This Buckwheat Porridge Recipe Is A Delicious And Filling Side Dish or Main!
If you are looking for a dish that will fill you up and is cheap and easy to make, this buckwheat with mushrooms recipe is the way to go.
Made with just a few ingredients, this porridge-like creation is hearty, flavorful, and always a hit as a side dish or easy comfort food!
In many Eastern European countries, buckwheat is commonly known as kasha.
However, kasha is also a much broader term that can refer to a number of other grains, such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, and others.
It can be baked, but is most commonly boiled in water or milk. Because of the way it is prepared, it can also be referred to as a “porridge” in English.
Kasha is a very popular dish in both Russia and Ukraine, where buckwheat consumption is very high.
Kasha also plays a role in Jewish culture, where it can be eaten as a comfort food, as a filling, or as an ingredient in other dishes.
Ingredients
Here are the buckwheat porridge ingredients that you will need for this recipe. There are not many ingredients overall, but the quality of the ingredients can make a big difference.
- Buckwheat groats – The main ingredient of the dish. Use toasted buckwheat if possible.
- Mushrooms – You can use any kind of mushrooms that you like or have on hand such as white button, cremini, oyster, or porcini mushrooms.
- Onion – Either a yellow or white onion.
- Salt – To enhance the overall flavor of the dish.
- Black pepper – To add a hint of spice.
- Butter – Provides a rich flavor and helps sauté the mushrooms and onions.
- Water – Alternatively vegetable or chicken broth; to cook the buckwheat.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
Before you make this buckwheat with mushrooms recipe, here are some recipe tips and substitutions that you should be aware of so that your buckwheat kasha turns out delicious:
- If the buckwheat you’re using is not already toasted, you can toast it yourself in a skillet (without oil or butter) over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Then use it in the recipe. Alternatively, you could make the recipe with untoasted buckwheat groats.
- You can also use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor. You can use store-bought or homemade broth, depending on your preference.
- For a creamier and richer flavor, you can add a little sour cream when sautéing the mushrooms.
- Instead of cooking it on the stove, you can bake the buckwheat kasha in the oven if preferred. Simply transfer everything to an oven-safe baking dish after adding water to the buckwheat and mushroom mixture.
- You can also bake individual portions of buckwheat and mushrooms in clay pots.
How to Make Buckwheat Porridge with Mushrooms – Step-by-Step Instructions
In this section, you can learn all about how to make buckwheat with mushrooms. We’ve included all the recipe process steps so that you can follow along as you cook at home.
Of course, the detailed, printable recipe card can be found at the end of this post.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat and add the chopped mushrooms and onion.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms and onion are soft. The mushrooms should shrink in size by about 2-3 times.
Season with salt and pepper (a pinch each).
Rinse the buckwheat groats under cold water and drain well. Remove any black or unpeeled seeds if you see them.
Then add the buckwheat to the pot or skillet and stir to combine with the mushroom mixture.
Pour in two cups of water and add salt and pepper.
Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the buckwheat is tender and fluffy. Check the water level and tenderness of the buckwheat after 20 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
When the buckwheat is ready, remove it from the heat. Stir in some more butter if desired. Alternatively, you can add butter to individual servings if you want.
Serve hot or warm, garnished with some parsley (optional). Enjoy!
Storage Tips
If you have leftovers, let the buckwheat kasha cool, then store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave – you just need to add a little bit more water and/or broth so that the buckwheat doesn’t dry out during reheating.
Related Recipes
If you liked this recipe, here are some other recipes that you may want to try out next!
- Sicheniki (Chicken Patties)
- Banosh (Corn Porridge)
- Kruchenyky (Meat Rolls with Mushrooms)
- Eggplant Mezhivo
- Varenyky (Ukrainian Dumplings)
Buckwheat Kasha w/ Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 cup buckwheat groats, toasted
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/3 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter, more to taste
- 2 cups water, possibly more; alternatively chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large pot or skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the mushrooms and onion are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste.2 cups mushrooms, 1 yellow onion, 2 tablespoons butter
- Rinse the buckwheat groats under cold water and drain well. Remove any black or unpeeled seeds if you see them.1 cup buckwheat groats
- Add the buckwheat to the pot or skillet and stir to combine with the mushroom mixture. Pour in two cups of water and season with salt and pepper.1/3 teaspoon salt, 2 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the buckwheat is tender and fluffy. Check the water level and tenderness of the buckwheat after 20 minutes. Add more water if needed.
- When the buckwheat is done, remove it from the heat. Stir in some more butter if desired. Alternatively, you can add butter to individual servings if you want. Serve hot or warm, garnished with some parsley (optional).
Notes
- If the buckwheat you’re using is not already toasted, you can toast it yourself in a skillet (without oil or butter) over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly. Then use it in the recipe as described above. Alternatively, you could make the recipe with untoasted buckwheat.
- You can also use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor. You can choose store-bought or homemade broth, depending on your preference.
- You can use any type of mushrooms that have on hand for this recipe, such as white button, cremini, oyster, or porcini mushrooms.
- For a creamier and richer flavor, you can add some sour cream when sautéing the mushrooms.
- You can bake the buckwheat kasha in the oven. Simply transfer everything to an oven-safe baking dish after adding water to the buckwheat and mushroom mixture.
- You can also bake individual portions of buckwheat with mushrooms in clay pots.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
Can this be done in an electric pressure cooker?
You should be able to make this recipe in an electric pressure cooker, yes. Unfortunately, I don’t currently own one so I can’t give you any specific tips, but I found this similar recipe that you could use as a guideline: https://instantpoteats.com/instant-pot-buckwheat/ I hope that helps! /Lisa