Instant Pot Beef, Barley, and Sun-Dried Tomato Soup
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on October 12, 2025
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Do not substitute hulled, hull-less, quick-cooking, or presteamed barley (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this) in this recipe. You can substitute an equal weight of flat-iron steaks for blade steaks. Serve with crusty bread.
Instructions
- Using highest sauté function, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add 1 finely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste, 1½ tablespoons minced thyme, and 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add ¾ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 2 peeled and chopped carrots; ½ cup rinsed pearl barley; ¼ cup soy sauce; and 2 bay leaves to pot, then nestle 2 pounds beef blade steak, trimmed, into broth mixture. Lock lid in place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 45 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
- Discard bay leaves. Transfer steaks to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard fat and gristle. Return beef to pot and let sit, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons minced parsley and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
To build a savory base for our soup, we started by lightly browning onion in sun-dried tomato oil. Tomato paste, thyme, and garlic added depth and built a flavorful fond, doing away with the need to brown the meat. Plump sun-dried tomatoes and a splash of soy sauce added extra beefy umami to the soup, while carrots brought some sweetness. For the beef component, we opted for blade steaks, which became easily shreddable with a fork after 45 minutes under pressure. A mere ½ cup of pearl barley was just enough to complement the shredded beef without taking over. A little minced parsley and red wine vinegar gave the soup a fresh, bright finish.
Before You Begin
Do not substitute hulled, hull-less, quick-cooking, or presteamed barley (read the ingredient list on the package to determine this) in this recipe. You can substitute an equal weight of flat-iron steaks for blade steaks. Serve with crusty bread.
Instructions
- Using highest sauté function, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add 1 finely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook until onion is softened and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup tomato paste, 1½ tablespoons minced thyme, and 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add ¾ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped; 2 peeled and chopped carrots; ½ cup rinsed pearl barley; ¼ cup soy sauce; and 2 bay leaves to pot, then nestle 2 pounds beef blade steak, trimmed, into broth mixture. Lock lid in place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 45 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
- Discard bay leaves. Transfer steaks to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard fat and gristle. Return beef to pot and let sit, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons minced parsley and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
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