The Instant Pot makes getting meals on the table so much easier. These Instant Pot Asian shredded beef bowls are super satisfying and a great way to cook beef in your Instant Pot. I love creating ‘bowls’ recipes, and these Asian shredded beef bowls are full of tender and flavorful beef on top of a bed of rice and accompanied with pickled veggies and some cabbage – they’re sure to become a family favorite.
I’m sure you’ve heard me – or someone in your life – go on and on about how great the Instant Pot is. On days when I haven’t quite succeeded at planning out dinner, I break out the Instant Pot and have a warm, full, often hearty meal ready in no time.
Being able to make meat this tender in 30 minutes-1 hour (vs. 8 hrs) is one of the biggest benefits of cooking with an Instant Pot.
The first thing you do is cook the beef in the Instant Pot in an Asian sauce. The sauce is made up of blending together onion, pear, ginger, soy sauce and a little hot sauce if you like. It’s a savory-hint-of-sweet type sauce. It’s a flavor combination I love whenever making Asian inspired dishes (like these Korean beef bbq tacos or these Asian ground turkey bowls). The recipe I used is adapted from The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook by Coco Morante.
What kind of beef do you use for shredded beef? That’s a question I get asked when making this dish. There are two types of beef that I’ve found work really well for this dish – boneless short ribs (sometimes a little trickier to find, check the butcher counter at your grocery store) or boneless chuck roast. The chuck roast shreds really nicely and I’ve found it easy to find. Both work great.
With Asian inspired dishes, I always love creating and serving the dish with a quick pickled vegetable. Like when I shared the recipe for these Korea beef bbq tacos I serve them with quick pickled cucumbers, or when I make these Asian ground turkey bowls, I always serve them with these quick pickled Asian vegetables (I always keep a jar of these in my fridge, they build more flavor the longer they sit in the fridge, they’re so good!)
While the beef is cooking away, I make a quick batch of rice (either white rice or brown rice or some other grain like quinoa would work great) and a quick batch of pickled vegetables. For these Instant Pot Asian shredded beef bowls, I like to include some chopped up cabbage, but that is totally optional.
Hope you love this recipe! I’ve included how to make this Asian shredded beef via a slow cooker as well. I’d love to hear from you in the comments below: what’s your favorite Instant Pot recipe (or slow cooker if you don’t have an IP yet!)
Instant Pot Asian Shredded Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- For the Beef
- 1 small white or yellow onion peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 pear I use Asian or Bosc variety, peeled cored and cut into chunks
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 1- inch knob fresh ginger peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup mirin sweet rice wine or apple juice
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- [1 teaspoon or more hot sauce I like using gochujang]
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs or chuck roast, cut into 2-3-inch large pieces
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to garnish
- For the Bowls:
- Cooked rice I like about 1/2 cup per bowl
- Quick pickled Asian vegetables you could also serve raw vegetables in the bowl
- 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage optional
Instructions
- Start by combining onion, pear, garlic, ginger, mirin, soy sauce, and hot sauce (if using) in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste sauce; add salt and/or more heat, to taste.
- Instant Pot Instructions
- Arrange beef (short rib pieces or chuck roast)at the bottom of an Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker and sprinkle salt on them.
- Pour blended sauce over, and stir to coat. Secure the lid and set the pressure release valve to Sealing.
- Select the Meat/Stew setting for 35 minutes at high pressure. When the timer goes off, you can perform a quick release by moving the pressure release valve to Venting, but do so with tongs or a spoon because the pressured steam release will absolutely burn your hand. I like to let it just sit in the Instant pot for an additional 5-10 minutes, it makes the beef extra tender I've found.
- Open the pot and use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the cooking liquid, then use a spoon (I use a slotted spoon), to skim as much of the fat as possible from the surface of the sauce. If you like a thicker sauce/gravy, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl whisking to combine, and then add it to the instant pot and whisk until smooth and thick.
- Shred the beef.
