Raw Buckwheat Bread – Gluten-Free

Last night, as usual, I was watching food videos on YouTube. I only managed one—weekend fatigue and all—but what a video! Nele Liivlaid, one of my favorite bloggers, made this raw buckwheat bread that looked so amazing I immediately got out of bed, poured buckwheat into a bowl with water, and fell asleep.

By five in the morning, I was up again, running to the kitchen to grind the buckwheat and make my own version.

What can I say—it was genius.

The buckwheat bread comes out flavorful and satisfying, with a crisp crust and little bubbles throughout, plus tons of additions to the dough.

Not only is it gluten-free and even Passover-friendly (for those who eat legumes), it’s super easy to make, no kneading required, and doesn’t have eggs or dairy, so it’s vegan too.

And apparently, buckwheat has a million nutritional attributes—and even boosts your mood. Hooray!

A quick note on yeast: the original recipe doesn’t need it, but the batter needs to ferment for 6 hours before baking. I, lacking patience, added yeast so I could bake in an hour. You can go either way—wait the 6 hours without yeast, or add yeast and wait just an hour.

And don’t skip the additions—they’re what make the bread really exciting.

I even did a video of the whole process. Check it out:

P.S. Start the bread the day before, because the buckwheat needs to soak. It literally takes a split second to do.

Raw Buckwheat Bread

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Serves: 2 loaf pans Prep Time: 10 minutes + overnight soaking Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes 1 hour 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For 2 loaf pans, standard American size

• 2 1/2 cups (500 g) green buckwheat, raw, unroasted
• 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (optional, see notes)
• 2 tablespoons date syrup, maple syrup, or honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (optional)
• 3/4 cup preferred additions (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, dried cranberries, sun-dried tomatoes)

Instructions

- Place the buckwheat in a large bowl and cover generously with water—at least 2 inches above the grains. Let it soak overnight or for 6–8 hours, until soft.
- Drain the buckwheat and transfer it to a blender. Add 1 1/3 cups fresh water (not the soaking water) and blend for about 2 minutes until it becomes a smooth batter, almost like a thin tahini.
- Add the yeast (if using), sweetener (if using), salt, thyme or rosemary, and your chosen additions. Mix everything well.
- Transfer the batter into well-greased loaf pans (lining with parchment paper helps), cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise. With yeast: about 1 hour at room temperature. Without yeast: 6–8 hours at room temperature.
- Just before baking, sprinkle a little extra of your chosen additions on top (sunflower seeds, sesame, pumpkin seeds—whatever you like).
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 1–1¼ hours. Remove the loaves from the pans and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered to help the bottom dry out completely.
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing—if you slice too early, it will be dense and gummy inside.
- To store: slice and freeze in an airtight bag. Reheat slices as needed in the oven, a toaster oven, or on a skillet.

And if you want to freeze it? Just slice and freeze in a sealed bag. Reheat in the oven or toaster.

Notes

- No yeast? Let the batter rise in the pans for 6–8 hours instead of 1 hour, then bake as usual.
- Instead of thyme/rosemary, try 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or dried oregano for a savory version.
- I recommend a combination of additions rather than just one—cranberries plus seeds is amazing, sesame seeds are perfect too.
- Make sure the bread is golden-brown before removing from the oven; if it’s pale, bake a bit longer. It will still be edible, but less fun.
- Don’t shake the pans too much when transferring to the oven—those little air bubbles are precious.
- These slices are especially delicious toasted.