Buckwheat Salad with Grilled Scallops is the perfect summer seafood salad for the patio.
If you are new to buckwheat recipes, this is a great place to start. Healthy and nutritious. Easy salad recipe that works as an appetizer or main dish.
Salads are so versatile. You can eat them for lunch or create a little heartier version for a nice dinner option. Adding protein is a great way to boost both flavour and substance.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this cold buckwheat salad can be found at the bottom of this post.
We love adding seafood to our creations, especially when we are making a dinner salad.
- Smoked Salmon Salad is one of our go-to meals. Cucumber noodles are fun to make and eat.
- Shrimp and Grits Salad is a fun take on a classic southern meal. Another delicious grain-based meal.
Buckwheat Salad Has Lots Of Healthy Ingredients
Nutritious and healthy, filled with lots of great tastes and textures:
- (affiliate) cold cooked buckwheat groats
- pumpkin seeds
- goji berries
- nectarines
- oranges
- hemp seeds
- pomegranate balsamic vinegar
- seared scallops
All these ingredients combined create a wonderful grain-based meal that is gluten-free too.
Have you tried my Mushroom and Barley Casserole? Such a great one-dish dinner. It’s like baked barley risotto.
What Is Buckwheat?
A super healthy grain that packs a punch in the protein department. It also contains a great amount of fibre.
Wonderful meat alternative, and even works in vegan recipes. Helps to improve heart health, promote weight loss, and regulates blood sugar too.
Kasha is toasted buckwheat groats. It has a stronger, nuttier flavour. You can also get buckwheat flour (perfect for pancakes).
Soba noodles are actually buckwheat noodles.
Cooking Buckwheat
This highly nutritious whole grain can be cooked in water, milk, or broth. It is as simple to make as white rice. Check package directions for exact instructions.
Always rinse before cooking. 1 cup of uncooked groats yields 2 cups of cooked buckwheat.
It can be eaten hot (like porridge) and used in sweet and savoury recipes.
Making The Salad
Everything for this delicious seafood salad can be done ahead of time. All you have to do is sear or grill the scallops just before serving.
- Cook the groats according to the package directions and let cool.
- Make the dressing.
- Dice up the nectarines.
- Combine the goji berries, pumpkin seeds, nectarines, and buckwheat in a bowl.
- Add a few tablespoons of dressing and combine.
- Grill or sear the scallops.
- Place some greens on the plate.
- Top with the buckwheat salad mixture.
- Top with the grilled scallops.
- Drizzle with more dressing.
- Garnish with hemp seeds.
Recipe Suggestions
You also have the opportunity to swap out ingredients too. For instance, I used pomegranate balsamic in this recipe. Feel free to experiment. Check out some other great flavoured vinegars at MyOlive.
If you don’t have access to (affiliate) goji berries you can substitute cranberries or (affiliate) dried blueberries.
You can sear the scallops on the stovetop or grill them on the bbq.
In this recipe I used butter lettuce as the base. You can replace that with:
- spinach
- kale
- mixed greens
- romaine
- arugula
Looking for more healthy seafood meals? I have a few nutritious recipes for you to try:
- Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers made with crab, spinach, and goat cheese.
- Quinoa Tuna Casserole is an updated version of the classic noodle casserole mom used to make.
- Tuna Avocado Salad is an awesome and hearty main dish. Easy summer eating!!
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Summer Buckwheat Salad with Grilled Scallops
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked white buckwheat
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup goji berries
- ¾ cup diced fresh nectarines
- 12 fresh scallops
- dash red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoons oil for searing the scallops (your choice)
- 1 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 3 cups fresh greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, butter lettuce)
For the Dressing:
- 1 Cara Cara orange
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 ounce pomegranate balsamic vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons agave nectar
Instructions
- Cook the buckwheat in 2 cups of cold water for about 10-12 minutes. DON'T overcook. Drain excess liquid and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking process. Buckwheat should still have a firm texture. Place in bowl to cool.
- For the Dressing: Peel the orange and puree. Use a blender or immersion blender for this process. NOTE: If the orange is dry add about 1 oz. of water.
- Slowly blend in olive oil.
- Add pomegranate balsamic vinegar.
- Add agave nectar.
- Dice nectarines. Add the nectarines, pumpkin seeds and goji berries to the cooled buckwheat.
- Add some of the dressing to the mixture and place in the fridge to allow the flavours to blend.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (we did ours on the BBQ) with some olive oil added.
- Sprinkle the scallops with red pepper flakes.
- Sear on both sides.
- Place some greens on a plate (I used butter lettuce)
- Add the buckwheat salad.
- Top with seared scallops.
- Drizzle with additional dressing.
- Sprinkle with hemp seeds.
chastity
Wow, this looks amazing and perfect salad for summer. I have never cooked with buckwheat – will have to try it.
Chef G
It’s really good.
Rebecca Bryant
this look so refreshing and summer like. My family does enjoy seafood so i will be trying this one for sure.
Chef G
Hope you enjoy it.
Tamason Gamble
I absolutely love scallops but I am too scared to try and cook them myself. Perhaps I need to just bite the bullet and give it a go!
Chef G
Don’t be scared…they are easy to cook.
Carol Bryant
You have made my mouth water.I am so adding this to our menu plan for next week.
Chef G
Oh good…hope you enjoy it.
Laura Funk
I really want to try Buckwheat. This looks very good and healthy
Chef G
That is certainly is.
Censie
What a delicious looking salad. So fresh! I love finding new ways to use products – I dont think I have ever used Buckwheat. Thanks for sharing.
Chef G
Buckwheat is great…give it a try.
Rosey
Orange dressing you say? Oh yes you can count me in, please!
Chef G
Yes it is a tasty one that is for sure.
Lois Alter Mark
Oh, that looks delicious. So simple, elegant – and healthy!
Chef G
That it is for sure.
Lory
Thanks for sharing. This looks like something my husband would especially like. Great that it is healthy.
Chef G
Yes healthy and tasty!!
laura londergan
oh my I never have had buckwheat but man does it look good. You have gorgeous pics and it looks so healthy
Chef G
Thanks so much for the kind words…and yes it is healthy!!
Heather lawrence
Yummy! Healthy & Delicious! Can not wait to make this for my hubby…he is going to love it!
Chef G
Hope you both enjoy it!!
Star Traci
I love anything that makes health eating and tasty! This looks really delicious.
🙂
Traci
Chef G
It is delicious for sure. Thanks!!
Ashley @Irishred02
This looks really tasty! I love buckwheat
Chef G
Yes I do to it has a really great taste and wonderful texture.
A GEEK DADDY
Interesting combination of ingredients I hadn’t thought of before. Will have to try it out.
Chef G
Hope you do…it is really good!!
Robin Rue (@massholemommy)
This sounds like a fantastic date night at home meal! I am going to have to try this.
Chef G
It really is great…hope you enjoy it!!