Cook up a stick-to-your-ribs meal when the weather outside is frightful: This Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup is packed with veggies, tender beef and soft barley for your new go-to comfort food soup. The pressure cooker does most of the work for you!
Soup in the instant pot is one of my favorite things to make when the weather turns cooler. And believe it or not: But my kids LOVE soup, especially when it’s packed with veggies they like. Here I’m sharing one of my go to soups – a flavorful beef and barley soup, filled with carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, pearl barley and tender beef. It’s in my regular instant pot soup rotation, right alongside my Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup and my Instant Pot Potato Soup.
How to Make Beef Barley Soup in the Instant Pot:
Read on for the detailed step-by-step ingredients and instructions, or scroll down for tips and the printable recipe card.
Ingredients for Beef Barley Soup:
This easy soup recipe includes tender chunks of beef, healthy vegetables and pearl barley – cooked to perfection in the instant pot.
You Need:
- 2 pounds beef, cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
- 6 – 7 cups beef broth
- 4 small waxy potatoes, diced
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
Ingredient Swaps
- use sliced green beans in place of the celery stalks
- if you have kids who are picky about bits of onion (ask me how I know…), replace it with 1/2 teaspoon dried onion powder and an extra chopped celery stalk
- for a delicious flavor twist, use 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning in place of the thyme called for in the recipe
Equipment Needed for Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
You need the following equipment ready:
- a knife and chopping board
- a plate to set aside the browned beef
- measuring cups and spoons
- a wooden cooking spoon
- an electric pressure cooker
Steps
Brown the beef first for maximum flavor, then pressure cook all ingredients for the soup for a simple all-in-one meal.
1 – Brown the Beef:
To make sure the meat turns out flavorful, season it well with salt and pepper before browning.
To brown, set the instant pot to âsautĂ©â and add some oil to the inner pot.
To make sure the beef actually browns (and doesnât turn soggy), work in 2-3 batches to brown it. It takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it!
Remove the browned beef to a clean plate and set aside.
2 – SautĂ© the vegetables:
Now, stir the onion and garlic into the instant pot and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the celery and carrots and cook for one more minute.
Switch off the instant pot and add the meat back into the pot, along with all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for the peas. Stir very well to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, to prevent the “burn” warning from appearing.
3 – Pressure cook:
Close the lid and set the valve to the âsealingâ position.
Press the âmanualâ or the âpressure cookâ button (depends on your instant pot model) and set the timer to 15 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, let the instant pot do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
I like to cover the instant pot with a kitchen towel and move the valve with a wooden spoon for more safety.
4 – Finish the soup:
Once you have opened the pot, stir the peas into the soup. Set the instant pot to “sautĂ©” and cook for two more minutes, then serve hot.
Nora’s Tips for the Best Beef Barley Soup:
Patting the beef dry with paper towels before browning helps the beef caramelize better, which makes the whole dish more flavorful.
Use a good stewing meat cut into roughly 0.75 inch chunks for best results.
For a thicker/less broth-y soup, use 6 cups of beef stock and starchy potatoes instead of waxy ones. You can also blend 1-2 cups of the soup and stir it back in for a creamy base.
We buy our potatoes at the farm down the road and they come covered in soil, so I usually peel them. If you’re using small/new/clean potatoes, cut down on prep time by leaving the skin on.
Don’t skip the natural pressure releases, or your meat may turn out tough.
Pair this Beef Barley Soup Recipe With:
Print the Recipe:
Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 stalks celery sliced
- 4 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 15- oz can diced tomatoes
- 6 – 7 cups beef broth
- 4 small waxy potatoes diced
- 3/4 cup pearl barley
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
Equipment
- a plate to set aside the browned beef
- wooden cooking spoon
Instructions
- Brown Beef: Season beef well with salt and pepper. Set instant pot to "sauté" and heat oil in it, then brown the beef in 2-3 batches. Set aside on a plate.
- Sauté vegetables: Stir onion and garlic into the instant pot and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook for one more minute. Switch off instant pot and add the meat and remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for the peato pot. Stir very well to release any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Pressure cook: Close the lid and set the valve to the âsealingâ position. Pressure cook for 15 minutes. Do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Finish soup: Once you have opened the pot, stir the peas into the soup. Set the instant pot to "sauté" and cook for two more minutes, then serve hot.
Nutrition
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