How to Cook Fluffy, Perfect Buckwheat

Learn how to cook fluffy, perfect buckwheat with my tried-and-true methods — stove, oven, or microwave. Serve it as a side dish with your favorite protein or mix it into salads and grain bowls.

This recipe is for making toasted buckwheat groats (kasha).

I have heard so many people say they followed the recipe, but their buckwheat was mushy and did not taste good. That's because they used raw buckwheat groats commonly sold in U.S. grocery stores. By the way, if you have green buckwheat, I recommend using it to make my delicious buckwheat bread. Some might think they can toast it at home using a dry skillet, but I've tried it and the results weren’t great. If you want that delicious, fluffy kasha with a nutty tasty, and chewy texture, you'll need to buy already toasted buckwheat online or at the European grocery store.

Once you have toasted buckwheat groats, you can choose between 5 different methods to prepare your fluffy kasha: 

• Stove in a pot: my favorite method, takes about 20 minutes.
• In the oven: takes about 30-40 minutes, convenient and easy method. 
• Microwave: 15 minutes, the fastest method.
• Pressure cooker: 25 minutes, a hands-off cooking method.  I have a separate recipe for instant pot buckwheat.

Note: For precise recipe ingredient quantities, please refer to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to cook buckwheat on the stove

1. Rinse and drain one cup of buckwheat under cold water.

2. Place 1 cup of rinsed buckwheat and 2 cups of water in a saucer pan. Bring to a boil. 

3. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.

5. Fluff the buckwheat with the fork. Add butter and salt to taste.

How to cook buckwheat in the oven

1. Add rinsed buckwheat into the oven-safe casserole dish. Pour 2 cups of cold water over the buckwheat. Cover the dish with foil.

2. Bake in the preheated to 375°F oven for about 20 minutes. 

3. Take it out of the oven and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.

4. Fluff it with a fork and add salt and butter.

How to cook buckwheat in the microwave

1. Add 1 cup of rinsed buckwheat in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour 2 cups of cold water over the buckwheat. Cover the bowl. You can even use a small plate as a cover.

2. Microwave on high for 15 minutes. Let it sit covered for about 5 minutes.

3. Now, add butter, and salt and enjoy perfectly cooked buckwheat.

Recipe tips, storage, reheating

• Buckwheat to water ratio: 1 cup of buckwheat to 2 cups water always works for any method.
• Storage: store cooked buckwheat in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
• To reheat buckwheat: add cold buckwheat in a bowl, add about 1 teaspoon of water, and reheat for 1-1.5 minutes. 
• After cooking, always let the buckwheat sit covered for 5-10 minutes.

What is buckwheat and where to buy it?

Buckwheat is actually a seed often used as a grain. It is considered a pseudo-grain, similar to quinoa and amaranth. Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free. It can be cooked as a grain alternative, served as a side dish, or added to porridge, salad, and soup. You can also buy buckwheat flour to make pancakes, waffles, and more. And I start seeing more and more buckwheat noodles and a variety of buckwheat crackers are available at many grocery stores.

There are green (raw) buckwheat and toasted buckwheat (kasha). Raw buckwheat groats have a porridge-like consistency when cooked and toasted buckwheat comes out fluffy, similar to white rice. So if you do not want mushy buckwheat, use toasted buckwheat groats.

I grew up eating mostly toasted buckwheat also known as Kasha. When cooked, it comes out fluffy and has a rich and nutty flavor. You can buy toasted buckwheat online or in any Eastern European market. It might be also labeled as "Grechka".

How to sort and rinse buckwheat?

Pour dry buckwheat on a dry clean surface, such as a plate, cutting board or baking sheet.

Inspect it carefully, removing any debris, stoned or any other foreign particles.

Transfer the sorted buckwheat to a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Swish it around with your hands, then drain the water.

Repeat the rinsing process one more time.

Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the buckwheat completely, removing any excess water.

What to serve with buckwheat?

Similar to rice, buckwheat can be served with a lot of main dishes. It absorbs sauces and flavors well, so here are my favorite dishes to pair it with:

• Eastern European dishes: such as chicken paprikash, goulash, chicken Kiev.
• Curries: try it with our chicken liver curry.
• Stir fries: i like it with this simple and easy chicken mince stir fry. 
• With cold milk: it might sounds strange but try to pour cold milk over cold buckwheat and add some maple syrup, fruits or berries. It is basically a wholesome natural cereal, perfect to enjoy for breakfast. 
• Chicken, fish or beef: goes well with roasted chicken legs, baked salmon or meatloaf.

Frequently asked questions