Instant Pot Swiss Steak

This Instant Pot Swiss steak is delicious comfort food that makes a delicious meal with tender bites of steak with carrots, celery, and onions in a flavorful tomato-based gravy.

I like to serve this with a side of Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Buttery Homemade Dinner Rolls to soak up the gravy. So good!

This old-fashioned recipe is adapted for the Instant Pot, which perfectly tenderizes this Swiss steak.

You can use the vegetables you prefer. Sliced peppers and mushrooms are great additions to this recipe. I tend to stick with carrots, onions, and celery because I typically always have them on hand.

Ingredient Notes

See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

• Round steak - I used round steak in this recipe. You can use top or bottom round, chuck steak, or sirloin.
• Flour - Regular all-purpose flour.
• Olive oil - For browning the round steak.
• Carrot, Celery and Onion - This is a classic veggie base for for Swiss steak.
• Seasonings: Garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Beef Broth - Adds rich deep flavor. You can use homemade or your favorite store bought beef broth.
• Worcestershire Sauce - Adds savory Umami flavor to your gravy.
• Diced tomatoes - You can use regular diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes.
• Tomato paste - Helps to intensify flavor. 
• Cornstarch - Used to help thicken the sauce.

You’ll love how easy it is to prepare Swiss steak in your pressure cooker. Follow these simple instructions for cooking this flavorful round steak recipe at home.

How To Make Instant Pot Swiss Steak

Start by coating the steaks in flour to help thicken the sauce as the steaks cook. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized bag, then place each steak in the bag. Toss the steak in the flour until it’s well coated.

Then, heat the oil in the Instant Pot using the sauté mode. When the oil is warm, place the steaks in the pot and brown each side. Remove the steaks from the pot and set them aside for a few minutes.

After removing the steaks from the pot, add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Continue sauteing the vegetables until the onions and carrots are tender.

Turn off the Instant Pot and add the beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits of meat or veggies. Then add the Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir to mix the sauce ingredients.

Place the steaks back into the pot and lightly press them into the sauce until they’re mostly covered. Secure the lid on top and seal the vent, then set the Instant Pot to cook on high for 25 minutes.

When the cooking time is up, allow the pot to do a natural release. Then, remove the lid and check the thickness of the sauce.

If the gravy is still too runny, take the steaks out. Then, combine the cornstarch and water into a slurry and pour it into the pan. Set the pot to sauté mode and allow the sauce to simmer, stirring often, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Serve the cooked steaks with gravy on top. Enjoy!

How To Prevent Burn Notice When Cooking Swiss Steak

Since this recipe requires browning your steaks before pressure cooking them, bits of meat may stick to the bottom of the pan. If you don’t scrape the pan before you start cooking, you may hear a burn notice on your Instant Pot halfway through the cooking time.

To prevent this, you must deglaze the pot before you start pressure cooking. After sauteing the vegetables, pour the beef broth into the pot and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan. Continue scraping until all the stuck-on pieces have been removed.

Here are a few more delicious Instant Pot recipes to try!

• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
• Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Burrito Bowls

You can skip the hours of slow braising when you use the Instant Pot to make Swiss steak. You'll get tender-fork steak with a rich flavor that everyone will love!