Buckwheat
Buckwheat is a gluten-free seed (not a true cereal grass) with a robust, earthy flavor, used whole as groats, roasted as kasha, or milled into flour for noodles and pancakes across Japanese, Korean, Italian, and French regional cooking.
How to buy
Raw buckwheat groats are pale tan-green, while roasted groats (kasha) are darker and noticeably nuttier since they've already been toasted. Buckwheat flour and groats both contain oils that can turn rancid, so give them a sniff -- they should smell earthy and nutty, never sour or musty.
How to store
Pantry storage works for a few months, but because buckwheat's natural oils go rancid faster than true grains, refrigerating or freezing groats and especially flour extends freshness considerably.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Earthy, robust, and slightly bitter with a distinct nuttiness; roasting (as in kasha) pushes it toward a deeper, almost coffee-like intensity.
- Texture
- Whole groats cook up fluffy but slightly crumbly rather than sticky; buckwheat flour gives noodles and pancakes a denser, heartier bite than wheat flour alone.
- Aroma
- An earthy, toasty smell that's especially pronounced in roasted kasha and in the starchy water used to cook soba noodles.
How to prepare
- Kasha (toasted groats) — Pre-roasted whole groats simmered into a hearty porridge or side dish.
- Milled into flour — Ground for noodles, pancakes, and crêpes, often blended with wheat flour for structure.
- Simmered whole — Raw groats boiled plain, giving a lighter flavor than roasted kasha.
- Dumpling (soba-gaki) — Buckwheat flour mixed with hot water into a thick paste and shaped into simple dumplings.
Classic dishes
American
- Buckwheat pancakes — A heartier, earthier take on the classic breakfast pancake, often made with a buckwheat-wheat flour blend.
- Buckwheat waffles — Buckwheat flour folded into waffle batter for a nuttier, more rustic result than plain wheat waffles.
Italian
- Pizzoccheri — Short buckwheat pasta ribbons from Valtellina, tossed with potatoes, cabbage, and melted cheese.
- Polenta taragna — A northern Italian polenta made from a blend of buckwheat and corn flour, enriched with butter and cheese.
Japanese
- Soba noodles — Thin noodles made from buckwheat flour, served hot in broth or chilled with dipping sauce.
- Zaru soba — Chilled soba noodles served on a bamboo mat with a soy-based dipping sauce.
- Soba-cha — A roasted buckwheat tea, drunk hot or cold for its nutty, toasty flavor.
- Soba-gaki — A rustic buckwheat dumpling made by stirring buckwheat flour into hot water until it thickens.
Indian
- Kuttu ki roti — A flatbread made from buckwheat flour, traditionally eaten during religious fasting periods when grains are avoided.
- Kuttu ke pakore — Vegetable fritters bound with buckwheat flour batter, another traditional fasting-day dish.
French
- Galette bretonne — A savory buckwheat crêpe from Brittany, traditionally filled with ham, egg, and cheese.
Korean
- Naengmyeon — Chilled buckwheat noodles served in a tangy, icy broth, a popular summer dish.
- Memil-muk — A savory, jelly-like side dish made by setting buckwheat starch, served sliced with soy and sesame.
- Memil-jeon — A savory buckwheat pancake from Korea's Gangwon province, often studded with kimchi or scallion.
German
- Buchweizenbrot — A dense, dark German bread made with buckwheat flour, often blended with rye.