Buckwheat Mushroom Risotto with Spinach

Overhead view on a bowl filled with a buckwheat mushroom risotto with a side of baguette bread and lemon wedges.

5 from 1 vote

Buckwheat Mushroom Risotto with Spinach

This creamy buckwheat mushroom risotto makes for such a fun twist on the classic risotto recipe! Loaded with nutrients, easy and so full of earthy flavors, this meal is great on nights where you are craving a filling and satisfying plate.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vegan

Servings: people

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

10-16 oz mushrooms sliced
1 medium size leek or yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1 cup raw buckwheat groats NOT toasted or kasha
½ cup dry white wine
2 ½-3 cups vegetable broth or as needed
8 oz spinach I used baby leaves
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt or to taste
2-3 tbsp plain vegan creamer optional, see notes

Instructions

Warm up a large pan on medium-high heat with or without oil. Then, add the mushrooms, a pinch of salt and cook until they lost most of their water and turned golden brown. Avoid moving the mushrooms too often or they will steam and you won't be able to get a nice crust on them.
Once cooked, set the mushrooms aside.
Transfer the broth in a medium pot and warm up on medium heat. If it starts to simmer then turn the heat down, you simply want to keep the broth warm.
Warm up a second pot on medium-high heat. Then, add the leek and cook stirring often until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a little oil or water to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute or so and then add the buckwheat. Stir and let the seeds toast for about 1-2 minutes. Then, add the white wine and cook for about one more minute or until the wine is almost all cooked down.
Then, add a full ladle of the warm broth or enough to barely cover the buckwheat and stir well. Keep cooking on medium heat and add some more broth, small amount at the time, whenever the mixture becomes a little dry (just the same as you do when cooking a regular risotto).
Taste as you go to see when the buckwheat is done to your taste, should take about 15-20 minutes to be done. You want the seeds to be tender, but not mushy.
Once cooked, add the mushrooms, nutritional yeast and salt. Stir to combine.
Then, add the spinach. It will look like there is too much greens, but they will cook down a lot. I often cover the pot to help the green steam and wilt and also you might need to add some more broth if it becomes too dry or if it tends to stick to the bottom.
The risotto is ready when the spinach is tender, which might take about 2 minutes or so.
Remove from the heat, taste again to adjust salt and if you have some, you can add a small amount of vegan creamer to add creaminess, but that's optional. Also add an extra splash of broth to make the consistency rich and creamy.
Serve with a side of bread and add lemon wedges on plates so everyone can brighten up their risotto as they wish with the tangy juice.

Video

Notes

Storage: just the same as regular risotto, this buckwheat risotto is better when eaten right away and does not store well. I do not recommend making it ahead.
I added a little bit (2-3 tablespoons) of my tasteless vegan coffee creamer from Nut Pod at the end to make my risotto creamier. You could add a little coconut milk if you had any on hands, but that's totally optional.
I used a whole container of 16 oz of mushrooms, because we are huge fan of them! But if you prefer, feel free to use a 8 or 10 oz package of mushrooms and even, add other veggies such as cooked squash, red pepper or asparagus.
I highly recommend to serve with lemon wedges. The tangy juice really brighten up the meal!
Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition