Veal Stew (instant pot)
The Instant Pot creates a tender veal stew with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, spinach and potatoes bathed in a rich sauce.
The actual cook time is only about 40 minutes, not including the time the instant pot takes to reach and release pressure. Nevertheless, we’re still just talking 60-65 minutes which is pretty short for a stew.
Our stove top version Veal Stew with Wine, Zest and Thyme is very similar so just decide on how much time you have available.
Instant Pot stew recipes work well. I’m not a huge stew fan, but I make an exception for veal stew. This one has a delicious hearty broth with deep flavor, tons of vegetables and is great (even better) the next day or longer.
What to serve with veal stew
The rich stew is a healthy and very satisfying dinner in a bowl, especially served with fresh warm crusty bread and butter, cheesy garlic bread on croissants, or homemade easy naan. (Ok, maybe slightly less healthy with the bread and butter).
You can also serve it over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice. And perhaps a side green salad.
Tailor To Your Taste
- Vary the vegetables – leave out what you don’t like, add more of one and less of another or add a different vegetable such as parsnips. The only things to consider are the amount of room in the pot (don’t go above the manufacturer’s directions) and the type of vegetables. Soft vegetables like zucchini will become too mushy.
- Vary the seasonings – oregano, marjoram, sage, bay leaves or tarragon would be good.
- Lemon zest brightens the flavors. I love that. My husband not so much.
- Make the gravy/sauce as thick or thin as you like. More cornstarch slurry thickens it. Extra broth thins it. A bit a tomato paste would add richness.
- Add heat with red chili flakes.
Make Ahead
- The instant pot veal stew can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for 4-5 days. Warm it in a pot or microwave.
- It can also be frozen, perhaps without the potatoes as their texture changes.
No Instant Pot?
No worries. Try this veal stew on the stovetop – Veal stew with wine, zest and thyme.
Or check out one of our other best comfort food recipes.
Make Ahead
- The instant pot veal stew can be made ahead and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Warm it in a pot or microwave.
- It can also be frozen, perhaps without the potatoes as their texture changes.
No Instant Pot?
No worries. Try this veal stew on the stovetop – Veal stew with wine, zest and thyme.
Or check out one of our other best comfort food recipes. And if you’re a fan of stew-like instant pot recipes, check out our instant pot cabbage rolls unstuffed. Delish!
Instant Pot Veal Stew
The Instant Pot creates a tender flavorful veal stew with tomatoes, carrots, celery, garlic, onions, spinach and potatoes, bathed in a rich sauce.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds veal stew meat, cut into cubes 1 1/2-2 inches/3.8-5 cm (larger pieces will need increased cooking time)
- 2 tablespoon flour
- seasonings: salt, pepper
- 3 tablespoon oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (3 teaspoons)
- 1 1/2 cups diced carrots, 1 inch (2 carrots)
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery, 1 inch (2-3 ribs)
- 1 1/2 cups diced potatoes, 1 inch (1 medium)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or red wine if you don't have white)
- 1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes without juice (~396 ml can)
- 1 cup chicken broth (or more if sauce too thick)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- zest of small lemon (optional)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Slurry for thickening broth
- 2-3 Tbsp cornstarch stirred into 3 Tbsp water
Video
Instructions
- PREPARE VEAL: Pat veal dry with a paper towel (to help with a good brown sear on the meat). Sprinkle veal with salt and pepper. Dredge veal with flour until lightly coated.
- SAUTE VEAL: Set instant pot to SAUTÉ function. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the veal cubes and sauté on all sides for about 5 minutes to brown. Don't crowd pot. Transfer to plate. Repeat by adding 2nd tablespoon of oil and sautéing remaining veal.
- SAUTE AROMATICS: Add last tablespoon oil. Add onions and sauté for a few minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 1-2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Turn instant pot OFF.
- BUILD STEW AND COOK: Press PRESSURE or MANUAL on HIGH and use the + and – buttons to adjust time to 25 minutes. Add and stir together carrots, celery, potatoes, tomatoes, veal, broth, thyme and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Close and lock instant pot lid. Turn vent knob to SEALING position. It will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure and begin countdown. When finished, do a natural release method for 10-15 minutes, then turn to VENTING to do a quick release of the remaining pressure. Unlock lid. Turn pot to OFF
- FINISH STEW: Press SAUTÉ. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Add cornstarch slurry to the cooking liquid in the pot and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Add zest if using or a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme). Ladle into bowls and serve with hot crusty bread and butter if desired. Or over egg noodles or rice.
Recipe Notes
Mushrooms: You might notice I added mushrooms in the pictures. While they were great in the stew, I left them out of the recipe to reduce the total volume – and therefore the time to build pressure – particularly for a 6 quart instant pot. Eliminating them also reduces the sauté time (mushrooms are best be sautéed with the onions). Feel free to include them if you like, though, if you don’t mind adding the extra time.
Variations:
- Vary the vegetables – leave out what you don’t like, add more of one and less of another or add a different vegetable such as parsnips. The only things to consider are the amount of room in the pot (don’t go above the manufacturer’s directions) and the type of vegetables. Soft vegetables like zucchini will become too mushy. If you like, add 1/2 cup or more of frozen peas when you are thickening the gravy on the sauté function at the end of cooking.
- Vary the seasonings – oregano, marjoram, sage, a bay leaf or tarragon would be good. And add a dash of worcestershire sauce
- Lemon zest brightens the flavors if you like lemon.
- Sauce: Make the gravy/sauce as thick or thin as you like. More cornstarch slurry thickens it. Extra broth thins it. A tablespoon of tomato paste will richen it.
- Add heat with red chili flakes.
- add a few dashes of for extra depth
Nutrition
Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 858mg | Potassium: 1622mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 10494IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 7mg
Tried this recipe?We’d love you to rate it above under ‘rate this recipe’ or in the comment section below. Thanks!
I really enjoyed this veal stew. It was very tasty. I added diced swede instead of potatoes, and will definitely do it again.
Happy you enjoyed it Denise. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Much appreciated.
I just finished making the veal stew in the instant.I only cooked 25 mins.and instant released it and I would have liked it more firm,so glad I released when I did.It went together quickly but a little to over cooked.If I make it again I will try 18 mins.and natural release you can always add on time.I will see if I like the favor this evening.This is just my take .
Thanks for the feedback Shirley. Making a recipe the second (or third) time is always a good idea as you can tweak it to your preferences – in this case, the tenderness/softness of the meat. One thing to consider is the size of the veal cubes. Smaller cubes will cook faster. I hope you try it again.