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    Home » Instant Pot Beef Recipes » Instant Pot Carne Guisada

    Instant Pot Carne Guisada

    Published: Jun 17, 2022 · Modified: Jun 29, 2022 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Instant Pot carne guisada recipe makes tender beef in a flavorful spiced sauce. This easy recipe makes a delicious meal!

    A dish of carne guisada with cilantro on top of it.

    Instant Pot carne guisada makes delicious, tender stewed meat. Like so many other dishes, every recipe for carne guisada is a bit different.

    This recipe is packed with flavor but isn't too spicy. However, if you love heat, feel free to change it up!

    Ingredients

    • Olive oil
    • Stew meat: Or cubed chuck roast.
    • Onion: Yellow onion also works well.
    • Garlic: Feel free to add more to taste.
    • Jalapeno: Be careful when handling the jalapeno. Remove the seed and membrane for a milder sauce.
    • Bay leaf
    • Cumin
    • Chili powder: Add more or less to taste. More will give you a spicier sauce.
    • Paprika
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Oregano
    • Beef broth: Or beef stock.
    • Tomato sauce
    • Ro-Tel: Or a similar diced tomato and green chile blend.
    • Cornmeal: I use finely ground yellow cornmeal.

    How to make Instant Pot carne guisada

    Beef cubes cooking in an instant pot.

    Step 1: Press sauté on the Instant Pot. Once it reads hot, add the oil and then the stew meat to the inner pot.

    Step 2: Sear the meat.

    Onion sauteeing in an instant pot.

    Step 3: Once the meat has seared, remove the meat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring the entire time.

    Step 4: Press cancel.

    Step 5: Add the beef broth, and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. 

    Spices on tomato sauce on top of beef in an instant pot.

    Step 6: Add the tomato sauce, RoTel, bay leaf, spices, and beef. Don’t stir. 

    Step 7: Close and lock the lid. Make sure the pressure release valve is set to sealing. Press manual high pressure and adjust the time to 35 minutes. 

    Step 8: Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes. Turn the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure. 

    Step 9: Unlock and remove the lid; remove the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.

    Step 10: Stir in the cornmeal. Press sauté and cook, stirring regularly, until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

    A dish of carne guisada next to a blue linen.

    Recipe FAQs

    Why use cornmeal as a thickener?

    Cornmeal makes a great thickener, it's gluten-free (double check the label if this is a concern), and it doesn't change the taste.

    Can I freeze carne guisada?

    You can! Cook as-directed. Let it cool to room temperature before placing it in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months.

    Do I have to use stew meat?

    No, you can cube chuck roast or a similar cut of meat.

    Close photo of carne guisada in a terracotta bowl with a spoon in it.

    Serving suggestions

    Carne guisada goes well with flour tortillas, rice, and beans. Or skip the tortillas and serve it with just rice and beans.

    Storage

    Store any leftover carne guisada in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.

    More Instant Pot beef recipes!

    • Dish of beef machaca next to queso blanco and pico de gallo.
      Instant Pot Beef Machaca
    • White plate with hard shelled tacos on it.
      Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos
    • Taco casserole topped with cilantro and guacamole.
      Instant Pot Taco Casserole
    • Blue plate with ropa vieja and white rice.
      Instant Pot Ropa Vieja

    If you’ve tried this Instant Pot carne guisada recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!

    You can follow me on Pinterest or Facebook even more delicious food.

    A dish of carne guisada with cilantro on top of it.

    Instant Pot Carne Guisada

    Instant Pot carne guisada is a flavorful stew that's made entirely in the Instant Pot.
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 42 minutes
    Pressure Release: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 223kcal
    Author: Kate at Eating in an Instant

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/Electric Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 pounds beef stew meat
    • 1 cup diced white onion
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 Jalapeño pepper minced
    • 1 cup beef broth
    • ½ cup tomato sauce
    • 10 ounce can rotel
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

    Instructions

    • Press sauté on the Instant Pot.
    • Once it reads hot, add the oil and then the stew meat to the inner pot.
    • Sear the meat.
    • Once the meat has seared, remove the meat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring the entire time.
    • Press cancel.
    • Add the beef broth, and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot.
    • Add the seared beef, tomato sauce, RoTel, bay leaf, and spices. Don’t stir.
    • Close and lock the lid. Make sure the pressure release valve is set to sealing.
    • Press manual high pressure and adjust the time to 35 minutes.
    • Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes.
    • Turn the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
    • Unlock and remove the lid; remove the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.
    • Stir in the cornmeal.
    • Press sauté and cook, stirring regularly, until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 402mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Leave me a comment below to let me know!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie

      February 10, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      5 stars
      I had a package of stew meat but not sure what to make besides traditional stew. I hadn't found a carne guisada recipe that tasted authentic enough or that didn't rely on various traditional chili peppers as family does not like spicy.

      The search is over - I made this recipe for my family last night, and received rave reviews! I cut back the jalapeno by 1/3 for their palate. My sister said it was "one of the best meals ever" that I've made! Thank you for the excellent recipe Kate!

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 11, 2023 at 2:01 am

        Yay!! Thank you! I'm so glad that it was a hit!

        Reply
    2. Andy B

      November 01, 2022 at 11:28 pm

      I'm allergic to corn. Is there an alternative for the corn meal? It looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 03, 2022 at 4:54 am

        The cornmeal thickens the sauce, so you could use a different thickener if you prefer. You could also turn the pot to saute and let it cook down a little to thicken it up. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    3. Arthur

      June 27, 2022 at 3:00 am

      4 stars
      You left out obvious. Putting the meat back in before 35 min pressure cook

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 29, 2022 at 4:41 am

        Fixed. Thanks for catching that!

        Reply
        • Jean

          March 27, 2023 at 9:29 pm

          If I add potatoes to this do I put them in from the beginning or add later

          Reply
          • Kate

            March 27, 2023 at 10:17 pm

            You can add them in before pressure cooking. I would go with larger chunks of potato to help them withstand the cooking and pressure release time without breaking down too much. I would worry that the potatoes wouldn't cook enough if you added them in at the end. I hope that helps!

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