This London Broil Instant Pot recipe features top round beef marinated in a savory sauce, then pressure cooked to tender, juicy perfection. And it's all topped off with a silky smooth mushroom and onion gravy. In this post, I'll provide simple step-by-step instructions and tips so you can make this recipe perfectly every time!
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe Works
- What is London Broil?
- What Cut of Beef is London Broil?
- Ingredient Notes
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- How to Slice London Broil
- How to Make London Broil Gravy
- Expert Tips
- What to Serve with Instant Pot London Broil
- Storage and Reheating Instructions
- London Broil Instant Pot Tips and FAQs
- More Weeknight Dinner Ideas
- 📖 Recipe
- You May Also Like
Why This Recipe Works
Cooking London Broil in an Instant Pot is a quick and easy way to prepare this tasty dish and is a great option for a weeknight meal. Toss it in the marinade in the morning or the night before, then let it work its magic so it's ready to go at dinner time.
- Savory and satisfying. This London Broil recipe for the Instant Pot makes a perfect comfort food dinner on a busy weeknight.
- Total cooking time is around 30 minutes. Just a quick 5-minute sear, a 3-minute pressure cook cycle, and a 10-minute natural release results in tender, juicy beef. That gives you just enough time to whip up your favorite side dishes.
- Yummy gravy. At the end, we will whip up a delicious mushroom and onion gravy using the liquids leftover from pressure cooking.
What is London Broil?
London broil is a cooking technique where a large piece of beef is marinated, then broiled under high heat and served thinly sliced.
As the name implies, it is most often made using an oven broiler, but it can also be grilled. In this recipe, we'll make London Broil in a pressure cooker for a quick and easy dinner with just one pot to clean.
What Cut of Beef is London Broil?
Beef labeled "London Broil" is typically top-round beef and should work just fine, but you can ask the butcher what the actual cut is if you're not sure.
You can also use flank steak, but it is typically thinner. In this case, you will need to reduce the cooking time down to zero minutes (yes, you can set your Instant Pot to zero!).
Ingredient Notes
- Top Round London Broil - Use a thick-cut top-round steak for this London Broil Instant Pot recipe. Look for one at least 1½ inch thick, preferably thicker.
- Marinade - This London Broil marinade features umami-rich soy sauce and savory Worcestershire sauce, along with a punch of brightness and acidity from the lemon juice, which will also help tenderize the meat. You can substitute red wine vinegar for lemon juice with similar results if you don't have a lemon on hand.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: this recipe was developed on a 6 qt Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus.
- Marinate the Beef - Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the meat in a large resealable plastic bag or container and pour the marinade over top. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
- Cook the Veggies - Set your Instant Pot to Saute mode and allow it to preheat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, then add in the sliced mushrooms and onions. Cook for 6-7 minutes, then remove from pot.
- Sear the Beef - Leave Instant Pot on Saute mode. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot, then add the beef. Sear for about 2 minutes per side until well browned.
- Pressure Cook - Add 1 cup of beef broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan to avoid a burn warning. Then, cover and lock the lid. Set to manual high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Natural Pressure Release - After the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, vent the remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Let Meat Rest - Carefully transfer London Broil from Instant Pot to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
How to Slice London Broil
Determine the direction of the grain of the meat fibers, then slice against the grain into thin slices, with a bit of an angle. This is the same cutting technique I use in my grilled flank steak recipe. Check out the photo there for a visual of this method.
Top round is a lean, hard-working muscle of the steer that can sometimes be tough no matter how perfectly you cook it.
Properly slicing your Instant Pot London Broil will help to make it more tender by cutting the long muscle fibers.
How to Make London Broil Gravy
This simple gravy adds a delicious boost of flavor to this meal, and it can be made right after cooking London Broil in the pressure cooker. It is optional but definitely worth the extra 10 minutes!
- As noted earlier, you'll want to saute the veggies in your Instant Pot before searing the meat. Don't worry if you missed that step earlier, as you can also do this in a pan on your stove. For the stovetop method, set a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, then add in the sliced mushrooms and onions.
- Cook for 6-7 minutes until the excess moisture from the mushrooms has cooked off and the veggies are starting to brown. Transfer the veggies to a plate and set aside while the meat cooks.
- After cooking the meat, leave the liquid in the pot and set your Instant Pot to Saute mode. Whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Then, whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pot. Bring to a simmer, and add the mushrooms and onions back to the pot. Season with ½ teaspoon dried thyme, plus salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thickened, around 2 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Marinate - Be sure to marinate the meat for at least 2 hours, though overnight is best. The acid from the marinade will help to break down the muscle fibers and tenderize the meat.
