Polish-Style Buckwheat Salad

Top down view of pink coloured buckwheat salad on pink plate with dill in background.

Polish-style buckwheat salad consists of nutty buckwheat, earthy beets, sweet apple, zesty dill pickles and nutrient-dense eggs. It makes a satisfying, delicious vegetarian meal and can be assembled in minutes.

Course Lunch, Supper

Cuisine gluten free, Polish, vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 314kcal

Author Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

Medium saucepan with lid
Strainer
Large mixing bowl
Small bowl and whisk or spoon

Ingredients

1 cup raw buckwheat see *Notes
2-3 small beets cooked, peeled, diced
1 apple unpeeled, diced
¾ cup dill pickles diced, 5-6 sm. pickles/gherkins
½ red onion finely chopped
3 eggs hard-boiled, quartered or cut into small pieces
1½ tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons fresh chives finely chopped, for garnish
Fine sea salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing

2 tablespoons oil any
2 tablespoons mayonnaise regular or reduced fat
1½ tablespoons lemon juice plus more for serving
⅔ teaspoon honey

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare buckwheat: Rinse the buckwheat until the water runs clear. Place in a pot, add water (use about 1 portion of buckwheat to 1.5 portions of water) and about ⅓ teaspoon of salt. Cover, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until all (or most of) the water has been absorbed and the buckwheat is tender, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat, drain then rinse the buckwheat briefly under cold, running water. This will prevent the groats from becoming mushy and sticking to one another (and will quickly cool them, too). Set aside to drain thoroughly before making the salad.
Prepare dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until creamy. Set aside.
Assemble salad: To a large mixing bowl add the buckwheat, beets, apple, dill pickles, onion and dill. Stir then add the dressing plus salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish and serve: Cut the eggs into quarters and arrange on top. Garnish with fresh dill and chives. Add more lemon juice at serving.
TIP: I used the eggs as garnish, but you can chop and add them into the salad, instead.

Notes

*You can use either regular or roasted buckwheat (I prefer regular for its mild flavour).
Do not overcook the buckwheat. Rinse before and after cooking (to prevent it becoming mushy and sticky, see Instructions).
You can cook the buckwheat ahead and once cooled refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Drain the buckwheat thoroughly before adding into the salad.
You can either boil or roast the beets. Alternatively use store-bought ready-cooked (though bear in mind they don't have the same intensity of flavour and colour as home-cooked).
Leftover salad with buckwheat can be refrigerated for up to a day.
Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition