Quick Takeaway
Yes, this beef and butternut squash stew is a hearty low oxalate dinner. Tender beef and naturally sweet butternut squash simmer into something rich and savory, all in the Low tier and made fast in the Instant Pot. New here? Start with our Low Oxalate Foods List.
This low oxalate Instant Pot beef and butternut squash stew is rich, deeply savory, and finished with the natural sweetness of butternut squash. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting, beef chuck that would normally take 3 hours of low simmering becomes fall-apart tender in about 35 minutes of pressure cooking. It’s the kind of dinner that feels special enough for company but is actually quick enough for a Sunday afternoon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fall-apart-tender beef in a fraction of the time. The Instant Pot turns beef chuck into something that tastes like it simmered all day.
- Naturally low oxalate. Beef, onion, garlic, butternut squash, bone broth, and bay leaves are all on the safe list.
- Gluten-free. Cornstarch (a low-oxalate grain) thickens the stew without the wheat flour you’d find in a traditional recipe.
- Sweet and savory. Butternut squash adds a subtle sweetness that balances beautifully with the deep, beefy broth.
- Better as leftovers. The flavor deepens overnight, make a big batch and eat it for days.
Why the Instant Pot for Beef Stew?
Beef chuck is a tough, well-marbled cut that needs long, slow cooking to break down its connective tissue and become tender. Traditional braising in the oven or on the stovetop takes 2 to 3 hours. The Instant Pot accomplishes the same thing in 35 minutes of pressure cooking, the high pressure forces moisture into the meat fibers and breaks down collagen much faster than ambient-pressure cooking can. The bonus: pressure cooking also breaks down a lot of the lectins in the squash, which makes the dish gentler on sensitive systems.
Ingredient Notes
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- Beef chuck. The classic stew cut. Chuck has the right balance of meat, fat, and collagen for pressure-cooked tenderness. Pre-cubed stew meat from the grocery store works fine.
- Yellow onions. Two medium onions chopped into 1-inch chunks. They’ll mostly disappear into the broth during cooking but their flavor carries through every bite.
- Bone broth. Use a good-quality bone broth for maximum depth. Regular beef broth works as a substitute if that’s what you have.
- Tomato paste. Just 2 tablespoons, concentrated flavor that adds umami depth without making the stew taste like tomato sauce.
- Balsamic vinegar. A surprising secret weapon. The acidity brightens the beef flavor and the touch of natural sweetness complements the squash.
- Butternut squash. Cubed and added at the end so it stays tender, not mushy. Pre-cut butternut from the produce section is a major shortcut.
- Cornstarch slurry. Whisked with water before adding so it doesn’t clump. Stirred in at the end and cooked on Sauté mode to thicken the broth into a proper stew consistency.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Stew
The full step-by-step is in the recipe card below. Big picture:
- Brown the beef in batches on the stovetop in olive oil. Don’t crowd, beef should sear, not steam.
- Cook the onions and garlic in the same skillet, scraping up the browned bits.
- Add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar and cook for a minute to deepen the flavor.
- Transfer everything to the Instant Pot, add bone broth, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes, quick release.
- Add the butternut squash on top and pressure cook 2 more minutes, quick release.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
- Serve alone or over white rice.
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Instant Pot Beef and Butternut Squash Stew
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch stew cubes
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 medium yellow onions chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 5 cloves garlic pressed
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups bone broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp thyme dried
- 2 cups butternut squash cubed
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Working in batches if needed (use two skillets if you have them), brown the beef cubes on all sides — about 3–5 minutes per side. It is important that the beef browns rather than boiling in its own juices, so don’t crowd the pan.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and pressed garlic. Use a silicone spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the onions cook. Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze.
- Stir the tomato paste into the onion mixture and cook for an additional minute, until the paste darkens slightly.
- Add the onion-tomato mixture and the browned beef to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine. Add the bone broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and white pepper. Stir again.
- Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High for 35 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, do a Quick Release.
- Add the cubed butternut squash on top of the stew. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on High for 2 more minutes. Once complete, do a Quick Release.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the stew and stir to combine. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes until the stew thickens.
- Serve alone or spooned over white rice.
Pro Tips for the Best Beef Stew
- Brown the beef in batches. This is the single most important step. Crowding the pan = steaming, not searing, and you lose most of the deep flavor.
- Don’t skip deglazing the skillet. Those browned bits stuck to the pan are pure flavor. Scraping them up with the onions transfers all of it into the stew.
- Add the squash separately. Pressure cooking the squash for 35 minutes would turn it to mush. Two minutes at the end keeps the cubes tender but intact.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry well before adding to avoid lumps in the broth.
- Taste and adjust. Some bone broths are saltier than others. Taste before serving and add salt if needed.
What to Serve With Beef Stew
- Instant Pot white rice, the classic pairing for soaking up the broth
- Mashed cauliflower for a lower-carb option
- A kale, arugula, or lettuce salad with vinaigrette to balance the richness
- Boiled asparagus for an extra vegetable
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavor genuinely improves overnight.
- Reheating. Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of broth if the stew has thickened too much.
- Freezing. Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Portion into freezer-safe containers and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use winter squash or pumpkin in place of butternut, both are low-oxalate and work the same way.
- Add fresh thyme sprigs in place of dried thyme for a brighter herbal note.
- Stir in fresh dill at the very end for a Mediterranean spin.
- Use chicken broth instead of bone broth if that’s what you have, slightly lighter flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is beef stew low oxalate?
This version is. Beef, onion, garlic, butternut squash, and the cornstarch thickener are all low-oxalate ingredients. Traditional beef stew often relies on wheat flour for thickening (high oxalate) and may include carrots or potatoes (also higher in oxalates), this recipe avoids all of those.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
Yes, though it takes much longer. Brown the beef and aromatics as written, then transfer to a Dutch oven, add the broth and herbs, and simmer covered on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the beef is fork-tender. Add the squash for the last 20 minutes, then thicken with the cornstarch slurry.
Why two separate pressure-cook steps?
Beef chuck needs 35 minutes of pressure cooking to become tender. Butternut squash would turn to mush in that time. Adding the squash at the end and pressure cooking for just 2 more minutes is the fix, tender beef, intact squash.
Can I use stew meat instead of chuck?
Yes. Most “stew meat” labeled at the grocery store is already cut from chuck or a similarly-suited cut. Just check the marbling, leaner cuts will dry out under pressure cooking, so look for some visible fat throughout.