Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup Recipe

This healthy, satisfying Instant Pot beef and barley soup recipe is packed with flavor as well as nutrition. It’s full of tender pieces of beef, a variety of vegetables, and hearty pearl barley in a robust tomato broth. With directions to make it on the stovetop if you prefer!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Beef Barley Soup, Beef Barley Soup Recipe, Beef Barley Stew, Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Other Time: 35

Servings servings

Calories 540kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chuck roast excess fat trimmed off and cut into 1-inch cubes (see Notes)
1 large onion chopped
6 large cloves garlic crushed
7 cups beef stock
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 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 into 1 1/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sauté. 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 liquids. Stir in the beef stock, diced tomatoes with juices, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
Layer in the other ingredients. Add the pearl barley without stirring, and then add the carrot, celery, and potato without stirring (most of the potato should be resting above the liquid).
Cook. Cover the Instant Pot, set the lid to “Sealing”, and cook on “Manual, High Pressure” for 20 minutes.
Natural pressure release. 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.
Serve. Stir in the rosemary and thyme, and enjoy.

Notes

Chuck Roast: If you're wondering what's the difference between chuck steak and chuck roast, it's thickness (both of these cuts come from the same shoulder area of the cow). Chuck steaks are usually about 1 inch thick, while chuck roasts are thicker. To make this soup, we're cutting the meat into 1-inch cubes, so either chuck steak or chuck roast will work.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (TIP: This soup freezes well and is great for meal prep! I like to freeze it in individual containers so I can thaw as many servings as I need for quick, easy meals.)
Reheating: This soup reheats well on the stovetop or in the microwave. (TIP: 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.

Sear the beef. 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.
Sauté the aromatics. Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Boil until the beef is tender. 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.
Cook until the veggies are tender. 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.
Finishing touches. Add the rosemary and thyme, and serve.

Nutrition