Instant Pot Steak

Challenge your Instant Pot to make a flavorful and juicy Instant Pot steak in just a fraction of the time. This recipe is foolproof, delivering restaurant-quality meat with little effort.

Whenever I turn on my Instant Pot, I’m like a kid in a candy store. Or a kid with a new toy on Christmas. Basically, I’m some sort of kid! I’m just so inquisitive. “Can I cook THIS in THAT?” “What would happen if I added those?”
So many questions! One that came to mind quickly was, “Can it cook a steak???”
The answer is, YES!
Follow this recipe and you’ll have a steak done exactly how you like it without scrubbing the barbecue or playing the guessing game on the stove.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Everything’s cooked in the Instant Pot, which will make it a super quick and easy meal.
- You can serve this steak with any type of side dish, be it your favorite vegetable, rice, pasta, or just a simple salad.
- The Instant Pot cooks your steak to your liking, with plenty of juice and flavor.
Is Instant Pot Steak Healthy?
This Instant Pot steak recipe is gluten-free, keto friendly, sugar-free, and low in carbs. Steak is a good source of protein, which is essential for a healthy diet. It also contains essential vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. Extra virgin olive oil is used, which is considered a healthy fat, and garlic and paprika are rich in antioxidants. Using your Instant Pot means cooking a steak without a ton of added fats. Plus, the steak is able to retain its nutritional value, unlike grilling or pan-searing, which can cook away the steak’s minerals and vitamins through evaporation.
INGREDIENTS
Only a few ingredients, so the cooking (and eating!) will start sooner.
- 1 sirloin steak, 2 inches thick
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How Long to Cook Your Steak
To take the thinking out of the equation (because who likes to think?) here’s a table that outlines how long you should set your Instant Pot after searing it first. Table assumes a 2 inches thick boneless steak. Allow for more time if cooking a bone-in steak.
Doneness | Time |
---|---|
Rare | 2 minutes |
Medium Rare | 3 minutes |
Medium | 5-6 minutes |
Medium Well | 8-9 minutes |
Well Done | 10-12 minutes |
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Combine all spices in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning over the steak and set aside.
Sear
Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot. Once the oil is hot, add the steak and sear for 1 minute on each side.
Cook
Remove the steak from the pot. Add one cup of water to the Instant Pot, then place a trivet inside. Place the steak on the trivet and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes if you like your steak medium-rare.
Release
Release the pressure from the Instant Pot and remove the steak.
Rest
Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes.
DEVOUR!
Variations
- You can substitute sirloin steak with any cut of steak. Ribeye is a solid option, as is filet mignon, strip steak, or skirt steak. Be aware that cooking times will need to be adjusted.
- Instead of garlic and paprika powder, use other spices like ground mustard or oregano. Both work very well with meat.

Serving Suggestions
So many side dishes go well with steak that I decided to go deep in the FFF archives and recall some recipes you may have been unaware of:
Kale Salad with Cranberries: We’ll start with something incredibly healthy. Superfood kale is a great substitute for iceberg lettuce (any lettuce, in fact) while cranberries bring a certain tartness — not to mention numerous minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Healthy Mashed Potatoes: For this recipe, I use almond milk and Greek yogurt so that you can still pair potatoes with their true love — steak — without feeling guilty.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts: I’ve included this one as it combines the veggies with the starch. It’s your one-stop side-dish shop!

FAQs
I recommend using a high-quality sirloin or ribeye steak. Both are very juicy, flavorful, and very tender. Feel free to try other cuts like filet mignon or skirt steak, though you’ll have to adjust the cooking times.
I don’t recommend using frozen beef. It will get watery and lose its flavor. If you do use frozen beef, make sure to at least defrost your steak before cooking it.
I would say yes, doing so allows the air to penetrate all sides of the steak. Without it, you risk inconsistent cooking.

How to Store Instant Pot Steak
Let the steak cool completely. Wrap it in plastic or store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’d like to keep it for up to 3 months in the freezer, wrap it first THEN place it in an airtight container. To thaw, let it do so in the fridge overnight. This will maintain its texture better than if you use the ‘defrost’ feature on your microwave. You can also use your Instant Pot’s sauté feature.

Instant Pot Steak
Ingredients
- 1 sirloin steak 2-inches thick
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all spices in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning over the steak and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot. Once the oil is hot add the steak and sear for 1 minute on each side.
- Remove the steak from the Pot. Add one cup of water to the Instant Pot, then place a trivet inside.
- Place the steak on the trivet and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH for 3 minutes if you like your steak medium-rare.
- Release the pressure from the Instant Pot and remove the steak.
- Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes.
Notes
- I highly recommend using a trivet for this recipe.
- Refer to the above table to cook your steak to your liking.
Nutrition
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