One-pot stewed buckwheat and beef is the epitome of comfort food. Bursting with tender beef and packed with veggies, it’s a filling dish that requires minimal fuss.
Stewed buckwheat with beef is a Ukrainian staple. A play on pilaf, it’s an ultra-savory dish of buckwheat, veggies, and tender chucks of beef. Made in one-pot, it’s an easy way to put a healthy dinner on the table on those days you don’t feel like making an elaborate meal. Hello, easy kitchen clean up.
Growing up in Ukraine, my mom made buckwheat on a weekly basis. Throughout Eastern Europe, it’s widely available, affordable, and packed with fiber and protein. Many Ukrainians can relate to taking it for granted when they were young, but growing to love buckwheat and craving it as adults.
Did you know? Buckwheat is 100% gluten-free. You can substitute it anywhere you would use rice, quinoa, or other grains for a more filling, protein-rich side dish.
How to Make Stewed Buckwheat and Beef
Making stewed buckwheat with beef is as simple as it gets. It’s the ultimate “set it and forget it” kind of meal. Below, find a quick overview of the recipe.
- Slice and brown beef: Slice your beef into 1-inch cubes. In a skillet with a lid (you could also use a deep Staub Pan), brown the beef on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Slice and sauté veggies: Sauté mushrooms. Set aside. Sauté carrots and onions in the same skillet. Return beef and mushrooms to the skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook: Add buckwheat, Better than Bouillon Beef Base, and hot water to the skillet. Cover with lid and cook.
Never cooked with buckwheat before? Pick up an Eastern European brand if you can. They tend to be much more flavorful and come pre-toasted.
Tips for the Best Stewed Buckwheat and Beef
Below, find a collection of tips to help you make the absolute best stewed buckwheat and beef.
- Choosing the best beef for your stew. Ribeye is the best cut your can use for stewed beef and buckwheat. But if you can’t get your hands on it, any other fatty cut of beef will do. Other options include skirt steak, t-bone, New York strip, porterhouse, filet mignon, and flap steak.
- Cut beef into similar-sized, small pieces. To yield the best bite and texture, make certain to slice your beef into similar sized cubes. The more uniform the pieces, the more even the cooking. There’s nothing worse than biting into a rubbery, overcooked piece of beef that’s hard to chew.
- Cut beef against the grain. Cutting beef against the grain makes it much more tender and easier to chew. By cutting against the muscle grains instead of alongside them, you break up the tougher parts of the meat and get more uniform slices.
- Use toasted buckwheat versus raw. Toasted buckwheat has a much nuttier, rich taste then raw. It also cooks much faster, isn’t prone to getting mushy, and doesn’t need to be soaked overnight.
- Switch up the protein. If you’re not a fan of beef, feel free to substitute chicken or pork. You could even go completely vegetarian by omitting the meat all together and using Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base.
Serving Stewed Buckwheat and Beef
Stewed buckwheat and beef is a meal all on its own. However, if you want to round it out, pair it with a marinated beet salad. If you want to go the traditional route, whip up a batch of homemade pickles. Eastern Europeans love to cut the fatty, savory taste of beef with the acidity of pickled veggies. It’s a flavor combination that never gets old…
Storing Stewed Buckwheat and Beef
- Refrigerating: Store leftover stewed buckwheat and beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to a week.
- Freezing: Allow stewed buckwheat and beef to completely cool. Transfer it to a freezer safe bag and pop in the freezer. Frozen stewed buckwheat and beef will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
Reheating Tip: Reheat stewed buckwheat and beef in a skillet with a bit of butter. Pan fry it until it warms through. If it’s a bit dry, rehydrate it with some broth.
FAQ
How long does it take to cook buckwheat?
It takes buckwheat about 15 minutes to cook all on its own. See the complete guide for cooking buckwheat here.
How much water do I need to cook buckwheat?
You need one-and-a-half cups water for every cup of toasted buckwheat groats.
