If you're looking for a new salad base, you should definitely give buckwheat groats a try. Buckwheat is a super versatile grain that you can use in a variety of dishes - it makes a great salad base too.
This Lemon Courgette, Red Onion and Buckwheat Salad is a simple yet surprisingly effective medley of flavours and textures which come together to create a delicious and filling meal.
Best of all, it takes hardly any prep time and comes together with only a few simple ingredients. Give it a try!
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🥗 Why Buckwheat is the Perfect Salad Base
There are many reasons to love buckwheat. And it is so underrated considering how healthy and versatile it is. You can use it in both sweet or savoury dishes, and prepare it in a variety of ways.
Buckwheat is packed with nutrients. It's a good source of protein, fibre, and vitamins, and it's also low in calories. This makes it a great choice for people who are looking for a bulkier salad that is lower in carbs.
Sure, you could use lettuce or spinach as the base for your salad. But when the weather is a bit dreary, and you just need something a bit heartier and more filling, then this Lemon Courgette, Red Onion and Buckwheat Salad is the way to go.
🍋 Main Ingredients
This salad is a delicious combination of sweet and crunchy roasted ren onion and caramelised courgette, paired perfectly with delicate buckwheat groats, and topped with a zesty lemon dressing. Together these flavours easily liven up the humble buckwheat groat. Turning this salad into a firm favourite to add to your weekly meal prep.
Buckwheat is a delicious and nutritious alternative to traditional salad greens. It's packed with vitamins and minerals, and it has a nutty flavour that goes well with almost any other ingredient.
With that said, if you’d prefer to substitute the buckwheat in this recipe, you can do this by swapping out equal amounts of the buckwheat for another gluten free grain such as quinoa, millet or brown rice.
🥣 Instructions
- In a baking tray, roast chopped red onion and courgette into bitesize pieces with some coconut oil and fresh minced garlic.
- While the vegetables cook, rinse the buckwheat groats well, and then boil in a pan of water until the groats are soft and tender. I recommend rinsing a further time once cooked before leaving to drain.
- Combine the roasted vegetables with the drained buckwheat and toss together with your lemon vinaigrette and chopped fresh herbs.
- Serve the salad right away still warm or refrigerate and enjoy chilled.
❓ Is Buckwheat Gluten Free?
Yes! Contrary to what the name suggests, buckwheat is in fact gluten free.
Buckwheat is a nutritious and versatile grain that has many health benefits. It is high in fibre and protein, and it is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Buckwheat is also low in calories and has a low glycaemic index, making it a good choice for those avoiding sugar and high carbohydrate foods. Buckwheat lowers cholesterol, improves blood sugar control, and reduces the risk of heart disease.
If you want to learn more about Buckwheat and the benefits of including it in a candida diet, read my post What the Buck is Buckwheat?.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This salad is delicious on its own, but you could top it with a runny poached egg for a filling lunch. It would also make a brilliant side dish at dinner time accompanied with some grilled meat or fish.
Because this salad uses buckwheat as the base instead of salad greens. This makes it the ideal salad to meal prep in advance and eat on the go without the risk of it turning to mush in your bag!
If you do decide to make this salad ahead of time, I would recommend adding the fresh herbs and vinaigrette at the last minute for maximum flavour.
So next time you're looking for a salad base that will wow your guests, reach for buckwheat. You won't be disappointed.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Be sure to rate and leave a comment below, and tag @anti_candida_kitchen on Instagram with the hashtag #anticandidakitchen. Happy cooking!
Lemon Courgette, Red Onion and Buckwheat Salad
Ingredients
- 80 g dry buckwheat groats
- 1 medium courgette
- ½ red onion
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
- For the Lemon Vinaigrette dressing:
- 1 tablespoon cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/356°F.
- Chop the courgette into coins and slice the red onion. Mince the garlic clove and spread the vegetables, garlic and the coconut oil onto a baking tray.
- Bake for 35 minutes until the courgette and onion have both started to caramelised.
- While the courgette is cooking, rinse and then boil the buckwheat groats for 15 minutes. Once cooked, drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside to finish draining while the courgette finishes cooking.
- On a serving plate, stir the warm courgette and onion with the buckwheat, and toss with the fresh herbs and the Lemon Vinaigrette dressing.
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