Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup
Instant Pot Beef and Barley Soup is an easy recipe for a soup that features tender beef and perfectly cooked barley in a rich, deep broth.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound sirloin steak or chuck roast cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 large carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery minced
- 4 cups low-sodium beef stock/broth low sodium
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared Horseradish optional
- ½ cup pearl barley rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Turn the pressure cooker to sauté function, add oil, and let heat for a minute. While the oil is heating, season the meat evenly with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
- Once the oil is heated, add in the beef, carrots, celery, and onion. Saute until the beef is browned on all sides and the vegetables begin to soften. Add in garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Turn Instant Pot OFF by hitting cancel.
- Add in 1 cup of beef stock and scrape up the bottom of the pressure cooker to remove any browned bits using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the remaining 3 cups of stock, bay leaves, thyme, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, prepared horseradish, if using, rinsed barley, and stir to combine. Add the diced tomatoes and gently stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the valve to seal. Set to cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Hit "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" and use the +/- buttons to adjust the time.
- After the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. Once pressure has been released, open the lid and remove the bay leaves and the sprig of thyme.
- Give the soup a taste and add additional salt or pepper if needed and serve.
Video
Notes
Beef: Sirloin beef, chuck roast, or stew meat are all great options for this Beef and Barley Soup. Either purchase a whole sirloin steak or chuck roast and cut yourself into approximately 2-inch cubes, or purchase stew meat that has already been cubed for you.
Saute: It is NOT necessary to saute the beef and vegetables first, but it does add a depth flavor to the final soup.
If using FROZEN cubed beef, do not sauté the beef. Instead just sauté the onions, carrots, and celery if desired, and then add the beef with the remaining ingredients. Adjust the cooking time to 30 minutes.
Barley: Be sure to use pearled barley, not quick-cook barley for best results.
Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes both work well to add flavor to the broth, it just comes down to preference or using what you have on hand.
Storage: Store cooled, leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cooled soup for up to 3 months. Keep in mind, you may need to add a splash of stock or water when reheating, as the barley absorbs some of the liquid as it sits.
Total Time: Prep Time is 10 minutes. Time to come to pressure 15 minutes. The time to cook is 20 minutes. Time to release pressure is 15 minutes. Total time is about 60 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5095IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1.7mg