- Thick Cut - Use a very thick cut of top round beef, preferably 1½ to 2 inches thick, when making this London Broil recipe in the Instant Pot. For thinner cuts, you will need to reduce the pressure cooking time.
- Quick Sear - When searing, be sure the Instant Pot is very hot before adding the meat, and sear it quickly just to develop a brown crust. If you think you let it sear for too long, reduce the pressure cook time to 1 or 2 minutes.
- Don't Overcook - Keep the pressure cooking time to three minutes or less, depending on the thickness of your beef. Some Instant Pot London Broil recipes call for up to 30 minutes of cooking time, but that much time will result in a pot roast texture. It's still tasty, but it's not London Broil as pictured here.
- Natural Release - The natural release phase allows the meat to cool slightly and relaxes the muscle, allowing it to retain more moisture. This is similar to the resting phase after grilling a steak.
- Slice Properly - Slicing the meat thinly and against the grain is a key step to ensuring tender London Broil.
What to Serve with Instant Pot London Broil
A starchy side dish is a must with any London Broil Instant Pot recipe, especially to soak up that luscious gravy! Mashed potatoes are a classic pairing with this beef, or you can serve it with steamed rice for a no-fuss side dish.
I also like to serve a simply prepared green vegetable like my quick and easy garlic butter green beans or steamed broccoli with the dish. A simple kale salad is also a great option.
For a more indulgent option, check out my cauliflower gratin!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
To reheat large portions, heat your oven to 300°F. Set the meat in a baking dish and bake until warmed through, around 10-15 minutes.
Reheat smaller portions in the microwave at 30-second intervals until warmed through.
London Broil Instant Pot Tips and FAQs
Yes, London broil is typically prepared by broiling in the oven so that will work too. Broil the meat for around 6-8 minutes per side until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium rare.
You can also grill London broil. Grill over high heat for about 5 minutes per side, flipping occasionally, until it reaches your desired doneness.
You should marinate the meat for at least 2 hours, but preferably 6 hours or longer. I typically marinate it the night before I plan to cook it. The acid in the marinade will help tenderize the meat. Don't let it sit for more than 1-2 days though, or it will affect the texture.
London broil can get very tough if not cooked properly since it's a very lean cut of meat. It's best not to cook it beyond an internal temperature of 140°F or medium doneness.
More Weeknight Dinner Ideas
You can NEVER have too many recipes for weeknight dinners. Instant Pot recipes, 30-minute meals, sheet pan meals, and other quick options are a must for those days when you need something on the table quickly. London Broil in the Instant Pot is a great option, and here are a few of my other favorites:
📖 Recipe
London Broil (Instant Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
London Broil
- 2 pounds London Broil Top Round beef
- 1 cup beef broth
For the gravy
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the meat in a large resealable bag or container with a lid then pour the marinade over top. Seal the bag or lid, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and allow it to preheat. If you're not making the gravy skip to the next step, otherwise add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pot. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook for 6-7 minutes until all of the excess moisture from the mushrooms has cooked off and the vegetables are lightly browned. Then remove the veggies and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then add the meat. Sear on each side for around 2 minutes until well browned.
- Add 1 cup of beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan to avoid a burn warning. Then cover and lock the lid. Set to manual high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Then vent the remaining pressure before removing the lid. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
- While the meat rests finish the gravy. Leave the liquid in the pot and set to saute mode. Whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Then whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pot.
- Bring to a simmer and add the mushrooms and onions back to the pot. Season with ½ teaspoon dried thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thickened, around 2 minutes. Top the sliced meat with gravy and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
LORRAINE
Thank you for presenting this recipe. I followed it (didn't have mushrooms - added a couple slices.of green pepper . Winner!
Gordy
Delicious! I don’t need to say any more
Mark
Surprised, it only pressure cooked for three minutes with natural release 10 minutes. Thank you so much for this receipt and technique. Gravy is perfect. I served it with smashed potatoes
Deborah Flynn
Absolutely delicious!!! Simple recipe w/LOTS of flavor! Thank you for sharing this delightful dish...definately worth repeating!☺
Linda
I made this for dinner tonight with mashed potatoes and biscuits. It was very good!
Scott
Thanks Linda, glad you liked it!!!
Mary
I made this today and I think it turned out fine. London Broil is not a tender cut of beef so I was not expecting it to melt in my mouth. I marinaded about 6 hours and I did not have mushrooms so didn't use them. It was about 2.5 lbs and I did the 3 minutes and a 13 minute natural release. It came out medium which is what I prefer..
