When you want a tender and easy way to cook a roast, try this recipe for Instant Pot Tri Tip. This easy beef dish can be served sliced or shredded. Serve it with your favorite vegetables for a delicious meal.

instant pot tri tip with potatoes and carrots.

Cooking a roast couldn’t be easier with this Instant Pot Tri Tip recipe. A quick and simple dry rub gives this pot roast ample flavor while the instant pot cuts the cooking time in half.

Since this cut is lean, there is no waste and less fat per serving. Use leftovers to make a delicious sandwich or get creative and add it to tacos or salads.

I hope your family loves this easy recipe as much as mine does!

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Slow Cooker Tri-Tip is also a great choice, but this recipe cuts way back on the time needed from start to finish.
  • Lean and tough cuts of meat are where the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker really works its magic. It cooks them quickly while keeping them moist.
  • It’s easy to make and it makes perfect leftovers! Warm it up and eat it as is or throw it onto an English muffin with bacon and a fried egg for an amazing breakfast sandwich.
  • It’s gluten-free and dairy-free! Just make sure to buy beef broth that’s labeled gluten-free.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for instant pot tri tip.

Beef tri tip roast is a boneless roast that gets it’s name from it’s triangular shape and comes from the bottom of the sirloin. It’s lean with good flavor and tender when cooked perfectly.

I like to use grass-fed meat whenever possible. See my guide for finding grass-fed beef near you.

Seasoning is essential for that beefy flavor to shine through. Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder are essential but feel free to add your favorite seasonings as well.

Cooking oil is used to sauté the meat beforehand using the sauté function. Avocado oil is a heart healthy oil with a high smoke point that’s perfect for sautéing.

See my list of the safest cooking oils.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

how to cook a tri tip in the instant pot.

Step One

Pat your tri tip dry with a clean paper towel.

In a small bowl, mix together all the spices and sprinkle over the meat and use your hands to rub it into the meat.

Step Two

Press the sauté function button or sauté setting and add oil to the pot.

Once the oil heats up transfer the tri tip to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Cancel the saute function and use a wooden spoon to scrape off any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and then put in the trivet.

Step Four

Place the meat back on the trivet or on top of the rack and cook for 25 minutes at high pressure. Once the time is up, use the quick release on the pressure valve.

Carefully open and transfer the tri tip to a cutting board. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes then slice your tri tip steak and serve.

I hope you agree that this is the best way to cook a trip tip. It’s so juicy and flavorful and is my husband’s favorite cut of meat.

cooked tri tip roast on a cutting board.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • This method results in a meat that is cooked medium through. If you want your meat to be cooked medium-rare instead of medium, reduce the cook time to 20 minutes. If you prefer your meat to be medium-well instead of just medium, then increase the cook time to 30 minutes.
  • You can also use a try tip steak or sirloin tip roast for this recipe. Just adjust the cooking time up or down depending on the size of the cut of beef.
  • Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
sliced tri tip on a cutting board.

Recipe FAQs

What is a tri tip?

The tri tip comes from the bottom part of the sirloin and gets its name from its triangular shape. It’s lean, full of flavor, and can be grilled, roasted, barbecued, or smoked. It can be hard to find at the grocery store but can be readily purchased from a butcher.

Is tri tip expensive?

Although beef tends to be more expensive than other types of meat the tri tip roast is usually much less expensive per pound than other steak cuts like the ribeye. But, it’s absolutely delicious and perfect for a special occasion or Sunday dinner.

Can I use the air fryer for this recipe?

This recipe was developed for an electric pressure cooker. You could use a stovetop pressure cooker or an air fryer that has a pressure cooker function.

Can I make a gravy for this recipe?

Yes, feel free to simmer the cooking liquid with a little arrowroot starch or cornstarch to make gravy.

More Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

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sliced tri tip on a cutting board

Instant Pot Tri Tip

When you want a tender and easy way to cook a roast, try this recipe for Instant Pot Tri Tip. This easy beef dish can be served sliced or shredded. Serve it with your favorite vegetables for a delicious meal.

  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 5 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 2pound beef tri tip roast
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used avocado oil)
  • 1 cup beef broth

Instructions

  1. Pat your tri-tip dry with paper towels and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Use a spoon to mix the spices together. Then, sprinkle the spices on the top of the tri tip. Use your hands to rub the spices into the meat.
  3. Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot and add the oil to the pot.
  4. Let the oil heat up and then use tongs to transfer the tri tip to the pot.
  5. Let the meat sauté for about 2 minutes, then use your tongs to turn it over. Cook the bottom of the meat for another 2 minutes.
  6. Then, cancel the sauté function and use your tongs to remove the meat from the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot (this will prevent you from getting a burn notice from the Instant Pot).
  7. Pour the broth into the pot and then place the trivet inside the pot.
  8. Add the meat back on top of the trivet. Lock on the lid and set the time to 25 minutes at high pressure.
  9. When the cooking time is up, use an oven mitt to use the quick release on the pressure valve.
  10. Carefully open the lid and use clean tongs to transfer the tri tip to a cutting board.
  11. Let the meat rest for about 5 minutes before slicing or shredded and serving hot.

Notes

  1. This method results in a meat that is cooked medium through. If you want your meat to be cooked medium-rare instead of medium, reduce the cook time to 20 minutes. If you prefer your meat to be medium-well instead of just medium, then increase the cook time to 30 minutes.
  2. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 260
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 563.2 mg
  • Fat: 10.4 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
  • Fiber: 0.1 g
  • Protein: 38.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 107 mg

Keywords: tri tip cooked in pressure cooker, instant pot roast

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.