Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe (2024)

Home » Recipes » Instant Pot » Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

by Marcie //January 18, 2022 (updated 12/29/23)

You absolutely can’t beat the classics, unless of course you find a faster way to get them done. This Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon is a classic French beef stew that’s made in a fraction of the time! It includes bacon, tender chunks of beef, mushrooms and pearl onions in a rich red wine gravy, and it’s great for weeknight dinners, dinner parties and date night!

There’s a big place in my heart for French food, so I enjoy going to French restaurants often. The food always takes me back to the Paris trip that my husband and I took years ago, and all the delicious food that we made during my time at cooking school.

I almost always order Beef Bourguignon if it’s on the menu. It’s a classic French stew with beef, bacon, mushrooms, carrots and pearl onions, and it’s all braised in a rich red wine gravy. It’s typically served over mashed potatoes, so it’s pure comfort food.

The word “bourguignon” means Burgandy, which refers to red Burgandy wine that’s used in the stew.

Traditionally the stew is made in a Dutch oven or large pot on the stove top and oven, but it takes 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cook. Some days that’s fine, but I love making classic recipes even faster in my Instant Pot.

Preparing stew in the Instant Pot makes perfect sense because it makes tough cuts of meat like stew meat incredibly tender in a fraction of the time.

I’ll never prepare my Irish beef stew or this beef bourguignon any other way. 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• This Instant Pot beef bourguignon is comforting and flavorful with bacon, beef, chunky veggies and a rich, delicious red wine gravy.
• This recipe cooks up in about 1/3 of the time as the classic method, and the flavors develop even more in the Instant Pot because the steam is trapped inside and is absorbed by the food.
• It’s simple enough for a weeknight dinner or elegant enough for a dinner party or Valentine’s Day.
• This recipe includes cornstarch instead of flour, so it’s a great gluten-free dinner!

Recipe ingredients

It was important to me to keep this beef bourguignon recipe as close to the classic as I possibly could, and I feel that I achieved that. I truly don’t recommend customizing this recipe in any way!

The only change that I made was to use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the red wine gravy in order to make this recipe gluten-free.

Ingredient notes

• Beef stew meat. Beef stew meat is a tougher cut of meat that contains plenty of collagen and fat marbled throughout, which makes it perfect for braising low and slow or faster in a pressure cooker. The fat and collagen melt into the dish during cooking and is absorbed into the meat to make it nice and tender. I used grass fed beef stew meat to make this dish more sustainable and impart even more flavor.
• Bacon. The bacon and bacon grease are both used in this dish, and they impart lots of flavor and texture.
• Veggies. Onion, pearl onions, garlic, mushrooms and carrots are included in classic beef bourguignon. The pearl onions really set this recipe apart for me! I used fresh which requires a few minutes of prep, but you can certainly use frozen pearl onions as a time saver.
• Wine. The red wine is what sets beef bourguignon apart from other beef stews. It’s braised in red wine such as red Burgandy or Pinot Noir, so the gravy has a ton of flavor. Pro tip: Always cook with wine that you enjoy drinking as its flavor is imparted into your dish!
• Tomato paste. The tomato paste adds umami and a rich depth of flavor to the dish.
• Cornstarch. I used cornstarch to thicken the red wine gravy to make this dish gluten-free.

How to make this recipe

Making beef bourguignon in the Instant Pot is even easier than the traditional method, and it cooks up in about an hour as opposed to 2 1/2 or 3 hours.

The carrots and pearl onions are added to the Instant Pot during the last 5 or so minutes of cooking time so that they hold their shape and don’t get mushy.

Pro tip: Save yourself some prep work by using frozen pearl onions…just thaw them slightly. You can also trim and cut the beef (if needed) and prep veggies in advance to make prep go even faster.

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

1. Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon for 6-8 minutes until crispy, then remove from heat and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
2. Brown the beef. Add half of the beef to the pot with the bacon grease and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Place the browned beef on a plate or bowl and repeat with the remaining half of the meat. Set aside.
3. Sauté the veggies and cook the wine. Cook the onion and mushroom until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the tomato paste and stir well, then add the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.
4. Cook the beef bourguignon. Add the beef back to the pot along with the beef broth, bay leaf and thyme. Secure the lid and close the venting valve, then select Pressure Cook and set for 30 minutes. When done, allow the pressure to naturally release for about 10 minutes then quick release and remove the lid. Add the carrots and pearl onions and secure the lid once more. Pressure cook for 5 minutes, then allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes. From there, quick release the pressure and remove the lid.
5. Remove the thyme sprig and bay leaf.
6. Thicken the gravy. Combine the cornstarch and water, stirring well to combine. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

There are a few different ways that you can serve up this delicious Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon. They’re all delicious and there’s really no wrong answer.

• Serve as-is with a fresh side of butter lettuce salad or radicchio salad.
• It’s great served with warm focaccia bread or sweet potato biscuits.
• Serve over instant pot mashed potatoes or parsnip puree to make it even more satisfying. Mashed cauliflower is also a great lower carb option!
• Roasted cauliflower or roasted green beans are great healthy sides.

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: Save yourself some prep work by using frozen pearl onions…just thaw them slightly. You can also trim and cut the beef (if needed) and prep veggies in advance to make prep go even faster.
• The carrots and pearl onions are added to the Instant Pot during the last 5 minutes or so of cooking time so that they hold their shape and don’t become mushy.
• Beef bourguignon tastes even better as leftovers! It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.

More Instant Pot recipes you’ll love:

• Butternut squash turkey chili
• Chicken and rice
• Chickpea curry
• Corned beef and cabbage
• Instant Pot ribs
• Mushroom risotto
• Pot roast by The Recipe Rebel
• Pulled pork
• Short ribs
• White chicken chili

Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

posted in: Beef, Freezer Friendly, Gluten-Free, Instant Pot, Main Dishes, One Pot Meals, Recipes, Stews, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Recipes // 6 comments