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This Instant Pot Chuck Roast with potatoes and carrots is the perfect Sunday dinner. This Instant Pot method of cooking a Pot Roast is as tender as a traditional recipe, but cooks in less than half the time!
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients for Instant Pot Chuck Roast
- What Cut of Beef is Best for Pot Roast?
- How Long Do I Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot?
- Allow Some Time for a Natural Release
- Can This Be Made in Any Pressure Cooker?
- Why I love Using the Instant Pot
- Make it in the Crock Pot
- Pressure Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes
- For Crisp-Tender Veggies
- Instant Pot Roast Gravy
- Additional Optional Ingredients:
- Tips For Making Pot Roast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pot Roast Side Dishes
- How to Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Chuck Roast Recipe
Pot Roast has always been a favorite Sunday dinner in our family. It is the ultimate comfort food. Sometimes, we make it with mashed potatoes, sometimes, with ingredients like carrots and potatoes cooked with the roast. Either way, it is always delicious. Because I often forget to put the roast in the oven or slow cooker in time, I find myself scrambling to get dinner ready. I’ve walked in the door from church and thought, “NOO! I forgot to put the roast in!” If you are like me, this Instant Pot recipe is a lifesaver, especially on those days.
Update: Since we first created this recipe, we’ve had many comments regarding the success of this recipe. We’ve updated the original post to include some of the most frequently asked questions and comments.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chuck Roast
- Beef chuck roast (or see more options below)
- Salt (Kosher salt or sea salt are both good choices)
- Olive oil
- Beef broth
- Dry onion soup mix
- Onion
- Baby potatoes
- Baby carrots
What Cut of Beef is Best for Pot Roast?
For this recipe, we use a boneless chuck roast, but there are several different cuts of meat you can use. Choose a well-marbled cut of beef for optimal tenderness and flavor. These cuts are ideal for slow cooking and will result in a melt-in-your-mouth pot roast. Here is a list of the best cuts of meat to use for pot roast:
- Chuck roast
- Ribeye or Eye of round roast
- Brisket
- Top sirloin petite roast
- Bottom round rump roast
- Top round roast
How Long Do I Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot?
Instant Pot Pot Roast cook time varies depending on the size of the roast. Follow the recommended cooking time on your Instant Pot for the size and thickness of your roast. A general guideline is to pressure cook for 20-25 minutes per pound of meat. For a 3-pound roast, we found that 70 minutes is just about right. Adjust the cooking time accordingly for larger or smaller roasts. A two-pound roast should take about 45-50 minutes on high pressure, a larger 5-pound roast can take 90 minutes to 2 hours. Check in the comments below to see the times others have used with success.
Allow Some Time for a Natural Release
After the cooking cycle completes, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release the pressure for about 10-15 minutes before using the quick-release function. This gradual release of pressure helps to keep the meat tender and juicy.
Can This Be Made in Any Pressure Cooker?
This recipe is not exclusive to the Instant Pot brand. This easy Instant Pot pot roast recipe can be made in any kind of pressure cooker! Follow the recipe below using the settings of your pressure cooker and enjoy a delicious roast.
Why I love Using the Instant Pot
If you haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot train yet, YOU NEED TO! It is one of the most convenient kitchen appliances I have ever owned. This Instant Pot pot roast recipe is just one of the MANY Instant Pot recipes that I have incorporated into my regular meal rotations. Here are our top three reasons why we love our Instant Pots:
- It’s EASY. With the instant pot, you can sear the roast and sauté the onions AND cook it ALL in the same pot. You don’t have to dirty three different pans to do it. Even a slow cooker can’t do that for you. Did I mention cleanup is a snap? It is SO easy.
- It’s FAST. Beginning to end, we are talking around two hours. TOTAL. That is literally a quarter of the time it normally takes to make.
- It’s DELICIOUS. Honestly, I think this pot roast turns out just as good, if not better, than most slow cooker pot roast recipes I have tried. It is full of flavor, perfectly tender, and easy to shred.
