- Sear the beef in two batches: Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot using Sauté mode adjusted to high (medium-high heat for other pressure cookers) until the oil starts to shimmer, about 3 minutes. While the pot heats, sprinkle the beef cubes with 1 teaspoon salt. Add ½ of the beef and sear until well browned on one side, about 3 minutes. (Don’t crowd the pot, or the beef will steam, not brown). Remove the browned beef to a bowl. Add the rest of the beef to the pot, and sear until browned on one side, about 3 more minutes. Move the second batch of beef into the bowl, and set it aside for later.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the pot, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Sauté until the onions soften, about 5 minutes, occasionally scraping the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits of beef or onion. Pour the red wine into the pot, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 1 minute. Scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to make sure nothing is sticking. Stir in the beef and any juices in the bowl. Add the rinsed lentils, then pour in the beef broth and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt (if using homemade broth). Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir everything, then add the carrots in a layer on top of everything else.
- Pressure cook the stew for 15 minutes with a Natural Release: Lock the pressure cooker lid. Pressure cook at high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, or for 12 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker. (Use Manual or Pressure Cook mode in an Instant Pot, and set the timer for 15 minutes). When the cooking time is over, let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (You can quick release any remaining pressure after 15 minutes if you’re in a hurry.) Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid any hot steam.
- Serve: Sprinkle with the teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper, and stir it into the pot. Ladle the stew into bowls, sprinkle each bowl with some minced fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American