Buckwheat Salad

This Buckwheat Salad is quick and easy to make, healthy and delicious, and packed with Mediterranean flavors. Loaded with superfood buckwheat, this salad is healthy, naturally gluten-free, and vegetarian. It’s the perfect salad to serve for a nourishing light dinner or meal prep for lunch throughout the week.

Plus, this Mediterranean buckwheat salad is loaded plant-based protein from the buckwheat, fresh vegetables and herbs, and a light olive oil dressing, adding nutrients and antioxidants to this healthy salad.

Why You'll Love this Buckwheat Salad

• It's a healthy and filling meal. This buckwheat salad with feta and tomatoes is my ideal vegetarian or gluten-free meal when I am craving a light yet filling dinner. It also stores well so it's perfect for meal prep for a healthy work lunch. The buckwheat keeps you full, while the veggies bring freshness and flavor — and they both add tons of nutrients.
• Buckwheat is easy to make. Buckwheat is a superfood seed that is really easy to prepare, taking about 15-20 minutes to cook. Similar to rice or quinoa, all you do is cook it in a saucepan of water, bring to a boil, and simmer. Then, fluff with a fork.
• Loaded with Mediterranean flavors. Mediterranean flavors are all over this buckwheat salad from the fresh ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, lemon, and fresh herbs, to Greek ingredients like feta cheese and olive oil.

What is Buckwheat?

Buckwheat is a highly nutritious seed that is high in protein and fiber. It contains lots of vitamins and minerals and boasts numerous health benefits. Plus, despite it's name, buckwheat is not a grain — it's naturally gluten-free.

Some of the health benefits of superfood buckwheat are:

• promotes heart health by lowering the risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
• promotes digestion.
• supports brain, liver and digestive health and helps prevents digestive disorders.
• contains antioxidants (it can help fight cancer and heart disease!).
• controls blood sugar and lowers risk of diabetes.

Ingredient Notes

To make this Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• buckwheat - you will also need water to cook the dry buckwheat in.
• tomatoes - I recommend grape or cherry tomatoes. You could also use larger tomatoes but you want to avoid ones that are too watery. If you do, put the sliced tomatoes in a colander (tossed with some salt) to drain out some of the excess water prior to tossing them in the salad.
• mini cucumbers
• red onion
• feta cheese - you could substitute with a mild crumbly goat's cheese instead. A grilled halloumi is also really nice with this salad. You can also leave out the cheese completely for a vegan buckwheat salad instead.
• herbs - throw in your favorite fresh herb such as parsley, mint, or dill. You can also substitute with ½ tablespoon dry herbs such as dried oregano or Italian seasoning.
• olive oil - use a high quality olive oil since this is the bulk of our dressing.
• lemon juice
• salt and pepper

You can customize this salad with your favorite veggies and ingredients. Try adding some:

• bell peppers
• kalamata olives
• chickpeas

How to Make the Best Buckwheat Salad

1. Make buckwheat. Rinse the buckwheat and place in a small saucepan. Add water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until cooked. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork. If the water has not all been absorbed, drain the buckwheat in a colander. Set aside and let it cool completely.
2. Combine salad ingredients. Transfer the cooled buckwheat to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, and toss to combine.
3. Serve. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with extra parsley or mint on top (optional).

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How to Serve

This Mediterranean Buckwheat Salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is a nourishing and filling meal on its own but you can pair it with extra protein if you would like. Some of my favorites are:

• Baked Greek Souvlaki Chicken Breast
• Garlic Butter Shrimp
• Falafel
• Greek Salmon
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Seared Scallops

More Salad Recipes

• 40 Best Salad Recipes
• Chickpea Greek Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad
• Persian Shirazi Salad with Cucumbers and Tomato
• Greek Pasta Salad

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