Make it in the Crock Pot
All the above reasons have me hooked on making a pot roast quickly in an Instant Pot. However, sometimes I like to take it slow and just let it cook all day. If this is the way you want to go, we have a great Crock Pot Roast recipe too, see our Slow Cooker Roast Beef and Vegetables Recipe. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you will definitely want to give the slow cooker version a try!
Pressure Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes
A quick note about adding potatoes, using baby potatoes are totally the way to go. They are the perfect size and they don’t get mushy. Potatoes that are peeled and cut tend to get mushy in the Instant Pot when they cook for a longer amount of time. By keeping the skin on and not cutting them, the potatoes cook thoroughly while remaining firm. If you would rather use diced potatoes, go with a waxy potato like Yukon gold potatoes, or even red potatoes. Russets will get too soggy and are better for mashing.
For Crisp-Tender Veggies
When we were growing up, we liked to have the potatoes on the softer side because we would mash them with a fork and then pour gravy over them. This is how this recipe is written, for extra-tender veggies. If you prefer your vegetables more crisp-tender, just add the vegetables later. Twenty minutes before your cooking time is up, release the pressure by carefully flipping the valve, remove the lid, and add the carrots and potatoes. There is no need to stir. Press “cancel,” and then re-set to high pressure for 10 minutes. If you have bigger potatoes or potato dices, chunks (or halves), pressure cook for 10-15 minutes. Release pressure quickly (quick release) or natural release depending on how tender you want your vegetables.
Instant Pot Roast Gravy
Making gravy in the Instant Pot is a breeze. The easiest method is to remove the pot roast and vegetables when they are done cooking, then switch the cook setting to “sauté”. If there aren’t enough beef drippings to make a gravy, add some beef broth. Combine a little cold water and a couple tablespoons cornstarch in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl to form a cornstarch slurry. When the drippings and broth start to simmer, whisk in the cornstarch mixture a little at a time until it becomes a gravy consistency. Simmer about three minutes, adding more beef broth to thin if needed. Add salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder to taste.
Additional Optional Ingredients:
Want to change up the flavor? Here are some more ingredients you can add before making this chuck roast recipe. Add any of these to taste for a little flavor boost:
- Thyme
- Onion pearls
- Red Wine
- Tomato paste (can be added after, to the gravy, for a richer flavor)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Onion powder
- Garlic cloves
- Celery stalks
- Fresh rosemary
- Balsamic vinegar
Tips For Making Pot Roast
- No Instant Pot? No Problem. Pot roasts can be made using many different cooking methods. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can try our recipes for making pot roast in the slow cooker or in the oven.
- Sear the Meat: Before pressure cooking, sear the meat on all sides in the Instant Pot using the saute function. This step adds a rich caramelized flavor to the roast and helps to lock in the juices.
- Low Sodium Options: For a low-sodium option, use low-sodium beef broth and seasonings.
- Easy Freezing: If you have leftovers, roast can easily be shredded and frozen to eat at a later date. Just remove any vegetables (potatoes and carrots don’t freeze well) and place leftover pot roast in a Ziplock bag or a freezer-safe, airtight container to freeze. When ready to reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat or add to your favorite shredded beef recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
A general guideline for Instant Pot Pot Roast is to pressure cook for 20-25 minutes per pound of meat. For a 3-pound roast, we found that 70 minutes is just about right.
First, set the Instant Pot to sauté and add olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the pot roast to the Instant pot and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side.
It probably wasn’t cooked long enough. It is always ok to put the meat back in the Instant Pot and continue cooking. You can cook for 20 minutes at a time until it reaches your desired tenderness.
