Грибна Гречка з Цибулею — Buckwheat Pilaf with Mushrooms and Onions

Russian Fast Without Oil Published June 13, 2026

Buckwheat (гречка) is the grain that built the Russian and Ukrainian peasant constitution — toasty, nutty, and unusually high in protein for a grain, with all the amino acids that grains usually lack. Cooked pilaf-style with a deep tangle of mushrooms and slow-softened onions, it becomes a main course in its own right: dark, savory, and so satisfying you forget it is built from two of the cheapest things in the pantry.

This version is written for strict no-oil days, when the typikon calls for cooked food but no oil. The trick is dry-toasting the buckwheat to wake up its flavor, then building the mushroom base in water and a little soy or mushroom broth so you still get real depth without a drop of fat. Done right, no one at the table will miss the oil.

For ordinary oil-permitted days, fry the onions and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil — it deepens the browning and richness considerably.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast Without Oil (adaptable for oil days — see notes)
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 1 1/2 cups (270g) raw buckwheat groats (kasha)
- 400g mushrooms (cremini, white, or a mix with wild), sliced
- 2 medium onions, finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups (720ml) mushroom or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 small bunch fresh dill and parsley, chopped

METHOD

1. Toast the buckwheat in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until it smells nutty and a shade darker. Tip it out and set aside.

2. In a wide pot or deep skillet, add the sliced onions with a few tablespoons of the broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring and adding splashes of broth whenever it dries out, for about 10 minutes until soft and golden. (For oil days: instead fry the onions in 2 tablespoons sunflower oil.)

3. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Keep cooking, again adding splashes of broth as needed, for 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and it has cooked away, leaving them browned and concentrated. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute.

4. Add the toasted buckwheat, the remaining broth, soy sauce, bay leaves, and pepper. Stir once, bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest simmer and cover.

5. Cook undisturbed for 15-18 minutes, until the buckwheat has absorbed the liquid and is tender but still has a little bite. Turn off the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 minutes.

6. Fluff with a fork, fish out the bay leaves, taste for salt, and fold through the dill and parsley. Serve hot as a main, or as a hearty side to a bean dish.

NOTES

- For oil days, fry the onions and mushrooms in 2-3 tablespoons sunflower oil for richer browning.
- Dried porcini are traditional and worth it: soak a small handful, chop, and add with the fresh mushrooms; use the soaking liquid as part of the broth.
- Stir a cup of cooked white beans or lentils through at the end to push protein higher for a heavy workday.
- Toasting the buckwheat is the single most important step — do not skip it.