Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

A bird's eye view of a bowl of barley soup.

5 from 4 votes

Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

Tender beef, chewy pearl barley, and vegetables simmer in a rich, savory broth flavored with oregano and basil. A hearty one-pot soup for a comforting family dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Pressure buildup and natural release:30

Total Time30

Course: dinner, lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American

Diet: Halal

Servings: servings

Calories: 269kcal

Author: Amira

Equipment

Instant pot
Medium bowl

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds Beef stew meat or boneless chuck roast, cut into evenly sized cubes
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
2 tbsps all purpose flour
3 tbsps olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 large garlic cloves crushed or minced
2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks diced
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1 ½ teaspoon fresh basil chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
2 cups boiling water
4 cups beef broth
¾ cup pearl barley

Instructions

Place the beef in a medium bowl. Add the salt, black pepper, and flour, then toss until evenly coated.
Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and heat the olive oil. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pot, transferring browned beef to a plate.
Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the oregano, basil, and tomato paste.
Add chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery. Continue to cook and stir for another 5 minutes.
Pour in 1 cup of the hot water. Scrape the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen all browned bits.
Return any reserved beef and its juices to the pot. Add the remaining 1 cup water, beef broth, and pearl barley. Stir to combine. Keep the contents below your appliance’s half full limit as the food will expand.
Cancel the Sauté setting. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10-15 minutes then release the remaining pressure manually. Once all the pressure is released, carefully open the lid, keeping your face away from the steam.
Stir the soup and check that the beef and barley are tender. If needed, simmer on Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Add a little extra broth if you prefer a thinner soup. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Notes

Use regular pearl barley. Quick-cooking barley and hulled barley require different cooking methods or times and should not be substituted directly.
The barley continues absorbing liquid as the soup sits. Add broth or water when reheating to loosen it.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
Freeze cooled soup in individual portions. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave individual portions until heated through.

Nutrition