If you like savory flavors, you’ll love this buckwheat with onions recipe—it’s a perfect side dish that pairs well with any meat or poultry entrée. It also makes an excellent vegetarian meal on its own, and it’s very easy to make! Here’s how to cook buckwheat, also known as kasha, like a pro.
What is Kasha?
Buckwheat is the flower of a plant called Fagopyrum esculentum according to Minnesota Wildflowers. When the flower is roasted it becomes kasha. Kasha has its roots in Eastern Europe and is a popular dish in Jewish homes. It is usually mixed with sautéed onions, mushrooms, and cooked egg noodles in the shape of bow ties.
To keep this gluten free and super-healthy, I have removed the egg noodles and added extra onions.
What are The Health Benefits of Buckwheat Kasha?
Kasha is naturally gluten free and has no cholesterol. Additionally, it is low fat and has almost no sodium.
Each serving has 2 grams of fiber, no sugar, and 6 grams of protein. Best of all, kasha has 220 grams of potassium. Potassium is a mineral essential for the proper functioning of the central nervous system.
What Kind of Buckwheat Should I buy?
I buy Wolff’s Kasha. It is sold in 13 ounce boxes in the ethnic section of the grocery store, right next to the matzo ball mix. You can get it on Amazon. I prefer the texture of the "whole granulation" variety for savory dishes. If you want a smaller grain, for perhaps a cereal, you can purchase medium or fine grains.
What You Need
- Wolff's Whole Granulation Kasha
- Water or homemade bone broth
- Salt
- 1 big yellow onion or 2 small onions
- Parsley (flat or curly leaf)
- Oil
How to Cook Buckwheat Kasha
Kasha is just as easy to cook as a pot of rice, but it cooks faster. Bring two cups of water or homemade bone broth to a boil with a big pinch of salt. Add the buckwheat, bring it back to a boil, and lower heat to LOW. Cover the pot and set a timer for ten minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pot from the hot burner and fluff with a fork.
How to Fry the Onions
While the kasha is cooking, heat ½ cup of olive oil in a 12" heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat. When oil is shimmering, add diced onions and season with salt. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until onions are golden brown, as shown.
Assembly of Buckwheat with Fried Onions
Mix the cooked kasha with the onions and half of the cooking oil. Add more oil to moisten as needed. Stir in chopped parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How To Store Kasha and Onions
Store your finished dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also place the container in the freezer for a month or two. Defrost and heat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or pop a (glass or ceramic) bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through.
What to Do with Leftovers
My favorite dish that uses leftover kasha with onions, is to heat it for breakfast and top it with a fried egg cooked in Kerrygold unsalted butter.
One cup of kasha with an egg or two will get your day off to an awesome start. It is filling, and won't give you that I need to take a nap feeling after eating a high sugar standard American breakfast. Enjoy!
If You Like This Dish, Check These Out:
Know The Cause Diet Recipe
Buckwheat with onions is a nutritious side dish perfect for the Kaufmann Phase One Diet. In terms of nutrition, kasha is a superfood! It has a substantial amount of fiber and the seed (not a grain) is gluten free. Try kasha today for an easy filling side dish recipe.
Buckwheat with Onions Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup kasha, roasted buckwheat try Wolff's Whole Granulation Kasha
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for seasoning
- 1 cup diced onions 2-3 yellow onions
- ½ cup oil (olive or grapeseed oil)
- ½ cup chopped parsley stems removed
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring water and salt to a boil in a small pot. Add kasha; cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes and remove to a cool burner. Open pot and fluff with a fork.
- While the kasha is cooking, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onions; season with salt.
- Cook about 10 minutes until onions are golden brown. Pour onions with half of the oil into a mixing bowl.
- Add cooked kasha to the mixing bowl. With a rubber spatula, combine the kasha, onions, and parsley. Add more of the cooking oil if it seems dry.
- Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Notes
TIPS:
Roasted Buckwheat cooks similarly to rice. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil, add the kasha, and cook on LOW for 10 minutes. For the cooking liquid, you can use water, bone broth, or homemade chicken soup (if it is not heavily salted). Cook the onions until they are golden brown and crispy.Nutrition
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and it comes from online calculators. Although we try to attempt to provide accurate information, these figures are estimates only.