Not a fan of sweet breakfasts? Try this wholesome savoury buckwheat porridge for breakfast then!
Buckwheat is my comfort food. It’s the taste of childhood. Memories of sitting in a tiny, sun-filled kitchen and slurping on a warm and fluffy buckwheat kasha drowned in cold milk are one of my earliest. I still remember the contrast of temperatures, which made it somehow more exciting for a five-year-old me!
Sentimentality aside, buckwheat is a nutritional powerhouse and deserves to be a staple in everybody’s pantry. If you are not familiar with this super food here are just a few facts:
- Buckwheat is not a grain
- Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free
- It is high in essential nutrients
- Buckwheat contains resistant fibre, which helps with lowering blood sugar and weight loss
The list can go on and on. The bottom line is buckwheat is crazy healthy, guys but it is also delicious! I know what you are thinking. I grew up eating it and have developed a taste for it but my husband didn’t and he LOVES it and so do my children!
Buckwheat comes in three main forms-groats (raw and roasted), the latter you can see in the photos above, then there is buckwheat flour and noodles. They all contain nutritional benefits but groats more than the others. Makes sense…whole food and all.
The main places that sell buckwheat are health food stores, which sell raw buckwheat groats, Eastern European stores and Amazon. The buckwheat you see in photos here comes from an Eastern European store. It is roasted, and therefore darker in colour. Apart from a deeper colour, roasting groats also gives them a richer, more complex taste as well as a firmer texture. It also significantly cuts down on the cooking time.
In my opinion, it’s really worth tracking down an Eastern European store and get your buckwheat there or order online.
When I was little I used love buckwheat porridge aka “kasha” with milk but now I prefer a more savoury version. And that is why I created this savoury buckwheat breakfast bowl. Caramelised onions, sauteed mushrooms and topped with a fried egg. Pure bliss.
By the way, buckwheat is not only for breakfast. It is great as a side dish instead of rice or potatoes, as a stuffing, my mum used to stuff a roast chicken with mushrooms and buckwheat, or as a main. I often mix some buckwheat with ground beef or pork, in a fried rice style and serve it for dinner.
But…if you are looking for other ways to eat this amazing superfood check out my Buckwheat Waffles or Honey and Buckwheat Soda Bread for some inspiration.
Ingredients
- 2 cups toasted buckwheat groats
- 4 cups water
- salt a pinch
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion large
- 8-10 chestnut mushrooms
- pepper to taste
- 2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley leaves only
- 1 egg per person
Instructions
- Rinse your buckwheat groats and transfer it a medium pot, add water and salt and cook for 15 minutes until the groats are soft and the water is evaporated. Take it off the heat, cover the pot with a lid and let it stand for additional 10-15 minutes
- Meanwhile slice the onions and mushrooms. Put a large frying pan on high-medium heat and when it’s hot add butter, onions and a pinch of salt. Salt will draw moisture out of the onions which will help with caramelising process. Fry them slowly, stirring once in a while and not letting them burn. Once your onions look wilted and darker in colour, add mushrooms and chopped parsley and sauté them for 5 minutes adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Now add the buckwheat and mix everything together, cook for 2 more minutes to bring all the ingredients to the same temperature and allow for the flavours to meld, taste for seasoning.
- In a separate frying pan, fry the eggs and top each portion with an egg.
Tanya says
Hi Julia,
Hi everyone,
Did anyone tried this with buckwheat which is not toasted?
Will it work, Julia? Alternatively, have you tried toasting your buckwheat?
Thanks.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Hi Tanya, yes I have tried making it with untoasted buckwheat years ago. It was the only kind I could find at the time. I failed. It simply doesn’t hold shape and doesn’t have that nutty taste, which comes from toasting. I have not tried toasting my own as I can find it easily now.
afra says
Loved this!!! I added some spinach, cottage cheese and nutritional yeast. Because I had no parsley I used dill. What an amazing dish!!
vikalinka says
I am so pleased to hear it, Afra!! Happy cooking! 🙂
Geetha Murthy says
This is so easy and a full meal . I am looking for quick and healthy lunch recipes and will definitely try this.
vikalinka says
Thanks, Geetha!
Inga says
This looks divine! I just discovered you from your guest post on Natasha’s Kitchen and I’ve been slowly perusing your recipes and jotting down all the ones I want to try. What can I say….buckwheat is MY comfort food, I too remember the warm bowl of kasha with cold milk and a dollop of butter melting on top as one of the most comforting things from my childhood. Thank you for your recipes, I can’t wait to try them. I have ingredients for the sticky Korean chicken, I was in awe of the butter chicken recipe, and your cakes…sigh. I’ll be back ; ) Oh! And I should mention, this recipe is delicious, if only more people understood the glory of buckwheat.
vikalinka says
Thank you so much, Inga! What a thoughtful and beautiful comment. I am so happy you discovered me. I still believe buckwheat will become mainstream one day. 🙂
Tina | The Worktop says
Hi Julia – this looks so good and I’m really looking forward to trying it this winter. I love kasha. Is this from a store in London? I’m in London too, but have trouble finding good roasted buckwheat.
vikalinka says
Hi Tina, I get my buckwheat from a Lithuanian/Russian shop near me. I’ve tried other sources but didn’t find them to be as good. So if you can track down any of those in your area, buy without any fear!