This Instant Pot African Beef Stew is rich in flavor and spice, with tender chunks of beef and veggies cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. Making it in the pressure cooker results in an easy dinner that is mostly hands off.
A little bit about this recipe
I love trying different cuisines and with this recipe I tried to stretch myself a bit. My normal inclination when making beef stew would have been to do a variation on a classic -- Chicken Chasseur, or Hunter’s Stew. This french dish involves tomatoes, carrots, and mushrooms, often with red wine. I love that dish, but I decided to try something a little different.
African cooking is something out of my comfort zone. I love the flavors that are so often used, as well as the traditional cooking techniques. I have a lot I want to learn when it comes to cooking anything myself.
I knew putting this beef stew in the Instant Pot would help to ensure the meat is fall apart tender. Smoked paprika and curry paste really set this dish apart from a regular stew. Paprika and curry paste are ingredients I use quite often, but putting these ingredients together with tomatoes and beef was a new combination.
Everything works so beautifully together, and it had a subtle heat-- not spicy, just warming. Stew is often served with mashed potatoes or noodles, but I served this with rice instead and it was wonderful.
Author Note: Africa is a continent not a country, and it is a huge one at that. Please know that this recipe is inspired by african cuisine, but does not claim to be perfectly authentic. There are classic dishes like nigerian tomato stew and nigerian beef stew that this takes notes from.
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Ingredient Notes
- Neutral oil: Such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil. Palm oil is often used in african stews.
- Beef stew meat: You can buy pre cut beef stew meat or slice your own from cuts such as chuck or shoulder. This stew compliments lots of meats well, lamb, goat, even venison. Next check out this recipe for Instant Pot Venison Roast.
- Vegetables and aromatics: Like most stews, this recipe starts with a base of onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Dried chili: African bird's eye chili is most common, but scotch bonnet peppers and habanero peppers are also popular. This is optional but gives great heat and flavor to the dish. You simply add it in whole and remove it at the end like you would a bay leaf.
- Dried spices: Basil, thyme, and paprika are all pantry staple spices and really flavor this african stew nicely.
- Red curry paste: Use your favorite brand, curry pastes can differ in flavor profiles and spice levels. For more recipes with curry paste, check out Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup, Thai Eggplant Curry, and Spicy Cauliflower Soup.
- Canned tomato sauce and canned diced tomatoes: Alternatively one 28 oz. canned of crushed tomatoes can be used.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients.
Instructions
Step 1.
- Begin by adding oil to your Instant Pot and turning it on to saute mode.
- Once the oil is hot, add your chunks of stew meat and let brown, turning every few minutes for even cooking.
Step 2. Once the meat starts to brown, add onions, garlic, carrot, and celery.
Step 3. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions start to become translucent.
Step 4. Add in dried chili pepper, spices, and curry paste and stir well.
Step 5. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 6. Pour cup of water over top, scraping up anything that's stuck to the bottom.
Step 7. Pour tomatoes and tomato sauce into the pot but do not stir (see note below). Secure the lid. Turn on Instant Pot to High Pressure for 32 minutes. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come up to pressure.
Step 8. When it finishes cooking, allow to natural release. Stir and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Sometimes when cooking with tomatoes and tomato sauce in the Instant Pot, you will get a "burn notice" during the pressure cooking process. To avoid this, pour the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the center of the stew, so it doesn't touch the outer walls. Wait to stir until after the dish is done cooking.
- Don't forget to remove the dried chili pepper before serving.
- Make sure to brown the meat well at the beginning, as this is where a lot of flavor develops.
- For extra beefy flavor, add beef broth instead of water or add a teaspoon of beef bouillon powder or bouillon paste.
- For more sweetness added to this beef stew recipe, add in diced red bell peppers when you add the other veggies.
Here's how to serve this african beef stew
Top with loads of fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or green onions. I like to add a scoop of plain greek yogurt for some creaminess to contrast the rich and spicy stew.
Serve this stew over rice. Plain rice or this Nando's Spicy Rice.
Storage
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. This stew actually gets better after a day or two of the flavors melding together.
This dish also freezes really well and can be saved for months that way.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it can. Brown the meat first and then add everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
If you find this stew is too thick for you, you can do a few things. You can turn the Instant Pot back to saute after pressure cooking and simmer the stew for a few minutes to boil off extra liquid. Or you can whisk in a cornstarch slurry. The stew does thicken slightly as it cools.
More Instant Pot Recipes
If you tried this Instant Pot African Beef Stew or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love to hear from you.
African Beef Stew (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 1 ½ lbs. stew meat in bite sized cubes
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 celery stick diced
- 1 dried chili optional
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- 1 tbsp. curry paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
- 1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Begin by adding oil to your Instant Pot and turning it on to saute mode.
- Once the oil is hot, add your chunks of stew meat and let brown, turning every few minutes for even cooking.
- Once the meat starts to brown, add onions, garlic, carrot, and celery.
- Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions start to become translucent.
- Add in dried chili pepper, spices, and curry paste and stir well. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour cup of water over top, scraping up anything that's stuck to the bottom. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Pour tomatoes and tomato sauce into the pot but do not stir (see note below). Secure the lid. Turn on Instant Pot to High Pressure for 32 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come up to pressure.
- When it finishes cooking, allow to natural release. Stir and enjoy.
Notes
- Sometimes when cooking with tomatoes and tomato sauce in the Instant Pot, you will get a "burn notice" during the pressure cooking process. To avoid this, pour the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the center of the stew, so it doesn't touch the outer walls. Wait to stir until after the dish is done cooking.
- Don't forget to remove the dried chili pepper before serving.
TRINITY
I have never had african cuisine. I have been recently been introduced to Chicken pad thai ad love it! And quick and easy recipes you have for this?
Sarah
Yes! We LOVE pad thai! Because of that, I've been working on a perfecting a recipe before I create a post. I can't wait to share it
Raichel
My boyfriend loved this and he is very picky about his Nigerian food, and it is easy to make for me.
Sarah Baumeister
Awesome, Raichel! That's the ultimate compliment.