• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Beans and Legumes
    • dairy-free
    • Freezer-friendly
    • Make Ahead Recipes
    • Whole Grain Recipes
  • Weeknight Meals
    • Quick & Easy
    • Slow Cooker
  • Baked Goods and Desserts
    • Breads
    • Cakes and Pastries
    • Cookies
    • Egg-Free Baking
    • Muffins
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Beans and Legumes (V)
    • Breads (v)
    • Breakfast (V)
    • Vegan Cookie Recipes
    • Desserts (v)
    • Mains and Dinners (V)
    • Salads (V)
    • Snacks (v)
    • Soup (V)
    • Whole Grains (V)
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • about
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy

The In Fine Balance Food Blog logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • WFPB
  • GF
  • Sweet Things
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Recipe index
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • WFPB
  • GF
  • Sweet Things
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Recipe index
×
You are here: Home » Recipes

Published: Feb 16, 2020 · Modified: Dec 4, 2020 by Trish · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

How to Cook Buckwheat

Share it!

buckwheat breakfast cereral with almonds and dates
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Hearty whole grain buckwheat recipe with cinnamon, dates and almonds.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
soaking time8 hours hrs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 251kcal
Vegan, WFPB (Whole Food, Plant Based)
Breakfast

Buckwheat is a nutritious and cozy pseudo-grain that is the star of this Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl. Buckwheat is simple to cook and when prepared with almonds and dates, makes a yummy breakfast! These breakfast bowls are vegan and gluten-free. Switch up your oatmeal, and try buckwheat!

buckwheat breakfast cereral with almonds and dates

What is buckwheat anyway?

Buckwheat is a funny grain. Because technically it's not a grain. It's actually a seed. Similar to quinoa. It's a seed you can eat and cook like a grain. And funny, it's not related to wheat either. It's gluten-free and can be ground into flour, often used to make noodles or pancakes. Buckwheat noodles are also known as soba noodles, check out this recipe for a cold soba noodle salad.

Buckwheat is part of a family of seeds that are pseudo-grains. Pseudo-grains are called such because they look and act like grains but actually come from a different type of plant completely from true grains, like wheat, rice or oats. Buckwheat is actually closely related to rhubarb.

Pseudo grains are high in both protein and nutrients and are a great addition to any diet. And they are all gluten-free. Other pseudo-grains include wild rice, quinoa, amaranth and teff.

Buckwheat makes a healthy and filling whole food breakfast. It is often used in cererals, and is interchangeble with other cereral grains -- like oatmeal. Buckwheat is gluten-free, high in fibre and lots of good for you antioxidants. It is also and a good source of high-quality, plant-based protein. It's a wonder we don't eat it more often. One serving of plain cooked buckwheat, about 1 cup, has almost 6g of protein and 5g of fibre. It also a good source of magnesium and phosporus.

How to cook buckwheat

Buckwheat is easy to cook, and cooks similar to other pseudo-grains like quinoa.

Often simplest preparation is best.

I cup of raw buckwheat will yield about 4 cups of cooked buckwheat.

I like to soak raw buckwheat groats before cooking. It reduces the cooking time substantially, making it totally doable on busy mornings.

soaked and drained buckwheat groats in a sieve

Buckwheat should not be confused with Kasha. You can tell which one you have by colour.

  • Kasha is toasted buckwheat groats - they are significantly darker in colour - a dark reddish-brown. It also smells sweet and toasty. Don't soak kasha before cooking.
  • Whereas raw buckwheat is light in colour - very light yellow and pale yellow. Untoasted. Raw buckwheat can be soaked before cooking.

Soak buckwheat overnight in clean water, at least 3x water to groats by volume. In the morning, rinse well. The buckwheat groats will feel a little slimy after soaking. That slimy feeling will rinse away. Just run under cool water for a couple of minutes.

buckwheat breakfast cereral with almonds and dates

Soaked buckwheat cooks quickly. Add about ½ cup of water to a saucepan, add soaked buckwheat and bring to a boil. I like to cover the saucepan for a few minutes to ensure the groats steam and get evenly cooked. But keep checking and stirring so they don't burn. This only takes a few minutes.

Once they are soft, take the lid off and allow any remaining liquid to evaporate off. Once this is done, remove the pan from the heat, put the lid back on and let it sit for a couple of minutes while you get your topping taken care of.

Buckwheat breakfast bowls

For a sweet breakfast bowl, I like to keep things simple. I add chopped dates, toasted almonds and cinnamon.

Mix in a pinch or two of salt and a bit of butter. I like Earth balance here to keep this plant-based and vegan. Then add the cinnamon, almond and dates. Mix it all together and serve.

You might want to drizzle a little maple syrup on top.

buckwheat breakfast cereral with almonds and dates

Meal prep tips: Buckwheat Breakfast Bowls

Soak the buckwheat overnight. Rinse and drain in the morning. Cook as noted above, the whole bowl can be made fresh in the morning in 10-15 minutes.

Once cooked the grains will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Just reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan (add a little water or plant milk to loosen the grains up if heating in a saucepan).

If making ahead, you can stir in all the vegan butter, cinnamon, and dates. But leave the almonds out and add them just before serving to keep them crunchy.

More buckwheat recipes...

  • Rainbow buckwheat salad
  • Homemade Crunch Buckwheat and Seeds Cereal
  • Peanutty Broccoli Buckwheat Bowl
  • Berry Smoothie Bowl with Buckwheat
  • Mushroom and Buckwheat Soup
Can I cook buckwheat in a instant pot or pressure cooker?

