Making a homemade buckwheat bread can be SO easy and simple! This recipe calls for 6 simple ingredients and you won’t need any yeast, kneading the dough nor rising time to prepare it. It makes for a healthy, gluten-free and super filling bread that’s perfect for morning toasts or snacking.
You might have heard of my love for buckwheat before. I have talked about it in my buckwheat wraps post: the intense hearty, roasted and nutty flavor from the grain-like seeds is just so satisfying. I grew up eating buckwheat regularly and I still get excited to include it in my meals, so I feel more than enthusiastic to share this new buckwheat recipe with you guys.
And this extra easy vegan buckwheat bread is definitively a new favorite. It makes for more of a dense bread that “sticks to your ribs”, so if you hate to get hungry at 10 am, then this bread is a must-try. You can prepare it ahead of a busy week to have nourishing breakfasts later without much effort.
And if you are like me, you might feel terrified to make your own bread. The use of yeast and having to rise the dough before cooking can be just too much hassle if you are super busy. This bread is so darn easy though! You will combine the simple ingredients in a bowl, then cook in a loaf pan. No rising, no kneading, it’s so straight forward that everyone can make it, really.
This simple homemade bread recipe can also fit most diets: it is dairy-free, oil-free, egg-free, gluten-free and completely plant-based. It is an all-purpose bread that tastes delicious with either sweets vs savory toppings and can be used as a side for a light soup to make sure you won't go starving too soon after.
What is buckwheat?
Contrary to its name, buckwheat is completely unrelated to wheat. It is a gluten-free pseudocereal that comes from a domesticated flower grown in the USA (Fagopyrum esculentum) and Asia (Fagopyrum tataricum). It has a unique pyramidal shape with a light beige-brown color.
Buckwheat is actually a grain-like seed of a flowering plant that's related to rhubarb and sorrel. It is called a pseudo grain for its similar characteristics and kitchen usages to most grains, but biologically it's totally separate (most grains come from a type of grass, not a flower like in the case of buckwheat). Other example for pseudo grains are quinoa and amaranth. It is also called ancient grain and has been cultivated for over thousands of years!
Ingredients for this simple buckwheat chia bread
- Buckwheat flour: I used the buckwheat flour from A Arrowhead Mills.
- Chia seeds: You will need plenty of chia seeds to make it. This ingredients not only adds lots of nutrients to the bread, but also acts as a binder to help have the bread hold well together. Whole chia seeds are used for this recipe.
- Baking powder: Since the bread does not contain any yeast, then the baking powder helps the dough rise slightly while cooking.
- Almond butter: The almond butter helps create a great texture in this oil-free bread recipe.
- Sunflower seeds: They adds more nutrients, but also a great crunchy texture to the dense bread.
- Salt + Water.
How to make this chia buckwheat bread
- Prepare the chia gel by combining the chia seeds with water (1 ½ cup). Stir well and let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes.
- Then, add the almond butter to the chia gel. You will have to whisk for about a minute so the almond butter is completely dissolved into the gel. It should look like a slimy creamy mixture. Set aside.
- Combine the buckwheat flour, baking powder, sunflower seeds and salt together in a large bowl and stir.
- Finally, add the chia gel mixture to the dry ingredients along with the extra 1 cup of water and stir the dough until well combined without any dried pockets of flour at the bottom (I used also a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom). The dough should be thick and sticky.
- Transfer the dough to a loaf pan (that’s covered with parchment paper, I used a 4.5 x 8.5 in) and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let the bread completely cool down before taking it out of the loaf pan and cut in slices.
Watch how to make it
Can I used whole buckwheat groats to make it
Yes, you can. This will add an extra step to the recipe: making a homemade buckwheat flour. It’s simple to make, as long as you have a high-speed blender (can also use a coffee grinder). You will have to make sure the flour is as fine as possible, so you will have to blend for long enough until you reach the right texture. You can also make flour using buckwheat flakes if you want to ease the process.
Gluten-free buckwheat bread serving suggestions
Definitively, the best way to enjoy that bread is in the form of toasts or open sandwich style. The unique hearty flavor of this bread goes well with both savory and sweet toppings, so you can really get creative and change up your toast every morning. Simply toast the slices first and top with your favorite garnishes.
The old classic jam would of course be delicious, but try also combining peanut butter with banana, pumpkin seed butter with pear or coconut yogurt with strawberries. If looking for a savory toast, then avocado toasts with sliced tomatoes and a sprinkle of kosher would be delicious. I also love topping with an eggless salad for a super filling lunch. Try also spreading a cashew ricotta with a good drizzle of balsamic vinegar and fresh basil for a delicious filling lunch.
Storage tips
Once the bread has cooled down, I like to slice the whole loaf and store them in a large plastic bag or closed container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for up to a week if you don’t let it dry.
I did freeze a few slices and although the extremities (mostly the crust) were falling apart a little more after thawing, it was still good. It can be a good option if you cannot eat the whole bread within a week. You can transfer the slices straight from the freezer to an oven toaster. If using a regular vertical toaster, then be careful when taking the slices out as it is can crumble easier.
Other bread and pancake recipes you might like
*THANKS TO MY SISTER SONIA WHO HELPED DEVELOP AND TEST THIS RECIPE*
I hope you enjoy this buckwheat bread recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Easy Buckwheat Bread (No yeast, No kneading!)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chia seeds - whole
- 1 ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup almond butter - or other nut/seed butter
- 2 cups buckwheat flour
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (I used a 4.5 x 8.5 in).
- In a medium bowl, combine the chia seeds with the water (1 ½ cup) and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, sunflower seeds, baking powder and salt.
- Once the chia-water mixture is done resting (it should look like a gel), then add the almond butter to it and whisk to combine. Make sure it is super smooth and creamy with no nut butter lumps anymore.
- Transfer the chia-nut butter mixture to the buckwheat flour bowl along with the extra 1 cup of water and stir using a spatula. Try not to overmix and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no dry areas anymore. The dough should be thick and sticky.
- Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let the bread cool down for a few hours before slicing (it will keep setting as it cools down). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The bread can be kept at room temperature for 2-3 days. Even better, slice the whole bread, then store in a container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Then, you can grab and toast the bread without any fuss. The slices can also be frozen, although I noticed that the bread would break/crumble a little easier after thawing.
- To make this bread nut-free, then use pumpkin seed butter in place of the almond butter.
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Yum! I want to make this. Two questions please. Is the chia seed whole or ground? What are the dimensions of the loaf pan? Thanks.
Hello Jill! The chia seeds are whole and I used a loaf pan of 4.5 x 8.5 in. Thank you for your question and I'm going to add the info into the post 🙂 I hope you like it!