Healthier Instant Pot Beef Stew: Recipes and Tips

by Shelley · May contain affiliate links

Published Updated August 2, 2021

~ Instant Pot Beef Stew recipes are so easy, and deliver comforting, delicious meals in very little time (yay, pressure cooker!). But, they aren’t always particularly healthy. Not to worry – we’ve got ideas and recipes that make stew a great option for chilly evenings when you just really need a warm-you-up meal! ~

Beef stew may be the ultimate comfort food recipe, but it doesn’t have to be an over-the-top gut-buster! We’ve got ideas to help, plus healthier beef stew recipes, and even recipes for chicken stew, seafood stew and veggie stew, too! Great ideas for stew recipes that are quick and easy in your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker … and also healthier, too! #instantpot #pressurecooking #pressurecooker #beef #stew #comfortfood #easydinner #healthyrecipes #recipes | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com

Great ideas for beef stew recipes that are quick and easy in your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker … and also healthier, too! Beef stew may be the ultimate comfort food recipe, but it doesn’t have to be an over-the-top gut-buster! We’ve got ideas to help, plus healthier beef stew recipes, and even recipes for chicken stew, seafood stew and veggie stew, too! #instantpot #pressurecooking #pressurecooker #beef #stew #comfortfood #easydinner #healthyrecipes #recipes | www.TwoHealthyKitchens.com

One of the (many) things that pressure cookers do really well is make stew.

Why Instant Pot Beef Stew Is So Great

No doubt, the very idea of a pressure cooker beef stew seems to have everything going for it, right?!?

1) Beef stew is hearty and filling – pretty much the poster child for “comfort food.”

2) And electric pressure cookers like the Instant Pot do stew brilliantly! Pressure cooking is terrific for taking tougher cuts of meat and rendering them fork-tender … in much less time that traditional stovetop or slow cooker methods.

Total win, right?

… And Why It’s Not So Great

All except for the nutrition issue (cue the sad trombone … woh-woooooohhhhhh). So many beef stews are loaded with over-the-top amounts of particularly fatty cuts of red meat, which can quickly pile on the calories and bad-for-you fat grams.

But let’s not count stew out too quickly! There are ways, my friends …

You really can have it all!

Strategies for Healthier Instant Pot Stew

Here are a few strategies that can help you find (or create) a healthier Instant Pot stew, as showcased by the recipes we’ve hand-picked for you today:

  • Use less beef. And instead increase the amounts of surrounding super-nutritious ingredients, like antioxidant-rich vegetables or (as one recipe showcases below) fiber-loaded lentils! All good things in moderation, right? We’ve got nothing against beef (I mean, hey – we’ve got plenty of beef recipes here at THK). But a healthier strategy is to make sure that beef is a little bit less of a focal point in your meal, by filling out your plate with other nutrient-dense choices to balance everything out.
  • Use leaner beef. Not all cuts of beef are created equally in terms of the fat (and, specifically, the saturated fat) they contain.
  • Don’t use beef at all. Who said a comforting, hearty stew had to be beef stew? We sure didn’t! (Remember our Crock-Pot Chicken Stew?) Consider swapping out your protein, looking for recipes that use chicken, seafood, or vegetarian options (like beans).

See … it really can work!

Alrighty then – all ready for a warm, hearty bowl of stew tonight (that isn’t a total gut-buster)? We’ve got ya covered! Check out these ideas, and let’s make some great stew!

Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipes

Looking for a healthier comfort food recipe? We’ve got tips and recipes to turn traditional beef stew into a healthier option – including this Nourishing Beef Stew in the Instant Pot from Denise at My Life Cookbook.

Nourishing Beef Stew in the Instant Pot from Denise at My Life Cookbook

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Beef stew recipes can be healthier choices! We’ve got strategies and recipes to help, like the Beef and Butternut Squash Stew from Neli at Delicious Meets Healthy.