Do you need to soak toasted buckwheat?
You do not need to soak toasted buckwheat before cooking it. Unlike other dense grains, it cooks super fast and doesn’t require any presoaking.
Is buckwheat healthier than rice?
Buckwheat is much healthier than white rice. Widely considered a “super food”, it touts high levels of Vitamin B6, protein, and fiber.
Why is my buckwheat mushy?
Mushy buckwheat is often a result of too much water or the use of raw buckwheat. Always use toasted buckwheat and measuring cups to nail the water to grain ration (one-and-a-half cups of water for every cup of toasted buckwheat grouts).
More Buckwheat Recipes
- Buckwheat With Mushrooms – Protein-rich veggie dish
- Buckwheat Meat Patties Recipe – Hearty buckwheat and ground meat patties
- Healthy Buckwheat Soup – Filling buckwheat and meat soup
- Stuffed Bell Peppers – Peppers stuffed with buckwheat
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef
- 1 lbs mushrooms sliced
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 carrots half rings
- 1 tbsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil for frying
- 1 cup buckwheat
- 1 tbsp Better Than Bouillon Beef Broth Base
- 1 1/2 cup hot water
Instructions
- Cut beef into 1-inch slices against the grain. In a deep skillet, brown beef pieces on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, brown mushrooms. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion and carrots to the same skillet and cook until they are golden brown. Add beef and mushrooms back to the skillet. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Add buckwheat, broth base, and hot water to skillet.
- Cover it with a lid. Allow it to simmer on low for about 40 minutes ,or until all the ingredients are cooked through. Enjoy!
Hi! I can't get that beef flavouring (I'm in New Zealand) can you use stock cubes instead? Thanks!
Hi Carla, Yes you can! Thank you for reaching out. Have a wonderful day!
My family loved this!
Julia, thats awesome! Thanks for feedback!
Have you tried making it in the instant pot?
Hey Elizabeth, I haven't. But I heard others that have tried it, loved the outcome.
What a savory and very tasty stew! My family and I absolutely loved this. We can't wait to make this again!
That is so good to hear, thank you for your feedback, Beth!
It really is the ultimate comfort food! Super hearty & rich in flavor. Will definitely make again!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you for taking the time to comment!
This stewed buckwheat and beef recipe reminds me of how my mom used to make this dish! I love the flavors and this dish is so EASY to make and the ultimate comfort food!
Yes!! The best food always comes with the best memories!
We like the beef to fall apart. So what kind of beef should I get?
I would use more a fatty cut, roast would be great for this recipe.
Made this for dinner. I put about 1/2 an inch of water on top of everything because I like my buckwheat more underdone and I would've taken it out after 20 minutes of baking but the beef was very chewy. When I took it out of the oven after 40 minutes the buckwheat was a bit overcooked but the beef was still very chewy to my taste I'm not sure if I got the wrong cut or something because I did brown it before baking it and also there was still broth on the bottom so it was like a very thick soup? Anyways, the flavor was delicious I'm just thinking next time I'll put everything to bake without the buckwheat and let it bake for about an hour before adding my buckwheat in and then cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Yes, the cut of beef would make a difference. The beef is meant not fall apart but I think it would also be great if you bake it for a while and add buckwheat later. It would just need longer cooking time.
I would also braise the beef or other meat before adding it to the buckwheat; grilled buckwheat which we call "kasha" here (yes, I know that means any porridge grains).
My dream would be to make this with bison, caribou or some other game meat. Our caribou is actually the same species as your reindeer. It is very nutritious.
Thanks for your tips!
Hi! How much water exactly do u need to add in buckwheat?
I added enough to cover the ingredients and about an inch of extra water on top, so its enough while it expends.
Do you cover it in the oven?
Yes, do cover it while it's baking.
How much water did you add?
Enough to cover the buckwheat and should still have an inch of water extra on top. I'll note the recipe.