Read Next: 27 BEST Instant Pot Recipes
Pot Roast Side Dishes
Because this pot roast includes potatoes and carrots, you have a full meal in just one pot! You can even serve it all on one big serving platter. You can never go wrong with a simple green salad, but if you are looking to add more side dishes, here are some great ideas:
How to Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
Instant Pot Chuck Roast
Video
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 cups beef broth *can use gluten-free beef broth
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix *can use gluten-free onion soup mix
- 1 onion white or yellow, quartered
- 1 pound baby potatoes (see notes above)
- 1 cup baby carrots
Instructions
- Sprinkle pot roast with salt and set aside. Add 2 Tablespoons of Olive oil to Instant Pot and set to "Sauté". When oil becomes hot and shimmery, add pot roast and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Add beef broth to Instant Pot. *Add vegetables, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and onion soup mix to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and shake until vegetables become evenly coated with mix. Put veggies in Instant pot and distribute evenly around roast. *NOTE: You can add the veggies at the beginning of cooking or if you want them to be more crisp-tender you can do a quick release 20 minutes before the cook time is over, then add vegetables, then pressure cook at the same temp for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes) and continue with the recipe.
- Place lid on Instant pot with steam valve closed. Switch Instant Pot setting to "manual" and set for 60-80 minutes on "high" pressure (70 minutes seems to work okay, judge the time depending on the size of your roast). Do a natural release for at least 10 minutes, then quick release by turning the tab to vent.
- Remove roast from Instant Pot, slice, and serve with vegetables. Use extra drippings from the Instant Pot to make gravy or au jus (see notes above to see how to make gravy).
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I made this tonight, and it was an instant hit!! We bought a roast to cook in our Instant Pot, but I didn’t know what to do with it until I found your recipe. I had a big roast, so the 80 minutes was perfect. And the gravy made from the juices was delicious. I haven’t been a very big fan of roast, but I think your recipe has changed that! It was amazing. Thank you again!
Wow, thank you so much for the high praises! So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for letting us know how you made it, for those who have a bigger roast 🙂
Any ideas what i might have done wrong? I followed the instructions, but the meat was extremely dry and tough. The veggies were a bit soft. The flavour of the broth was fantastic, but the dry tough meat was a disaster.
How large was your roast?
You don’t use the trivet for this or do you?
Nope. I didn’t use the trivet but you probably could!
Will this exact recipe cook well in 6 quart Instant Pot or will changes need to be made?
It can still probably be done, same times and everything. Your biggest issue will be getting it all to fit in a smaller IP. Hope this helps!
The meat turned out great, the potatoes and carrots were way too soft. Next time I’ll do the meat first. Take the meat out to rest then add the veggies to the pot for a few minutes. It’s ok…trial and error, lesson learned ????????
My husband made this recipe a few days ago in the new 8 qt. Instant Pot that he got as a Christmas gift. Since there was plenty of room, he threw in way more than the pound of potatoes and cup of baby carrots the recipe called for. He used large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in half. He didn’t even bother seasoning/marinating the veggies separately in a bag.
None of that affected the outcome negatively- because everything that came out of that pot at the end was so so so so good! Our potatoes and carrots didn’t get mushy, just perfectly flavorful, with a fork cutting through the hunks of potato like they were sticks of butter. Heavenly. The roast itself was perfectly juicy and fork-only tender and delicious. It was only a $10 rump roast from Walmart but it turned out way better than any $10 hunk of Walmart meat has a right to…The kids were scarfing down the meal like hungry wolves. We all ate WAY too much but it was so darn good it was impossible not to! The next day my daughter and I had the leftovers for lunch and it was even better (like roasts tend to be the 2nd day). My husband and son were super-bummed that we got to the leftovers first and that they missed out, so it was decided we would definitely make it again very soon. So thank you for the recipe and for making the maiden pot roast voyage in our Instant Pot a resounding success. Yay!
I literally laughed for about 3 minutes because of this line “..but it turned out way better than any $10 hunk of Walmart meat has a right to” haha that is great. So glad you liked it so much and so happy to hear your first voyage with the IP was a success!
Thanks for posting this! I am going to try it tonight!
