Toasted Grain Soup with Crispy Mushrooms and Kale

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

You know how one recipe can totally change your mind about a dish or an ingredient? For instance, I was firmly anti-gnocchi until I made this crispy sheet pan version. I thought I hated cream cheese frosting until I tried it mixed with peanut butter. And I never considered myself a “soup person” until I made this toasted grain soup. But now, you guys, I get it.

Ingredients

1 cup whole grains, such as farro, wheat berries, spelt, barley, or brown rice
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 bunch curly kale (about 12 ounces)
1 small yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
7 to 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Plain 2% or full-fat Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Place 1 cup whole grains in a fine-mesh strainer, rinse under cool running water, and set aside to drain.
Remove the stems from 1 pound shiitake mushrooms and discard (or reserve for making stock). Tear the caps into bite-size pieces and set aside on a rimmed baking sheet. Strip the leaves from 1 bunch curly kale, tear into bite-sized pieces, and place in a large bowl (7 to 8 packed cups). Chop the stems into 1/2-inch pieces. Thinly slice 1 small yellow onion and 4 cloves garlic.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 5 1/2-quart or larger Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rinsed grains and cook, stirring often, until darker in color and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, kale stems, about 1/3 of the torn mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, drain and rinse 1 can chickpeas. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.
Stir 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes into the soup and cook, stirring constantly to break up tomato paste, for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chickpeas, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, several grinds black pepper, and 6 1/2 cups broth. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grain is tender, 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the grains. If the soup begins to thicken too much, add the remaining 1 cup broth. Meanwhile, roast the kale leaves and mushrooms.
Toss the remaining mushrooms on the baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and several grinds black pepper. Roast until beginning to crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the kale leaves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.
Push the mushrooms to one third of the baking sheet and add half the kale leaves to the other side. Roast until the mushrooms and kale are crispy, 5 to 7 minutes more.
When the grains are tender, stir the remaining kale leaves and 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar into the soup. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed, likely about 1/2 teaspoon.
Divide the soup among bowls. Top with the crispy mushrooms and kale, a dollop of yogurt, if using, a drizzle of olive oil, freshly-ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.