Scott
Thanks so much Mary!
Shannon Sanchez
I tried the recipe and I did make a few changes because I was unsure of whether or not to add the marinade to the broth. I thought, well it had all those spices in it, so I made a compromise; I added about half a cup of the marinade to the broth, then added the meat for the 3 minute cook time. For the gravy, I added 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (i did not add any additional water) and i added a can of drained peas to my gravy after the meat was done cooking. I still needed to add flour to thicken it. After all that I served my London Broil over sliced thin over a bed of bow tie noodles. (It was the only thing that I had.) Despite the changes I made it turned out perfect! Thanks for an easy and great tasting recipe!
Scott
Thanks so much Shannon! Glad it you enjoyed it! To clarify on the marinade, I discard it. Adding it in should be fine too if you'd like, but would change the flavor of the gravy.
Kim
I made this last night for my husband. I used a different marinade but it is very similar; I had already done that part before finding this method of cooking it in the IP, and marinated overnight. My top round was 3 lbs and somewhere between about 1.5 and 2 inches thick. I also made the gravy, and served that over the meat and 'baked' potatoes made in my 3 quart IP, along with a dinner salad. Not only did the house smell AMAZING but my husband said it was delicious, and quite tender. I have to admit, I wasn't sure how well this would turn out but it did. Thanks so much for a great recipe! I came across a few that recommended cooking in the IP for 20 minutes.Yikes!
Scott
Thanks so much Kim!
Kathryn I Hyatt
Recipe reads to add one cup of beef broth in the marinade. Then it says to put beef broth in the gravy. However, the gravy list of ingredients doesn't have beef broth. So, you actually need two cups of beef broth, correct?
Scott
Hi Kathryn,
Thanks so much for pointing this out. There should have been a separator between the marinade ingredients and the meat. I have updated that now.
The marinade does not include beef broth. You just need the one cup that goes in when pressure cooking the meat. If you already made the marinade with broth, I’d leave it as is and add another cup of broth to cook the meat. Sorry for the confusion!
Malinda
Do you place the meat directly into the instapot pan or put it on a trivet? My cut of meat does say London broil will I still just cook for 3 min?
Scott
Hi Malinda, you do not need the trivet for this recipe, right in the pot is ok.
Meat labeled "London Broil" is typically top round, so that should be perfect. The cook time is more about the size and thickness of the meat. Around 2 pounds and 1-1½ thick is good for 3 min. For smaller or thinner pieces reduce the cooking time a bit. Remember you'll sear the meat first and the pot will also take a few minutes to come up to pressure before that timer starts, so total cook time is longer than it sounds.
Angel
London Broil is definitely not a zip less than 4 minutes instant pot recipe unless you have razors for teeth. I’ve prepared this several times in my instant pot and for tenderness, I set it for 45 minutes. This is not a piece of beef that will bite well at medium rare at all. There is a reason for a convenient low price !!
Scott
Hi Angel, London broil typically refers to the cooking technique where the meat is marinated then broiled or grilled to medium rare and served thinly sliced. Due to the cut used it will not be melt in your mouth tender like a roast, but cooking longer than the suggested 4 to 5 minutes will result in a very different dish than what's shown. You will commonly see cuts of meat tagged "London broil", however this is typically top round beef under a different name. If you try it this way I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Kate
Followed exactly and meat was really tough! Disappointed 🙁
I don’t think it needs 10min pressure release???
Scott
So sorry to hear that Kate! I've tried several different cooking times and had the best results with this formula. Top round is a hard working muscle and can sometimes be tough no matter what you do unfortunately. It's key to get a thick cut for this recipe so it can hold up to the intense pressure cooking cycle and not over cook. Cutting the meat thinly on a bias and against the grain will also help reduce the chances of tough meat since it will break up the muscle fibers. You can see a picture of this on my grilled flank steak post.
The natural release helps the meat retain more of it's juices since you're not quick venting when the meat is at its hottest, immediately after the pressure cycle, so I wouldn't recommend skipping that step. If you can't find a very thick cut you could shorten the pressure cycle to 1 or 2 minutes and maybe reduce the release time by a minute or so, but it is important to let it naturally release for a short period.
seahag56
Is the pressure cook time really only 3 minutes? Seems awfully short...
Scott
Yes, 3 minutes will do it. The initial sear begins the cooking process and the meat continues cooking during the 10 minute pressure release.
Elaine Williams
this looks easy -with pantry friendly ingredients. The only thing I have to stop off for is mushrooms. Doing this tonight.