Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

This hearty soup is packed with vegetables and tender beef, perfect for a comforting and satisfying meal. The Instant Pot makes it quick and easy to prepare, ready in under an hour.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound beef stew meat, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1 bay leaf

Cooking Guide:

1. Sauté the Beef: Set your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function (or “Saute” depending on your model) and heat olive oil. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add the beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.

2. Soften the Vegetables: Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

3. Pressure Cook the Soup: Pour in the beef broth, water, diced tomatoes, potatoes, frozen peas, green beans, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine. Close the lid and ensure the pressure valve is set to “Sealing.” Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes.

4. Natural Pressure Release: Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully release any remaining pressure manually using the pressure release valve.

5. Serve and Enjoy: Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Tips:

• Use leftover cooked beef: This recipe is perfect for using up leftover cooked beef. Simply shred the beef and add it to the pot with the vegetables in step 3.
• Thicken the soup: If you prefer a thicker soup, you can mash some of the cooked potatoes in the pot before serving. Alternatively, you can mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry and stir it into the soup after the pressure release. Let it simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
• Customize the vegetables: Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to this soup! Some good options include corn, green beans, or zucchini.
• Frozen vegetables: This recipe uses frozen peas and green beans for convenience. You can substitute fresh vegetables if preferred, but adjust the cooking time slightly as they will take longer to cook. Add fresh vegetables in step 3 with the other vegetables.

Enjoy this delicious and comforting Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup!