Savory Instant Pot Beef Tips

Prepare to be amazed by this incredible Instant Pot beef tips and gravy recipe! Featuring tender sirloin or budget-friendly stew meat, cooked to perfection in your pressure cooker, this dish is bursting with savory flavors that will delight everyone at your table. While we’ve enjoyed a Crockpot beef tips version, the Instant Pot shaves off significant cooking time, making it ideal for busy weeknights.

The exquisite blend of tender beef and luscious mushroom gravy in this Instant Pot beef tips recipe is truly a culinary revelation. It’s challenging to fully describe its deliciousness; you simply must experience it for yourself! Like all my Instant Pot recipes, this dish is designed for ease and maximum flavor, proving that quick meals don’t have to compromise on taste.

Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy: A Weeknight Favorite

One of the great advantages of this recipe is its versatility and cost-effectiveness. Whether you opt for inexpensive stew meat or premium sirloin (which I happened to have on hand for this particular batch), the results are consistently fantastic. This dish is guaranteed to become a cherished addition to your recipe collection, consistently receiving rave reviews from those who try it.

This recipe isn’t exclusive to one brand; it can be prepared in any pressure cooker, including your Instant Pot, Crockpot Express, or as an easy Ninja Foodi recipe. As long as your appliance has a high-pressure function, you’re ready to create this savory meal.

Ninja Foodi Compatibility for Pressure Cooked Beef Tips

For those using a Ninja Foodi, this recipe utilizes the pressure cook function exclusively. You won’t need the air crisp feature for this particular dish. Simply attach the pressure cooking lid, ensuring it’s properly sealed after adding all your ingredients as instructed below. The attached lid can remain lifted while sautéing or adding ingredients.

This delightful recipe actually came about quite serendipitously. I hadn’t planned on developing a new pressure cooker beef recipe that day, but the incredible results demanded immediate sharing. It was one of those evenings where I needed to cook some meat, and a carton of mushrooms was nearing its expiry date. I’m sure many of you can relate to those “what can I make with this?” moments! The foundation for this recipe started with the steak I had on hand.

As I’ve mentioned previously, we frequently purchase a cow from a local organic farmer, which keeps our freezer well-stocked with various cuts of beef. Initially, I primarily cooked familiar cuts like regular steak. However, having a large quantity of different cuts provided a wonderful opportunity to experiment with less common options, such as chuck roast, stew meat, and various other roasts.

While ground beef is a staple in our kitchen due to its sheer versatility, other cuts of beef are typically reserved for special cravings or when they need to be used promptly. The pieces of meat shown above were perfectly sized. For even greater tenderness and quicker cooking, you can certainly slice them into smaller cubes, but as they were, they yielded fantastic results. Store-bought beef stew meat is an excellent, often more affordable alternative, and it comes pre-cubed, saving you valuable prep time.

For this specific recipe, sirloin steak was the star. I couldn’t bear to let it go to waste, so it quickly became the inspiration. When making a new Instant Pot beef recipe, I almost always dice the meat into bite-sized pieces before cooking. This not only makes the dish easier to eat but also maximizes tenderness, which is key to a truly satisfying meal.

Key Ingredients for Flavorful Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy

Crafting the perfect Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy starts with selecting the right ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is essential:

1. Sirloin Steak or Beef Stew Meat: Both options work beautifully. Stew meat is often pre-cubed and more economical, while sirloin offers a premium texture. Dicing the meat into bite-sized pieces ensures maximum tenderness and even cooking.
2. Gravy Packet: For convenience and consistent results, a pre-packaged gravy mix like this one is ideal. Alternatively, you can follow a homemade gravy recipe for a from-scratch approach. The gravy is crucial for both flavor and thickening the sauce.
3. Baby Bella Mushrooms: My preferred choice due to their firmer texture compared to white button mushrooms. They hold up well under pressure cooking and impart a rich, earthy flavor.
4. Onion: Yellow or white onion, diced or sliced, adds a foundational layer of aromatic flavor to the dish.
5. Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: Used for sautéing the beef, adding a touch of richness and preventing sticking.
6. Beef Broth: Far superior to water as the cooking liquid, beef broth provides a deep, savory base that enhances the overall flavor of the gravy and meat.
7. Salt and Pepper: Essential seasonings to bring out the natural flavors of the beef. A generous pinch is usually sufficient.
8. Worcestershire Sauce: A secret weapon for adding a complex, umami-rich depth to the sauce, making it bolder and more irresistible.
9. Garlic Salt and Garlic Powder: For all garlic enthusiasts, these additions amplify the savory notes and infuse the dish with a wonderful aroma.

