Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup

This Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup is a quick and easy way to enjoy hearty, flavorful, homemade soup in no time!

This soup is full of tender meat and vegetables like mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and onion! It is perfectly satisfying for lunch or dinner, any day of the week!

A bowl of comforting beef and barley soup garnished with fresh thyme.

As much as I love my slow cooker, the Instant Pot cooks this soup to perfection in a fraction of the time, and who doesn’t love having some spare extra time in the evening?

I actually love using my Instant Pot for many soup recipes. A few other delicious and easy soups I’ve been loving are: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Hearty Beef Stew, and Easy Taco Soup.

REASONS WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP:

This beef and barley soup is super hearty and packed with tender meat.
It’s done in no time! Thanks to the Instant Pot, you will be enjoying this rich and delicious soup in under an hour!
It’s the perfect meal for any day of the week and the whole family will absolutely love it!
This soup is delicious AND nutritious thanks to all of the vegetables!
If you crave a big bowl of comforting soup like I do in the winter, this is the perfect recipe for you.
You could store this soup in the freezer and enjoy it later! It stays good in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Top down view of beef and barley soup in a blue bowl with a spoon.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

Beef stew meat – typically beef stew meat is comprised of cuts with tough connective tissue and so when it is simmered the tissue breaks down and becomes deliciously tender and juicy!
Veggies – I went with mushrooms, potatoes, diced tomatoes, onion, celery and carrots but you could use any vegetables you love.
Low sodium beef broth/stock – use low sodium broth so you are able to control the level of sodium in your soup.
Pearl barley – the most common type of barley, as it has a chewy and tender texture when used in soup.
Better than Bouillon Beef Base – I prefer Better than Bouillon, as it gives the dish more flavor and less sodium than typical bouillon cubes.
Herbs and aromatics – I went with bay leaf, dried thyme and garlic. This is a great combination for this soup recipe and many others!

HOW TO MAKE THIS INSTANT POT SOUP:

Set Instant Pot to saute setting. Add the stew meat, olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides then remove and set aside for about 5 minutes.
Throw the mushrooms in and saute until nicely browned.
Add the onion, celery, carrot, more salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Then add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Next, add some beef broth to deglaze the bottom of the pan and be sure to scrape up all the browned bits.
Add the remaining broth, browned meat, tomatoes, barley, potatoes, beef base, bay leaf and thyme.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn to the locking position. Set vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Let the Instant Pot do a natural release of pressure for 15 minutes, then turn vent to release remaining pressure before removing lid.

Top down view of beef and barley soup in a blue bowl served with fresh biscuits.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is the best cut of beef for this soup recipe?

Stew meat works great for making soup but if it isn’t available you can replace it with a chuck roast. Just cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes and you’re good to go.

Can you freeze this soup?

Yes, and it freezes well. Let the soup cool completely then pour into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4-6 months. Thaw and reheat as you wish.

Can I use rice rather than barley?

If you are going to substitute the barley for rice I recommend using arborio rice due to its higher starch content than regular white rice.

What if I don’t have Better than Bouillon Beef Base?

You could use regular bouillon cubes or just use the beef broth.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

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