Buckwheat Bread is the gluten-free bread recipe you've been looking for and now you can make it in your home! It's way better than anything store-bought and it's essentially made from just one ingredient. It takes a bit of time (but minimal effort) to take it from raw buckwheat groats to a chewy, crunchy on the outside loaf of bread, but it's 100% worth it.
Recipe Price: $5.64 | Per Serving: $0.35 | Yield: 16 slices
This gluten-free buckwheat bread is my favorite homemade gluten-free yeast-free bread recipe! Why? Because, it's the simplest one I’ve ever made! It requires just one primary ingredient, and once toasted, it has the crunchy texture of an artisan loaf. Even better, you don’t have to buy several types of flours and you don’t need any special ingredients like xanthan gum.
Several of my clients with SIBO have particularly enjoyed this wheat-free bread. It can be a little annoying to get your hands on buckwheat groats - not all grocery stores carry them - but other than that, the recipe is really straightforward and doesn’t require any baking skills!
You may be most familiar with buckwheat recipes in the context of pancakes, like this mug pancake recipe, and traditional French crepes, but it is a staple crop for many Eastern European countries, where they often eat it much the way we eat oats in the west.
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Nutritional Benefits of Fermented Buckwheat Bread
- Protein + Fiber But Without Sugar. Each slice of this bread has a little more than 3.5g of protein and a little more than 3.5g of fiber! With ZERO added sugar - you really cannot find that from a grocery store loaf!
- 100% Gluten-Free. Contrary to the name, buckwheat is actually a completely gluten-free plant! Much like quinoa, it is a “grain-like seed”. This means it looks like a grain, tastes like a grain, functions like a grain, but is botanically a seed (rather than being a ‘grass’ or ‘cereal’). These grain-like seeds are also a little higher than protein than other plants of the grass family.
- Better for Your Gut. This flourless bread is lightly fermented in order to provide a better texture - the overnight rest allows for some bubbles to form in the dough, which helps it rise in the oven. This also has a second benefit of making it slightly gentler on the gut and easier for many people to digest.
Ingredients
- Buckwheat Groats. If you can’t find buckwheat at your local store (I know Safeway, MOM’s, and Whole Foods carry it), you can order it online! Search for Bob’s Red Mill or Anthony’s Buckwheat. Another option is to look for a local Eastern European grocery store - you might find it for a fraction of the cost.
- Flax Seeds. Ground flax is added to boost the fiber while whole flax seeds are sprinkled on the top. You can leave this out if you prefer.
- Salt. 100% necessary for flavor.
How to Make Buckwheat Bread
This buckwheat bread recipe is actually pretty easy to make. It may look like it takes a long time but most of the time listed is spent soaking the groats and letting the batter lightly ferment.
Step 1: Place the buckwheat groats in a large glass bowl and cover them with fresh water about 2 inches above the groats.
Step 2: Loosely cover the bowl with a cloth towel and let them soak in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Step 3: Drain the soaking water from the buckwheat in a mesh strainer. Do not rinse the groats.
Step 4: Add the drained buckwheat, fresh water, and salt to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth. Add the ground flax and blend for about 10 seconds or so to mix it into the dough.
Step 5: Pour the batter into a large glass bowl.
Step 6: Cover the dough with a clean kitchen cloth. Let the batter stand in a cool dark place for about 8 hours or up to 24 hours. This allows the batter time to ferment a bit.
Step 7: Transfer the batter to a 9x5-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Smooth out the top and sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of whole flax seeds evenly over the top.
Step 8: Bake the bread in a preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until browned and completely firm and set at the center. Allow it to cool in the pan slightly before removing it using the parchment paper. Finish the cooling on on a rack if you have one.
Expert Tips
- Plan It Out. This recipe takes a little forethought, especially if you're not home all day. Usually I soak the buckwheat groats in the morning on day 1 (on a Friday or Saturday), blend them into dough before bed, and then bake it in the morning on day 2 (Saturday or Sunday).
- Toast the Bread. The texture of this bread is best when toasted. It's great with butter and a little flakey salt. We do occasionally toast it to use to make sandwiches.
- Storing Leftovers. Store the bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If you’d like to freeze this, you can freeze it whole. I prefer to slice it first and freeze the slices in an even layer for an hour before stacking them in a bag or container. This helps prevent them from freezing together so you can just pull out one or two slices at a time.
- Serving Ideas. Enjoy with a spread with a little butter and flaky salt (my favorite), a spread of raspberry chia jam, homemade peanut butter, or transform it into a turkey sandwich with my slow cooker turkey breast for sandwiches!
Recipe FAQs
The top will be browned and it will appear set in the center. But the best way to ensure it's fully cooked is to check it with a thermometer. A fully cooked loaf of bread typically registers between 195 and 210°F. Don't worry if the thermometer isn't completely clean when you remove it - this is due to the nature of this bread.
The soaking is necessary as it soften the buckwheat groats enough so they will blend properly. The fermentation step isn't 100% necessary but I highly recommend it. When the batter is fermented -- even a little -- it aids in the texture of the bread as the bubbles help it rise and give it a lighter feel. This step also makes the buckwheat easier to digest.
Yes, it will ferment more quickly in a warmer environment and more slowly in the winter months if it's cooler in your house. I recommend looking for a cook dark place in the summer, and placing atop your fridge in the winter.
More Gluten-Free Bread Recipes
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Gluten-Free Buckwheat Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups buckwheat groats (raw, untoasted, hull removed) 16 oz or 460 g
- 1 ¼ cups fresh water
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 1-2 teaspoons whole flax seeds optional
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
- Place buckwheat groats in a large glass bowl; fill with fresh water, enough to cover the buckwheat by about 2 inches.
- Loosely cover with a cloth towel. Let this soak in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Drain buckwheat through a mesh strainer for 1 minute. DO NOT RINSE.
- Add drained buckwheat, 1¼ cups fresh water, and salt to a blender. Blend until mostly smooth. Add the ground flax and blend until combined, just 10 seconds or so.
- Pour the batter into a large glass bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen cloth.
- Let the batter stand in a cool dark place for about 8 hours or up to 24 hours in order to undergo some light fermentation. I find this results in a better texture.
When ready to bake:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF (215ºC). Line a 9x5-inch (22.5x 12.5 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper; pour in batter. Smooth out the top if needed, then evenly sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons whole flax seeds on top. (This is optional!)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until browned and completely firm/set at the center. A fully cooked loaf of bread typically registers between 195 and 210°F. If you enter a metal thermometer, it might not come out completely clean because of the nature of this bread. When it is cool enough to touch, remove from the pan using the parchment paper and let cool completely on a rack if you have one. Once cool, slice into about 16 slices.
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