Channel the best fall flavors with this farro and pumpkin soup

Soup doesn’t need to be relegated to a certain season, but we’re heading into its prime time. Channeling the earthy, warming vibes of fall, I’ve developed a soup with farro, pumpkin, Swiss chard and spiced maple pecans to keep you warm and cozy in the months ahead.

The soup starts by sautéing the chard stems and a diced onion in a bit of oil and seasoning them with smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper. (Yes, cinnamon can be used in savory dishes, too.) Including the stems in this step is a great way to keep them from going to waste while also adding extra nutrition.

Next to join the pot are pumpkin puree, farro and vegetable broth. Given my desire to develop a fall soup, including pumpkin was a no-brainer. If you went through the work of roasting and freezing your Halloween pumpkin, it would be lovely here. But for the rest of us, canned puree will do just fine. Farro makes the soup hearty and filling. I love the grain’s nutty flavor and chewy texture. (Plus, it’s high in protein and fiber.) I call for pearled farro for its quicker cook time, but you can use semi-pearled or whole farro if that’s all you have on hand.

Once the soup is almost done, stir in the chard leaves until they soften. Chard is a relative of beets and has a similarly earthy flavor that I love. However, like beets, it is not everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re in that camp, you can easily substitute another leafy green of your choosing.

The soup is lovely on its own, but I knew some sort of spiced, candied nut for extra texture and flavor would make it that much more enticing. With Thanksgiving around the corner, Becky Krystal brought up the idea of pairing pecans with the pumpkin as an homage to the two classic pies. In this recipe, the pecans are sweetened with maple syrup and flavored with smoked paprika, cinnamon and pinch of cayenne for a kick of heat. (They’d also be great in salads or as a snack.)

I’m writing this column after being sick for a few days, and this soup is just the kind of thing I would have loved to have had on hand to help nurse me back to health. Perhaps I’ll make and freeze a batch for the next time I find myself in this situation. Or maybe I’ll give a quart to a friend or neighbor. To me, this soup represents the best of the season — and sharing with others represents the best of humanity.

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Farro and Pumpkin Soup With Spiced Maple Pecans

For the soup:

1 pound Swiss chard (1 medium bunch)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion (7 ounces), diced

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

6 cups vegetable stock or broth, preferably no-salt-added or reduced-sodium

One (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup pearled farro, rinsed

For the spiced maple pecans:

1 cup (3½ ounces) raw pecan halves

2 tablespoons maple syrup

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon fine salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Make the soup: Rinse the chard, then tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and thinly slice the stems.

In a large (5- to 6-quart) pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chard stems, onion, paprika, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 7 minutes.

Add the stock, pumpkin puree and farro, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the mixture is simmering, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the farro is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add the chard leaves, partially cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the leaves are tender but still retain some bite, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, as desired.

Make the spiced maple pecans: In a medium to large (10- to 12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine the pecans, maple syrup, paprika, cinnamon, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring frequently, until the syrup becomes sticky and caramelized and the nuts are a shade darker, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pecan mixture to a cutting board, let cool completely and chop. (The nuts will crisp as they cool.)

When ready to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with some of the pecans.

Servings: 4-6 (makes about 11 cups)

Substitutions: For Swiss chard, use spinach, kale, collards or another green, with an adjustment to the cooking time depending on how tender it is. For vegetable stock or broth, use chicken stock or broth. For pearled farro, use any type of farro or another grain, with an adjustment to the cooking time. For pecans, use other nuts or seeds.

Storage: Refrigerate the soup for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Store the pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Nutritional information per serving (scant 2 cups of soup plus scant 3 tablespoons of pecans), based on 6: 354 calories, 18 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 43 g carbohydrates, 418 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 g protein, 7 g fiber, 10 g sugar.

— Aaron Hutcherson