Ukrainian Buckwheat Kasha with Brown Butter (Grechka)

Published on

by Maggie Turansky

Disclaimer: This article may contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Buckwheat kasha is an Eastern European staple that has a distinctive smell and craveable nutty flavour – it’s also incredibly nostalgic and comforting for many, myself included. Traditionally made similarly to rice with just water and finished with a knob of butter, I thought I could jazz it up a little bit while highlighting the best flavours of the buckwheat groats.

So instead of water, I opt to cook the kasha in chicken stock to up the flavour a little bit. Of course, adding browned butter seemed like a no-brainer as I was sure it would complement the nutty flavours brilliantly.

And if you want to go a step further, stirring in a touch of white miso paste for some salty umami and a touch of garlic to add a little kick, and this kasha is truly great.

Ukranian Kasha
Ukrainian Kasha

How to Make Buckwheat Kasha (Grechka)

Kasha really just means porridge in most Slavic languages; however, in English, it almost always just refers to buckwheat groats – so that’s what I mean when I say kasha

To be most correct, however, the term grechka should be used as that refers specifically to buckwheat groats in Ukrainian (which can be bought online here) and other Slavic languages.

Ingredients for this recipe
Ingredients for this recipe

Fundamentally, it’s very simple to make and follows the same steps as cooking rice on the stovetop. However, I find that it gives it a bit of umph if you cook the kasha in chicken (or veggie) stock. You don’t need to do this, however, and you can just use an equal amount of water.

Add your dried buckwheat groats to a small saucepan and then pour over your cool stock or water.

Cover the pan, set it over high heat and bring to a vigorous boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the kasha is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed – this will take about 20 minutes.

Cooking the raw buckwheat
Cooking the raw buckwheat

During this time, brown your butter. This is something I’ve covered a few times – for instance, in my shortbread recipe.

All you need to do is add some butter to a small saucepan. Set it over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, you will notice that it begins to foam up.

Browning the butter
Browning the butter

Stir every so often and wait until the foam subsides. After this, you will begin to notice some brown flecks collecting at the bottom of the pan – those are the milk solids beginning to toast! Remove the pan from the heat once you reach that stage.

Now, you can simply add this to the kasha, season with salt and pepper and then serve. However, if you want to up the flavour a little bit – go ahead and add some garlic and a touch of miso paste to the brown butter.

Adding the miso & garlic
Adding the miso & garlic

Stir to distribute the miso paste and then pour it over the kasha. Stir to combine and then taste to adjust for seasoning, adding some black pepper and more salt if you think it’s needed.

And that’s it! Go ahead and serve immediately. This works as an excellent side dish, perfect for everything from a roast chicken to something like my mushroom stew!

And if you’ve fallen in love with the flavour of grechka, consider expanding it’s use and cook something like my buckwheat risotto!

Stirring the butter into the buckwheat
Stirring the butter into the buckwheat
Ukranian Buckwheat - Kasha

Ukrainian Buckwheat (Kasha/Grechka)

A sophisticated spin on traditional Ukrainian kasha, this recipe elevates the nuttiness with the addition of brown butter and, optionally, some miso paste & garlic.
Tried This? Rate It!
No ratings yet
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 150 g (1 cup) buckwheat groats thoroughly rinsed
  • 350 ml (1 ½ cups) chicken or vegetable stock or water
  • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp white miso paste optional
  • 1 clove garlic grated or finely minced, optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the buckwheat groats and chicken stock (or water) to a small saucepan. Cover and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until the buckwheat has absorbed all of the liquid and is tender, 15-20 minutes.
    Cooking the raw buckwheat
  • Meanwhile, add the butter to a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring or swirling occasionally, and cook until it begins to bubble, the bubbles subside and you notice the butter beginning to turn brown on the bottom of the pan (see note).
    Browning the butter
  • Add the miso paste and garlic to the pan and stir until the miso is evenly distributed and the garlic is very fragrant – only about 30 seconds.
    Adding the miso & garlic
  • Pour the brown butter mixture over the kasha, stir and season with salt and pepper where needed. Serve.
    Stirring the butter into the buckwheat

Notes

If not using the garlic and miso paste, remove the butter from the pan and pour over the cooked kasha and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 180mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 189IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe or have questions?Click here to leave a rating and/or comment!

Buckwheat kasha is so simple to make and also very comforting and nostalgic. Its unique flavour is super craveable and you’re sure to want to use this recipe over and over again.

Have any questions about this Ukrainian buckwheat recipe? Let me know in the comments!

Like It? Pin It!
Avatar photo

Maggie is the creator behind No Frills Kitchen. She is a world traveller, home cook and recipe developer who loves to experiment with new cuisines and techniques at every chance she gets. No stranger to improvising and making do with the equipment and ingredients she has available, she is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others. Read More