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
This buckwheat risotto is a hearty dish packed with flavorful mushrooms and leeks.
Ingredients
- 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 Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 860mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g
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.
Karen
Tuesday 5th of October 2021
This was delicious! Will definitely make this one again. Might try white wine instead of red to improve the color of the dish. I did add chopped, pre-cooked bacon from Trader Joe's when sautéing the mushrooms. Bookmarking this one, thanks for the recipe!
Tess
Friday 22nd of January 2016
I made this for dinner last night - it was fabulous! I had fresh made chicken stock, so I used that, and put in a couple of drops of black truffle oil to finish it. Wonderful! Thanks heaps for a great recipe!
Ellen
Sunday 29th of March 2015
YUM! Thank You that worked out great!
Emmy
Sunday 23rd of November 2014
For better "risotto" consistency, mix 1 cup of cashews with water and parsley in a blender to make a creamy sauce and mix in right before serving.
Julia @Vikalinka
Wednesday 23rd of April 2014
I am so excited to see a buckwheat recipe from someone of non-Slavic background. :-) Buckwheat and mushrooms is such a classic combination for me, I ate so much of that stuff growing up and one of the first posts I published on my blog! Have you ever tried cooking with roasted buckwheat groats? They are much darker in colour and have deeper, richer flavour. Absolutely amazing. Beautiful blog, Gina, so glad to have found you!
Running to the Kitchen
Wednesday 23rd of April 2014
Hi Julia! Thanks for stopping by :) I haven't tried making anything with the roasted groats yet. It's called kasha, right? I've seen them though and always think about buying them but just haven't yet. I wonder if I can just roast the groats I have and make my own?!