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Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast is a delicious, savory beef roast cooked with lots of onion until fall apart tender. This pressure cooker French onion pot roast is terrific over mashed potatoes or rice!
Originally Published 11/10/19
French Onion Pot Roast in the Instant Pot
Today’s recipe is my Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast. It has a wonderful onion flavor that is very similar to French Onion Soup, and is so delicious.
The electric pressure cooker is so fantastic at cooking certain foods faster than traditional methods, and with more flavor and nutrition (more nutrition stays in the food and doesn’t get evaporated).
One of the ways the Pressure cooker shines is when cooking a good old pot roast! They cook much faster and the meat becomes very tender.
I like the chuck roast the best for this recipe as it has the right amount of fat and connective tissue to make the roast super tender once those elements break down.
The issue is that pot roasts need to cook a long time for those tissues to break down and produce that fork-tender meat we all love.
No problem making a tender pot roast in the pressure cooker!
Some tips for making Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
- Cut your roast into 1 pound chunks for more even and faster cooking.
- Use Yellow onions for a more savory result, or use a sweet variety onion like Walla-Walla or Vidalia for a sweeter result.
- You can use fresh or dried thyme leaves. If using fresh, double the amount (I just toss in 2 or 3 sprigs).
- If you don’t have a can of French Onion soup, use a packet of onion soup mix and 1 cup of water.
- A little brandy or sherry adds nice flavor (optional).
- Be sure to let the roast naturally release for 10-15 minutes before releasing the pressure for the best, tender results.
You can either shred the pot roast after it is cooked, or leave it in large chunks. I prefer the shredded version, where the meat goes back into that yummy onion gravy!
Another recipe you may want to try is my Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe. A classic pot roast with potatoes, onion, and carrots. It is classic and delicious.
Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Instant Pot Barbecue Beef Roast
Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast
Instant Pot Creamy Mashed Potatoes
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If you make this delicious pressure cooker French onion pot roast recipe, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d like to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
Equipment
- 6 qt or 8 qt Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
- 2 lg Onions, cut in half and sliced thick
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ tsp Dried Thyme Leaves (not ground)
- 1 Tbsp Dehydrated Onions
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 lb Chuck Roast, boneless (cut into 3 equal chunks)
- 1 (10 oz) can Condensed French Onion Soup, or 1 (1 oz) packet of onion soup mix plus 1 cup water
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 heaping tsp Beef Bouillon (such as Better Than Bouillon®)
Optional
- ¼ cup Brandy or Sherry
For Gravy
- ¼ cup Corn Starch
- ¼ cup Cold Water
Instructions
- Gather everything you need, and prepare the veggies, etc. before you start cooking.
- Turn on the pot's Sauté setting. When it is hot, add the olive oil and the butter.
- Add the onions and bay leaf. Stir. Then let them sit for a few minutes before stirring again. Cook only until the onions start to turn translucent. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic and stir. Cook about 45 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Add the thyme leaves, dehydrated onions, and Worcestershire sauce, wine (if using), and stir.
- Place the three chuck roast pieces on top of the onions.
- Pour the French onion soup over the meat. Don't stir.
- Dissolve the beef bouillon in the beef broth and pour over the meat.
- Cancel the Sauté setting. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 60 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
- When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 15 minutes (15 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
- When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
- Use a large spoon to skim off some of the fat and then remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Remove the meat to a large plate and use 2 forks to shred the meat (or cut into bite sized pieces, if desired).
To Make Gravy
- Mix the corn starch and cold water together until dissolved to make a slurry.
- Turn on the Sauté setting. When the sauce starts to simmer, stir in the corn starch slurry, and stir until the gravy is thickened.
- Turn off the pot.
- Add the meat back into the gravy and stir.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or whatever you like!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE this pressure cooker pot roast recipe and more
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This was amazing!!!!! Just wish I had a bigger roast mine was only 2pounds so it didn’t have as much meat as I would have liked. besides that the flavor was delicious I used a little more worechesire just because I enjoy the flavor. all and all a great dinner for cold winter night 👍
I’ve made this recipe six times in the last 2 months. It may sound like we eat a lot of pot roast, but each time it was for company or a family in need of meal ministry at church. Everyone loves it. It’s a keeper. Yesterday, I was preparing it for a family of eight, so I doubled everything except the onions. I changed the cooking time to an hour and 10 minutes. I don’t know if that was even necessary. The meat was very tender. I served it with steamed rice and a side of sauteed carrots. A note to those who may need it, I suggest not using a cheap chuck roast. I did this for one of the dinners and it turned out fine but it was more waste and a little more hassle separating the non-edible results from the good meat.
This was amazing. Followed recipe and did add 1/4 cup red wine. Will have again for sure
Thank you for this recipe
OMG this recipe is AMAZING!! I have made this at least 4-5 times in the last 4 months. The only change I made was in inadvertently ADDING Lipton’s beef onion soup packet in addition to the French onion soup from Campbell’s. The flavor was fantastic! It is soooo good and tender. Thank you for tasty recipe.
This recipe is AMAZING!!! The only alterations I made were, I added a full 15 oz can of beef consumé (instead of 1 cup of beef broth)AND I added a packet of Lipton French Onion Soup mix! The flavor is a absolutely outstanding! Hubbs already said this recipe needs to be in our monthly rotation! Thank you!
Just made this for my family! They and I loved it❤️ Absolutely no leftovers 😊. Thank you!
Followed this recipe and it was amazing! Moose roast pulled apart with a fork, flavour was just right and whole family enjoyed…thanks!
That sounds so good! I have always wanted to try moose.
My first InstaPot recipe and it was great! When I rewarm the leftovers I will add some veggies.
Made this for dinner tonight served with mashed potatoes ,it was wonderful!! Great flavor, everyone asked for seconds & brandy gave it a nice boost.
We will make this again.
We absolutely loved this pot roast! I served it over cauliflower rice. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!
This is by far the best roast we had in a long time!So tasty and tender,never had to use a knife!Would be proud to serve it to fussy visitors!Definitely will make it again and again.Thank you