This Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup recipe is hearty and satisfying with tender pieces of beef, nutritious barley, and flavorful vegetables in a rich, savory broth that’s brightened with fresh herbs. Let the Instant Pot do all the work; this healthy, delicious soup tastes like it simmered on the stovetop all day!
As a kid when my mom made soup it was usually an all-day affair. Or at least a three to four-hour event. (Mom's soups were always amazing!)
I’ll admit, as much as I love cooking I don’t always feel spending the better part of an afternoon or evening doing it! At least not on a weekday.
This is one recipe where the Instant Pot comes to the rescue. It transforms what would otherwise be a very time-consuming soup to cook into something that requires just 20 minutes of hands-on prep time. That’s definitely manageable for any weeknight!
Now about this soup. It’s hearty and packed with savory flavor in a tomato-based broth. Chunks of beef are tender and juicy, and the pearl barley and vegetables cook perfectly. I know what you’re thinking – How though?! Beef stew meat and vegetables have different cooking times!
And you’re right. There’s a trick I discovered to it, and you can do it right in your Instant Pot.
You’ll be surprised at what it is: simply add the barley and vegetables, but don’t stir them. This does two things: 1) makes sure that the barley doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, and 2) helps the potatoes rest above the cooking liquid, so they don’t overcook.
Try this Instant Pot beef barley soup recipe to see for yourself!
What is Barley?
Barley is a cereal grain that’s part of the grass family, along with things like rye, oats, wheat, and rice. It was one of the first cultivated grains, being grown as early as 10,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Barley also grows wild in parts of western Asian and northeast Africa.
Barley production worldwide is quite high; it’s the fourth most produced grain after corn, rice, and wheat. Much of this grain is used as animal feed. Additionally, a large portion of the barley crop goes to producing beer. But barley is still a significant foodstuff for humans.
Barley is commonly available as pearl barley (also called pearled barley) or hulled barley. Hulled barley is considered a whole grain because only the inedible outer portion is removed during processing. On the other hand, pearl barley has the outer hull removed as well as some (or all) of the bran layer.
Barley is nutritious, with a good variety of vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants, including vitamin E and beta-carotene. It’s also high in fiber, mainly a soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which forms a gel when combined with liquid.
You can read more about barley, including its history, usage, and health benefits on Healthline, Medical News Today, Tasting Table, and Wikipedia.
Easy Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup Recipe
This healthy, satisfying soup is packed with flavor as well as nutrition! It’s full of tender pieces of beef, a variety of vegetables, and delicious and hearty pearl barley in a robust tomato broth.
Ingredients in Beef Barley Soup
- Olive oil – to brown the beef cubes
- Chuck steak – you can use any beef stew meat you like, or substitute with ground beef instead; I love chuck steak here because the marbling adds great flavor and helps the meat become very tender as it cooks
- Onion and garlic – for complex savory aroma and flavor
- Beef stock – homemade or store-bought is fine
- Canned diced tomatoes – this adds body and texture to the soup
- Salt and black pepper – to season the soup
- Worcestershire sauce – for savory complexity and depth of flavor
- Pearl barley – this grain has a slightly nutty flavor and soft, chewy texture when cooked
- Carrot, celery and potato – these classic stew vegetables bump up the nutrition and pair perfectly with beef and barley
- Rosemary and thyme – these woodsy fresh herbs brighten and enhance the flavor of beef barley soup
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Look for a beautifully marbled chuck steak. Trim off excess fat, and cut the meat into 1-inch cubes.
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Once hot, add the oil and beef. Cook until the beef is seared, about 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Stir in the beef stock, diced tomatoes with juices, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the pearl barley without stirring.
- Then add the carrot, celery, and potato without stirring (most of the potato will be resting above the liquid).
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure to set the lid to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 20 minutes. Once it’s done cooking, let the pot naturally release its pressure for 15 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure and open the pot. Stir in the rosemary and thyme.
