Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl with Garlicky Lemon Tahini Dressing
I’m a creature of habit. I pretty much only stray from my daily eggs and english muffin breakfast on the weekend, in which case I’m making my classic Banana Belgium Waffles recipe.
It’s been that way for a while now, and I’m perfectly happy with it.
Recently though, I’d seen a bunch of savory breakfast bowl recipes cropping up on menus around town, packed with hearty grains and oozing with golden egg yolks, and my tastebuds were tempted to try something new.
I decided I’d experiment using a grain I’ve been curious about for a while now: buckwheat.
Despite the name, buckwheat doesn’t actually contain wheat — it’s a seed. It’s a great option for people who are gluten-free.
The buckwheat groats have a chewy, oatmeal-like consistency when cooked, making them perfect for a breakfast dish. These small triangular seeds are also packed full of nutrients, with only about 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber per cup (1/4 C. uncooked).
I was so delighted with how the buckwheat breakfast bowl turned out, that actually ended up making it twice.
The first time, I used green beans leftover from Thanksgiving.
The second time, I ditched the beans, but kept the seasonal theme with roasted sweet potato and a garlicky lemon tahini sauce.
The smooth, nutty sauce was the perfect topping for the salty and sweet flavors of the bowl.
In both bowls, I included shredded carrots and brussels sprouts to up the vitamin ante, and fresh lemon thyme for a final sprinkling of seasoning.
In the first bowl, I left these two veggies raw. In the second, I sautéed them for a bit.
The method of preparation is up to you, but I think the sautéed version turned out a bit tastier.
Last — but first in terms of importance in my book — is the egg, the crowning golden glory. It just wouldn’t be breakfast (for me) without it.*
This bowl is completed with an over-easy yolk, dripping gloriously onto the hearty grains.
- ½ C. Buckwheat Groats, cooked
- 1 Sweet Potato
- 1 C. Green Beans, trimmed
- 2 tsp. Oil (olive, avocado, algae)
- ½ C. Brussels Sprouts
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Eggs
- Salt + Pepper to taste
- ¼ C. Greek Yogurt, nonfat
- 1 T. Tahini
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- 2 T. Water
- 1 Garlic Clove
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 1 T. Lemon Thyme
- Cook buckwheat groats according to directions. I combined ½ C. groats with 1 C. water and brought to a boil, then reduced to simmer, covered for 15 minutes.
- Wash and dice sweet potato, skin on. Wash and trim ends off green beans.* Toss with 2 tsp. oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast on a baking sheet with parchment paper at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Shred carrot and brussels sprouts either by hand or using a food processor.**
- Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients except thyme together in a food processor - or stir together by hand, and make sure to mince garlic very finely. Stir in thyme.
- Assemble bowls. Layer buckwheat, then roasted vegetables, then shredded raw (or sautéed) vegetables. Drizzle with dressing.
- Cook two eggs, over easy, and top bowl.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and additional thyme for garnish.
**Option to saute brussels sprouts with a little oil for 2-3 minutes or to use them raw.
If you’re vegan, by all means, skip the egg. The bowl is absolutely delicious without it as well.
I only insist that you do not skip the sauce – it is everything.
If you try the recipe, let me know which you like better — the raw veggie version or the sautéed sprouts!
Bethann says:
This looks scrumptious! I haven’t tried buckwheat groats, but I love eggs so….
Whitney English says:
Oh, you gotta try the groats!! So good :)
Jennifer Dene says:
Yes please! This looks so good and I love groats for breakfast — sweet or savory : )
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says:
I love eating hearty egg dishes for dinner a few times a week! Looks really yummy
Ellen says:
I’ve always wanted to try buckwheat groats and somehow never gotten around to it. I gotta give them a try! Anything with an egg on top sounds good to me:)
Deanna @ The Live Fit Girls says:
I’m so with you on the egg! Breakfast just is never the same!…these look SO tasty! And I love the idea of adding tahini. YUM!
Whitney English says:
Thank you Deanna! My answer to “do you want an egg on top?” is ALWAYS yes!
Barely Vegan says:
Why haven’t I heard of these breakfast bowls?! This would be a nice accompaniment to my smoothies instead of the usual oatmeal. I need to look this up ASAP. This Buckwheat Veggie Bowl sounds and looks really good. Plus I loooove pretty much any sauce with tahini. Thanks for sharing!
Whitney English says:
Oh yeah, tahini sauce makes everything more amazing :)