Natural form

Raw buckwheat groats: triangular, pale green-brown kernels with a distinctive three-sided hull.

Shows the unmistakable triangular groat shape and natural coloring that distinguishes buckwheat from all round grains.

Grains & Rice

Buckwheat

Nutty, gluten-free groats for porridge, kasha, and bowls

Earthy and nutty, buckwheat groats cook into kasha, a hearty porridge, or a grain bowl base — naturally gluten-free despite the name. Toast for deeper flavor. Keep it airtight.

Buckwheat is one of the kitchen's great misnomers — it's not wheat, and not even a grass, but the triangular seed of a flowering plant related to rhubarb, which makes it naturally gluten-free. As a 'pseudocereal' it cooks and eats like a grain: earthy, robustly nutty, and deeply savory. You'll meet it two ways. Raw buckwheat groats are pale green and mild; kasha is the same groats roasted to a toasty brown with a far more assertive, almost coffee-like flavor (the form beloved across Eastern Europe and Russia). It cooks fast, makes a hearty porridge or bowl base, and — milled to flour — gives Breton galettes, Japanese soba, and blini their characteristic dark, nutty depth. It's also a complete-ish protein and rich in minerals.

Measured in: g
Storage: Airtight

Find it in

Pasta GrainsHealth Food

Types & varieties

Raw groats

Pale green, mild and grassy — good when you want a subtler flavor or to toast yourself.

Kasha (toasted groats)

Roasted to brown for an intense, nutty, savory flavor — the Eastern European classic.

Buckwheat flour

Dark and nutty; the base of soba noodles, galettes, and blini.

How to cook

Buckwheat cooks quickly by absorption. The classic kasha trick coats the groats in egg first and toasts them dry so they stay separate rather than turning to porridge — skip it if you want a softer, creamier result.

Toast raw groats in a dry pan 2–3 min until fragrant (or buy kasha)
Add ~1.75 cups water/stock per cup, bring to a boil, cover
Simmer low 10–15 min until tender and liquid is absorbed
Rest 5 min, then fluff with a fork

How to prep (toast & separate)

Buckwheat goes mushy easily because the groats are soft. Toasting and the egg-coating method keep the grains distinct; for porridge, lean into the softness with more liquid.

For separate grains: coat in beaten egg, toast dry until the egg sets and grains loosen, then add liquid
For porridge: use more liquid and a longer simmer for a creamy mush
Cook in stock and add aromatics — buckwheat takes savory flavor well

Common uses

Kasha — savory groats with mushrooms and onionsBuckwheat porridge for breakfastA hearty, gluten-free grain bowl baseSoba noodles (from the flour)Breton galettes and bliniBuckwheat pancakesSprouted in saladsA pilaf with bow-tie pasta (kasha varnishkes)

Tips & pitfalls

Toast raw groats (or buy kasha) — untoasted buckwheat can taste flat and grassy.
Use the egg-coating method if you want fluffy, separate grains rather than porridge.
Don't overcook; the soft groats collapse to mush quickly.
Its gluten-free flour needs a binder in baking — pair it with eggs or another flour.
Sprout raw groats for a crunchy, nutritious salad topper.

Nutrition

343kcal

Energy

1435 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 14%Carbs 77%Fat 8%

Protein

13.3g

27% DV

Carbs

71.5g

26% DV

Fat

3.4g

4% DV

Fiber

10g

36% DV

Sodium

1mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Magnesium55% DV

Niacin (B3)44% DV

Riboflavin (B2)33% DV

Phosphorus28% DV

Zinc22% DV

Selenium15% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Buckwheat

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Organic Buckwheat Toasts
SANTIVERI · kg · Bonpreu
€2.85
Organic Buckwheat Toasts
PAIN FLEURS · kg · Bonpreu
€2.99
BONPREU Organic Buckwheat
BONPREU · kg · Bonpreu
€1.99
Organic Buckwheat Salt-Free Toasts
PAIN FLEURS · kg · Bonpreu
€2.99
DALLA COSTA Buckwheat Pasta Tubetti
DALLA COSTA · kg · Bonpreu
€1.75
Thin Buckwheat Dark Chocolate Cookie
SANTIVERI · kg · Bonpreu
€2.85

Good to know

Flavor & texture: Earthy, robustly nutty (toasted = stronger); tender with a slight bite
Cook ratio & time: 1 part groats : 1.75–2 parts water, simmer 10–15 min, rest 5 min
Soak?: No soak needed; toasting raw groats deepens flavor before cooking
Nutrition: ~92 kcal/100g cooked; ~3.4g protein, ~2.7g fiber, gluten-free; rich in magnesium & rutin
How to store: Airtight; the seed's oils mean ~6–12 months, longer refrigerated

Substitutes