- To assemble the bowls arrange rice, pickled veggies and cabbage on top of rice, and then top with shredded beef. Spoon a little sauce/gravy over the beef and sprinkle sesame seeds to garnish and enjoy.
- Slow Cooker Instructions
- Arrange beef (short rib pieces or chuck roast)at the bottom of a crock-pot/slow cooker and sprinkle salt on beef.
- Pour blended sauce over, and stir to coat. Put the lid on and turn on low.
- Cook on low for 8 hours (this dish is not good when cooked on high for 3-4 hours).
- Remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the cooking liquid, then use a spoon to skim as much of the fat as possible from the surface of the sauce. If you like a thicker sauce/gravy, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl whisking to combine, and then add it to the slow cooker sauce and whisk until smooth and thick.
- Shred the beef.
- To assemble the bowls arrange rice, pickled veggies and cabbage on top of rice, and then top with shredded beef. Spoon a little sauce/gravy over the beef and sprinkle sesame seeds to garnish and enjoy.
Jennifer Mensch says
Just had this for dinner – delicious!!
Sweetphi says
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear!!
Amy C. says
My favorite slower cooker meal is mac & cheese and Cincinnati chili.
Erik says
Slow cooker ham and potato soup or slow cooker corn chowder tends to be our go to slow cooker meals. Easy to throw together, makes a ton and freezes easily.
Sweetphi says
oh yum, sounds great!
Laura says
I like making baked potatoes in my instant pot, it really speeds up the process! I also like making Mac and cheese.
Sweetphi says
Two of my faves!
Denise says
I do not own an Instant Pot. However, my daughter does and I have been collecting recipes for her like a woman obsessed. She’s a working mom with 8-year-old twin boys (who unfortunately have autism), so she has her hands full! MY favorite slow-cooker dish is Mississippi Pot Roast. I discovered it last year, and while shopping for the recipe, my only choice in buying the jarred peppers was like a gallon! I thought, I am NEVER going to use all these! Wrong! Used every single one and am on my second jar. My husband thinks it’s one of the greatest recipes ever!
Sweetphi says
Sounds so good!
Sharon says
I love baby back ribs cooked in the slow cooker.
Sweetphi says
I haven’t made ribs in the slow cooker for a while – definitely need to do that asap!
AARON MORRISSEY says
I love pork ribs in the crock pot! So easy!
Sweetphi says
Yum, love slow cooker ribs
Rebecca S. says
I don’t have an Instant Pot, but my favorite slow cooker recipe is pot roast (although slow cooker mashed potatoes are a close second. They make mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving SO much easier!).
Sweetphi says
OMG YES! Love how much easier it makes things!
Jana says
One of my favorite Instant Pot meals is a recipe for beef stroganoff soup. It combines two of my favorite comfort foods and is absolutely delicious! This recipe looks good too – we’ll have to give it a go!
Sweetphi says
That sounds great
Mary Caruthers says
This recipe looks amazing. I unfortunately don’t own an insta pot but I love the instapot Cuban pork. It is so good and can be done in my slow cooker.
I can’t wait to try the Asian beef bowls thanks for sharing such good recipes with us.
Sweetphi says
Cubans are my husbands fave, I’ll have to try Cuban pork in my instant pot!
Lisa Burkhart says
Don’t have an instapot yet, but love making Pot Roast in the slow cooker. Nice to come home to a warn hearty meal after work
Sweetphi says
Love coming home to a roast!
Pastora says
My favorite meat is wine and honey! In the oven for 4 hours ????with rustikkkk potatos ???
Sweetphi says
Yum, sounds delicious
Monica M says
I keep seeing such great recipes for InstaPot, that I am really considering investing in one.
Sweetphi says
It took me forever to actually buy one, and even after buying it i wanted to hate it…but I love it lol. It’s so great for making a quick meal in!
Rachel Zimmerman says
Our current favorite is beef, snow peas, and mushrooms, but this looks good! I’ll have to make it soon.
Sweetphi says
Sounds amazing!
Cassie says
My favorite instant pot meal is pulled pork!
Sweetphi says
Such a good and easy IP meal!