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Instant Pot Sourdough Spiced Beef Stew with Herb Bread Dunkers

Name: Instant Pot Sourdough Spiced Beef Stew with Herb Bread Dunkers
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 3 lbs (1360 g) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt; ¾ tsp (1½ g) coarsely ground black pepper; 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil; 1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, cut into ¾-inch pieces; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced, minced; 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cinnamon; 4 cups (960 ml) beef stock (low-sodium preferred); 2 whole bay leaf; 1 lb (454 g) carrots, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rounds, cut into ¾-inch rounds; ½ lb (227 g) parsnips, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rounds, cut into ¾-inch rounds; 1 lb (454 g) red potatoes, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, cut into ¾-inch cubes; 4 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs; 12 slices (340 g) sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices, cut into ½-inch slices; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, softened; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh rosemary, finely chopped, finely chopped; 2 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced, minced; ¼ tsp (1½ g) sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply savory beef stew made in the Instant Pot with warm spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon), tender root vegetables, and beef stock, served alongside thick slices of herb-topped sourdough bread perfect for dunking into the rich broth.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 6 servings with about 2 cups stew and 1–2 bread slices per person

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the stew
3 lbs (1360 g) beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes, patted dry
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt
¾ tsp (1.5 g) coarsely ground black pepper
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces, cut into ¾-inch pieces
4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced, minced
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cinnamon
4 cups (960 ml) beef stock (low-sodium preferred)
2 whole bay leaf
1 lb (454 g) carrots, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rounds, cut into ¾-inch rounds
½ lb (227 g) parsnips, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rounds, cut into ¾-inch rounds
1 lb (454 g) red potatoes, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
4 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
For the herb bread dunkers
12 slices (340 g) sourdough bread, cut into ½-inch (1.3 cm) thick slices, cut into ½-inch slices
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, softened, softened
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, finely chopped
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh rosemary, finely chopped, finely chopped
2 cloves (10 g) garlic, minced, minced
¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt

Equipment (8)

Instant Pot (6-quart)
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Paper towels
Small bowl
Wooden spoon
Baking sheet (for toasting bread)
Tongs

Steps

Before you start

Pat beef chuck dry with paper towels for better browning
Cut all vegetables to similar size so they cook evenly
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) if making bread dunkers hot; or prepare sourdough slices ahead
Have beef stock at room temperature for faster pressure building

