Learn How to Cook Buckwheat from scratch for a healthy addition to any dish! With its rich, nutty taste and perfectly chewy texture, this hearty grain offers a delicious alternative to traditional cereals. Serve it for a sweet breakfast with milk and sugar, or pair it with your favorite savory mains.
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Why This Recipe Works
Cooking buckwheat couldn’t be easier! Much like quinoa or rice, it requires only a few straightforward steps and less than 20 minutes to prepare. It’s one of my go-to choices for a quick, nutritious meal or side dish.
Once cooked, buckwheat transforms into a nutty, earthy, and satisfyingly chewy masterpiece, making it a delicious breakfast alternative to oatmeal or a classic side dish to Ukrainian mains like kotleti and tomato podliva.
This recipe is particularly well-suited for anyone looking for an easy-to-prepare staple that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Whether you’re serving it warm with a sprinkle of herbs or alongside a more complex main, this budget-friendly ingredient fits the bill. Plus, did I mention it’s suitable for gluten-free diets?
Ingredients
- Buckwheat: Known for its earthy, nutty flavor, buckwheat provides a hearty texture and numerous health benefits. Only purchase toasted buckwheat (kasha). Raw buckwheat has less flavor and takes much longer to cook, requiring it to be soaked overnight.
- Unsalted Butter: Enhances the flavor and richness of the buckwheat, making the grains more palatable and luxurious.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the buckwheat and helps balance the richness of the other butter.
Instructions
- Prepare the Buckwheat: Place the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse it under cool water to remove any dust or excess starch, ensuring a clean taste and texture.
- Combine and Cook: Add the rinsed buckwheat, water, unsalted butter, and kosher salt to a small, heavy-bottomed pot. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer and Sit: Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and let it cook for 15 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the buckwheat sit covered for another 10 minutes to steam.
- Serving: Serve your cooked buckwheat sweet with milk and sugar or savory with kotleti, tomato gravy (podliva), sauteed mushrooms and onions, or your favorite protein.
Substitutions & Variations
- Olive Oil: You can substitute olive oil as a lighter alternative to butter, adding a different flavor profile while keeping the dish moist.
- Broth: For a savory twist, cook the buckwheat in chicken broth instead of water.
- Spices: Incorporate spices, like cumin or turmeric, during the cooking process.
- Dairy-Free: Replace butter with a dairy-free butter alternative or olive oil.
- Sweet: For a breakfast version, cook the buckwheat in your favorite type of milk and sweeten it with honey or maple syrup afterward.
Storing & Reheating
If you have leftover buckwheat or are batch-cooking some, follow these storing and reheating tips to ensure it retains its texture:
- Fridge: Store cooked and cooled buckwheat in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer: You can freeze leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Transfer the buckwheat to a freezer-safe plastic bag. Make sure you take all of the air out to prevent it from getting freezer burn.
- Reheating: To keep your buckwheat moist, microwave it for a minute with a splash of water or broth. You can also reheat it in a frying pan with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of water over low heat.
Expert Tips
- Choose the Right Buckwheat: I really recommend buying buckwheat from an Eastern European market; I find that it cooks better and doesn’t turn out mushy. If you don’t have a store nearby, Amazon has a few options.
- Heavy-Bottomed Pot: A pot with a thick base will distribute heat more evenly, preventing the buckwheat from burning and sticking to the bottom.
- Salt the Water: Seasoning the water with salt before adding the buckwheat helps to enhance its natural flavors from the inside out.
- Control the Heat: Keep the heat to medium-low when you’re simmering your buckwheat to prevent it from boiling too vigorously, which can break the grains.
- Let It Rest: Allowing the cooked buckwheat to sit covered off the heat for 10 minutes helps the grains absorb any remaining moisture and develop more flavor.
- Fluff Gently: After cooking and resting, gently fluff the buckwheat with a fork. This prevents the grains from becoming compacted and mushy.
FAQs
You’ll know the buckwheat is cooked when most of the water has been absorbed, and the grains are tender but still hold their shape.
Yes, buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and a great alternative to traditional wheat products.
Place the buckwheat in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it under cold running water until the water runs clear. You can let it drain in the strainer for a few minutes to remove excess water.
Buckwheat contains carbohydrates, but it is high in fiber and nutrients, making it a healthier choice than many refined grains.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed learning how to cook buckwheat, explore some more how-to recipes that will make your cooking so much easier and more enjoyable:
- Instant Pot Quinoa Recipe
- Toasted Garlic Panko Breadcrumbs
- Pickled Vegetables
- Pickled Cabbage with Beets
If you try cooking buckwheat using this method, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
How To Cook Buckwheat (15-Minutes)
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat, use toasted only
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- In a mesh strainer, add the buckwheat and rinse before cooking under cool water to remove any dust or excess starch.
- Add water, buckwheat, butter and salt to a small heavy bottomed pot with a lid.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer, cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, turn off the heat. Let it sit with the lid on for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and enjoy.
- Serve sweet with milk and sugar or savory with kotleti, tomato gravy (podliva), sauteed mushrooms and onions or your favorite protein.
Stasy
Thank you for reminding me about this wonderful side dish.
I will definitely cook buckwheat this week.
My grandmother always toasted the buckwheat before cooking it. As a result, it turned out very fluffy with a rich, nutty aroma.
lena gladstone
Thank you Stasy for trying my recipe. Yes, I totally agree, great tip, my mom does that sometimes too when she cooks it. I’ll add that in as a tip in the recipe.
lena gladstone
yumm, my favorite