How to Cook a 2 Lb Beef Roast in the Instant Pot

This Instant Pot Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots is the perfect Sunday dinner. This Instant Pot method of cooking a Pot Roast is as tender as a traditional recipe but cooks in less than half the time!

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Sunday Pot Roast in the Instant Pot

Pot Roast has always been a favorite Sunday dinner in our family. Sometimes we make it with mashed potatoes, sometimes with ingredients like carrots and potatoes cooked with the roast. Either way, it is always delicious. Because I sometimes forget to put the roast in the oven or slow cooker in time, I find myself scrambling to get dinner ready. I've walked in the door from church and thought, "SHOOT! I never put the roast in!" If you are like me, this Instant Pot recipe is a lifesaver – especially on those days. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Update: Since we first created this recipe, we've had many comments regarding the success of this recipe. We've updated the original post to include some of the most frequently asked questions and comments.

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. 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

How Long Do I Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot?

Instant Pot Pot Roast cook time varies depending on the size of the roast. A 2-pound roast should take about 45-50 minutes on high pressure. Each additional pound should be an additional 8-10 minutes. Check in the comments below to see the times others have used with success.

Can This Be Made in Any Pressure Cooker?

This recipe is not exclusive to the Instant Pot brand. This easy Instant Pot pot roast recipe can be made in any kind of pressure cooker! Follow the recipe below using the settings of your pressure cooker and enjoy a delicious roast.

Why I love Using the Instant Pot

If you haven't jumped on the Instant Pot train yet – YOU NEED TO! It is one of the most convenient kitchen appliances I have ever owned. This Instant Pot pot roast recipe is just one of the MANY Instant Pot recipes that I have incorporated into my regular meal rotations. Here are our top three reasons why we love our Instant Pots:

1. It's EASY.  With the instant pot, you can sear the roast and saute the onions AND cook it ALL in the same pot. You don't have to dirty 3 different pans to do it. Even a slow cooker can't do that for you. Did I mention cleanup is a snap? It is. SO easy.
2. It's FAST. Beginning to end, we are talking around 2 hours. TOTAL. That is literally a quarter of the time it takes to make.
3. It's DELICIOUS. Honestly, I think this pot roast turns out just as good, if not better, than most slow cooker pot roast recipes I have tried. It is full of flavor and perfectly tender and easy to shred.

Crock Pot Pot Roast

All the above reasons have me hooked on making a pot roast quickly in an 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 Pot Roast with Potatoes

A quick note about adding potatoes, using baby potatoes are 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 A quick note about adding potatoes, using baby potatoes are 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.

For Crisp-Tender Veggies

When we were growing up, we liked to have the potatoes on the softer side because we would mash them with a fork and then pour gravy over them. This is how this recipe is written– for extra-tender veggies. If you prefer your vegetables more crisp-tender chunks of veggies just add the vegetables later. 20 minutes before your cooking time is up, release the pressure by carefully flipping the valve, remove the lid, and add the carrots and potatoes. There is no need to stir. Press "cancel" and then re-set to high pressure for 8-10 minutes. If you have bigger potatoes or potato dices (or halves), pressure cook for 10-15 minutes. You can do a quick or natural release depending on how tender you want your vegetables.

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 "saute". If there aren't enough beef drippings to make a gravy, add some beef broth. Combine a little water and some corn starch in a liquid measuring cup 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 3 minutes adding more beef broth to thin if needed. Add salt, black pepper, and a little garlic powder to taste.

More Ingredients To Add:

Want t change up the flavor? Here are some more ingredients you can add before cooking your roast. Add any of these to taste for a little flavor boost:

• Thyme
• Onion pearls
• Red Wine
• Tomato paste (can be added after to the gravy for a richer flavor)
• Worcestershire sauce
• Onion powder
• Garlic cloves
• Celery stalks
• Fresh rosemary
• Balsamic vinegar

Tips For Making 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 (here) or in the oven (here).
• 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 in a Ziplock bag or a freezer-safe airtight container to freeze. When ready to re-heat thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat or add to your favorite shredded beef recipes.

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:

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• Sautéed Sweet Asparagus
• Oven Roasted Vegetables
• Spinach Salad with Roasted Pecans
• Sautéed Lemon Brussels Sprouts
• Southern Corn Casserole
• Nuts About Berries Salad
• Mashed potatoes (if you make the roast on its own without adding potatoes and carrots)

How to Cook a Pot Roast in an Instant Pot

Sunday Pot Roast (Instant Pot Recipe)

Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots is the perfect Sunday dinner. This Instant Pot version is as tender as a traditional recipe but less than half the time!

• 6-Quart Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (See Instant Pot Note Below)

• ▢ 3 pounds beef chuck roast
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth *can use gluten-free beef broth
• ▢ 1 packet dry onion soup mix *can use gluten-free onion soup mix
• ▢ 1 white or yellow onion, quartered
• ▢ 1 pound baby potatoes (see notes above)
• ▢ 1 cup baby carrots

• Sprinkle pot roast with salt and set aside. Add 2 Tbsp. Olive oil to Instant Pot and set to "Saute". When oil becomes hot and shimmery, add pot roast and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side.

  

• Add beef broth to Instant Pot. Add vegetables, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and onion soup mix to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and shake until vegetables become evenly coated with mix. Put veggies in Instant pot and distribute evenly around roast.

  

• Place lid on Instant pot with steam valve closed. Switch Instant Pot setting to "manual" and set for 60-80 minutes on "high" pressure (70 minutes seems to work ok, judge the time depending on the size of your roast). Do a natural release for at least 10 minutes, then quick release.

  

• Remove roast from instant pot, slice, and serve with vegetables. Use extra drippings from the instant pot to make gravy or au jus (see notes above to see how to make gravy).

  

*This recipe can easily be converted to be gluten-free.  Substitute gluten-free beef broth and gluten-free dry onion soup mix in the recipe.

Instant Pot Note:We use a 6-quart Instant Pot brand pressure cooker that we bought in 2016. Different or newer versions may be more sensitive to the "BURN" notice. If you are concerned about the burn notice, please refer to the Instant Pot webpage about Overheat Protection, found HERE.

Serving: 170 g Calories: 456 kcal Carbohydrates: 15 g Protein: 31 g Fat: 24 g Saturated Fat: 9 g Cholesterol: 104 mg Sodium: 696 mg Potassium: 868 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 2 g Vitamin A: 1981 IU Vitamin C: 10 mg Calcium: 53 mg Iron: 4 mg

I feel I need to mention that this post is not sponsored. I bought my Instant Pot with my own money and we are not getting paid to write about it. Many of you out there have Instant Pots as well and we have been getting many suggestions and e-mails about adding some Instant Pot recipes, so this is us responding to you.

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her beautiful three girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

More about Erica Walker

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