Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast is made with tender beef, sliced onions, garlic, and a rich, savory gravy. Pressure cooking makes this comforting pot roast easy to prepare for a hearty family dinner.
This is one of those dinners I enjoy making when I’m craving tender beef and plenty of flavorful gravy. The onions cook right along with the roast, adding delicious flavor to every bite.
Why I Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Top Round Roast: Three pounds of beef make a hearty pot roast.
- Onions: Add rich French onion flavor.
- Olive Oil: Used to brown the beef.
- Garlic: Adds savory flavor to the gravy.
- Salt and Pepper: Season the roast.
- Garlic and Onion Powder: Add extra flavor.
- Beef Broth: Creates the base for the gravy.
- Bay Leaf: Adds flavor while pressure cooking.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the gravy.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
Season the Beef: Cut the roast into large chunks. Mix the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then rub over the beef.
Prepare the Instant Pot: Add the olive oil, sliced onions, and minced garlic to the pot. Place the seasoned beef over the onions.
Add the Broth: Pour in the beef broth and add the bay leaf.
Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
Release the Pressure: Allow a 20-minute natural pressure release, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
Shred the Beef: Remove the bay leaf and transfer the beef to a plate. Shred with two forks.
Thicken the Gravy: Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Stir in the slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes until thickened.
Serve: Spoon the onions and gravy over the shredded beef.
Tips I Found Helpful 🩵
- Cut the beef into large, even chunks so it cooks evenly.
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control the saltiness of the gravy.
- Allow the full 20-minute natural pressure release to help keep the beef tender.
- Add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time until the gravy reaches your desired thickness.
Questions Readers Ask Most
More French Onion Recipes
Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast
Instant Pot French Onion Pot Roast is tender, shredded beef with sweet onions and a rich, savory gravy.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds top round roast
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water, for the slurry
Instructions
- Cut the roast into large chunks. Combine the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, then rub over the beef.
- Add the olive oil, sliced onions, and minced garlic to the Instant Pot. Place the seasoned beef over the onions.
- Pour in the beef broth and add the bay leaf.
- Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
- Allow a 20-minute natural pressure release, then carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Remove the bay leaf and transfer the beef to a plate. Shred with two forks.
- Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Stir in the slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Spoon the onions and gravy over the shredded beef and serve.
Notes
For a more tender pot roast, cut the beef into large, even pieces and allow the full 20-minute natural pressure release.
The salt and pepper have been reduced from 1 tablespoon each to 1 teaspoon each. Taste the gravy before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed.
For a thicker gravy, add the cornstarch slurry gradually until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
4Amount Per Serving: Calories: 313Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 381mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 42g
This is one of the most delicious meals I have ever made. Incredible recipe. Ty
I am in awe of how good this is!! I did everything it said! After it was done I took a little gravy and water and added cut carrots to the IP. I served my husband’s over mashed potatoes and I ate the carrots. Sooo good thank you!
I used chuck roast and it needed an hour and 20 minutes – it was chewy at 1 hour. Still delicious. although I think a little wine and some swiss cheese on top would be even better.
This is so good. And I love the idea to make the potatoes in a second pot. You are the best!
I made thisCV tonight and forgot the Bay Leaf. BecauseCNN of he
Alth resonsCNN i did not use as much salt but it was great. Next time i will not forget the bay leaf.
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I’ve always made pretty good Pot Roast, but I decided to stray from my normal recipe and give this one a try. Oh my goodness, this is the best Pot Roast recipe ever! I gave it an extra 20 minutes cook time, like another commenter suggested…it was falling apart as I was taking it out of the Instant Pot. Thank you…absolutely an amazing recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that
Did you sautee the onions or no? Recipe didnt specify, but you did add olive oil at first….
No
This was easy and delicious! Was very tender. The only thing I did different was to brown the beef first! Will be making this again,
Can this be cooked first, then frozen, then re-heated in instant pot?
Wondering the same
Do you place your roast on the trivet or just the bottom of the instant pot
For freezer meal, you literally put all ingredients together, including broth and cornstarch and skip the sauté step I’m the regular recipe?
Do you cook from frozen for the same amount of time (60 min) or do you need to thaw first?
Good question
Where are the links to print labels for freezer meals, please??
OH!MY!GOSH! This is the most amazing pot roast I have ever had!It reminds me of the pot roast I had as a child. I always tried to duplicate my mom’s recipe,but never succeeded. This is SO tender and flavorful. And so easy! I serve it over jasmine rice. It has become an absolute favorite.Thank you for sharing!
You should never put frozen meat in a slow cooker. It can stay at dangerous temperatures for far too long. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Slow_Cookers_and_Food_Safety.pdf
This is instant pot
@Adventures of a Nurse,
True, but the bottom of the recipe says:
“For Slowcooker
Place frozen in the slow cooker on high for 8 hours”
I was shocked how delicious this was based on how easy it is! I was a little worried about how much cornstarch was going into the broth, but I couldn’t taste it in the final product. I recommend using a slotted spoon to take out the beef, shred it in a separate bowl, add the cornstarch to the broth, then return the meat to the pan. This gives you an opportunity to drain off excess fat, too.
So there is no need to add any liquid to the instant pot with the meat and onions??