Last Updated on 02/08/2024 by Adina
Make this vegan buckwheat salad recipe with carrots, scallions, and a sweet and lemony dressing; it's delicious and so good for you!
Make this tasty vegan buckwheat salad with crunchy carrots and scallions. Toss it with a sweet and lemony dressing. It’s delicious, healthy, and great for a light meal or as a side dish. Enjoy it warm or cold, and it's perfect for meal prep or potlucks.
I have been really into roasted buckwheat lately. I bought a large bag of roasted buckwheat or kasha (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) a couple of months ago, and surprisingly, I have used it all up in such a short time.
OK, there are still about ½ cups of roasted buckwheat in the bag, but I am already planning another vegan buckwheat recipe - a buckwheat soup - for the weekend. Check out the Polish Roasted Buckwheat and Vegan Kasha Recipe.
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Roasted or unroasted buckwheat groats?
You can buy buckwheat, either roasted or unroasted. Sometimes, the issue is specified on the packet of buckwheat, but unfortunately, not always. Most recipes I cook with buckwheat ask for roasted buckwheat.
Luckily, most buckwheat that you can buy in a regular store is already roasted, and usually, the packet will only mention anything if the buckwheat is raw and unroasted.
The best and easiest way to tell if the buckwheat is roasted or not is by looking at it: raw buckwheat has a very light color, while roasted buckwheat is brown and crunchier if you bite it... That easy!
How to cook buckwheat?
When cooking buckwheat groats, avoid using too much liquid or overcooking them, as this will result in mushy buckwheat. Follow the package instructions, which usually suggest a 1:2 ratio of buckwheat to water (1 cup buckwheat to 2 cups water). However, I use less liquid, about 1 cup buckwheat to 1¾ cup water, and ensure the lid fits well to minimize steam loss.
How long should you cook buckwheat?
Always check the packet’s instructions for cooking buckwheat, as times can vary widely from 7-8 minutes to 15-18 minutes.
Don’t rely solely on recipes; follow the packet for the correct water ratio and cooking time.
Use slightly less water than recommended, ensure the pot has a tight-fitting lid, and start checking the buckwheat’s consistency 2-3 minutes before the suggested cooking time ends.
How to make buckwheat salad?
- Step #1: Bring the vegetable broth to a boil, add rinsed buckwheat, cover tightly, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Check the packet's instructions and start checking if the buckwheat is cooked to your liking 2-3 minutes before the recommended time is up. If there’s extra liquid after cooking, drain the buckwheat. Let it cool before serving as a lukewarm or cold salad.
- Step #2: Make the dressing. First, mix grated garlic, olive oil, brown sugar, and ¾ of the lemon juice. Add spices and stir until the sugar dissolves. Adjust the taste.
- Step #3: Add the vegetables: grated carrots, thinly sliced green onions, and chopped parsley, including most of their stems (remove only the thicker lower parts of the stems).
- Step #4: Add dressing to the buckwheat salad and mix to combine. Taste and adjust the taste again, if necessary.
Good to know!
The dressing should be really lemony yet sweet; strong flavors are required, so don't be shy with the lemon juice and the sugar.
How to store?
The buckwheat salad with lemon dressing keeps very well. It can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. This vegan buckwheat recipe also makes a great lunch box food, easy to transport and to eat at work.
How to serve it?
This roasted buckwheat salad can be served lukewarm or completely cooled. You can cook the buckwheat groats in advance, let them cool and keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make a complete meal, you could serve a creamy vegetable soup before or with the buckwheat salad.
Buckwheat salad is suitable for a barbecue or a party and makes a great side dish for meat, chicken, or fish. I can imagine eating it alongside this pomegranate lamb or Greek Lamb Chops, for instance.
Do you like this recipe?
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Vegan Buckwheat Salad
Ingredients
- 6 oz buckwheat groats
- 1 ⅓ cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar more to taste
- juice of 1 lemon more to taste
- ½ teaspoons red chili flakes more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 medium carrots about 150 g/ 5.5 oz
- 3 medium scallions
- 1 bunch of parsley about 20 g/ 0.7 oz
- fine sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
How to cook buckwheat:
- Cook: Bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed buckwheat groats, cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on low heat until the buckwheat is done to your liking, more or less 10 minutes (Note 1 - Important!).1 ⅓ cup vegetable broth/ 325 g + 6 oz buckwheat groats/ 170 g
- Drain the buckwheat well if there is still liquid left in the pan. Then, transfer the buckwheat to a large bowl and leave to cool.
Dressing:
- Combine: Finely grate the garlic cloves and place them in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, brown sugar, about ¾ of the freshly squeezed lemon juice, chili flakes, ground cumin, ground coriander, some salt, and pepper. Stir well. Adjust the taste with more sugar, lemon juice, and salt if necessary. The dressing should taste sweet and very lemony; the flavors should be intense.2 garlic cloves + 2 tablespoons olive oil + 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar + juice of 1 lemon + ½ teaspoons red chili flakes + ¼ teaspoon ground cumin + ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salad: Grate the carrots on the large holes of a grater box. Cut the scallions into fine rings. Chop the parsley, including most of the stems (only discard the lower, thicker parts of the stems). Add the vegetables and the parsley to the buckwheat bowl.2 medium carrots + 3 medium scallions + 1 bunch of parsley
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well. Adjust the taste again. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.fine sea salt and black pepper
Notes
- Check the buckwheat's package instructions regarding the cooking times; they can differ from pack to pack and sometimes a lot. Check the buckwheat 2-3 minutes earlier than indicated on the package to ensure you don't overcook it. It should be soft but still have a good bite. Mushy buckwheat is not good.
kimberly dawn borchardt says
ROASTED???? Why is it called "ROASTED" buckwheat salad? Nothing is roasted in this recipe...
Adina says
The buckwheat is roasted! Read the post, it's mentioned there as well. Most brands of buckwheat you buy are roasted, if they're not, most recipes will require you to do it.
Mimi says
Very interesting. I’m intrigued by the lemon and the sugar in the dressing. Love the carrots.
angiesrecipes says
Simple yet so good! The dressing would be wonderful for other whole grains too.