Go Back
Skillet Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup, instant pot soup recipes
Brittany Stage

Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

This Instant Pot beef and barley soup delivers Sunday-dinner flavor in about 45 minutes thanks to a quick saute step that builds a savory base before pressure cooking. Pearl barley does all the thickening work naturally, giving you a hearty, stew-like bowl with minimal effort.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes, patted dry
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 stalks celery sliced
  • 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 oz, with juices
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley rinsed
  • 4 cups beef broth low-sodium preferred
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for serving

Equipment

  • 6-quart Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
  • wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Method
 

  1. Select Saute mode on Normal heat and let the pot get hot for about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil. Season the beef cubes with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Add the beef to the pot in a single layer, working in two batches so you do not crowd the pan. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side until you see a golden crust form, then transfer to a plate. Do not skip this step. That browning is where a lot of the flavor comes from.
  2. Add the diced onion to the pot with the remaining drippings. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds more. You should smell the garlic become fragrant. Pour in about 1/4 cup of the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Those bits add flavor and also prevent a burn warning.
  3. Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the carrots, celery, diced tomatoes with their juices, rinsed pearl barley, remaining beef broth, water, thyme sprigs, Worcestershire sauce, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together.
  4. Lock the lid in place and set the valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual on High and set the timer for 30 minutes. The pot will take about 12 to 15 minutes to build pressure before the countdown starts.
  5. When the timer finishes, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. After that, switch the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the lid carefully.
  6. Stir the soup well. The barley will have absorbed broth and puffed up, giving the soup a thick, stew-like consistency. Fish out and discard the thyme sprigs. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

If your soup looks too thick after sitting, add extra beef broth a half cup at a time while reheating and stir well. Pearl barley keeps absorbing liquid even after cooking, so the leftovers will always be thicker than the freshly made batch. This is normal and part of what makes the soup so satisfying.