Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes is a chuck roast seared and pressure cooked in a savory broth with onion, garlic, and fresh thyme until it shreds with a fork. If you grew up on Sunday pot roast that sat in the oven all afternoon, this is the same dinner on a weeknight schedule.
I make this on Sundays when I want a cozy dinner without the oven running all day, and on weeknights when I remember the roast in the fridge by 4:30. It’s about 15 minutes of searing and stirring, and the Instant Pot handles the rest. The broth picks up all the flavor from the seared beef, and it’s my favorite part to spoon over everything.
For more Instant Pot dinners, be sure to also try my Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Chili (No Beans), or Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes:
Ingredient Notes
Chuck Roast: Chuck is the cut I always use for pot roast. It has more marbling than leaner roasts, and that fat is what melts down and makes it shred. I trim off any big, thick pieces of fat before searing and leave the rest. Cutting it in half gives you more browned edges and helps it cook evenly.
Beef Broth: Since the roast cooks in it for an hour, the broth matters. I like Kettle & Fire Low Sodium Beef Broth because it’s made from grass-fed beef bones and organic vegetables, and the low-sodium version lets you control the salt.
Russet Potatoes: Russets turn soft and fluffy and soak up the broth. Yukon golds are a good swap if you like potatoes that stay a little firmer. Either way, peeling is optional.
Baby Carrots: They save you all the peeling and chopping. Regular carrots work too, cut into 2-inch pieces.
Tomato Paste and Worcestershire: It’s only a little of each, but they give the broth that deep, savory flavor. I buy tomato paste in a tube so I’m not opening a whole can for half a tablespoon.
Fresh Thyme: Fresh sprigs give the broth an earthy, herby flavor. If you only have dried, use ½ teaspoon.
Recipe Variations
Add Mushrooms: Stir in 8 ounces of halved cremini mushrooms with the carrots and potatoes.
Use Red Wine: Swap ½ cup of the beef broth for a dry red wine for a richer broth.
Swap the Potatoes: Use cubed sweet potatoes or baby red potatoes. Keep the pieces about 1 inch so they cook in the same 10 minutes.
Add More Veggies: Add 2 stalks of celery, cut into 2-inch pieces, with the carrots.
How To Make Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes: Step by Step
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Sear both halves of the seasoned roast on all sides, then set them aside.
Step 2: Cook the onion and garlic, then stir in the broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire.
Step 3: Set the roast back in the pot, top with thyme, and pressure cook for 1 hour.
Step 4: Add the carrots and potatoes and pressure cook for 10 more minutes.
Step 5: Lift out the roast, shred it, and serve it with the vegetables and broth.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Pat the roast dry before seasoning. A dry surface browns, and a wet one just steams.
Scrape up every browned bit from the bottom after you add the broth. Anything left stuck to the pot can trigger the Instant Pot’s burn warning.
Let the pressure come down naturally for the full release time each round. Releasing it all at once can leave the meat tougher.
Cut the potatoes into even 1-inch cubes so every piece is done at the same time.
Shred the roast with two forks right on the cutting board, and pull out any large pieces of fat as you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'd thaw it in the fridge first. You can't get a good sear on a frozen roast, and the sear is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
Yes, but the timing is completely different. My Crock Pot Rump Roast is written for the slow cooker and cooks low and slow with carrots and potatoes all day.
After you take out the roast and vegetables, set the pot to Sauté. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water, stir it into the simmering broth, and let it bubble for a minute or two until it thickens.
I hope you love this Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes. Please consider leaving a star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below. Thank you so much!
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Instant Pot Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Ingredients
For the roast
- 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast cut in half
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the broth
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
For the vegetables
- 8.5 ounces baby carrots
- 1 pound russet potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
Instructions
- Pat the roast halves dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Once it's hot, add the olive oil and sear the roast halves on all sides until browned. Move them to a plate.
- Add the onion to the oil left in the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic, then press Cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Set the roast halves back in the pot on top of the broth mixture. Lay one thyme sprig on each half and drop the third sprig into the broth.
- Lock the lid and turn the valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to Venting to release the rest.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and stir gently so they're coated in the broth.
- Lock the lid again and turn the valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest.
- Move the roast to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Remove the thyme stems. Either stir the shredded beef back into the pot with the vegetables, or serve the beef on a platter with the carrots and potatoes alongside and the broth spooned over the top.
Notes
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data