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Make this tender, flavorful Instant Pot Pot Roast with potatoes & carrots in under 2 hours! Quick and delicious comfort food perfect for Sunday dinners.
Quick and Delicious Sunday Comfort Food
Pot roast has always been a favorite Sunday dinner in our family. It’s the ultimate comfort food. Sometimes we serve it with creamy mashed potatoes on the side, other times we add carrots and potatoes right in with the roast (like with this recipe). Either way, it’s always a hit. The only problem? I’m notorious for forgetting to put the roast in the oven or slow cooker early enough. More often than I care to admit, I’ve walked in the door from church and thought, “NOO! I forgot the roast!” If you have been there too, this Instant Pot version is for you!
If you haven’t joined the Instant Pot crowd yet, now’s the time! It’s one of the most convenient tools in my kitchen. I love that I can sear the roast, sauté the onions, and pressure cook everything in the same pot. No pile of dirty pans and cleanup is a breeze. Best of all, it’s quick: from start to finish, you can have a tender, flavorful pot roast on the table in about two hours, a fraction of the usual time. The meat turns out perfectly juicy and shreds super easily. It’s every bit as good (maybe even better!) than most slow-cooker versions I’ve tried.
🩷Erica
Table of Contents
- Quick and Delicious Sunday Comfort Food
- Key Ingredients and Supplies for Instant Pot Chuck Roast
- What Cut of Beef is Best for Pot Roast?
- What Potatoes are Best?
- How to Make Pot Roast in the Instant Pot
- How Long Do I Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot?
- Make it in the Crock Pot
- Instant Pot Roast Gravy
- Tips For Making the Best Pot Roast
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Roast Recipes
- Instant Pot Chuck Roast Recipe
- Pot Roast Side Dishes
Key Ingredients and Supplies for Instant Pot Chuck Roast
- Beef chuck roast: I usually do a beef chuck or a bottom round roast but any kind of roast will work. I will go into more detail on this below.
- Seasonings: For this recipe I usually keep it pretty simple with a little salt, beef broth, and some dry onion soup mix. Depending on my mood and if I want an added flavor boost, I will often add some fresh garlic, a splash of red cooking wine, a little Worcestershire sauce, or some fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Veggies: You don’t have to add vegetables to this recipe at all, but I feel like the veggies give it more of a rounded out, Sunday dinner feel. I always use onion, baby potatoes, and baby carrots or large pieces of carrot because they are all just so easy to throw in with the roast.
- Additional optional ingredients (for more flavor): For extra flavor, try adding thyme, onion pearls, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic cloves, celery stalks, fresh rosemary, or a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- Instant Pot (or pressure cooker): This recipe isn’t limited to the “Instant Pot” brand. It works with any pressure cooker. Just follow the steps below using your cooker’s settings for a tender, flavorful roast.
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
What Potatoes are Best?
A quick note about adding potatoes – using baby potatoes is 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.
How to Make Pot Roast in the Instant Pot
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels and rub generously with salt; set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté, add a little oil, and sear the roast for 4–5 minutes per side until browned.
- In a large zip-top bag, toss the vegetables with olive oil and onion soup mix until evenly coated. For very soft veggies, add them now. For crisp-tender veggies, wait to add them later.
- Pour in beef broth, lock the lid, and cook on High Pressure — about 60 minutes for a 3 lb roast or 80 minutes for a 5 lb roast (see below for more sizes). Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release.
- For crisp-tender vegetables, quick-release 20 minutes before cook time ends, add veggies, then cook the remaining time. Allow a 10 minute natural release before venting.
- Remove the roast, shred, and serve with vegetables. For gravy, strain broth if desired, set pot to Sauté, whisk in a cornstarch slurry, and simmer 2-3 minutes until thickened.
How Long Do I Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot?
Cooking time depends on the size and thickness of your roast, but a good rule of thumb is 20–25 minutes per pound on high pressure. Here is a quick guide:
- 2-pound roast: 45–50 minutes
- 3-pound roast: about 70 minutes
- 4-pound roast: 80–100 minutes
- 5-pound roast: 90 minutes to 2 hours
Always let the pressure release naturally (meaning wait to open the lid until it naturally unlocks instead of switching the venting tab to quickly release steam) for the most tender results. Don’t forget that times can vary slightly based on the shape of the meat and your Instant Pot model.
Make it in the Crock Pot
Due to convenience and saving time, I am hooked on whipping up a pot roast quickly in the 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!
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.
Tips For Making the Best 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.
- 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. Here’s a quick reference:
2-pound roast: 45–50 minutes
3-pound roast: about 70 minutes
4-pound roast: 80–100 minutes
5-pound roast: 90 minutes to 2 hours
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.
Yes, but skip the sear and add extra time. Usually 30-40 minutes more than a thawed roast of the same size.
Read Next: 27 BEST Instant Pot Recipes
More Roast Recipes
Have you tried this Instant Pot Pot Roast? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked it. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🍴
Instant Pot Chuck Roast
Video
Ingredients
- 3-5 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 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 cut carrots, (baby carrots work too)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Instructions
- Pat roast dry using paper towels. Generously rub roast with salt and set aside.
- Add 2 Tablespoons of 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.
- In a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, add vegetables, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, and onion soup mix. Shake until vegetables become evenly coated with mix. For Soft Vegetables: Add the veggies at this point. They will become very soft after cooking for such a long time in the instant pot. They will mash very easily.For Crisp-Tender Vegetables: Wait to add vegetables until instructed below.
- Add beef broth and place lid on Instant pot with steam valve closed.
- Switch Instant Pot setting to "manual" and set for 60 minutes for a 3 pound roast and 80 minutes for a 5 pound roast on "high" pressure (see more sizes and times above). Do a natural release for at least 10 minutes, then quick release by turning the tab to vent.For Crisp-Tender Vegetables: Do a quick release 20 minutes before the cook time is over. Remove lid and add vegetables. Set time for the remaining 20 minutes, do a natural release for at least 10 minutes, then quick release by turning the tab to vent.
- Remove roast from Instant Pot, shred, and serve with vegetables.
- Use a strainer to remove any left over pieces of onion and bits from the broth in the pot (optional). Set instant pot to “saute” setting. Whisk together water and corn starch in a small bowl making a slurry. Once broth is at a simmer, whisk in corn starch mixture and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes as the gravy thickens. Pour over the pot roast or serve on the side.
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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:
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Sweet Sauteed Asparagus
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Nuts about Berries Salad
Cheesy Cauliflower
Honey Glazed Carrots
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!