To successfully execute this recipe, a pressure cooker is a must. If you own an Instant Pot, I cannot stress enough the benefits of acquiring a non-stick inner pot. A wooden spatula is also a helpful tool for sautéing without damaging your pot.

I love serving these tender beef tips over a bed of wide egg noodles, but Instant Pot white rice or brown rice are equally delicious accompaniments. While made separately, I often cook these sides in a second electric pressure cooker for ultimate convenience.

Why Opt for Packaged Gravy?

My culinary philosophy centers around making delicious meals accessible and convenient. That’s why I often incorporate a packaged gravy mix into this recipe. It’s incredibly easy to use – simply whisk it with broth and pour it in. Not only does it contribute a tremendous amount of savory flavor, but, more importantly, it thickens the sauce beautifully, creating that luxurious, rich consistency we all crave. On one occasion, I attempted to make this dish without a brown gravy packet, and while still palatable, it lacked the depth of flavor and the desired thickness. Even attempts to rescue it with sour cream couldn’t quite replicate the original richness.

Does the Instant Pot Really Make Meat Tender?

Absolutely! One of the most significant advantages of cooking with a pressure cooker, such as the Instant Pot, is its ability to produce incredibly tender meat, regardless of the cut. The high-pressure environment rapidly breaks down tough connective tissues, which would normally require hours of slow cooking. This means you can transform tougher, more affordable cuts of beef into fork-tender masterpieces in a fraction of the time compared to traditional slow cooker or stovetop methods. The result is consistently juicy and flavorful beef that practically melts in your mouth.

What are Sirloin Tips (and how do they compare to stew meat)?

Sirloin tips are typically cut from the sirloin primal, located on the hindquarter of the steer. This versatile cut is known for its balance of flavor and tenderness. While it can be enjoyed as steaks, it’s also excellent when diced for dishes like these beef tips or even ground beef. Stew meat, on the other hand, is generally a more economical option, often consisting of various cuts (like chuck or round) that are excellent for slow-cooking and pressure cooking, as they become wonderfully tender when cooked for longer periods. While I prefer sirloin when available for its inherent tenderness, stew meat is a fantastic, budget-friendly alternative that performs exceptionally well in this recipe.

What truly elevates this recipe to an unforgettable status is its gravy. It is, simply put, extraordinary! The flavor profile shares a delightful resemblance to Instant Pot beef stroganoff, but with a richer, bolder character and a more generous quantity. While that recipe uses cream of mushroom soup, this gravy boasts a more homemade, robust flavor. Remember, the gravy will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a little thin immediately after cooking. Serve this magnificent dish over Instant Pot brown rice, fluffy white rice, wide egg noodles, or creamy pressure cooker mashed potatoes for a complete and satisfying meal.

White Button vs. Baby Bella Mushrooms: A Flavorful Distinction

While both white button and baby bella mushrooms belong to the same species, Agaricus bisporus, they offer distinct culinary experiences. White button mushrooms are harvested at an early, immature stage, resulting in a milder flavor and softer texture. Baby bellas, often called cremini mushrooms, are simply white button mushrooms allowed to mature for a slightly longer period. This extra time on the farm allows them to develop a richer, earthier flavor and a firmer, denser texture. Portabella mushrooms are the fully mature version of baby bellas. For this recipe, I prefer baby bellas due to their enhanced flavor and, crucially, their firmer texture. They hold their shape beautifully during pressure cooking, preventing them from disintegrating into the sauce and ensuring a satisfying bite.

Explore More Pressure Cooker Beef Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed these Instant Pot Beef Tips, you’re sure to love our other pressure cooker beef creations. Our Instant Pot beef stew casserole is a hearty, comforting meal. For a crowd-pleasing appetizer or light dinner, try our pressure cooker shredded beef, perfect for sliders. The Instant Pot beef and broccoli recipe, served with rice, is an absolute favorite, delivering takeout flavors at home. Don’t forget to check out our delicious Ninja Foodi stew recipe for another fantastic one-pot option!