Description
This satisfying buckwheat salad is loaded with pickles, chickpeas, and dill. You can serve it as a light main or a side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3/4 cup toasted buckwheat (“kasha”)* [see note below]
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins on a diagonal
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (or table salt), divided
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Ukrainian unrefined sunflower oil* (or extra virgin olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons mild vinegar (like white wine, red wine, or apple cider)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or brown mustard
- 1 cup thinly sliced baby Kosher dill pickles (about 8 pickles)
- One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil.
- Place buckwheat in a mesh strainer and rinse well under running water.
- Add buckwheat to the boiling water, along with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover with a lid and simmer gently, without stirring, until all the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Then turn the heat off and let the pot stand covered, still without stirring, for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it is almost translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Then add the carrots, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to turn golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the sunflower oil, vinegar, mustard, and pinches of salt and pepper. Whisk to incorporate.
- Turn the buckwheat out onto a baking sheet/platter and spread into an even layer to cool. Set aside until it stops steaming, at least 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat, cooked vegetables, pickles, chickpeas, dill, and dressing. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Garnish with extra dill, if desired.
Notes
- Look for toasted [brown] buckwheat in Eastern European markets or online. If you can’t find it, you can roast raw buckwheat yourself. The instructions are in the FAQ section above.
- This nutty yellow oil is a hallmark ingredient of Ukrainian cooking. (Not the same thing as regular American sunflower oil.) You can find it in Ukrainian markets or online. If you can’t find it, extra virgin olive oil will do.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 375
- Sodium: 860 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 11 g