Stir it up, and then serve it up. This thick, satisfying soup is like a beef barley stew!
How to Make Beef Barley Soup on the Stovetop
You can easily cook beef barley soup on the stovetop if you don't have an Instant Pot. Made this way, the cook time is approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes.
- Add the oil to a large soup pot over high heat. Once hot, add the beef in a single layer and let it sear, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the beef stock, diced tomatoes with juices, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring up to a boil, cover the pot, turn the heat down slightly, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the barley, carrot, celery, and potato. Bring back up to a boil, cover, and simmer until the barley and vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rosemary and thyme, and serve!
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating
This soup reheats well on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Similar to pasta, barley in soup will cause the soup to thicken as it sits. When you want to reheat beef barley soup you may want to add a splash of water or beef stock to thin it out. Otherwise, it’s more like beef barley stew!
Tips for Making Perfect Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
- Carefully follow the cooking method in the recipe. The stir times might sound odd, but they’re specific for a reason. For example, the potatoes should be sitting above the liquid so it cooks perfectly and doesn’t overcook.
- Ground beef substitute. Instead of cubed chuck steak, you can use 1 ½ pounds of 90% lean ground beef.
- Bump up the flavor at the end. There’s a really easy way to make the flavor of slow-cooked (or pressure-cooked) dish pop. Simply add a little acid right before serving! A squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a splash of red wine vinegar are perfect here.
Beef Barley Soup Recipe FAQs
Should Barley be Cooked Before Adding to Soup?
No, you don’t have to cook barley before adding it to soup.
Barley will cook and become tender and chewy as the soup simmers. Pearl barley typically needs 20 to 30 minutes to cook, and hulled barley usually requires 40 minutes to 1 hour.
In this soup recipe, the pearl barley cooks perfectly in the Instant Pot.
Do You Rinse Barley Before Cooking?
No, there’s no need to rinse barley before cooking.
More Instant Pot Dinner Recipes to Make
- Instant Pot Picadillo
- 30-Minute Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup
- Instant Pot Beef American Goulash
- Keto Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Let's Connect
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Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds chuck steak excess fat trimmed off and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 large cloves garlic crushed
- 7 cups beef stock
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 large ribs celery chopped
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
Instructions
- Press the “Sauté” function on the Instant Pot and wait for it to heat up. Once hot, add the oil and beef. Cook until the beef is seared, about 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Press “Cancel” to stop the “Sauté” function.
- Stir in the beef stock, diced tomatoes with juices, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the pearl barley without stirring, and then add the carrot, celery, and potato without stirring (most of the potato will be resting above the liquid).
- Cover the Instant Pot, making sure to set the lid to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 20 minutes.
- Once it’s done cooking, let the pot naturally release its pressure for 15 minutes, and then carefully release the remaining pressure and open the pot.
- Stir in the rosemary and thyme, and serve.
Faith's Tips
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: This soup reheats well on the stovetop or in the microwave. Similar to pasta, barley in soup will cause the soup to thicken as it sits. When you want to reheat beef barley soup you may want to add a splash of water or beef stock to thin it out. Otherwise, it’s more like beef barley stew!
How to Make Beef Barley Soup on the Stovetop
You can easily cook beef barley soup on the stovetop if you don't have an Instant Pot. Made this way, the cook time is approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes.- Add the oil to a large soup pot over high heat. Once hot, add the beef in a single layer and let it sear, about 5 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the beef stock, diced tomatoes with juices, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring up to a boil, cover the pot, turn the heat down slightly, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the barley, carrot, celery, and potato. Bring back up to a boil, cover, and simmer until the barley and vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the rosemary and thyme, and serve!
Nutrition
harry h says
Fairly easy to make with a lot of flavor but was "sweet". I added 1 tbs of apple cider vinegar for balance.
Betsy says
I made this for company the other day, and served it with a loaf of bakery sourdough bread. I also made the chewy brownies recipe from this site for dessert. It was the perfect winter meal!