Buckwheat Risotto with Mushrooms and Leeks

This buckwheat risotto is a hearty dish packed with flavorful mushrooms and leeks.

I don’t know what I want to tell you guys about today. So many things…

We could talk about how I had the meal of a lifetime last Thursday at Blue Hill Stone Barns and tried things like plankton (too fishy and ocean tasting for me), fried pigs ears (omg, the best thing on this planet) and venison tongue (not my thing at all) among 30 something plates of food with the best service I’ve ever encountered (although when you’re paying close to a mortgage payment for dinner, it damn well better be).

We could talk about how I cooked a 20 pound ham yesterday so we can chat about how to use up all those ham leftovers for Easter you’re gonna have later this week and how there’s barely an inch of free space in my fridge now because of it.

Ham for daysssssss.

Or, we could talk about how I turn 32 today.

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But I’d rather not because I’m pretending it’s not actually happening.

So let’s talk about this buckwheat risotto instead.

It took some courage to buy these buckwheat groats because last time I bought buckwheat in bulk, I got a beetle infestation in my pantry that originated in the bag of buckwheat. While I love this gluten-free pseudo-grain, that experience scarred me.

Outside of the moth/worm infestation I had one other time (also from bulk food buying, great track record, huh?), it was the grossest experience of my life and I spent an entire day throwing out food and cleaning shelves.

So this time, I bought a small amount, ground most of it into flour immediately(for things like delicious coconut buckwheat breakfast bakes) and decided to use the remaining groats asap to avoid any lurking infestations.

I love the heartiness of buckwheat and it really stands up well in a risotto.

It remains chewy enough while still tender and pairs really well with the savory mushrooms and leeks that get cooked up in butter and red wine.

Pro tip – try swapping out the mushrooms in this recipe for lion’s mane mushrooms. They’re perfect for a super hearty meatless meal.

It also goes deliciously with a side (or 50) of ham.

MORE RISOTTO RECIPES TO TRY

Creamy vegan mushroom risotto is so incredibly decadent, you’d never know there was no milk or cheese.

Pea and radish risotto is one of my favorite spring dishes.

Farro risotto is another alternative risotto recipe which uses chewy farro instead of rice. It features white beans and kale.

Buckwheat Risotto with Mushrooms and Leeks

Author: Gina Matsoukas

This buckwheat risotto is a hearty dish packed with flavorful mushrooms and leeks.

4.6 from 19 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons butter divided
• 16 ounces mushrooms sliced (I used a combination of button, portobello and shitake)
• kosher salt
• 2 leeks halved lengthwise and sliced into half circles
• 1 large clove of garlic minced
• 1 cup buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 3 cups warmed vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• parsley for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a dutch oven over medium-low heat.
• Once melted, add the mushrooms and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss to coat the mushrooms in the butter.
• Let cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms have given off all their liquid and it’s evaporated. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add the other tablespoon of butter to the pot.
• Once melted, add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown.
• Add the garlic and buckwheat groats to the pot. Toss and let cook so the garlic becomes fragrant and the buckwheat “toasts”, about 1-2 miinutes.
• Add the wine to the pot, stir and let cook until it’s completely absorbed.
• At this point, ladle in the vegetable broth about 1/2 cup at a time, keeping the mixture at a low simmer.
• As the liquid starts to get absorbed by the buckwheat, add a bit more to the pot until you’ve used all 3 cups and it’s been absorbed fully by the buckwheat. The buckwheat should be tender at this point.
• Turn off the heat, add the mushrooms and parmesan to the pot and stir to combine.
• Serve with parsley and extra parmesan.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1SERVING | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 860mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

Cuisine Italian

Course Main Dishes

Keyword buckwheat risotto

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Gina Matsoukas

About

Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.