Barbara Goenaga was born in San Sebastián on 20 July 1983. She is daughter of Painter Juan Luis Goenaga and lives in Madrid. She started her acting career in her homeland, appearing in series like Bai Horixe!, Beni eta Marini and Duplex along with her aunt Aizpea Goenaga. In 1994 she worked in long-running, popular Basque television soap opera Goenkale where she spent six years interpreting Ainhoa.

Soon she started her career in Madrid, where she participated in series like El Comisario, but her popularity arose from its participation in El grupo TV series. In 1992 she made her debut in cinemas screen, appearing in Arantxa Lazkano's Urte ilunak. From year 2000 onwards, she has participated in many projects, both in cinema and television: El regalo de Silvia (2002), directed by Dionisio Perez, Amor en defensa propia (2004), of Rafa Russo, La luna en botella (2006) under the direction of Grojo or Oviedo Express (2007), directed by Gonzalo Bueno Suárez. In television, she has taken part of popular series like Vientos de agua, At the Edge of the Law (2005) or A medias (2002).

In 2008, her work in Oviedo Express nominated her for a Goya Award in the category Best New Actress.

In February 2011, Goenaga and her partner, Oscar Jaenada, welcomed their first child, a boy.