Buckwheat Bake with Beets and Feta Recipe
This bake combines Polish buckwheat groats with roasted beets and salty feta, so it tastes a bit like a meeting of a hot main course and a salad. It’s perfect when you want something warm but still packed with vegetables. It’s often made on weeknights using previously roasted beets left over from another meal.
This bake combines very Polish ingredients – buckwheat groats and beets – with distinctly salty feta, so it tastes like a warm salad in the form of a substantial main course. Roasted beets bring sweetness and an earthy aroma that’s beautifully balanced by creamy sour cream and herbal thyme. It’s one of those dishes that lets you use up leftover roasted vegetables and turn them into something completely new.
Chef's tips
Keep an eye on the buckwheat towards the end of cooking – it should be loose and slightly springy, because it will cook a bit more in the oven; overcooked groats will turn the bake into a heavy mush. When mixing the diced beets with the rest of the ingredients, do it gently, preferably with a wide spoon, so they don’t stain everything an even pink. I don’t salt the feta in advance – I prefer to season the whole dish only after tasting, because different brands of cheese vary in intensity.
How to serve
Serve it as a standalone dish with a simple salad of rocket or mixed leaves and a lemon-based vinaigrette to brighten everything up. It pairs very well with a dry white wine (e.g. sauvignon blanc) or simply a large glass of kefir after work. It’s excellent as a warm post-workout dinner – filling, yet full of vegetables and whole grains.
Ingredients
- buckwheat groats - 200 g
- beetroot medium, already roasted or cooked - 3 pieces
- feta cheese - 150 g
- onion medium - 1 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- spinach fresh or frozen, leaves - 100 g
- vegetable stock can be from a cube - 300 ml
- 18% sour cream - 100 ml
- rapeseed oil - 2 tablespoons
- dried thyme - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
Preparation
- Rinse the buckwheat groats in a sieve under running water. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot, add the groats, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 12–15 minutes, until the groats absorb the liquid and are tender but not mushy. Set aside for 5 minutes, still covered.
- Peel the beets and cut into cubes of about 1.5 cm. If you’re using beets from the fridge, you can warm them slightly in a pot or microwave so they’re not ice-cold.
- Peel the onion and dice finely. Peel the garlic and chop very finely.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds more, just until slightly softened.
- Add the spinach. If using fresh, fry for 2–3 minutes until the leaves wilt. If using frozen, cook until completely thawed and the excess water has evaporated.
- Transfer the cooked buckwheat, beets, contents of the pan, cream, thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper to a large bowl. Mix gently so the beets don’t stain everything into a paste, but the ingredients still combine.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease an ovenproof dish with oil. Transfer the buckwheat and vegetable mixture into the dish and smooth the top.
- Crumble the feta with your fingers over the top of the bake, trying to distribute it evenly.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 20–25 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the mixture is clearly hot and gently bubbling around the edges.
- After removing from the oven, let the bake rest for 5–10 minutes so it firms up slightly and is easier to cut. Serve warm.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 2–3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot throughout; if reheating in the oven, you can cover the top loosely with foil so it doesn’t dry out.
