This Greek inspired buckwheat salad is made using a combination of roasted and fresh vegetables for a flavourful light meal. Gluten free, nutritious and simple to make it comes together in just over 30 minutes.
Contrary to its name buckwheat is not a type of wheat, but a plant with grain-like seeds. It is an excellent source of protein, magnesium, and other minerals. Naturally gluten free it is high in fibre and rutin, which is a type of antioxidant. Buckwheat is also thought to promote heart health.
So buckwheat is really good for us!
Buckwheat has been a staple in the cuisines of Eastern Europe and Russia for centuries. In Poland it is often served with creamy meat based or vegetarian sauces, such as mushroom. Buckwheat pairs well with robust, sweet and tangy flavours, abundant in this salad recipe.
Buckwheat salad ingredients
In this salad recipe I combined cooked buckwheat with typical Greek salad ingredients and created a light, nutritious meal that's full of contrasting flavours and textures. I roasted some of the ingredients (for more flavour) and simply chopped others.
I used sweet red pointed peppers as they are the sweetest peppers I know and perfect to use with slightly bitter, nutty tasting buckwheat. If you can't get these used red bell peppers.
I also roasted cherry tomatoes (though any tomato variety will work so use your favourite) and chunks of feta cheese. Roasted feta is soft, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, tangy and mellow and simply ideal to pair with buckwheat. (I prepared it in a similar way in roasted beetroot and feta pasta salad).
The raw cucumber adds freshness, the red onion crunch and bite while the olives give this delicious buckwheat salad meal lots of savouriness.
How to cook buckwheat groats
Buckwheat groats cook very quickly, so in addition to being nutritious buckwheat is also quick and easy to prepare.
Buckwheat is usually sold in the form of either raw or roasted groats. I tend to buy roasted but you don't have to.
To cook buckwheat use 1 portion of the buckwheat groats to 1.5 portions of salted water. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 12 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and the groats are tender, stirring occasionally. If after 12 minutes your buckwheat doesn't seem to be fully cooked add a bit of water and cook for a few more minutes but make sure you don't overcook it. Cooked buckwheat should be soft but not mushy and sticky.
You can cook the buckwheat while the vegetables are in the oven or cook it ahead and once cooled refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
Recipe instructions
1.While the buckwheat is boiling away roast the vegetables. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tomatoes and whole peppers (if using red bell peppers cut them in half and roast skin side up) on top and roast in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, add chunks of feta, brush with a little oil and put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven, carefully remove the skin from the pepper (as much of it as you can) and assemble the salad. Spread the buckwheat on top of a large plate or in a shallow bowl, place the vegetables, both roasted (along with the juices if any) and raw over the top, add the feta, season to taste, sprinkle the oregano and drizzle over the oil and lemon juice. Give a gentle stir and enjoy your buckwheat salad!
Top tips and FAQs
- You can usually find buckwheat in large supermarkets or health food stores. You will always be able to find buckwheat in a Polish delicatessen (they tend to stock roasted buckwheat, which is what I've used in this recipe).
- Make ahead: You can cook the buckwheat ahead and once cooled keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- I used cherry tomatoes but you can use any tomato variety. If using large tomatoes cut them into quarters before roasting.
- This salad can be served warm or cold. You can add the vegetables straight from the oven. The roasted feta is soft and best served immediately.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Not suitable for freezing.
You might also like
- Creamy Baked Buckwheat Casserole with Cheese
- Blueberry Salad with Zoodles, Feta & Walnuts
- Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers with Feta (Vegetarian)
If you like to use buckwheat flour you might like gluten free carrot muffins with chia seeds or gluten free blueberry muffins with maple syrup.
Check out also this collection of healthy vegetarian pasta meals.
Keep in touch!
If you make this Greek style buckwheat salad I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
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Greek Style Buckwheat Salad
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Medium saucepan with lid
Ingredients
- 160 g buckwheat groats                  you will need about 2 cups of cooked buckwheat
- 2 sweet red pointed peppers whole, or red bell peppers
- 200 g cherry tomatoes or your favourite tomato variety
- 200 g feta
- â…“ English cucumber approx. 10 cm, peeled, cubed or cut into sticks
- 15 green olives or kalamata, pitted
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or to taste
- 1½-2 tbsp lemon juice
- â…” tsp dried oregano
- fine sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To cook buckwheat use 1 portion of the buckwheat groats to 1.5 portions of salted water. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 12 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed and the groats are tender, stirring occasionally. If after 12 minutes your buckwheat doesn't seem to be fully cooked add a bit of water and cook for a few more minutes but make sure you don't overcook it. Cooked buckwheat should be soft but not mushy and sticky.
- While the buckwheat is boiling away roast the vegetables. Preheat the oven to its highest temperature and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tomatoes and whole peppers (if using red bell peppers cut them in half and roast skin side up) on top and roast in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, add chunks of feta, brush with a little oil and put back in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, carefully remove the skin from the pepper (as much of it as you can) and assemble the salad. Spread the buckwheat on top of a large plate or in a shallow bowl, place the vegetables, both roasted (along with the juices if any) and raw over the top, add the feta, season to taste, sprinkle the oregano and drizzle over the oil and lemon juice. Give a gentle stir and enjoy your buckwheat salad!
Notes
- You can usually find buckwheat in large supermarkets or health food stores. You will always be able to find buckwheat in a Polish delicatessen (they tend to stock roasted buckwheat, which is what I've used in this recipe).
- Make ahead: You can cook the buckwheat ahead and once cooled keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- I used cherry tomatoes but you can use any tomato variety. If using large tomatoes cut them into quarters before roasting.
- This salad can be served warm or cold. You can add the vegetables straight from the oven. The roasted feta is soft and best served immediately.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
This sounds mouth-wateringly delicious! Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
I find buckwheat doesn't always taste great, as a child I only ever had it with meat and it wasn't my favourite thing in the world:( but it tastes great with something sweet, such as pineapple, as I recently found. I hope you do try it again!
This sounds fabulous - I've heard a lot about the health benefits of buckwheat recently - have tried it once but really must try it again! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Eb x