Beef, Barley and Mushroom Stew

Warm up with this hearty Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew! Packed with tender beef, flavorful vegetables, and hearty, wholesome barley, it’s the ultimate comfort food. With potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and juicy mushrooms in every bite, this rich and satisfying stew is perfect for cozy dinners.

A stew is like the perfect marriage of a hearty entree and a cozy soup—warm, comforting, and full of flavor. This Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. It's the kind of meal that wraps you in a blanket of warmth, filling you up with every bite.

The best part? The tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of beef, cooked to perfection with hearty potatoes, sweet carrots, fresh celery, and savory mushrooms. The rich broth brings it all together, and the tomatoes add just the right touch of tanginess. But the real star here is the barley—oh, I absolutely love it! The barley gives the stew a creamy, satisfying texture that takes it from delicious to irresistible.

If you're like me, you’ll love how versatile this stew is. I’m always experimenting with it! For a mushroom lover like me, I often add extra mushrooms to really make them the star of the dish. If you can get your hands on some wild mushrooms—like a mix of earthy varieties or even chanterelles—you’re in for an extra treat. They bring such a deep, satisfying flavor to the stew. For an even richer, creamier finish, I’ll sometimes stir in a little heavy cream, and it takes the whole dish to a whole new level of indulgence. Whether you stick to the classic recipe or mix it up, this stew is easy to customize and always delicious.

This stew is perfect for meal prep. It reheats beautifully, making it an easy and delicious option for busy days. You can even freeze a batch for later, and it’ll taste just as comforting and rich when you’re ready to enjoy it again. It’s one of those dishes that gets even better with time, letting all the flavors continue to meld together.

Ingredients

(Scroll to the bottom of the page for the printable recipe card with all the measurements.)

• beef
  • There are several great options for beef in this stew. My go-to is always chuck roast or top sirloin—both become wonderfully tender when slow-cooked, making them perfect for stews. Beef shank (on the bone) or beef short ribs are also great.
• broth
  • I usually make use of the broth left from cooking the beef, which is packed with flavor. But to deepen the taste even further, I love combining beef and chicken broth. You could also go with vegetable broth if you want a lighter option.
• butter or oil (to saute the vegetables)
• onion
• celery
• carrots
• garlic
  • A hearty stew wouldn’t be the same without the classic combination of onions, carrots, celery and garlic. These aromatic veggies create the foundation for the stew’s flavor.
• tomatoes
  • I love adding tomatoes to the stew for a little balance. They bring just the right touch of sweetness and acidity, helping to cut through the richness of the beef and barley.
  • Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can use other tomato products, like tomato sauce, canned tomatoes or even tomato paste.
• bay leaves
  • (Seriously, what's a stew without bay leaves?!) 😊
• potatoes
  • You can use pretty much any potato in this stew—russets, golden, or red—they all work great. Potatoes help to thicken the stew and make it even more filling, plus they absorb all the delicious flavors of the broth.
• barley
  • The barley is what makes this stew so hearty. I absolutely love the texture and the nutty flavor it adds. Pearl barley is my favorite, but quick-cooking barley is a good substitute if you’re in a time crunch.
  • Not a fan of barley? You can easily swap it out for white or brown rice for a similar comforting texture.
• salt, pepper
• fresh herbs
  • Parsley, dill, or even a sprinkle of green onions can add a pop of color and a burst of fresh flavor. It’s the perfect finishing touch.

Cooking the Beef: The Key to a Perfect Stew

Start by placing your beef in a medium pot and covering it with at least an inch of water. Season with salt, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook the beef on low for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until it’s fork-tender.

Bonus Tip - Brown the beef on all sides first for an extra flavor boost!

If you’re using beef sirloin, it will cook faster than cuts like beef chuck, beef shank, or short ribs, so keep an eye on it. While the beef simmers, use a slotted spoon to skim off any impurities that float to the top. This will help keep the broth nice and clear.

Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and set it aside—it will be added to the stew later, at the very end.

You can cook the beef either on the stove or in the Instant Pot for a quicker option. For Instant Pot instructions, see the Beef Stew recipe below.

Why Cook the Beef Separately?

I like to cook the beef separately because it helps create a cleaner, more flavorful broth for my Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew. When you cook meat, a lot of particles and impurities rise to the surface of the broth, which can cloud the liquid. By cooking the beef in its own pot, I can easily skim off these impurities and strain the broth to ensure it's clear.

