Instant Pot buckwheat is fluffy and delicious every single time! It’s so easy to cook, it’s super nutritious, and it goes wonderfully with just about anything!
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Growing up, buckwheat – kasha or grechka (ĐłŃĐľŃĐ˝ĐľĐ˛Đ°Ń ĐşĐ°ŃĐ°) was eaten many, many times a week, and loved with any meal. You could say I grew up on it. I’m so excited to tell you all about my childhood comfort food! If you’ve never heard of it before I hope you give it a try. It is just so, so delicious. I’m sure it will become a staple for you too!
To my friends who aren’t sure about introducing a strange new dish to the menu and have little time to spare: 5 MINUTES of prep = ALL the deliciousness. Thank you Instant Pot for saving us again! Currently, some reasons I will be making Instant Pot buckwheat on repeat include: (1) new house renovation busy-ness, (2) the tiny toddler running around leaves me only 5 minutes of time in the kitchen.
This dish pretty much checks all the boxes: cozy comfort food, nutritiously dense, satisfying, yummy, versatile, easy, fast, and relatively inexpensive.
It’s quite impressive – packed full of essential nutrients, antioxidants, manganese, copper, and fiber. It has been known to prevent many diseases, too! Read more about it on Organic Facts and Dr. Axe. Plus, it’s gluten free! A bowl of buckwheat makes an insanely satisfying meal and doesn’t feel heavy (like pasta or wheat can sometimes be).
What does Instant Pot buckwheat taste like?
It’s hard to describe the taste of buckwheat to someone who hasn’t had it before, but it doesn’t taste like rice, quinoa, or anything else. It’s a lil nutty, home-y, warm, and cozy! There’s a nice fluffy texture when it’s prepared well… There’s nothing quite like it!
Where to buy roasted buckwheat
Because buckwheat is fairly uncommon in the US, at least where we live in Eastern North Carolina, you don’t typically see the true Russian roasted kind for sale in most grocery stores. However, you can easily find it at a Russian or Eastern European store and on Amazon. See some great suggestions below!
Which brand of buckwheat works best in the Instant Pot?
Over the years, I have gotten feedback from some readers that they had trouble with their buckwheat kasha coming out too mushy. So, I decided to investigate this issue to see why this might be happening. After testing this recipe with MANY of different brands of buckwheat I found that the quality, taste, and texture varies from one to another. Some will come out firm and hold up better, while some will be much softer. This means that if you cook one variety in the Instant Pot it can be very different from another.
After testing a ton of different brands, I found that the ones below work well in this Instant Pot recipe. The kasha comes out soft, fluffy, and not mushy. It’s important to note, however, that if it looks like the kasha has a lot of moisture in it after the cooking completes, you simply need to open the pot and leave the lid off for a while to let the steam and moisture escape without stirring it. Wait a while to let the buckwheat cool down, then stir in the butter, taking care not to over-stir.
The brands below all work well in this recipe:
- Makfa Premium Buckwheat – One of my favorites. I typically buy in bulk
- Skvira Buckwheat – A favorite. Cooks to perfection! Fluffy and very high quality groats
- Natural Earth Products Organic Buckwheat – A great organic option.
- Agro Alians Krasnyi Oktyabr Buckwheat
- Uvelka Buckwheat
- Russkoe Pole Buckwheat
How to make the best Instant Pot buckwheat
It is insanely easy to make delicious Instant Pot Buckwheat. I use and love this 6 Quart Instant Pot. Start by sorting the groats to pick out any debris – exactly what you would do with dried lentils and beans.
Rinse groats under cold water in a mesh strainer. Alternatively, you can wash them in cold water inside the Instant Pot insert. Rinse, drain, repeat until it’s nice and clean. Drain well.
Add the clean groats, water, milk (I used 2%), and salt to the Instant Pot. Close the lid and turn valve to sealing. Then, press the “Manual” button and set the timer to 13 minutes at High Pressure. The Instant Pot will take some time to come to pressure, and then will start counting down.
Once the timer beeps indicating it’s done – do a quick pressure release immediately. Open the lid carefully, fluff the buckwheat gently with a fork, and turn the Instant Pot off. If it looks like there is a lot of moisture left, leave the lid off for at least 20 minutes and don’t stir it, or it may become mushy. Add a bit of butter to make it extra yummy⌠and you’re all done!
I love this dish especially because cleanup is very minimal. And it’s only 5 minutes of hands on work! I can’t tell you how many nights our family was rescued by Instant Pot buckwheat! Oh those nights with an infant were sure on the listâŚ
How to cook buckwheat on the stove-top
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can very easily make this on the stove-top, which is how we always made it in Russia. Combine clean buckwheat with water, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan. I recommend one with a thick/heavy bottom. Turn the heat up to medium to bring the whole thing to a simmer, then immediately lower the heat. Make sure you don’t turn it on high to boil because milk can spill over and cause a milky disaster. Just bring it up to simmer gently, stir, cover, and maintain a gentle simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until buckwheat absorbs most of the liquid.
Take the kasha off the heat and fluff with a fork. Yumm! If I’m not eating it right away, I cover the pot with a towel to let the buckwheat keep absorbing any liquid that may be left.
Make Ahead and Store
If you’re looking to save time, this is a wonderful make ahead dish because it keeps well and tastes great for many days. When our daughter was born, I would make a big batch in the morning, then reheat in the evening for a super delicious and healthy meal! Place in an airtight container and it will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Important tips for success
- Only buy the roasted buckwheat sold at your local Russian or Eastern European store, or on Amazon. These are all great options I have tested: Makfa, Skvira, Natural Earth, Krasnyi Oktyabr, Uvelka, Russkoe Pole. The Makfa and Skvira are my favorite!
