I love buckwheat bread thanks to its deep nutty flavor. Unfortunately though, I haven’t been able to find a good brand that has a clean list of ingredients without ten lines of additives, preservatives, and different names for sugar! So when I came across this simple recipe by the Healthy Chef, I knew I had to make it right away 😉 Since then, I’ve made it multiple times, either as bread or as pizza dough (MUST TRY!), so I thought it’s about time to share it with you as well. I made some small changes this time and spiced it up with caraway, fennel, and anise for a fragrant twist.
Despite its resemblance in name to wheat, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not even a cereal grain. It is actually a fruit seed from the rhubarb family, making it a wonderful alternative to grains for those who are looking for gluten-free or grain-free options. Buckwheat a great source of manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and dietary fiber. It also contains flavonoids such as rutin and quercetin with significant health-promoting actions. Flavonoids are phytonutrients that act as antioxidants and protect us from disease by fighting against free-radical damage.
Moreover, buckwheat is an excellent source of plant-based protein since it contains ALL eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, buckwheat is a great food to regularly incorporate into your diet as it provides essential amino acids lysine and arginine, which are difficult to find in most common cereal or whole grains.
Hope you get a chance to try out this recipe! My favorite way to have it is toasted with a generous slather of hummus or cashew cheese, avocado, sea salt and pomegranate seeds. And if you’d like to include more of this miraculous seed into your diet, be sure to check out this Olive & Artichoke Tart, Buckwheat Mushroom Soup, Gluten-free Fruit Cake, or “Nutella” Buckwheat Smoothie with Blackberry Sauce.
Caraway Buckwheat Bread Recipe
Yields 1 loaf
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups raw buckwheat groats, soaked for a minimum of 2 hours
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
- 2 teaspoons RawSpiceBar caraway fennel and anise bread spice
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease a 5×8 inch loaf tin with olive oil on the base and sides or line it with parchment paper
- Mix chia seeds and water, stir a few times and let it sit for 10-15 minutes until it gels and thickens
- Rinse and drain the buckwheat groats through a fine sieve and make sure all the water is fully drained
- Add all ingredients to the food processor and process until you reach a batter consistency
- Pour into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 75-90 minutes until firm to touch and crisp on the outside
- Remove from the oven and let it cool down before removing from the tin and serving. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week. Freeze if you wish to store it longer
