With the cold weather officially here to stay, we’ve transitioned into full-time soup and stew eating mode over here. This comes as a relief to me since soups and stews have such flexible cooking times and can be so easily prepared in advance. Now that it’s November, I feel that I should have our after-school routine running smoothly each day, but instead I find myself continuing to struggle with helping the kids with their instrument practice and homework, taking them to various activities, and cooking dinner all within the 4:00-6:00 time frame. I always feel so good on the days when dinner is done before they even arrive home because it’s one less thing I need to worry about.
I made a double batch of this Tomato Saffron Mixed Grains Soup last week so I could have some to freeze and have a healthy meal easily available when I need to balance out all of the upcoming holiday treats. I find grain soups so hearty, cozy, and nourishing. The pleasant hint of saffron in this soup reminds me of the warm flavors of a Spanish paella, but this soup is a lot less time consuming to make. This recipe is extremely versatile and the spelt, millet, and quinoa can be easily substituted for other whole grains such as farro, wheatberries, or rice. To keep it gluten-free, use any combination of rice, millet, and quinoa. Or for simplicity, choose one single grain to work with. Pre-soaking whole grains such as spelt or wheat berries is recommended to aid with digestion and improve texture. Soaking for a few hours is optimal, but soaking for even an hour makes a difference. The soup thickens considerably after it sits for a while, but it can thinned it out with a bit of additional water if desired.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ⅛-1/4 teaspoon saffron
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup spelt, soaked for at least 1 hour and drained
- ¼ cup millet
- 3 tablespoons quinoa
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 ouches) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- chopped parsley for garnish
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, saffron, spelt, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until spelt is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Add millet, quinoa, tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper and continue to simmer until millet and quinoa are cooked and flavors have blended, about 15-20 additional minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a garnish of parsley to serve.
Adri says
What a lovely soup. I love the mixed grains, and the saffron puts it over the top. This is a perfect soup for a chilly evening.
Caroline says
This soup would be so perfect for dinner! It’s gotten so cold here and I’m craving this now! I love this mix of grains and chickpeas! I’ve never tried spelt…looking forward to making this!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
This soup is definitely what I am craving for right now – looks so hearty, comforting and of course delicious.
annika says
I loved this. Sadly I couldn’t find saffron from the store when I tried making it, but it still tasted wonderful. Thanks for sharing the idea! 🙂
Emily says
So glad you enjoyed it, even without the saffron! Thanks, Annika!
amanda says
Wonderful recipe! Made it for lunch today, using einkorn and sprouted quinoa. We added a bit of Italian sausage at well to make it one-dish meal. Can’t wait for the leftovers! Loved how the saffron flavor actually came through along with the other spices. So tasty.
Emily says
So glad to hear that, Amanda! I still need to get my hands on some einkorn. Been reading so much about it lately!