If your dinner goals include putting a delicious, home-cooked meal on the table with minimal effort, this Instant Pot tri-tip and vegetables is the recipe made just for you. ? It’s a healthy, flavorful mix of lean meat and roasted veggies, an easy dinner that will be a hit with the entire family!

You’ll be crossing your fingers for leftovers because this also makes the perfect sandwich meat and the easiest lunch to pack if you’re into weekly meal prep.
What do you use tri-tip for?
Tri-tip is the cut of beef from the bottom sirloin and gets its name from its triangular shape. It’s also referred to as a triangular sirloin roast, a culotte roast, or a California Cut.
A tri-tip roast is a leaner, healthier red meat option that also happens to be budget-friendly. However, it’s still tender and tasty! You’ll often see tri-tip roasted or grilled, and it’s often marinated first since it lacks the fat that contributes to flavor.


How to make Instant Pot tri-tip and vegetables
What’s great about this tri-tip roast recipe, is the Instant Pot cuts down the cooking time IMMENSELY. What would typically take over an hour to cook, is done in 30 minutes in the Instant Pot! (But keep in mind that it can take about 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to get up to temperature and begin cooking).
Plus, the marinade turns into a delicious gravy that you can enjoy drizzled onto the meat and vegetables. This is a healthy, hearty meal that will leave everyone wondering how you pulled dinner together so quickly!
Another plus, is that it only requires basic ingredients that are pantry staples. The fresh produce (carrots, onions, and potatoes) keep for months so they are always in my house because they make great meals when I haven’t had time to go to the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Marinade: olive oil, minced garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dijon mustard
- 2-pound Tri-Tip beef roast
- Olive oil
- Red wine
- Beef broth
- Carrots
- Onions
- Baby potatoes
- Cornstarch and water (to make the gravy)
You’ll definitely need an Instant Pot for this one (or a similar type of pressure cooker). This Tri-Tip recipe is written specifically for the type of quick, high-pressure cooking that an Instant Pot allows. If you want to make Tri-Tip roast a different way, check out this previous post on How to Cook a Tri-Tip Roast in the Oven!
Helpful tips.
If you don’t have some of the ingredients, it is easy to improvise. Here are some ideas for substitutions.
- Swap the fresh garlic for dry garlic powder.
- Out of Worcestershire sauce? Try using oyster sauce, miso paste, or A-1 steak sauce. They don’t have the same flavor profile as Worcestershire but they do have a great umami flavor.
- No red wine? No problem! Try sherry, white wine, apple juice, or just use extra broth.
- If you only have large potatoes instead of baby potatoes just cut the larger potatoes. Make sure they are the same size as a baby potato so they cook just as quickly.
When it is time to release the pressure, make sure you use an oven mitt and keep your face away from the pressure release valve. The steam and spurts of liquid that come out can burn you if you are not careful.

The Process:
Okay, back to the process of making this Instant Pot Tri-Tip and vegetables. Here’s a quick summary, but be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the full recipe!
- Make the marinade and pour it into a sealable plastic bag with the roast. Marinade the tri-tip roast for 1-3 hours in the fridge (this helps tenderize it too!).
- When it’s done marinating, remove the roast from the marinade, pat it dry, and sauté in the Instant Pot in olive oil. You only want to sauté for about two minutes on each side to brown it. Remove the roast from the Instant Pot.
- Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot. Pour in the remaining marinade and add the beef broth. Place the rack in the bottom of the pot and set the roast on top.
- Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then let the Instant Pot release pressure naturally (about 20 minutes).
- Remove the lid and add the vegetables. Cook on high pressure for another 3 minutes and then do a quick release (protect your hand with an oven mitt!).
- Remove the Tri-Tip and vegetables, but leave the marinade in the Instant Pot so you can make the gravy. Simply mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then bring the liquid in the pot to a boil (Sauté setting) and slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture.
Can I put frozen meat in the Instant Pot?
You absolutely can, and this is one of my favorite things about cooking with an Instant Pot! However, we don’t recommend using a frozen Tri-Tip for this recipe. It really should marinade first because that’s when it will absorb all that yummy flavor! Plus, the longer the meat marinades, the more tender it will be.
We’ve shared a few recipes on using the Instant Pot for frozen meat, including:
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
- Instant Pot Frozen Turkey Breast
- Frozen Cornish Game Hens in the Pressure Cooker

Hooray for more Instant Pot magic! We’re loving this quick, home-style family meal! It’s a classic made easier, and a great one to add to your weekly dinner rotation. Now all you need is the perfect dessert. 😉 Maybe an easy and delicious chocolate cake or a blondie brownie. You can mix either of those desserts in one bowl!
SOME OTHER RECIPES WE ARE SURE YOU WILL LOVE:
- Braised Herb Lamb Shanks just might be the perfect dinner! The lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender, flavored with fresh herbs, wine, and beef broth. Don’t be intimidated by this one, it’s simple but impressive!
- Want to know the best way to make Caramelized Onions? Here’s a handy how-to, because they’re great on EVERYTHING.
- Our Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are the ultimate comfort food! Plus, it’s easy and quick, which means more time to savor each bite! Or go back for seconds. 😉
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Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.
Andrée
Monday 18th of October 2021
Made this meal last night and it came out delicious. I didn’t have Worcestershire sauce so subbed liquid aminos instead and added about 4 cups whole mushrooms. I cooked the veggies & potatoes for 15 minutes instead of 3 minutes then just let out the steam. They came out perfectly cooked. The meat was super tender as well so I think the extra 12 minutes benefitted both the veggies & the meat. Adding this recipe to my personal cookbook, mahalo!
Dahn Boquist
Monday 18th of October 2021
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it, the mushrooms sound like a great addition.
Robin Goethals
Monday 17th of May 2021
Well, I want to tell you I followed the recipe exactly as you wrote it. I did have to cook the meat an extra 10 minutes, which you stated was a possibility. The potatoes and carrots I cooked for 7 minutes and everything came out absolutely perfect. The meat was tender and flavorful, the vegetable were also cooked through. My husband and I enjoyed this recipe so very much. I definitely will be making it again. And for those that thought it had to much acid flavor you did something wrong or you used the wrong balsamic vinegar. Thank you for this beautiful recipe and I will be trying more of them.
Dahn Boquist
Tuesday 18th of May 2021
Thank you for your comment, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe
Vallemar2
Tuesday 20th of April 2021
I had a three lb tritium so increased all ingredients proportionally. It came out tasty but more reminiscent of pot roast than tri tip I have made on the grill or in the oven. Pretty tender and the vegetables were perfect.
Dahn Boquist
Wednesday 21st of April 2021
Thanks for the comment. It is definitely a change from a traditional grilled tri tip ;)
KIM EALEY
Thursday 8th of April 2021
i guess you could say I cheated a bit but I got a good price on a pre packaged marinated tri tip. I used cooking sherry for the wine. I hope this works!
Dahn Boquist
Thursday 8th of April 2021
Oh, yes the sherry will work. Sherry is usually quite sweet compared to wine but it will make a good substitute
Maybejustasalad
Monday 1st of March 2021
Like other commented, mine came out tough :-(
Dahn Boquist
Monday 1st of March 2021
If your tri tip is a bit thinner or weighs less you will want to reduce the cooking time however if you over-shoot it a bit and the meat is tough then you can put it back in the pressure cooker and cook it for an additional 20 minutes. That extra 20 minutes will break down the meat enough to shred it which is a great save for an over-cooked slab of beef.