Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Make this easy Instant pot beef barley soup for a nourishing and hearty soup that is loaded with flavor!
Tender beef, wholesome vegetables, and hearty barley, make this a cozy and comforting soup.
This soup is made in an instant pot so it is ready in a fraction of the time it would take for the stovetop version.
This Crockpot Black Bean Chili Recipe was originally posted on Our Zesty Life
Beef And Barley Soup Ingredients
This beef and barley soup recipe is loaded with hearty ingredients. And the Instant Pot allows you to sauté, cook, and simmer the soup in just one pot for a convenient and fuss-free meal!
Beef – Sliced stew meat, or chuck roast are good options because the Instant pot cooks it in such a way to make it extra tender and flavorful. You can use leftover steak, roast beef or even ground beef if that is easier.
Barley – This grain is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This recipe calls for pearl barley, which has a shorter cooking time and a softer texture compared to other types of barley.
Vegetables – Onions, carrots, and potatoes are the main veggies in this soup. But don’t let that stop you! Add in celery, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, red peppers, and even beets!
Broth – Use store bought beef broth, or your own homemade broth! A vegetable, chicken or turkey broth can also be used. Add a bit of heavy cream for a creamy version.
How to Make Beef and Barley Soup in the Instant Pot!
- Set Instant Pot to sauté. Brown beef in oil, remove and set aside.
- Add butter. Sauté diced onion, carrots, and potatoes. Add garlic then cancel saute setting.
- Pour in beef broth and scrape to release the brown bits from the bottom of pot. Add remaining broth, bay leaves, seasoning and the browned beef to the veggies. Stir.
- Sprinkle pearl barley over the top, making sure it is immersed in some liquid. Do not stir.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid and set to high pressure (as directed in the recipe)
- Once pressure is released, remove the bay leaf, then add the tomato paste. Adjust the seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper.
Some Helpful Tips!
- Sear beef well on all sides of the meat.
- Deglaze the Instant Pot with a splash of red wine for more flavor!
- Cut ingredients into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Rinse pearl barley, or soak it for an hour (or overnight). This can help the barley cook more evenly.
- If the soup becomes thick, you can thin it out with a bit of water or broth to your liking.
How To Store Beef and Barley Soup
- Cool soup completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat beef barley soup on the stovetop on low heat, or in the microwave, until heated through.
- Batch cook and freeze beef barley soup! Cool completely, then divide soup into individual portions using freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Label with the date, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating from frozen, either thaw it in the refrigerator or use the defrost function on your microwave.
More Tasty Soup Recipes!
Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups potatoes, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups beef broth, or use 6 cups water with beef boullion
- ½ cup pearl barley, rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons beef soup base powder, or use 2-4 cubes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup tomato paste, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon sugar, to taste, optional
- salt and pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley, for garnish, chopped
Instructions
- Using the saute setting on the instant pot, brown beef in batches. Season with salt and pepper. Remove beef.
- Add butter to pot and saute onion. Add carrot and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Cancel saute setting.
- Pour a bit of beef broth to pot and scrap the bottom to release the brown bits. Add remaining broth, beef, bay leaf and seasonings, then stir. Sprinkle barley so that it is immersed in liquid, but stays above the other ingredients.
- Set lid on instant pot and lock. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then natural release the pressure for another 15 minutes. Release remaining pressure before removing lid.
- Add condensed tomato soup, and adjust with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
Nutrition
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