1
Season and brown beef
- Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function on high heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt and black pepper.
- Toss the beef chuck cubes with the salt-pepper mixture until evenly coated.
- Once the pot is hot, add the vegetable oil.
- Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the beef and brown on all sides for 5–6 minutes per batch, turning occasionally with tongs.
- The beef doesn't need to be cooked through; you're building deep color and flavor.
- Transfer the browned beef to a clean plate.
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Ready when: beef has a deep golden-brown crust on all sides
Tip: Don't stir the beef too much; let it sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes per side so it develops a crust.
2
Build the aromatic base
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion to the pot and stir for 2 minutes to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste and stir to coat everything, cooking for 1 minute.
- Then add the ground cumin, coriander, and cinnamon, stirring for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the hot oil.
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Ready when: spices smell toasted and fragrant, mixture is combined
Tip: Blooming the spices in fat releases their full flavor—don't skip this step or you'll lose depth.
3
Deglaze and return beef
- Pour the beef stock into the pot, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift up all the browned bits.
- Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot.
- Stir in the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs, distributing them throughout.
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Ready when: liquid is released and ingredients are combined
Tip: Scrape the fond (brown bits) from the bottom of the pot—this is flavor gold.
4
Pressure cook the beef
- Turn off sauté mode.
- Lock the lid in place and set the Instant Pot to high pressure (usually labeled 'Pressure Cook' or 'Manual') for 25 minutes.
- The pot will take 8–10 minutes to come to pressure before cooking begins.
- Do not open the lid during this time.
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Ready when: cooking time has elapsed and pressure indicator drops after natural release
Tip: Don't rush the pressure release; natural release (letting pressure drop on its own) keeps the beef moist and tender.
5
Release pressure naturally, then add vegetables
- Once the 25 minutes of cooking is complete, turn off the heat and allow the pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes (don't force it).
- After 10 minutes, if any pressure remains, carefully turn the steam release valve to quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and fresh thyme sprigs to the pot.
- Stir gently to distribute.
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Ready when: pressure has fully released and lid opens easily
Tip: Natural release is gentler than quick-release; if you must quick-release, cover the steam vent with a kitchen towel to avoid burns.
6
Pressure cook vegetables
- Lock the lid again and set to high pressure for 8 minutes.
- The pot should come to pressure quickly since it's already hot.
- Do not stir during cooking.
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Ready when: vegetables are fork-tender
Tip: Vegetables cook faster than meat, so they're added halfway through to avoid becoming mushy.
7
Quick-release and finish the stew
- When the 8 minutes are complete, carefully quick-release the remaining pressure by turning the steam valve.
- Open the lid and check the vegetables—they should be tender and the broth should be slightly reduced and savory.
- Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- The stew is ready to serve.
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Ready when: vegetables are tender, broth is richly colored and aromatic
Tip: Taste before seasoning further—the spices are already well-developed, and you may not need much more salt.
8
Make herb butter for bread
- While the stew finishes, in a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, finely chopped parsley, finely chopped rosemary, minced garlic, and sea salt.
- Mix until well combined and fragrant.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: herbs are evenly distributed throughout the butter
Tip: Make the herb butter while the stew cooks; soften the butter ahead so it combines easily.
9
Toast and butter the breadOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Arrange the sourdough slices on a baking sheet.
- Toast them in the oven for 4–5 minutes until the edges are light golden and the bread is crisp on the outside but still slightly soft inside.
- Remove from the oven, immediately spread each slice generously with the herb butter on both sides (or just the top, if you prefer), allowing it to melt into the warm bread.
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Ready when: bread is toasted golden and crisp, butter melts into it
Tip: Toast the bread just before serving so it's warm and crispy when you dunk it—soft, cold bread loses the magic.
10
Serve and enjoy
- Ladle the hot beef stew into deep bowls, making sure each serving has plenty of beef, vegetables, and rich broth.
- Arrange 2 slices of warm herb-buttered sourdough alongside each bowl.
- Invite diners to tear off pieces and dunk them into the broth.
- Serve immediately while the stew and bread are at their warmest.
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Ready when: stew is steaming, bread is warm and fragrant
Tip: Have soup spoons and small bread plates ready so diners can comfortably dunk and eat.

Good to know

Tips

The key to tender beef in the Instant Pot is the 10-minute natural pressure release—it allows the carryover cooking to gently finish the meat without further drying it out. Don't skip this step.
Pat the beef chuck completely dry before browning to ensure proper browning. Wet meat will steam rather than brown.
Cut all vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly; if your carrot pieces are twice the size of your potato cubes, the carrots will be raw when the potatoes fall apart.
The herb-buttered bread is the soul of this dish—don't serve it cold or stale. Toast it fresh and butter it warm so it melts into every crevice and absorbs the spiced broth.

Make ahead

The herb butter can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before spreading. The stew itself can be made fully 1 day ahead; cool completely, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot using the 'Sauté' function before serving. The sourdough bread dunkers are best toasted and buttered fresh just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Stew (without bread): Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in the Instant Pot on sauté mode for 5–7 minutes. Do not freeze with the potatoes, as they become grainy; instead, remove potatoes before freezing, then add fresh potatoes when reheating. Without potatoes, the stew freezes well for up to 3 months. Herb butter: Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Sourdough bread: Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; re-crisp in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes if needed.

Substitutions

beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) cubes → beef brisket or beef stew meat (from the shoulder or neck). Any tough, well-marbled cut that becomes tender with pressure cooking works here. Brisket may take an extra 5 minutes of pressure cooking.
parsnips, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) thick rounds → celery root or additional carrots. If parsnips aren't available, increase carrots to 1.5 lbs (680 g) or use an equal amount of celery root, which adds a slightly earthy, nutty flavor.
beef stock (low-sodium preferred) → chicken stock or vegetable stock. Use beef stock for the richest flavor, but chicken stock works if that's what you have; vegetable stock is lighter but still flavorful with the spices.
fresh thyme sprigs → 1 tsp dried thyme (use half the amount of fresh, as dried is more concentrated). Dried thyme can be added in Step 3; it won't need to be removed before serving if finely rubbed in, though you may want to fish out larger pieces.