Spelt Tomato Breakfast Muffins: Soft and Savoury Bites

Spelt savoury tomato breakfast muffins are wholegrain muffins built from spelt flour, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomato, and feta, baked at 190 C / 375 F for about 22 minutes until golden. They land closer to a savoury scone than a sweet muffin, with a soft crumb and salty pockets of cheese running through it.

Spelt flour has a lower gluten strength than regular wheat, so the crumb stays tender without much effort. It also carries a faint nutty flavor that works well against the sweetness of roasted tomato.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones just until the flour disappears. Overmix a spelt batter and the muffins turn dense and a bit rubbery, which is the one mistake worth watching for here.

These hold up well for weekday mornings. Make a batch on Sunday and you've got breakfast sorted through midweek.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Ready in about 40 minutes start to finish
Freezer-friendly for grab-and-go mornings
Lower gluten load than standard wheat muffins
No mixer needed, just two bowls and a spoon

Hand folding cherry tomatoes, feta, and basil into spelt muffin batter in a glass bowl on a marble counter

Ingredient Notes

Spelt flour: Gives a soft, slightly nutty crumb with less gluten strength than wheat flour. Whole wheat flour works as a substitute but bakes a bit denser.
Feta cheese: Adds salty pockets through the batter. Goat cheese or cheddar both work if feta isn't on hand.
Cherry tomatoes: Pat them dry with a paper towel before folding in, or the extra moisture makes the batter soggy.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Bring a concentrated, slightly sweet tang. Skip them and add an extra handful of cherry tomatoes if needed.
Olive oil: Keeps the muffins moist for a few days without the dairy fat of butter. Any neutral oil works too.
Fresh basil: Chopped chives or parsley are fine swaps if basil isn't in season.

Split spelt tomato breakfast muffin on a plate with a soft-boiled egg, arugula, and coffee on a linen napkin

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 22 mins

Rest Time 5 mins

Total Time 42 mins

Cooking Method: Oven

Cuisine: European

Courses: Breakfast

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking Temp: 190 C

Servings: 12

Estimated Cost: 0.45

Calories: 150

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains dairy and eggs, Contains gluten (spelt), Vegetarian

Description

These muffins fold cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomato, and feta into a wholegrain spelt batter, baking into a soft, savoury crumb you can eat with your hands on the way out the door.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

280 g spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Wet Ingredients

2 eggs (large)
200 ml whole milk (or unsweetened plant milk)
60 ml olive oil (plus extra for greasing)

Mix-ins

200 g cherry tomatoes (halved, patted dry)
40 g sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)
100 g feta cheese (crumbled)
2 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
2 spring onions (chopped)

Instructions

Make the Batter

1
Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cases.
2
Whisk the spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, and oregano together in a large bowl.
3
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and olive oil until smooth.
4
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine, overmixing makes the crumb tough.
5
Fold in the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, basil, and spring onions until evenly distributed.

Bake the Muffins

6
Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
7
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are golden, spring back when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8
Cool the muffins in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12

Amount Per Serving
Calories 150kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g13%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 220mg10%
Potassium 160mg5%
Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 2g
Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 300 IU
Vitamin C 4 mg
Calcium 80 mg
Iron 1.2 mg
Vitamin D 10 IU
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 3 mcg
Thiamin 0.1 mg
Riboflavin 0.1 mg
Niacin 1.2 mg
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
Folate 25 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.2 mcg
Phosphorus 110 mg
Magnesium 20 mg
Zinc 0.8 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Pat tomatoes dry before folding in to avoid a soggy batter.
Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears into the wet ingredients.
Use a standard 12-cup muffin tin, not a mini tin, for accurate bake time.
Let muffins cool 5 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a rack.

Keywords: spelt muffins, savoury breakfast muffins, tomato feta muffins, spelt breakfast recipe, make-ahead breakfast

Equipment

12-cup muffin tin
paper muffin liners
mixing bowls
whisk
wire cooling rack

Tips

Fold the batter just until the flour disappears; overmixing spelt makes the crumb tough and dense.
Pat cherry tomatoes dry with a paper towel before folding in so the batter doesn't turn soggy.
Fill muffin cups no more than three-quarters full so the tops dome without spilling over the edge.
Swap feta for cheddar if you want a milder cheese pull instead of a salty tang.
Test doneness with a toothpick in the center; it should come out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.

Variations

Add crumbled cooked bacon or chorizo for a heartier savoury breakfast muffin.
Swap basil for chopped chives or parsley when basil isn't in season.
Use goat cheese instead of feta for a creamier, tangier crumb throughout.

Storage and Reheating

Store spelt savoury tomato breakfast muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They soften slightly after day two but hold their flavor well.

Freeze them individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour or overnight in the fridge.

Reheat in a 160 C / 320 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave one muffin for 20 to 25 seconds until warmed through. Avoid stacking them warm in a sealed container, since trapped steam turns the tops soft.

Serving Suggestions

Serve spelt savoury tomato breakfast muffins warm with soft-boiled eggs and a handful of arugula for a quick weekday breakfast. A smear of butter or cream cheese on the cut side works too.

For brunch, set them out alongside a green salad and a bowl of soup, they hold their shape well on a shared platter.

Pack one in a lunch bag with a piece of fruit for a savoury midday snack that doesn't need reheating.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-savoury-tomato-breakfast-muffins/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!