Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup is a hearty, flavorful, soup you can have ready to eat in a hurry! Perfectly seasoned with a blend of classic vegetables and herbs, this soup is bound to become your next favorite weeknight dinner.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
If you love hearty, comforting soups that are also healthy and easy to make, then you will absolutely adore this Instant Pot beef barley soup recipe! In just 40 minutes of cooking time in your Instant Pot, you'll have a savory meal packed with protein-rich beef and fiber-filled barley for the whole family to enjoy.
If you love Instant Pot cooking see our entire collection of Instant Pot recipes also!
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Ingredients
I have two secret ingredients for my version of Instant Pot beef barley soup. It's a few diced mushrooms and a few tablespoons of Sherry vinegar! These two extras transform this humble beef and barley soup from delicious into scrumptious.
- Olive oil - for sauteing the beef.
- Onion - rough chopped.
- Garlic - minced.
- Beef Stew meat - or cubed chuck steak.
- Sherry Vinegar - Optional, but it's the secret ingredient in our Panera Bistro French Onion soup copycat recipe, and it is a transformational elevation to the beefy flavors of this soup. You will only use a few tablespoons to deglaze the pot after sauteing the beef.
- Carrots - cut in chunks.
- Celery - diced.
- Beef Broth - any carton of Beef stock or broth, even homemade.
- Mushrooms - any, but Portobello are my favorite. Cut in chunks.
- Potatoes - I like small red potatoes or Yukon Golds, as they hold their shape in this soup better than Russet potatoes.
- Bay Leaves - for flavor.
- Thyme sprig - fresh if possible, but dried thyme is fine also.
- Pearl Barley - make sure you get Pearl Barley, not rolled barley.
- Black Pepper
- Salt
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Filled with nutritious ingredients like beef, barley, vegetables and herbs cooked in a flavorful broth, this meal not only tastes amazing but is also ready in just under an hour!
Saute the Beef
- Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot cooking bowl. Hit the 'Saute' mode on your Instant Pot and saute the onion, garlic, and celery for about 3 minutes or until the onions and garlic start to smell fragrant.
- Add the beef chunks and saute for another 5 minutes until the beef is lightly browned.
- Add the two tablespoons of Sherry vinegar and stir to deglaze the pot (scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan).
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Add Barley
- Add the beef stock, carrot chunks, potato chunks, Portobello mushrooms, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot and stir.
- Stir in the uncooked Pearl barley.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Seal and Set Pressure
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, turn the vent to Pressure. You can choose a preprogrammed setting of "Soup", or use the Manually setting of High pressure for 20 minutes.
Release Instant Pot Pressure
- When the Instant Pot cooking timer beeps, allow a 15 minute natural release. then carefully manually release any remaining steam. Open the Instant Pot lid and either ladle into bowls, or transfer to a soup tureen or bowl for serving.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Instant Pot beef barley soup alongside some crusty Irish Soda Bread or toasted bagel, and a salad for an extra dose of deliciousness - however you decide to enjoy this hearty soup, we guarantee it won't disappoint!
For a quick and easy bagel recipe see our 3 Ingredient Bagels with Sun Dried Tomatoes, or try our Sourdough Naan recipe!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions & Variation
- Crock Pot Beef & Barley Soup - follow the steps for our Instant Pot beef barley soup, except cook it in the slow cooker or Crock-pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Add the barley during after 4 hours on the low setting, or after 2 hours on the high setting. If you will be away from home for the full cook time, add the barley very last after precooking and draining it. Simmer with the soup 30 minutes, then serve.
- Dutch Oven Beef Barley Soup - Follow the Instant Pot beef barley steps, but use a stove top Dutch oven. Simmer meat, seasonings, onion, garlic, and broth on the stove top for 2 hours, then add the barley, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Simmer until the barley is tender.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
Storage
Store any leftover soup in covered tubs or containers. Keep in the refrigerator and reheat in a sauce pan or in the microwave.
Tips for Success
- Always vent the Instant Pot away from you when releasing steam manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Instant Pot beef barley soup freezes excellently! Store in containers for up to 3 months in your freezer. Defrost in your refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan or in your microwave.
If you want to make a very budget friendly version of this Instant Pot beef barley soup, try substituting the stew beef or chuck beef with ground beef. Break up and brown the ground beef lightly in the saute stage.
No, it is not because barley does have gluten. If you want a gluten free beef barley soup, substitute the barley with Arborio rice, as it has a shape and texture in soup similar to barley and IS gluten free.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 rib celery diced
- 2 lbs beef chuck cubed, or cubed stew meat
- 2 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 large carrots chunked
- 1 lb red potatoes or Yukon Golds, chunked
- 4 oz Portobello mushrooms cut up into chunks or slices
- 1 cup pearl barley uncooked
- 2 Bay leaves whole
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a fresh sprig
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot cooking bowl. Hit the 'Saute' mode on your Instant Pot and saute the onion, garlic, and celery for about 3 minutes or until the onions and garlic start to smell fragrant.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 rib celery
- Add the beef chunks and saute for another 5 minutes until the beef is lightly browned.2 lbs beef chuck
- Add the two tablespoons of Sherry vinegar and stir to deglaze the pot (scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan).2 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
- Add the beef stock, carrot chunks, potato chunks, Portobello mushrooms, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot and stir.6 cups beef stock, 1 lb red potatoes, 4 oz Portobello mushrooms, 2 Bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 large carrots
- Stir in the uncooked Pearl barley.1 cup pearl barley
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, turn the vent to Pressure. You can choose a preprogrammed setting of "Soup" or use the Manually setting of High pressure for 20 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot cooking timer beeps, allow a 15 minute natural release. then carefully manually release any remaining steam. Open the Instant Pot lid and either ladle into bowls, or transfer to a soup tureen or bowl for serving.
Notes
- This Instant Pot beef barley soup continues to thicken as it cools. You can add additional beef broth or water to thin it back to a soupy texture if the pearl barley thickens it too much on the second day.
- Always vent the Instant Pot away from you when releasing steam manually.
Nutrition
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