Buckwheat Salad is a delicious alternative to the run of the mill grain salads. Buckwheat, contrary to its name, is gluten-free!  It’s a great addition to your grain repertoire.

All About Buckwheat

Buckwheat, similar to quinoa, is a seed. This means it is a great source of protein, fiber and B-vitamins.  The superstar status of quinoa has not been reached by buckwheat, likely because of its distinct flavor––nutty and earthy––that many people cannot get on board with.  It requires a chorus of accompanying flavors to let it shine, as it does brightly in my Buckwheat Salad.

Enjoying buckwheat in my Buckwheat Salad is a great way to introduce yourself to the versatility of this earth grain.  The combination of sweetness, healthy fats and crunchy, crisp textures bring this ancient grain into the 21st Century! Like all recipes, this is a starting point to inspire you to create a Buckwheat Salad that meets your preferences and pantry stock. Let me break down the category or types of ingredients that I think are crucial to a good Buckwheat Salad.

• Healthy Fats- extra virgin olive oil and avocado provide flavor and moisture to the Buckwheat Salad. Both are a great source of monounsaturated fat, specifically oleic acid, which has been shown to be heart healthy! Other fats to consider are cheeses like feta and parmesan. ¹
• Nuts-walnuts provide a smooth flavor and crunchy texture that complement the nutty flavor of the buckwheat grain. Walnuts are a great source of plant-based Omega-3s and polyunsaturated fats.²  Pecans would be my next top choice to use in my Buckwheat Salad because they have a high moisture content that does not create a dry scratchy taste like almonds and peanuts tend to do.
• Acid-the sour and pungent taste of vinegar is key to any good dressing and compliments this dish so well. Vinegar is one of the main ingredients of mustard and the orange juice also provides acidity.  Oranges have a low acidity relative to other citrus, so feel free to add a half a small lemon or a tablespoon of vinegar if you need more tang.
• Sweet-apples and oranges provide the sugary goodness that brings my Buckwheat Salad to life. Apples also lend a pop of color and crisp texture.  I recommend soaking the apples in a bit of lemon juice to prevent them from browning, it will keep them pretty for days! Other options would be pear, dried fruit (raisins, craisins), and for more concentrated sweetness honey, agave and maple syrup are great options.
• Greens-spicy micro greens are delicious and the spice is a nice pop of flavor. The spice is more similar to horseradish than jalapenos so do not be scared! Any baby green could work as a substitute, such as arugula or spinach.

Buckwheat Nutrition³

Buckwheat is typically consumed as dehulled seeds, known as groats, which have a growing global popularity.  It is considered a functional food because it exerts scientifically proven health benefits.  The strong antioxidant activity of buckwheat may help delay the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, inflammation, hypercholesterolemia and neurological diseases.

If you need even more of a reason to jump into a bowl of my Buckwheat Salad it is also healthy for the planet.  It is able to grow quickly, suppressing weed growth, which decreases the need for herbicide and it grows well in poor soils, limiting the need for fertilizer.  It also requires just half the water that soy does.

Let’s Get Mixing!

Adding buckwheat into your culinary repertoire has limitless and delicious possibilities. The easiest way to cook buckwheat is with an Instant Pot, I will have a recipe posted soon for this!  If you have not joined the high pressure cooking club, you can cook it on the stove top following the package directions.

My Buckwheat Salad is straightforward and comes together quickly for novice and professional chefs alike.  Make sure to include an ingredient from each of the categories I outlined above that meet your preferences. Enjoy!

Similar Pages

Looking for more hearty salad recipes? Check out my Tuna Pesto Pasta Salad, Vegetarian Pasta Salad, and my Tahini Pasta.

References

1. Hammad S, Pu S, Jones PJ. Current Evidence Supporting the Link Between Dietary Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. Lipids. 2016;51(5):507-517. doi:10.1007/s11745-015-4113-x
2. Health Benefits of Nut Consumption. Accessed April 1, 2021. https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/pmc/articles/PMC3257681/
3. Buckwheat as a Functional Food and Its Effects on Health | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Accessed March 26, 2021. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b02498

Buckwheat salad

4.41 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, brunch, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Keyword: gluten free, grain salad, kasha, vegan

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

Dressing:

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Salad:

• 1 cup cooked buckwheat
• 1 granny smith apple diced
• 2 ounces micro greens
• ½ avocado diced
• ¼ cup toasted walnuts

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together oil, juice, mustard, salt, and pepper to make dressing. Set aside.
• In a second bowl, add buckwheat, apple, and half the dressing and mix together. Fold in micro greens and avocado.
• Split into two servings, garnish with walnuts.

Video

Notes

I like to use “spicy” micro greens or baby arugula. Store leftover dressing in a jar or air tight container and save in the refrigerator for up to one week.