Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
User Reviews
5
Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
Description
The Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup uses cubed chuck roast browned whole before dicing, which helps retain moisture and develop flavor. Pearl barley adds a chewy texture contrasting the tender beef and vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Bay leaf and thyme contribute herbal notes while tomato paste enriches the broth. Chicken or unsalted beef stock forms the soup’s base, with soy and fish sauce introducing umami depth.
The cooking method utilizes the Instant Pot's sauté and pressure cook functions, browning the roast in one piece to seal juices, then sautéing vegetables and deglazing to build flavor layers, followed by pressure cooking to tenderize the beef and barley quickly. Setting aside some sautéed vegetables to add after pressure cooking preserves textural contrast.
Serve garnished with fresh Italian parsley or thyme for herbal brightness. This soup delivers a hearty, meaty broth with soft barley and tender beef chunks, suitable for a substantial lunch or dinner. It freezes well for make-ahead planning.
Notes emphasize the importance of using pearl barley and a well-marbled chuck roast for best results, avoiding leaner beef cuts. Deglazing the pot prevents burning and improves flavor. Adjust salt due to varying stock sodium content. Fish sauce and soy sauce enhance savory complexity uncommon in traditional beef barley soups.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (950g) beef chuck roast , cubed 1¼ inch after browning (see notes)
- 1 - 2 tablespoons (15ml - 30ml) olive oil
- 1 (250g) onion roughly sliced, large
- 3 (275g) carrot chopped, medium
- 3 ribs (290g) celery , chopped
- 6 (25g) garlic minced, cloves
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon (1g) thyme dried
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
- 5 cups (1.25L) chicken stock or good quality beef stock, unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) salt fine
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce regular
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce (can substitute with 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce)
- ¾ cup (150g) pearl barley
- salt kosher salt, to taste; ground black pepper, to taste
- black pepper kosher salt, to taste; ground black pepper, to taste
Optional Garnish
- Italian parsley
- thyme
Instructions
- Brown Chuck Roast Steak: Heat up Instant Pot using “Sauté More” function. Wait until Instant Pot says “HOT” (roughly 8 minutes). Pat dry chuck roast steak with a paper towel. Generously season one side of the chuck roast with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Add 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil in Instant Pot. Make sure to coat the oil well over the whole bottom of the pot. Place the seasoned side of chuck roast in Instant Pot, then season the other side of chuck roast with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Let chuck roast brown for 8 minutes per side to develop some deep flavors. Don’t need to constantly flip the chuck roast. When the chuck roast is nicely browned, remove it and set aside.
- Saute Onion & Vegetables: Add in sliced onions, then saute for 4 minutes. Add in chopped carrots and celery, then saute for 3 minutes. Set aside one-third of the vegetables. We'll add them back in after pressure cooking (in Step 6). This will add more textures to the soup.
- Saute Garlic & Herbs: Add in minced garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp (1g) dried thyme, and 2 tbsp (30g) tomato paste, then saute for another 2 minutes.
- Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in 1 cup (250ml) unsalted stock. Completely deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon.
- Pressure Cook Beef Barley Soup: Turn off Instant Pot. Add in ¼ tsp (2g) fine salt, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, and 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce. Give it a quick mix. Cut the browned chuck steak into 1¼ inch thick beef cubes. Add beef cubes, all its meat juice, and the remaining 4 cups (1L) unsalted stock in Instant Pot. Add in ¾ cup (150g) pearl barley, and make sure they're all submerged in the cooking liquid. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook beef barley soup at High Pressure for 20 minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes. Release the remaining pressure by turning Venting Knob to Venting Position. Open the lid carefully.
- Add Vegetables Back in Soup: Add previously set-aside vegetables (from step 2) back in Instant Pot. Press "Saute" button. Simmer the beef barley soup for a few minutes to finish cooking the "set-aside" vegetables. Stir occasionally.
- Season & Serve: Discard the two bay leaves if you like. Taste and season the Beef Barley soup with more salt. For reference, we added 3 large pinches of salt at the end to season the soup. Garnish soup with freshly chopped Italian parsley, then serve.
Notes
- Use a well-marbled chuck roast for moist, flavorful meat.
- Choose pearl barley to ensure proper cooking time and texture.
- Deglaze the pot thoroughly after browning to avoid "burn" errors and boost flavor.
- Adjust salt levels based on whether your stock is salted or unsalted.
- Freezes well; reheat gently and stir before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 404 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 404kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 35g | 70% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 104mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 626mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 1107mg | 24% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 7986IU | 160% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 94mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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