Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon Recipe

French food has a special place in my heart, and Beef Bourguignon is one of my go-to orders when I see it on a menu. Traditionally braised low and slow in Burgundy wine, the stew combines beef, bacon, mushrooms, carrots and pearl onions for deep, savory comfort. Classic versions typically take two to three hours in a Dutch oven, but the Instant Pot reduces that time drastically while still delivering tender meat and concentrated flavor.

Cooking this stew in the pressure cooker makes sense for tougher, collagen-rich cuts: the high pressure extracts collagen and melts connective tissue quickly, resulting in meat that’s silky and rich in flavor. For this recipe I swapped flour for cornstarch to thicken the sauce, making it naturally gluten-free without sacrificing texture.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Classic Beef Bourguignon flavor—bacon, beef, mushrooms and pearl onions in a rich red wine gravy.
• Much faster than the traditional method: the Instant Pot delivers the same tenderness in roughly one-third of the time.
• Flexible for weeknight meals yet elegant enough for entertaining.
• Thickened with cornstarch instead of flour to keep the dish gluten-free.

Recipe ingredients

This Instant Pot version stays close to the classic. The only intentional change is the use of cornstarch as the thickener to make the gravy gluten-free.

• Beef stew meat — a tougher, collagen-rich cut is ideal for braising; cut into 2″ cubes if needed.
• Bacon — adds savory depth; use both the rendered fat and the cooked bacon pieces.
• Vegetables — onion or shallot, garlic, mushrooms, pearl onions and carrots. Pearl onions are traditional and add a sweet, tender punctuate to the stew.
• Red wine — Burgundy or Pinot Noir is traditional; use a drinkable bottle since the wine’s flavor concentrates in the sauce.
• Tomato paste — adds umami and helps deepen the sauce.
• Cornstarch — mixed with cold water to create a slurry for finishing the gravy.
• Herbs and aromatics — bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.

See the recipe card below for exact quantities.

How to make beef bourguignon in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot streamlines the classic steps: brown, deglaze, pressure cook and finish. This version uses two pressure cycles so the carrots and pearl onions stay firm and intact.

Pro tip: Use frozen pearl onions to save prep time—thaw them slightly before adding. You can also trim and cube the beef and prep the vegetables ahead to make assembly fast.

Full instructions follow in the recipe card below.

1. Cook the bacon: Sauté bacon until crispy, remove and drain on paper towels; reserve the rendered fat in the pot.
2. Brown the beef: Pat beef dry, season, and brown in the bacon fat in batches so the pieces develop a good crust. Remove and set aside.
3. Sauté vegetables and deglaze: Cook onion and mushrooms until softened, add garlic briefly, then stir in tomato paste. Pour in the wine and scrape up browned bits; reduce until the liquid is about 1 cup.
4. Pressure cook the beef: Return the beef to the pot with beef broth, bay leaf and thyme. Pressure cook for 30 minutes, allow about 10 minutes natural release, then quick release and remove the lid.
5. Add carrots and pearl onions: Add the vegetables, reseal and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release.
6. Finish the sauce: Remove the herb stems and bay leaf. Whisk cornstarch with water to make a slurry, stir into the hot sauce on Sauté mode and cook until thickened. Stir in the reserved bacon before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Serving suggestions

There are several great ways to serve this stew:

• Over creamy mashed potatoes or parsnip purée for a classic presentation.
• Alongside warm focaccia or rustic bread to soak up the sauce.
• With roasted vegetables or a simple butter lettuce salad to lighten the meal.
• On mashed cauliflower for a lower-carb option.

Recipe notes

• Pro tip: Frozen pearl onions save time—just thaw slightly before using.
• Add carrots and pearl onions near the end so they remain tender but not mushy.
• Leftovers improve with time and store well in the refrigerator for up to five days or frozen for up to three months.