Yes! Of course.

Add 1 cup of dry buckwheat along with 1-¾ cups of water and a pinch of salt in an electrical pressure cooker. Seal and cook at High pressure for 12 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Can Buckwheat Breakfast Bowls be made ahead of time?

Yes! I find these keep for well for a about 3 days. Recipe makes 4 servings. I like to make it fresh, eat one serving and then pack up the remining 3 servings in single serving sized containers for the rest of the week. Cooked buckwheat will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze cooked buckwheat?


Yes you can. Allow the cooked buckwheat to cool completely then pack in sealable container. It will keep frozen for about 3 months.

📖 Recipe

buckwheat breakfast cereral with almonds and dates
3.58 from 21 votes

Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl

Hearty whole grain buckwheat recipe with cinnamon, dates and almonds.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
soaking time8 hours hrs
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 251kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw buckwheat groats
  • 3 cups water for soaking
  • ½ cup water for cooking
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 whole Medjool dates
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 2 Tbsps toasted sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Place buckwheat groats in a medium bowl and cover with at least 3 cups water. Let soak overnight.
  • In the morning, drain and rinse grains under running water for several minutes until grains no longer feel slimy.
  • Place rinsed and drained grains in a medium saucepan with ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for several minutes. Stirring frequently. Grains should be soft and fully cooked 3-5 minutes. Remove lid and allow any excess water to evaporate. Remove from heat, stir in a pinch of salt. Cover and set aside for a couple of minutes
  • Stir in chopped dates, cinnamon, a pat of vegan butter and sliced almonds. Serve with maple syrup on the side.

Notes

Soak the buckwheat overnight. Rinse and drain in the morning. Cook as noted above, the whole bowl can be made fresh in the morning in 10-15 minutes.
Once cooked the grains will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Just reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan (add a little water or plant milk to loosen the grains up if heating in a saucepan).
If making ahead, add all the topping except the almonds. Add the almonds just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Calories: 251kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 50g (17%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fat: 5g (8%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Cholesterol: 3mg (1%) Sodium: 10mg Potassium: 398mg (11%) Fiber: 7g (29%) Sugar: 16g (18%) Vitamin A: 67IU (1%) Calcium: 36mg (4%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Trish | The In Fine Balance Food Blog
Tried this recipe?Mention @infinebalance or tag #infinebalance!

More Vegetarian Recipes

  • a stack of 3 vegan morning glory muffins made with sprouted spelt flour
    Vegan Morning Glory Muffins made with Sprouted Spelt Flour
  • kale and couscous salad with goat cheese and apricots
    Goat Cheese & Kale Salad with Couscous
  • whipped cottage cheese breakfast bowls topped with raspberries nuts and seeds
    High Protein Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls
  • lentil salad with carrots and peas in while serving bowl
    Easy Lentil and Pea Salad

Share it!

The latest recipes

a stack of 3 vegan morning glory muffins made with sprouted spelt flour

Vegan Morning Glory Muffins made with Sprouted Spelt Flour

a stack of Hello, Dolly! chocolate chip cookies

Hello, Dolly! Chocolate Chip Cookies

kale and couscous salad with goat cheese and apricots

Goat Cheese & Kale Salad with Couscous

whipped cottage cheese breakfast bowls topped with raspberries nuts and seeds

High Protein Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowls

lentil salad with carrots and peas in while serving bowl

Easy Lentil and Pea Salad

maple cheesecake with maple whipped cream and maple glazed pecans on a table

Canadian Maple Cheesecake

Reader Interactions

Comments

    3.58 from 21 votes (21 ratings without comment)

    Leave a reply: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Wajahat says

    October 11, 2020 at 5:51 am

    Buckwheat bowl is easy and filling. Simply prepared with almonds and dates looks great.

    Reply
  2. Olga says

    November 15, 2021 at 6:26 am

    great! i will try it with grechka buckwheat http://www.grechka.co.uk

    Reply
  3. Kelley says

    March 03, 2025 at 5:40 pm

    I made this just this morning. I felt it needed “something.” Hemp seeds? Nope. More butter? Not really. Maple syrup-absolutely! Was delicious! Thank you!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Trish Cowper

Hi. I'm Trish.

I'm a curious home cook, just as enthusiastic about healthy ingredients and whole foods as I am about cookies.

more about me →

Popular

  • a stack of Hello, Dolly! chocolate chip cookies
    Hello, Dolly! Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • maple cheesecake with maple whipped cream and maple glazed pecans on a table
    Canadian Maple Cheesecake

  • baked vanilla donuts with sprinkles on a baking rack
    Baked Vanilla Donuts

  • open jar of honey strawberry jam with a spoon in it
    Low-Sugar Strawberry Jam with Honey & Vanilla

  • spinach mac and cheese with crispy bread crumb topping in a red casserole dish
    Creamy Spinach Mac and Cheese

  • Healthy Winter Salads to Start Your New Year!

  • sesame butter cookies on a marble counter top
    Sesame Butter Cookies

  • pumpkin butter in a mason jar with a spoon and on a cutting board
    Make your own pumpkin butter from scratch

Footer

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer

Newsletter

  • Sign Up!! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2020 Brunch Pro on the Brunch Pro Theme

7ads6x98y

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.