I also made this recipe as written and decreased the pressure time to 50 minutes. Used new potatoes which we did not cut, and had large size carrots (that we would normally never choose). That seemed to make a difference in the results. Meat was juicy/ tender/delicious, texture/taste of potatoes and carrots were good. We added a chopped red onion which disappeared during cooking, will try adding mushrooms next time.
Going to make this tonight with a 2 lb chuck roast in my IP. Will cook on meat/stew setting for 40 minutes and add vegees in after for 15 or 20 minutes. My question is, should I put it back on the meat/stew pressure setting or just regular pressure setting. I don’t know the difference between the 2. Thanks
If you do the meat setting it might take too long and your veggies might get mushy. If it were me, I would do 5 more minutes on high pressure and let natural release for 10 minutes.
I made the sunday pot roast yesterday – my first meal in my new instant pot. It turned out beautifully. I did make a couple of changes using what I had on hand. Used regular carrots cut in large pieces and smallish yukon gold potatoes. I also used 1 3/4 cups beef broth and 1/2 – 3/4 cup of red wine. Cooked for 70 minutes. The meat was fall apart tender and the vegetable were pretty soft but very tasty. I also peppered the meat, added two bay leaves and a touch of dried thyme. Had lots of liquid so I made plenty of gravy to also have tonight with hot openfaced beef sandwiches.
I made this recipe as written except decreased the pressure time to 50 minutes. The meat was perfect, but I would prefer the carrots and potatoes to be a little more firm. Next time I will add those at the end. Excellent recipe and my husband loved it!
Did a 1.5 chuck/pot roast for about 40 minutes. First I sautéed both sides, then I added 1/2 cup water mixed with a package of onion soup mix & cooked for 40 minutes. It was perfect. I made “funeral potatoes” so I didn’t do vegetables in the instant pot this time.
Making this now and just wondering how long it takes for the pressure to build up to the right amount?
It usually takes about 10 minutes or so.
I also have the mini! I’m guessing it would be best to just half the recipe?
How many quarts does the mini hold? I am guessing you could half the recipe if it is quite a bit smaller than the regular size IP
New to the instapot world and have the mini- suggestions to adjust the recipe? Thanks!
You have the mini instant pot? I don’t think I have heard of the “mini” before. I will have to research that and get back to you.
I made this for dinner yesterday. Because I read so many comments about the vegetables being mushy if in the whole time I did 50 minutes for the roast, then another 20 minutes with the potatoes and carrots. Crazy good results !
Really liked this, but it could have used a bit more flavor. My boyfriend said it was the best pot roast he’d ever had. Does anyone have a calorie count for this recipe? Thanks!
We are working on getting calorie counts for all of our recipes but it may take a while. Your best bet is to plus it into a recipe calorie counter online. Hope this helps!
Husband loved this recipe, he likes his vegetables soft and mushy. Made according to recipe, except used 1 pound large carrots cut in big chunks. My 3 pound chuck roast filled the bottom of my 6 quart Instapot, so just put all the vegetables on top of the meat. Took 18 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking . I’m new at pressure cooking so keeping track of this for future timing. Cooked for 60 minutes and left for natural release, which didn’t happen after 30 minutes so quick released pressure. after that. Meat was fall apart tender and flavorful.
So glad this worked so well for you! Thanks for sharing your method!
I just made this – 1-8-18 – using an 8 quart IP, with a 4 lb chuck roast, a whole bag of baby carrots (3 cups ish), and a bag of small potatoes and 2 quartered onions – in my opinion 60 min would be PLENTY – all tasted good but all overdone – veggies were too soft, and meat fell apart – didn’t need to slice it
Thank you for this recipe! Based on the comments of others I decided to cook the meat in my IP for 30 minutes, then NR for 10 minutes, followed by QR. I added my veggies then put the lid back on and cooked for another 30 minutes. I am not great in the kitchen AT ALL, but we had guests over for this dinner and everyone loved it. It was delicious! Thank you!!
So glad this worked so well for you! Thanks for sharing how you made this recipe successful!