Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup

5 from 5 votes

This Instant Pot beef barley soup is rich, hearty, healthy and so tasty! This wholesome meal is packed with tender chunks of beef, vegetables, and chewy pearl barley! Savor a bowl or two of this homemade beef barley soup during these cozy, chilly winter nights! A satisfied tummy and soul, guaranteed :)

Course Soups

Cuisine American

Keyword Beef And Barley, Instant Pot Recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 550kcal

Author Freda Dias

Equipment

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 lb boneless chuck roast, cut into bite-size pieces, you can also use stewing beef
8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
2 medium carrots diced into half-moons, about 1 cup
3 celery stalks diced, about 1 cup
1 medium onion chopped finely, 1 cup
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup pearl barley rinsed
1- quart low sodium beef stock
2 cups water
2 bay leaves

Seasoning Mix

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Other ingredients

freshly grated parmesan cheese as required, optional, for garnishing

Instructions

Press the 'SAUTE' button, set it to "NORMAL' and wait until it displays 'HOT'. Add a tablespoon of oil, once it heats up, add half of the beef cubes in a single layer, cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Transfer the meat to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batch of meat, adding a tablespoon more of oil if necessary.
Add sliced mushrooms, saute for 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot as you saute. The mushrooms will release moisture which will help pick up all the brown bits (known as fond) at the bottom of the pot. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring occasionally. Add more oil if required to saute the veggies.
Next, add minced garlic, cook until fragrant, another 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and seasoning mix. Cook for 2 minutes. At this point, if you still find some browned bits stuck at the bottom of the pot (ideally you shouldn't), use 1/4 cup of the beef stock to de-glaze the pot in order to avoid any potential 'BURN' error. Press 'CANCEL' to turn off the saute mode.
Add the rinsed barley, browned meat along with its juices and sauteed mushrooms to the pot.
Next, add the stock and water.
Add Worcestershire sauce, give everything a really good mix.
Throw in the bay leaves.
Close the lid of the Instant Pot with the valve on 'SEALING' position. Press the manual or pressure cook button and pressure cook on high for 20 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 22 minutes), after which the timer will start.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release following the manufacturer's instructions. Once the float valve (silver pin) drops, open the lid.
Sprinkle chopped parsley, and mix well. Check for seasonings and adjust accordingly. Discard the bay leaves before serving.
Dish out, sprinkle some parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy your very own homemade beef barley soup along with some crusty bread :)

Video

Notes

You can add about 1/2 cup of red or white wine in step 5, after sauteing the tomato paste and herbs. Let the wine simmer for another 4-5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
Stove-top version: Use a large dutch pot or heavy-bottomed pot, follow the same procedure up to step 7. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally in between, adding more liquid if it looks dry.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates calculated using an online nutrition calculator. If you depend on these values for your diet, please use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml

Nutrition