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Vegetable Beef Barley Soup with Cornbread Muffins
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Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Muffin tin
  • Mixing bowls

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1/2 cup pearl barley
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the beef stew meat. Brown the meat on all sides for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  • Stir in the pearl barley, beef broth, diced tomatoes, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45 minutes until the barley is tender and the beef is cooked through.
  • While the soup simmers, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, egg, and melted butter.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin.
  • Bake the muffins for 15 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve the muffins warm alongside the soup.

Notes

Let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving so the barley settles and the broth thickens slightly. If the soup becomes too thick after sitting, stir in a splash of extra broth when reheating. The muffins taste best the same day but can be wrapped and warmed in a low oven the next day.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Equipment: Large pot, Muffin tin, Mixing bowls