Instant Pot Korean Beef packs Asian flavors into a simple dish. Make this recipe for dinner tonight in under an hour!
This Instant Pot Korean Beef recipe only requires a few steps, and it’s easy to make. I love using the Instant Pot for this recipe, because it doesn’t take a lot of time and the meat comes out so tender, like this Instant Pot Meat Sauce Recipe, Instant Pot Sweet Potato Kale Beef Soup, and Easy Instant Pot Chicken Stew.
Many of the ingredients you should already have on hand. As a result, it’s the perfect meal for when you can’t get to the grocery store. You’ll have dinner ready in no time!
If you like Instant Pot beef recipes, try these recipes: Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup, Instant Pot Beef Stew Recipe, and Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup.
Broth or beef stock – beef works best, but chicken or vegetable will work too
Coconut aminos – this is what makes the recipe gluten-free. If you don’t have gluten allergies or sensitivities, you can use low sodium soy sauce instead. Tamari is another soy sauce alternative made by fermenting soybeans and is typically gluten-free.
Honey – You can substitute brown sugar in equal amounts.
Crushed red pepper flakes – use Sriracha or Gochujang instead to make this extra spicy.
Beef stew meat: You can also use trimmed chuck roast or top sirloin cut instead.
- First, season the beef stew meat with salt and pepper. Sauté in the Instant Pot with some sesame oil until browned on all sides.
- Add all the ingredients, except for the garnishes, then lock the lid and set the pressure release valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Do a natural pressure release, then remove the lid and stir everything well. Serve with green onion and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
You can easily make Instant Pot Korean beef on the stovetop. The recipe mainly includes meat and sauce ingredients.
In this instance, you’ll want to replace the stew meat cubes with thinner slices of beef. Cut these yourself from a rib-eye, sirloin, or flank steak. You can also purchase pre-sliced beef for stir fry.
To make this Korean beef on a stovetop:
- Heat a neutral cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
- Mix the sauce ingredients, with a few adjustments. Replace the broth with 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. Also, add 2 tablespoons each of water and cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- Season the beef strips with salt and pepper, then brown in the pan on both sides.
- Pour the sauce over the beef and let simmer for an additional minute, stirring to coat the meat.
- Serve with your side of choice. Make sure to spoon extra sauce over the meat!
Tip: How to cut your own beef stew meat
- Choose a beef chuck roast and use a long, sharp knife to trim off any hard fat.
- Cut the roast into 1-inch slices, like you would a loaf of bread.
- Next, cut each slice into 1-inch strips.
- Then cut each strip into 1-inch cubes.
Keep your sides simple to compliment the flavors in the sauce.
Serve over rice: use your favorite long grain rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. I like how flavorful this recipe is. When I put it over rice, I spoon the sauce onto the rice so it can soak up all the flavor!
Serve it with tacos: You can serve it with tacos.
Add a vegetable: try steamed or sautéed broccoli, carrots, or bell peppers, or even roasted veggies.
Extra heat: mix in some kimchi, a traditional Korean spicy side dish of fermented cabbage and radish.
Olivia's Recipe tips
If your beef was frozen beforehand, make sure it is fully thawed before using so it doesn’t cook unevenly.
Make sure the beef pieces are even so they cook evenly. If you see a chunk that’s excessively large, simply cut it down.
If you don’t have ground ginger, you can swap for fresh ginger instead.
More Instant Pot Recipes:
Instant Pot Korean Beef
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef stew meat
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ cup beef broth
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos for gluten-free or soy sauce.
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- green onions sliced
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the sauté setting. Season the meat with salt and black pepper.
- When the pot is hot, add sesame oil and beef. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the meat is browned on all sides. Remember to stir occasionally.
- Then, add the beef broth, garlic, honey, coconut aminos, ginger and red pepper flakes to the pot.
- Put on the lid, lock it and check to see if the vent is at sealing.
- Then, select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 35 minutes. Mine took about 15 minutes to reach pressure.
- After the 35 minutes is up, let it naturally release pressure. Open the pot and give a good stir.
- Top with green onions and sesame seed before serving with steamed broccoli or brown rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- To prevent a bitter flavor, wait until the pot is hot before adding the sesame oil.
- Do not skip browning the beef as it locks in flavour.
- Always cut the beef as uniformly as possible so they cook evenly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can this be made in a slow cooker? If so, how long to cook? Thank you! 🙂
Yes you can. Cook on high for 4 hours.
This Korean beef looks so so delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re very welcome!
Hi! I have the instant pot duo nova, and the little button next to the release valve is up. It’s been o my 5 mins.. I should leave It alone right ? And let it cook for the 35 mins?
Yes you’re right!
Could you use chuck roast instead of stew meat
I think so, but not sure because I’ve never made this recipe with chuck roast.
If it is cheaper, I often will buy a chuck roast instead of stew meat and simply cut it up myself. Although I have yet to try this recipe (making it for the first time tonight) every other recipe that called for stew meat in which I used chuck instead came out exactly the same! 🙂
Looking forward to making this! Thanks for the post. Quick question. If I want to add Kimchi, should I add it to the instant pot before cooking or keep it cold and add on top in the end? Thanks
Just add on top in the end.
This turned out great! Served in a wheat pita, al dente sautéed cabbage and onion on top, with a spoon of homemade coleslaw sauce. Really flavorful. Will definitely keep recipe in my rotation!
Wow sounds delicious!
I doubled the recipe and there was still nothing left. Huge hit with the family.
Perfect! Happy to heat that!
Surprised there aren’t more comments. This is my go to for beef stew. 4 and 9 year old devour it as well. This is a weekly meal and I triple it as I know it’s a family favorite. Tastes even better for lunch the next day!
So happy to hear that. Thanks for your comment!
I’ve been making this weekly for MONTHS now! It’s so good! I turn this into tacos occasionally! So yummy! 5 stars!
That’s such a good idea!
If I double the stew meat to 2#, do I need to double the beef broth too?
Yes double the beef broth too.
Hello, can I use chicken broth instead of beef broth?
Yes you can 😉
This was soo good! My whole family loved it. I have 5 kids 18mths to 15 yrs old. I substituted chicken broth cause I was out of beef broth and it was delicious. Can’t wait to make it again! Thank you! 😊
That’s awesome. So happy you and your beautiful family loved this recipe.
Making this as I type. Smells so good. Can’t wait till it’s done.
Hope you love it!
How long do you normally let it release for approximately?
If it’s a natural release it’s about 15 mins.
This was our very first recipe in our new instapot. We’re big fans of your site and our instapot! The meat was so tender and the sauce was so savory and delicious. We added mushrooms we needed to use. Excellent meal.
Awww how kind and sweet. Thanks for your feedback! Happy you liked this recipe 😉
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes it can.
Can you make this without an Instant Pot?
I believe so. I just don’t know for how long you should cook it since I always make this recipe in an Instant Pot.
How long should I cook this in a crockpot?
I’m not sure since I’ve never made this recipe in a crockpot. But I guess it would be good cooking on high for 5 hours in a crockpot.
Do the cooking times change if I double this recipe?
Yes I would add at least 5 mins more.
Was my first time using an instant pot and it came out great! Shared with a few of my friends and they rant and raved over it. It was simple.
That’s awesome! Happy to hear that 😉
Super easy and very yummy!
Indeed!!