Beef and Butternut Squash Stew from Neli at Delicious Meets Healthy

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One great way to make beef stew a bit healthier is to add in lots of antioxidant-rich vegetables or fiber-loaded legumes. This Instant Pot Ginger-Soy Beef Stew over Lentils from Dan at Instant Pot Family Recipes is just one of the great examples we’ve got for you!

Instant Pot Ginger-Soy Beef Stew over Lentils from Dan at Instant Pot Family Recipes

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Think beef stew can’t fit into a healthy diet plan? Think again! Weight Watchers Instant Pot Beef Stew from Jamie at Life Is Sweeter By Design is just one example. Plus, we’ve got tips and swaps, in addition to great recipes!

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Beef Stew from Jamie at Life Is Sweeter By Design

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Instant Pot Chicken Stew Recipes

Stew doesn’t necessarily have to be BEEF stew! How about using leaner chicken, along with whole grains, like in this Instant Pot Chicken Stew with Farro from Dara at Cookin' Canuck? We’ve got healthier beef stew recipes and tips, too!

Instant Pot Chicken Stew with Farro from Dara at Cookin’ Canuck

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What a great twist on stew - Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Stew from Meg at Meg's Everyday Indulgence! Just one of the beef, chicken, fish and veggies stews we’ve lined up for you!

Instant Pot Mexican Chicken Stew from Meg at Meg’s Everyday Indulgence

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Great flavor twist! Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew from Darcie at Such the Spot is a healthier alternative – be sure to check out all our great stew recipe ideas, plus healthy tips and tricks, too!

Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew from Darcie at Such the Spot

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So pretty, so nutritious! Healthy Chicken Stew from Julia at Imagelicious will have you forgetting all about the beef in traditional stew recipes! Be sure to check out all our ideas!

Healthy Chicken Stew from Julia at Imagelicious

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Instant Pot Vegetarian and Seafood Stew Recipes

A terrific seafood stew! Whole 30 Instant Pot Seafood Gumbo from Monica at The Movement Menu is so quick in your electric pressure cooker! Plus, be sure to check out our whole list of stew recipes, and healthier tips for making a more nutritious stew!

Whole30 Instant Pot Seafood Gumbo from Monica at The Movement Menu

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Stews can be veggie-loaded, and we bet you won’t even miss the meat! Check out this Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew from Sandy at Simply Happy Foodie, and then be sure to peek at our whole list of yummy, healthier stews, plus tips and tricks!

Instant Pot Moroccan Chickpea Stew from Sandy at Simply Happy Foodie

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Gorgeous, flavor-packed, and a nutritious alternative to beef stews! This Shrimp Etouffee from Savita at Chef de Home is heart-healthy comfort food you can feel good about serving! Be sure to check out all our electric pressure cooker stew recipes and tips!

Shrimp Etouffee from Savita at Chef de Home

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Instant Pot Tips and Info

I know lots of people have a creeping sense of dread as they first begin using their Instant Pot, and I often hear about people (ummmmm … like me) who simply keep putting it off altogether, because it seems a little too complex to ever sit down and figure out. I hear ya!

So for those of you who are just dipping your toes in the Instant Pot pond, and maybe feeling that sense of hesitation so many of us worried through in our own early days of Instant Potting … we’ve got some articles that’ll help you feel more confident!

Instant Pots are terrific for making stews! Check out all our recipes, plus tips and tricks for making healthier stews, too!
The two Instant Pots I’ve bought so far – the 3-quart “Mini” Instant Pot Duo Plus (front) that I bought as a birthday gift for my mom, and my own 6-quart Instant Pot Duo (back).

More Instant Pot Recipes

Oh! And we’ve got plenty more Instant Pot recipe ideas for you, too! After you make some stew, you might want to try other comfort food faves … like Instant Pot Chili Recipes! (And of course, all of these are healthier recipes, too!)

Enjoy that comforting (healthier!) Instant Pot beef stew tonight, my friends … and come on back for more recipe ideas tomorrow! We’ll be here waiting for ya!

We’ve got a whole list of healthy pressure cooker stew recipes – from leaner beef stews, to chicken, seafood, and even meat-free! Plus, we’ve got tips for how to make your stew healthier and more nutritious!

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