5 Ingredient Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
You won't believe the flavor in this Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast! With only 5 ingredients needed, this is an easy and delicious weeknight dinner.

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What is Mississippi Pot Roast?
Funny name, right? But if I have a go-to pot roast recipe, it is this Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast. I can't explain why packets of gravy mix, ranch seasoning mix, pepperoncinis, & butter work well together. But they do.
When I first published this recipe on the blog, I kind of messed up. This recipe was in a series of the most popular Instant Pot meals from my blog. This was supposed to be a series of the most popular meals from the free plans I've published.
I was going to leave the recipes from the premium packs out (for now). But, this one slipped in. I didn't realize it was from a paid plan until I had it in the freezer. It was ready to test and photograph, so I decided to leave it in.
You guys get a preview from the premium Boot Camps today!
This one is the most asked about recipes from the premium Instant Pot freezer meal plans. You're going to see lots of variations for Mississippi pot roast recipes out there. This is the version I've stuck to for years. We love it so much in our family.
It's so easy to make and so delicious. It is one of the simplest to prep in this whole series; you dump a few things and lock on the lid). You won't believe the flavor in this recipe. It's very fitting that I get to include this one, since my family actually lives in Mississippi!
(And no, this recipe isn't a Mississippi tradition or anything. I have no idea where that name comes from.)
Cook Time
The total cook time for this recipe when pressure cooking is 75 minutes (plus pressurizing time). I know that sounds like a lot, but I've found that to get a roast (beef or pork) tender, around 90 minutes the magic number. With more than 90 minutes your roast gets tough, less than 90 minutes your roast might not cook through.
Less then 90 minutes also doesn't give the Instant Pot time to break up the fat/connective tissue in the meat. Breaking that up is what makes the roast tender. There's a common misconception that the longer you cook the more tender a roast gets…not always true! It can get tough if overcooked.
If you're wondering why your pot roasts are coming out tough, it might be that you're not hitting the right time. If you're cooking any kind of roast (not only Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast), 90 minutes is the number I'd aim for.
Recipe Variations
While this is an Instant Pot recipe, you can change it from an Instant Pot recipe to a slow cooker recipe. My “magic number” for a roast (beef or pork) in the Crock Pot slow cooker is 6-8 hours on low. This gives the roast enough time to mellow out and become super tender. You can also add in the green beans and potatoes from the start of cooking when you prepare a roast in the slow cooker.
So, it comes down to how much time you have to prepare your meal. If you have all day, go for that crockpot slow cooker option. If you're a little more strapped on time and need to get something on the table, go with this version.
I wouldn't recommend prepping a roast in the oven. I know that's blasphemy for a lot of people out there, but I'd never had luck with roasts in the oven…they always come out dry. If you're wanting to keep your roast super tender and juicy, stick with either the Instant Pot or the Crock Pot.
Side Item Options
I have the side items of ranch mashed potatoes and green beans written into the recipe. When I write a recipe like this, I usually like to make a whole meal, not only the main dish. So, you'll find everything you need in the recipe below.
Rice also goes great with Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast. (If you need a quick way to prepare rice, the Instant Pot is your way to go as well!) I also recommend this Mississippi pot roast with egg noodles (think of a beef stroganoff). If you're watching carbs or on a keto diet, use mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice.
Leftover Storage
I like to shred the pot roast leftovers and store them in the refrigerator on top of mashed potatoes, gravy and all. That remaining cooking juices give the mashed potatoes an extra pop of flavor!
I use these glass storage dishes for leftovers. They are so handy for making leftover makes that you can pop in the microwave when ready to serve.
Freezer Meal Option
This roast makes a fabulous freezer meal for busy weeknights. (If you're prepping it without freezing the meal first, use the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
Freezer Meal Ingredient List
If freezing, put the following in your freezer container:
- 3lb beef chuck roast (pork chuck roast can also be used)
- 6oz (half a jar) of pepperoncini peppers, with liquid
- Stick of butter (no need to melt)
- Pack of ranch dressing mix
- Pack of brown gravy mix
Ingredients Needed For Serve Day
- 2lbs red potatoes
- 8oz light sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 pack ranch dressing mix
- 2 tablespoons evoo
- 2 12oz frozen steam-in-bag green beans
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
(Includes side items: ranch mashed potatoes, steamed green beans)
(If Prepping From Frozen) On Serve Day…
- Thaw your meal enough to pop out of the freezer container.
- Add frozen meal and 1 cup water to IP. Seal the lid and set IP on the manual setting to cook on high pressure for 75 minutes. Once the cook cycle is up, allow pressure to naturally release for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, release remaining pressure by turning the top valve.
- Once first cook cycle is over, add red potatoes. Set Instant Pot for another 20 minute cook cycle.
- Steam the green beans in the microwave. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Once the second pressure cooker cycle is finished, remove potatoes. Mash potatoes with sour cream, milk, and additional pack of ranch dressing mix.
FAQs
Video
If you're interested in checking out the series of recipes with which this Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast was originally published, I have a full pack of printables, recipes, and prep instructions to make all of these recipes at once for your freezer available here. You can check out the other individual recipes in this series below:
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Part 1 – Smokey Penne
- Part 2 – Carrot & Butternut Squash Soup
- Part 3 – Mississippi Roast (you're here!)
- Part 4 – Firefighter Chili
- Part 5 – Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Part 6 – Beef Ragu
- Part 7 - Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili
- Part 8 - Zuppa Toscana
- Part 9 - Carnitas Over Sweet Potato Mash
- Part 10 - Taco Soup
In each of these posts, I’ll share how to make the recipe from either fresh or frozen. (And a note: if you’ve done my boot camps before, these recipes might vary slightly from the original version to make overall prep easier.)
Enjoy! Check out all of my Instant Pot posts by clicking here.
Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Ingredients
For Roast
- 3 lb beef chuck roast pork chuck roast can also be used
- 6 oz jarred pepperoncini peppers, with liquid
- 1 stick butter no need to melt
- 1 pack ranch dressing mix
- 1 pack brown gravy mix
For Side Items (Optional)
- 2 lbs red potatoes
- 8 oz light sour cream
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 pack ranch dressing mix
- 2 12 oz bags frozen steam-in-bag green beans
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode and add oil. Sear roast on each side for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Add peppers to Instant Pot; use a wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from bottom of the pot. Add gravy mix, ranch mix, and butter to the Instant Pot.
- Seal the lid and set IP on the manual setting to cook on high pressure, 75 minutes. Once cook cycle is up, allow pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes before releasing remaining pressure.
- Once first cook cycle is over, add potatoes. Set Instant Pot for another 20 minute cook cycle. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes before releasing remaining pressure by turning the top valve.
- Steam green beans in bag according to package directions. Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Once second cook cycle is finished and pressure is released, remove potatoes. Mash with sour cream, milk, and additional pack of ranch dressing mix.
- Serve roast with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Notes
- This roast makes a wonderful freezer meal! Simply put all of the ingredients from the roast list above in a freezer bag. When ready to serve, put contents of freezer meal and 1 cup of water in your Instant Pot and cook as directed.
- This can be converted to a slow cooker meal. Add roast ingredients to a slow cooker and set on low for 6-8 hours to have one of the best roasts you'll ever eat.
- I prefer this roast with mashed potatoes (included in the recipe), but you can also serve with rice, mashed cauliflower, or egg noodles.
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