Here’s an Instant Pot Vegetable Barley soup recipe that is packed with the wholesome goodness of veggies, and barley. A perfect meal recipe for cold wintery days or a steamy side for a sandwich. It’s 100% vegan goodness with no chicken stock or fish sauce. You can prepare this soup over the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. I agree to be sent email.
The cooking time with an instant pot or any electric pressure cooker is just under 20 minutes. So you can prepare this hearty soup recipe from start to finish in 30 minutes or less! I am adding this to my list of favorite Instant Pot recipes that require little or no planning. Isn’t that what we all need on weekdays? I have prepared this soup 3 times in the last 2 weeks. That’s how much my 7-year-old liked it. The barley soup is so simple that she was able to follow along easily and called it the simplest soup ever 🙂 This instant pot vegetable barley soup was a great success every time and I can’t wait to share the details with you. I am sure it will be a hit with your whole family just like it was with mine! So let’s get started!
What is barley?
Barley is a versatile, nutritious whole grain. It is said to have lots of health benefits including being high in fiber and rich in nutrients such as selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, and biotin. For this soup, barley brings a nice and thick texture and complements the flavors from the vegetables very well.
Ingredients note
How to make this
Start by washing the barley in water and rinse until you see clear water. This will remove all the dust in pearl barley. Set IP on saute mode add oil. As the oil heats up, add chopped garlic and onions. Saute them until onions turn translucent. Add tomato paste, and deglaze by adding 2 tablespoon water or vegetable stock. Add the seasonings: Bay leaf, Italian seasoning mix, paprika, cumin powder, black pepper powder. Stir to combine well. Add chopped vegetables, water, vegetable stock, barley grains, and salt. Close lid with the vent in sealing position. Set IP on manual mode or pressure cook and the timer set for 15 minutes. As the timer expires and the IP beeps, turn off the IP manually and wait for pressure to release naturally (not quick release). Open the lid after all pressure is released and check if barley is cooked (tender core). If not cooked fully, continue to cook in saute mode (medium-high heat) until well done ( 3-5 minutes). Alternatively, you could also do a quick pressure release with a relatively shorter-timer setting. Your flavorful soup is ready for the table! Serve hot with a side of sourdough bread or toasted french bread.
Substitution
If you prefer or need a gluten-free option, use Quinoa instead of barley. You can add any kind of veggies you prefer, that suits your family. I had used flavorful broth like the low sodium vegetable broth instead of a salt and water combination to make it more flavorful. To add variation, you could add some vegan butter at the end for extra flavor and richness.
Expert tips
You can make this on the stove-top too, just adjust the cooking time for about 40 min. The saute setting should be performed on medium heat.You could add in your own variation of the seasoning blend instead of the Italian seasoning mix.Serve with some vegan parmesan cheese shreds or just salt and pepper.Pair this comfort food with a side of crusty bread like toasted french bread.Add black beans to make the soup thicker and to have a higher protein content.Use the soup as a meal replacement option to help in your weight loss goals.
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📖 Recipe
