30-Minute Sesame Cucumber and Mint Buckwheat

Name: 30-Minute Sesame Cucumber and Mint Buckwheat
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1½ cups (240 g) buckwheat groats, hulled; 3 cups (720 ml) water or vegetable broth; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt; 1 large (350 g) English cucumber or hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, thinly sliced on a diagonal; ¾ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly torn; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) toasted sesame oil; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice; 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) soy sauce or tamari; 1 teaspoon (6 g) fresh ginger, minced; 1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced; pinch white pepper; 2 tablespoons (20 g) sesame seeds (white or black), toasted (optional); 2 stalks (20 g) scallions or green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal (optional); to taste chili oil or sriracha (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, herbaceous chilled buckwheat bowl with cucumber, fresh mint, and a nutty sesame-lime dressing. Ready in 30 minutes, it's perfect as a side dish or light meal base.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 1 cup per serving)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ cups (240 g) buckwheat groats, hulled
3 cups (720 ml) water or vegetable broth
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
1 large (350 g) English cucumber or hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out, thinly sliced on a diagonal
¾ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, roughly torn
3 tablespoons (45 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice
1½ tablespoons (22 ml) soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon (6 g) fresh ginger, minced
1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced
pinch white pepper
2 tablespoons (20 g) sesame seeds (white or black), toasted (optional)
2 stalks (20 g) scallions or green onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal (optional)
to taste chili oil or sriracha (optional)

Equipment (5)

Medium saucepan
Fine-mesh strainer
Large mixing bowl
Cutting board and sharp knife
Small bowl or jar for dressing

Steps

Before you start

Bring a kettle of water to boil
Toast buckwheat groats in a dry skillet if you prefer deeper flavor (optional but recommended)
Have all vegetables prepped and dressing ingredients measured

1
Toast and rinse buckwheat
- Place buckwheat groats in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir frequently for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden (this deepens the nutty flavor).
- Pour into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool running water until the water runs clear, about 30 seconds.
- Return rinsed buckwheat to the pan.
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Ready when: Buckwheat is fragrant and pale golden
Tip: Toasting prevents buckwheat from tasting mushy and bitter; don't skip this step.
2
Boil buckwheat
- Add 3 cups of water (or vegetable broth) and 0.75 teaspoon kosher salt to the buckwheat.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
- Cook for 12–14 minutes until the groats are tender but still have a slight chew, and most of the liquid is absorbed.
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Ready when: Groats are tender, liquid mostly absorbed, and liquid should not be sloshing
Tip: Do not overcook; overcooked buckwheat becomes mushy. Taste a grain at 12 minutes.
3
Cool the buckwheat
- Uncover the pan and spread buckwheat onto a large mixing bowl or wide shallow dish.
- Let it cool at room temperature for 5 minutes, stirring gently once or twice.
- This stops the residual heat from cooking it further.
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Ready when: Buckwheat is cool to the touch
4
Make the dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, and a pinch of white pepper.
- Taste and adjust salt or lime juice to your preference.
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Ready when: Dressing is well combined and emulsified
Tip: Make the dressing while the buckwheat cooks; it only takes 2 minutes.
5
Prepare vegetables
- Slice 1 large English cucumber (with seeds scooped out) diagonally into thin half-moons.
- Tear about 0.75 cup fresh mint leaves.
- If using, slice 2 scallions diagonally into thin rings.
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Ready when: Vegetables are prepped and ready to combine
Tip: Cut the cucumber just before mixing to keep it crisp and prevent it from releasing excess moisture.
6
Combine and dress
- Pour the cooled buckwheat into the large mixing bowl.
- Drizzle with the sesame-lime dressing and gently toss to coat evenly.
- Add the sliced cucumber and torn mint leaves and fold together until evenly mixed.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly coated and distributed
Tip: Toss gently to avoid breaking the buckwheat grains and bruising the mint.
7
Finish and serve
- Divide the buckwheat salad among serving bowls or plates.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions if desired.
- Drizzle with a little chili oil or sriracha for heat, if you like.
- Serve immediately or chill for up to 2 hours.
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Ready when: Dish is plated and ready to eat
Tip: This dish is best served cool or at room temperature, never hot.

Good to know

Tips

Toast the buckwheat groats for deeper flavor and better texture; it prevents a mushy, earthy result.
Prep the cucumber just before mixing to keep it from wilting and releasing water into the dish.
Taste the dressing on a cooled grain before combining—this is when you can adjust seasoning easily.
This dish is excellent as a bed for grilled tofu, shrimp, or chicken, or served alongside roasted vegetables.

Make ahead

Buckwheat can be cooked up to 1 day ahead; store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add the cucumber, mint, and dressing just before serving so the vegetables stay crisp.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 4 hours. Refrigerator: up to 2 days (the cucumber and mint will soften slightly). Reheat gently with a splash of sesame oil if serving warm. Freezer: not recommended.

Substitutions

buckwheat groats, hulled → Quinoa or pearl barley. Use the same weight and cooking method; barley may take 2–3 minutes longer.
English cucumber or hothouse cucumber, unpeeled → Regular or Persian cucumber. Persian cucumbers are smaller; use 2–3. Regular cucumbers may be watery; seed them well.
toasted sesame oil → Neutral oil (vegetable or grapeseed) + 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Uses less sesame oil but keeps the flavor; mix together before adding.
fresh mint leaves, loosely packed → Fresh basil or cilantro. Basil will give an Italian note; cilantro shifts it more toward Thai-style.