- Once it’s done cooking, I immediately release pressure, turn off the pot, open the lid, and fluff the groats gently. This prevents the buckwheat from overcooking and becoming dry or mushy. If you see a lot of moisture, leave the pot open without stirring for 20 minutes or so to let some moisture escape. Certain brands will have lots of extra moisture and some will not. This will be different across different brands of buckwheat.
- You may replace the milk with water for a dairy free version. It’s is just as delicious!
- For even more deliciousness, add some salted or unsalted butter when serving!
What do I serve with Buckwheat?
Any vegetable, red meat, or poultry goes amazingly well. My favorite is pairing it with beef, pork, or mushrooms! Something about that nutty, delightful flavor… It pairs wonderfully with meatloaf, my Italian meatballs, roasted chicken, and roasted vegetables! In fact, when my family makes beef stroganoff, we always serve it over buckwheat instead of rice or pasta.
You can replace rice or quinoa with buckwheat. Serve it savory, or sweet. Put it in a salad. Go wild and get creative! I have yet to discover the many ways you can use it. When I was growing up, I LOVED eating it for breakfast with some milk and sugar. Oh the simple thingsâŚ
Thank you so much for visiting and following along đ Have you had buckwheat before? Did you try making it? Comment below and tell me all about it. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Other recipes you might like
Russian Blini (Crepes) – Traditional Slavic pancakes that are absolutely delicious and irresistible.
Print
The Best Instant Pot Buckwheat
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Instant Pot buckwheat is fluffy and delicious every single time! It’s so easy to cook, requires 5 minutes of prep, it’s super nutritious, and it’s wonderful with just about anything!
Ingredients
- 1 cup roasted buckwheat groats* (see note)
- 1 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk, preferably 2%
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp butter (optional)
Instructions
- Place buckwheat into the Instant Pot and sort to get rid of any debris or black groats. Rinse buckwheat in a mesh strainer under cold water and drain well.
- Add water, milk, and salt into the Instant Pot. Give everything a quick stir. Seal the lid tightly and turn the valve to sealing.
- Press “Manual” button and “+” to set the cooking time to 13 minutes on High pressure.
- Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, immediately do a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to “venting.” Carefully open the lid and fluff gently with a fork. Turn the Instant Pot off and keep the lid off for 20 minutes to let the extra steam and moisture escape (if you see that there is a lot of extra moisture). Gently stir in the butter, taking care that you don’t over-stir. Enjoy!
Notes
*Use high quality roasted buckwheat groats such as: Makfa, Skvira, Natural Earth, Krasnyi Oktyabr, Uvelka, Russkoe Pole
To avoid mushy buckwheat, release pressure immediately after cooking cycle is completed. Then, as written in step 4 keep the lid off the pot for at least 20 minutes without stirring the kasha. Gently stir in the butter and serve.
Substitutions: You may replace the milk with water for a dairy free version. It’s is just as delicious!
Keeps fresh if refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You may freeze kasha after it is completely cool – just place in an airtight freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Side
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Russian
I have tried making buckwheat many times over many years, and it almost always came out mushy. I still remember my grandmother (who was from Romania) made perfect buckwheat, and I could never get anything to come out near perfect, it was always the wrong texture and mushy.
I was skeptical of this recipe, but I purchased some of the Makfa buckwheat, followed the Instant Pot directions, and what happened when I opened the lid? I saw perfect, non-mushy buckwheat. Amazing!
I discovered buckwheat groats a couple years ago. I eat it every day, sometimes twice.
I developed an unusual illness from rice, and never liked potatoes. I got healthy on buckwheat, veggies, poultry, and eggs.
I am reliant on buckwheat as a staple, with bulgur occasionally. I am not a foodie, and my thinking is usually, ‘what should I have with the grechka?’
I used to buy rice in bulk, but now I buy Makfa grechka by the case. I tried all the well-known brands, and it is the best brand, by far. One different brand would have occasional weed seeds which were horribly bitter, and taught me not to be lazy. All brands will have an occasional groat with husk, which should be picked out.
Good recipe and a lovely page! Thank you for your charming and informative article and recipe.
Seems easy enough. But I got the âfood burnâ message well before the 13 minutes was up. I also got the same message with another recipe. I have a newer instant pot and it must be more sensitive. I guess Iâm not cooking buckwheat in my instant pot. Maybe Iâll try my traditional pressure cooker or just the stove top method.
★★★
Thank you very much for your feedback and I’m so sorry to hear your buckwheat got a burn notice. I have never experienced this with my Instant Pot but I do have a few suggestions!
When you open up the pot, is all the liquid completely gone and the buckwheat is dry or is there still a lot of liquid left? If there is liquid left the burn notice would seem even more odd. This seems very unusual as the 1 cup buckwheat to 2 cups liquid ratio should be plenty of liquid for the buckwheat to cook.
If you have the 8 qt. Instant Pot or a newer model, I know it can be more likely that you will see a burn notice.
Are you using the suggested buckwheat brand? If not there’s a possibility it may be the reason you are seeing the warning. I would check to make sure you turn the steam release valve to sealing before you begin cooking, because if it’s not on sealing it can release the pressure and overheat the pot causing the burn warning.
My wife made this the other day and OMG it is soooo good! We will be sticking to this instead of rice from now on. It tastes better and itâs way healthier! So glad we found this. We bought the Russkoe Pole and it is really good. I canât wait to try more of your Russian recipes soon!
Hi Lucas, Thank you SO much for your kind words. I appreciate it and I’m very glad you liked it so much. Yes, it sure beats rice and so much healthier. More Russian recipes coming soon for sure!
Yammyđ