Buckwheat bake with mushrooms and cheese Recipe
This bake combines very Polish ingredients: buckwheat groats, mushrooms, and cheese. It’s a bit like pierogi filling, only instead of wrapping everything in dough, you bake it in one dish. It works very well as a meatless lunch or dinner, especially in autumn and winter when you crave something warming and filling.
This buckwheat and mushroom bake is the essence of Polish flavours – it combines the earthy aroma of buckwheat with the intense, forest character of mushrooms and stretchy cheese. It’s reminiscent of the filling for pierogi or croquettes, but served in a convenient, one-dish form straight from the oven. It’s especially good in the colder months, when you feel like something hearty and warming but without meat.
Chef's tips
Fry the mushrooms over fairly high heat, uncovered, until they really give off their moisture – if they release too much water and stay soft, the bake will be too wet and dense. Cook the buckwheat so it stays loose, not overcooked, and let it cool slightly before mixing so the eggs don’t set immediately. After baking, be sure to wait those 10 minutes – the mixture will firm up and the portions will hold their shape like a good lasagne.
How to serve
Serve with a simple sauerkraut slaw or pickled cucumbers – the acidity cuts through the richer, cheesy-buckwheat flavour. It also goes well with a mug of clear red borscht or vegetable broth, especially for a late winter lunch. This dish reheats well, so you can plan it for a busy day when there’s no time to cook from scratch.
Ingredients
- buckwheat groats dry, untoasted or toasted, as you prefer - 200 g
- mushrooms sliced - 400 g
- onion diced - 2 pieces
- yellow cheese grated - 180 g
- eggs to bind the mixture - 2 pieces
- cream 12–18% fat - 100 ml
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- butter optional, for flavour - 10 g
- parsley chopped - 2 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the buckwheat groats in salted water according to the instructions on the packet, until soft but not overcooked. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish with oil or butter.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes over medium heat until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and fry for 8–10 minutes over fairly high heat until most of the moisture has evaporated and they are lightly browned. At the end add the butter, if using, and season with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked buckwheat groats with the fried mushrooms and onion. Add the parsley and half of the grated cheese and mix thoroughly.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the cream, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the buckwheat and mushrooms and mix well so the mixture is slightly moist and sticky.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is lightly golden and the mixture is set (when you press it lightly with a spoon it should not be runny).
- After removing from the oven, wait 10 minutes before slicing so the bake can stabilise.
Storage
Store cooled portions in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 2–3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave; if needed, add a spoonful of water or cover so the bake doesn’t dry out.
