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Beef and Barley Soup in Instant Pot

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PREP TIME
15 min
COOKING TIME
65 min
TOTAL TIME
100 min
SERVINGS
6 servings
Dinner
Beef and Barley Soup in Instant Pot
Ingredients
  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided, or as needed
  • 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped carrots
  • 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped onions
  • 1 cup roughly chopped celery
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 6 cups no-salt-added beef broth
  • 2/3 cup pearl barley, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon base
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Instructions
1
Begin by sprinkling beef liberally with salt and pepper to enhance its flavor.
2
Next, activate a versatile pressure cooker such as Instant Pot and switch it to the Sauté mode. Warm 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in the pot by tilting it, ensuring an even distribution of the oil. Wait until the oil starts to shimmer before adding 1/2 of the beef and cooking it in hot oil until it's nicely browned, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the browned beef to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef.
3
Heat another 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in the pot; once it's warmed up, add the mushrooms. Cook them in hot oil, stirring occasionally, until they're slightly browned, taking around 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the beef.
4
Add a final 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to the pot. Sauté and stir carrots, onions, and celery in hot oil until they begin to soften, taking about 5 minutes. Introduce garlic and cook it until just fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Pour in wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until the wine has almost evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the browned beef and mushrooms to the pot. Combine them with beef broth, barley, tomato paste, bay leaves, thyme, bouillon base, and red pepper flakes until everything is well mixed.
5
Close the lid and secure it firmly. Set the pressure cooker to high according to its manufacturer's instructions; set a timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build up.
6
Release the pressure using the natural-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions for 15 minutes. Release any remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to the manufacturer's instructions, taking about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Discard the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt to suit your preferences.