Savory Buckwheat Crepes

Crepes are a wonderful thing. You don't need too many ingredients or any special equipment to make them, and you get to fill them with tons of delicious things. These Savory Buckwheat Crepes are inspired by the kind they make in Brittany, France. From what I gather, the most classic version (crêpe complète) is filled with ham, egg, and gruyere cheese.

In this recipe, I've gone with a mushroom and egg version, but you can do whatever feels right for you–or use whatever you've got lying around. You'll find a few fun ideas listed further down in this post.

Your imagination is the limit as to what you can wrap or roll into a crepe. In this version, the neutral, nutty flavour of buckwheat flour is a welcome switch from regular white flour, and using buckwheat instead of wheat flour means that all of your friends & family can enjoy them. If , like me, you have a lot of friends with gluten intolerances, buckwheat crepes are just the thing.

Are you a savory breakfast person? try my Spinach and Feta Waffles next!

What is buckwheat?

Buckwheat is a cute little heart shaped grain that, like quinoa and amaranth, is not actually a grain at all. It’s a seed! You may have heard people use the term ‘pseudocereal’ for things like this.

Despite its name, buckwheat has no relation to wheat whatsoever. It is an extremely versatile little grain/seed and it can be prepared and eaten in a number of ways. Buckwheat is also really really good for you.

How to cook and eat buckwheat

Raw Buckwheat

Although raw buckwheat is technically edible, it’s pretty powdery and lacklustre in the flavour department. That's why I say roasting is the way to go.

Roasted Buckwheat

Roasted buckwheat (AKA kasha), is a common staple in many parts of the world. In Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe it’s commonly made into a porridge.

Kasha is available already roasted and ready to go, or you can roast your own raw buckwheat groats by tossing them around in a pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or so. The crunch of roasted buckwheat can't be beat as an addition to a granola or other crunchy topping.

Cook It like Rice

You can cook Kasha just like you would rice. Put 1 cup kasha in to a small pot with 1 ¾ cups water. Add a knob of butter and a big pinch of salt, bring to a boil on high, then put the lid on and reduce the heat to low. In 18-ish minutes, the kasha should be tender and and fluffy.

Buckwheat Flour

Buckwheat flour is great for making things like crepes, pancakes, and soba noodles. It's available in most grocery stores these days, and it’s cheaper than many of the other gluten-free flour choices like almond and coconut flour. You can swap some (up to 50%) of your wheat flour with buckwheat flour in most recipes with good results.

Making the Buckwheat Crepe batter

If you've ever made regular crepes, you need no extra instruction. You can make these buckwheat crepes exactly the same way as you would regular crepes. All you need is a bowl and a whisk.

For this recipe I'm using oat milk, because I have a few dairy-free friends who I want to share these buckwheat crepes with. That said, the batter works well with cow milk, almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk, or any other milk of your choosing.

How to cook Savory Buckwheat Crepes

You do not need a special crepe pan to make crepes. All you need is a nice, wide nonstick pan. I make mine in a well seasoned cast iron pan, which works very well.

As with pancakes, your crepe-cooking adventure will likely begin with one or two ugly crepes. Isn't this a weird phenomenon? It's almost like the frying pan needs to crank out a few duds before it starts to understand what’s going on.

Don’t feel bad if your first few crepes break, stick, or end up somehow imperfect. You will get better at it.

There’s no need to cry over a little crepe batter.

Savory Buckwheat Crepe fillings

• Cheese and ham
• Creamy mushrooms with herbs
• Chicken and asparagus
• Tomato and white bean stew
• Spinach and feta
• An egg
• Spicy chickpea curry. Yes please!

I don't know about you, but I plan on topping all of my savory buckwheat crepes with a fried or poached egg.

I don’t know why I don’t make these more often!

Buckwheat crepes are a totally under appreciated starchy staple. Make a big batch to keep in the fridge for a few days, or in your freezer for even longer. Then, when you need a quick fix, you can warm them up and fill them with whatever your heart desires. Serve them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

What will you fill your savory buckwheat crepes with this weekend?