While the beef cooks, you can prep the rest of the stew in another pot, so in the end, it's much faster to do it this way too. It takes quite a long time for the beef to become tender, which is why I cook the rest of the stew in another pot, while the beef is cooking.

If you don’t mind a bit of cloudiness in your broth, you can cook everything together, but I personally prefer a clear, clean broth for my stews.

How To Make Beef, Barley and Mushroom Stew

1. Prepare the vegetables.
   • While the beef is cooking, heat 1-2 tablespoons of butter or oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to turn golden.
     Tip: This step is key to building the stew’s flavor base, so don’t rush it! Let the veggies develop a little caramelization for extra richness.
2. Add the bay Leaf, potatoes, and tomatoes.
   • Next, stir in 1 dry bay leaf, the potatoes, and the tomatoes (if using). The tomatoes add a nice depth of flavor, but they’re optional. If you prefer a less tangy stew, you can skip the fresh tomatoes and swap them for 1 tablespoon of tomato paste instead.
3. Add the broth and barley.
   Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil, add the barley and cook for about 20 minutes.
4. Now it's time for the mushrooms.
   • Cook for another 10 minutes and then discard the dry bay leaf.
   • For extra flavor, saute the mushrooms in a skillet separately before adding to the stew.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning
   • Once the mushrooms are tender, taste the stew and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed to suit your taste.
6. Add the cooked beef and adjust broth consistency
   • Once the beef is fork-tender, add it to the stew, shredding or chopping it into bite-sized pieces if needed. If you feel the stew is too thick, add more broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
7. Lastly, garnish with fresh herbs.
   • Stir in a handful of fresh chopped parsley just before serving for a burst of fresh flavor and color.

Take Your Beef Stew to the Next Level

Want to make this Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew even more irresistible? Here are two simple tricks to boost the flavor:

1. Add Dried Mushrooms to the Broth:
   My ultimate secret for unbeatable umami flavor is to toss in a handful of dried mushrooms—like porcini or chanterelles—when you’re making the broth. These dried mushrooms soak up the liquid and infuse it with a rich, hearty taste that takes the stew to a whole new level. Trust me, this small addition makes a huge difference!
2. Finish with a Touch of Heavy Cream:
   Right before serving, add a splash of heavy cream to the stew. It smooths out the flavors, giving the broth a creamy richness that’s absolutely delicious. The cream brings all the flavors together and gives the stew a velvety finish that makes each bite feel extra special.

Cooking the Beef Stew in the Instant Pot

This Beef, Barley, and Mushroom Stew is a great recipe to make in the Instant Pot because it speeds up the process without sacrificing flavor.

You have two options for cooking:

1. Cook the entire stew in the Instant Pot for a one-pot meal. (This is the way I do it most of the time.)
2. Cook the beef in the Instant Pot while you prepare the rest of the stew on the stovetop, or

Here’s how you can do it:

Instant Pot Beef Stew

1. Cook the Beef:
   Start by adding the beef and enough water to cover the beef in the Instant Pot. Season with salt, and if you like, toss in a few black peppercorns and a dry bay leaf for extra flavor.
   Set the Instant Pot to Manual Mode on High Pressure and cook for 45-60 minutes, depending on the cut of beef you’re using. If you're using top sirloin, it only needs 20 minutes.
   After 45 minutes, check the beef. If it’s not fork-tender yet, just cook it a little longer until it’s nice and soft.
   Once done, strain the beef and save both the beef and broth—you’ll add them to the stew later.
2. Sauté the Veggies:
   Next, use the Sauté function on your Instant Pot to cook the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until they’re softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add Tomatoes, Barley, and Broth:
   Once the veggies are softened, add the tomatoes, barley, and broth to the Instant Pot. Set it to Manual Mode, High Pressure, and cook for 13 minutes. This will give the barley plenty of time to cook and absorb all the savory flavors.
4. Finish Cooking:
   After the 13 minutes are up, add the potatoes and mushrooms. Seal the Instant Pot again and cook for another 5 minutes to finish everything off.
5. Lastly, add the beef and fresh herbs to the stew.

That’s it! Your stew will be rich, hearty, and perfectly tender, all in a fraction of the time it would take on the stovetop.

This stew is great served as a leftover and can be frozen too, which is why I like to make a large batch of it.

Helpful Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

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