Aside from smoothies and vegan overnight oats, raw buckwheat porridge is a breakfast staple in my morning rotation. I love breakfasts that are quick and easy and this one surely fits the bill. Similar to smoothies and overnight oats, you can also make buckwheat porridge the night before and store it in the fridge. Throw it into a jar and grab it while running out the door in the morning! How easy is that?
But first – what the heck are raw buckwheat groats?
I’ve talked a lot about buckwheat groats on this blog over the years, but it’s always nice to have a little ingredient refresher. Unlike the name, buckwheat is not a wheat product. It’s actually a fruit seed related to rhubarb and sorrel and it’s naturally gluten-free. Beige and pale green in color, raw buckwheat groats are a great source of protein, fiber, manganese, and magnesium. Be sure not to confuse them with kasha which is toasted buckwheat. Kasha has a stronger, earthier flavour and I much prefer the neutral flavour of raw buckwheat groats. You can find raw buckwheat groats in the bulk food section of Whole Foods, natural food stores, and online. I usually buy it by the 10 pound bag from Upaya Naturals website and the bag lasts for-eva.
To make this porridge, all you do is soak raw buckwheat groats in water overnight (or for at least 2 hours). Soaking buckwheat helps the body digest it better (and it also softens it, making it easier to blend up and chew). After soaking, rinse it off very well and then process it into a delicious raw porridge. Just like smoothies or vegan overnight oats, the flavour options for this are endless! This time, I was in a major chocolate hazelnut mood, so I decided to turn my breakfast into this chocolaty delight…and it did NOT disappoint!
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Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Breakfast Parfait
Yield
2 (1-cup) servings
Soak time
2 hours or overnight
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
This chocolate porridge is light and healthy without being overly sweet, so it's something you can enjoy in the morning. I added a banana for natural sweetness, a couple tablespoons of cacao powder, and a hint of vanilla and maple syrup. The porridge is great all on its own, but if you want to get fancy, go to town with the toppings. I added toasted hazelnuts, toasted flaked coconut, banana and strawberries, strawberry chia seed jam (from my cookbook), and my homemade vegan nutella.
Ingredients
for the porridge:
- 1 cup raw buckwheat groats, soaked
- 1 medium/large banana, peeled and roughly chopped
- scant 1/2 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1-2 tablespoons liquid sweetener, to taste (I used 1.5 tbsp maple syrup)
- very small pinch of sea salt
Suggested toppings:
- Chopped fresh strawberries and sliced banana
- Chopped toasted hazelnuts
- Cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips
- Flaked or shredded shredded toasted coconut
- Strawberry Chia Seed Jam (from The Oh She Glows Cookbook)
- Homemade Vegan Nutella (see note for recipe link)
Directions
- Place buckwheat groats into a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or for at least 2 hours. Rinse and drain the buckwheat thoroughly to remove the gelatinous coating that forms while soaking. Set aside 1/4 cup of buckwheat groats so you can stir it into the porridge later on (this gives it a slightly crunchy texture).
- Place all the porridge ingredients (except for the reserved 1/4 cup groats) into a food processor (or blender) and process (blend) the mixture until combined. I don't process it super smooth as I like a bit of texture to it, but it's your call.
- Adjust sweetness to taste. Stir in the reserved 1/4 cup of groats. You can chill it for a couple hours (or overnight) or serve immediately.
- In a glass, layer the porridge along with your desired toppings. Or simply serve it up in a bowl.
Tip:
- To make the Homemade Vegan Nutella, see this post.
- To make this recipe nut-free, swap a nut-free milk for the almond milk (such as coconut milk). Omit the hazelnuts.
- To save time in the morning, make this the night before. Layer it up in a jar and screw on the lid for a portable breakfast!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Cookbook News
I wanted to share my excitement about some cookbook news that I received this week. I heard from my editors regarding our official first week of sales (the numbers come from Bookscan and Booknet). Last week, The Oh She Glows Cookbook was the #1 best-selling cookbook in the US, as well as the 4th best-selling trade paperback book in the US overall. Here in Canada, it was the bestselling cookbook, as well as the #3 bestselling non-fiction book overall. I am completely over the moon with gratitude and I can’t thank you enough for all your support. Thank you for welcoming my recipes in your home, sharing the book with others, and spreading the word that vegan recipes can be both delicious and good for you all at once. I really feel like it’s a dream come true.
Love ur site, am so happy to find it. A quick question for the chocolate pudding can I use whole milk instead of almond milk. And can I substitute the almond milk with whole milk in all your receipes
Thank you
Mayada
Could I swap out steel cut oats? Thanks!
Angela, I have a question about raw buckwheat groats. For a while now I have been eating them completely plain, just out of the bag, ie without either toasting or soaking. (Not just by themselves – mixed with yogurt, honey, jelly, fruit, oats, wheat germ etc.) When you recommend soaking them, is that because there are real health benefits to not eating them plain or is it mostly a question of taste? Thanks for your advice!
Hi Zeke, I’ve read that buckwheat groats (raw) are difficult for the body to digest, so that is why I soak mine first. I have noticed in the past that I got stomach pains when eating the raw groats without soaking.
Hope this helps!
This looks phenomenal! Question- where did you procure the jar I see in some of the photos?? I have seen this type in other recipes and it Los perfect for so many things, but I can’t seem to find anything like it!
Hi Mindy,
Its from Crate and Barrel :)
I love this breakfast! Have just made a batch to take into work for the rest of the week – topped with raspberries and cacao nibs :) I add a couple of tablespoons of oats and some peanut butter to my boyfriend’s to fill him up!
do you think I could substitute bulgar groat for the buckwheat?
Just tried this recipe today… soooo good! This is my first official recipe from this site (which I recently discovered…yaay!), and it turned out great! Thanks so much for your amazing site, your witty humour, and fantastic recipes!
I was wondering if there is anything I can substitute the buckwheat with?! This looks AHHHHMAAAZING! I am drooling over it currently.
Unfortunately I was a bit disappointed by the blandness of this recipe…meaning, it looks a lot better than it tasted. I would imagine you could sweeten it up with a good drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup. Probably not the best dish to bring to a brunch with non-vegan girlfriends on a first time trial. Totally forgot the sweetener! They loved the toppings and texture though…especially the dark chocolate and toasted hazelnuts!
Just made this and it was so delicious!!