If buckwheat groats have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 21 recipes to try them in.

What are buckwheat groats?

Buckwheat groats are the hulled inner seeds of the buckwheat plant: small, pale, three-sided kernels with a mild, grassy flavor when raw. Despite the name, buckwheat is not wheat or even a grass. It is the seed of a flowering plant related to rhubarb, which makes the groats naturally gluten-free.

When the groats are toasted, they turn reddish-brown and take on the deep, nutty, almost roasted flavor most people recognize. Toasted groats are sold as kasha, the name used for both the raw toasted seed and the cooked porridge it becomes.

So the same seed shows up two ways: raw groats are pale and gentle, while kasha is toasted and bold. Knowing which one a recipe wants saves you from a surprise at the table.

Cooking With Buckwheat

The reliable ratio is two parts liquid to one part groats. Bring the liquid to a boil, stir in the groats, then cover and simmer gently for about 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the kernels are tender.

Buckwheat turns to mush fast, so the classic fix is to coat it first. Stir the raw groats with a beaten egg over heat until the grains are dry and separate, then add your liquid; the egg keeps each kernel distinct.

Kasha Varnishkes uses exactly this trick to keep the toasted groats fluffy alongside bowtie pasta and onions.

Cooked buckwheat works as a savory side under saucy dishes, the way Pork Shoulder in Chanterelle Sauce over Buckwheat plates it. It also binds vegetarian patties and bakes, holding together Kasha Burgers, Eggplant & Buckwheat Patties, and the Favourite Lentil & Buckwheat Slice.

For breakfast, cook the groats softer with more liquid into a porridge. Roasted Buckwheat Kutia simmers them into a sweet ceremonial pudding with honey and poppy seeds, while the groats also fold into Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Roasted Buckwheat for a hearty one-pot meal.

Pairing and Common Mistakes

Buckwheat's earthy, slightly bitter edge wants strong company. It loves mushrooms with caramelized onions, and browned butter and sour cream soften its edge.

Cabbage matches its heft, while herbs like dill or parsley lift it with a fresh, green note. Those Eastern European pairings are no accident; they balance the assertive flavor.

The biggest mistake is overcooking it into paste. The groats soften quickly and keep absorbing water off the heat, so pull them while the kernels still have a little bite and let them steam, covered, off the burner.

The second slip is confusing the two forms. Raw pale groats are mild and need no special handling, but kasha is already toasted and cooks a touch faster, so taste early. If a recipe tastes flat, the groats were probably the raw kind where toasted kasha was wanted.

Substitutes

For a cooked side or porridge, any small whole grain stands in: bulgur, quinoa, or millet cook in similar time, though only quinoa and millet keep the dish gluten-free. None carry buckwheat's roasted, faintly bitter flavor, so the dish will taste milder.

Do not swap in buckwheat flour. The flour is ground from the same seed but behaves nothing like the whole groats; it is for blini and pancakes, or for soba noodles, not for a pilaf or porridge.

If a recipe calls for groats and you only have flour, you need a different recipe.

Buying and Storage

Read the label to know what you are getting. Plain "buckwheat groats" are raw and pale; "kasha" or "roasted buckwheat" is the toasted reddish kind. Either works for most savory dishes, but match the form to the recipe.

Because buckwheat is higher in oil than many grains, it can go rancid. Store the groats in an airtight container in a cool, dark cupboard, where they keep for several months, or refrigerate or freeze them to stretch that to a year.

Give them a sniff before cooking. A sharp, oily, paint-like smell means they have turned and should be tossed.

You can toast raw groats yourself in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring for a few minutes until they smell nutty and deepen in color. It is the simplest way to turn plain groats into kasha when that is what you need.

Quick facts

Where to find buckwheat groats: Buckwheat groats are usually found in the rice & beans section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

In Chinese

荞麦碎粒

British (UK) term

Buckwheat groats

en français

gruau de sarrasin

en español

el alforfón

Recipes using buckwheat groats

There are 21 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 21 recipes