An easy, comforting, and nourishing vegetable beef soup made with loads of fresh vegetables in the Instant Pot. This hearty soup tastes just like Grandma's great recipe, but takes less than an hour to cook.
Sprinkle the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let the salt rest on the beef while chopping the veggies.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk the broth, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, remaining salt, and pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the Instant Pot. Turn on the Saute function. Once hot, add half the beef. You’ll have to work in batches, probably two batches since all the beef won’t fit in the pot. Brown the beef on each side for 2 minutes. Set aside on a plate. Add the additional olive oil and remaining beef. Brown again. Set the meat aside on the plate.
Add the butter to the hot Instant Pot. Add all the veggies, saute for 4-5 minutes until they begin to sweat. You don't want the veggies to stick to the bottom of the Instant Pot, so don't let the veggies brown. This is just a quick saute. Once done, press Cancel to turn off the saute function.
Add the broth mixture to the Instant Pot, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Add the beef to the pot, don’t stir.
Secure the lid on the pot. Turn the steam valve on the lid to Sealed. Set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 35 minutes. On new models, the Manual button is labeled, Pressure Level.
Once the soup is done cooking (the Instant Pot will beep), let the pressure naturally release from the pot for 10 minutes. Don't touch the Instant Pot during this time. The screen on the front of the pot will begin counting up, until it reads 10:00.
Quickly move the steam valve on top of the lid from Sealed to Venting (a quick pressure release). Once all the pressure has been released (steam no longer spews from the valve), open the lid.
Enjoy warm. If you'd like to thicken the soup, continue to the next step...
To Thicken:
If you'd prefer a thicker stew, add arrowroot starch or cornstarch. I prefer to use 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, and then add this mixture to the stew. For a thicker stew, go with 2 tablespoons of arrowroot starch to 3 tablespoons of water. Again, mix this in a small bowl before adding to the stew. Once added, press Saute, and allow the stew to simmer for a few minutes (about 3-5 minutes) to slightly thicken. Stir frequently during this time.
Serve warm.
Notes
Store leftover soup in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4-5 days.
This soup also freezes well. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature before reheating.
Reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stove-top, in a saucepan, until warm.