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Buckwheat and Beef Pilaf (Plov)

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

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This buckwheat and beef pilaf is a play on traditional rice plov, but I think I like it even more! The meat is fall-apart tender and you’ll be running to refill your plate.

This dish is hearty, flavorful, and a must try. Using toasted buckwheat is nutritious and adds a completely different flavor profile. Buckwheat plov was my husband’s creative genius. Vadim, I just wish you had thought of it sooner! 😉 Also, it pairs well with pickles; #sold.

You may use a variety of beef for this recipe, but you do want some marbeling/fat in the meat for best results. The meat in the photograph below is a chuck roast that I purchased at Costco – I trimmed quite a bit of the fat off.

Ingredients for Buckwheat Plov:

1/3 cup olive oil
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 large onion, diced
1 to 1 1/4 lbs beef (chuck, sirloin or good quality stew meat), trimmed of extra fat and cut into 1/2″ to 3/4″ thick pieces
3 large carrots, julienned
2.5 cups buckwheat groats (aka grechka)
4 1/4 cups cold filtered water + 1 cup hot water
2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste (I use sea salt)
1 tsp cumin spice to taste
1 full head of unpeeled garlic

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

How to make Buckwheat and Beef Pilaf:

1. Set a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or dutch oven (ours is 5 1/2 Qt) over medium/high heat and add 1/3 cup olive oil and 4 Tbsp butter. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened (about 5 min).

Buckwheat and Beef Pilaf-8

2. Add cubed beef and sauté 5 min, turning once (beef will not be fully cooked). Add julienned (click here to see the handy slicer we use) carrots and stir another minute.

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

3. Add 4 1/4 cups cold water and season with 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook 1 hour (you should hear the faint simmer when your lid is on).

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

4. Meanwhile (about 10 min before your timer is up), heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and melt in 4 Tbsp butter. Add 2 1/2 cups buckwheat and toast until golden, stirring often (3-5 min). Pour buckwheat into the pot in an even layer and gently pour enough hot water to cover buckwheat 1/2″ above the level of the buckwheat (I added 1 cup hot water).

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

5. Cut (using a sharp knife) garlic head in half and place over the top of buckwheat, cut-side-down, pushing down into the buckwheat slightly. Cook uncovered over medium heat until most of the liquid boils out (10 min).

Buckwheat and Beef Pilaf-12

6. Poke 8-10 holes through the buckwheat to allow steam to escape to the surface, then cover with lid, reduce heat to the lowest setting and let pot sit another 30 minutes. Remove garlic and stir everything gently to combine. P.S. The garlic cloves are perfectly edible – you can squeeze them easily out of their skins and serve them in the pilaf if you wish.

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

Did I mention the meat is T-E-N-D-E-R?

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

Buckwheat and Beef Pilaf (Plov)

4.96 from 42 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
This buckwheat and beef pilaf is a play on traditional rice plov.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients 

Servings: 8
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 to 1 1/4 lbs beef, chuck, sirloin or good quality stew meat, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" thick pieces
  • 3 large carrots, julienned
  • 2.5 cups buckwheat groats, aka grechka
  • 4 1/4 cups cold filtered water + 1 cup hot water
  • 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste (I use sea salt)
  • 1 tsp cumin spice to taste
  • 1 full head of unpeeled garlic

Instructions

  • Set a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 1/3 cup olive oil and 4 Tbsp butter. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally until softened (about 5 min).
  • Add cubed beef and sauté 5 min, turning once (beef will not be fully cooked). Add julienned carrots and stir another minute.
  • Add 4 1/4 cups cold water and season with 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile (about 10 min before your timer is up), heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and melt in 4 Tbsp butter. Add 2 1/2 cups buckwheat and toast until golden, stirring often (3-5 min). Pour buckwheat into the pot in an even layer and gently pour enough hot water to cover buckwheat 1/2" above the level of the buckwheat (I added 1 cup hot water).
  • Cut garlic head in half parallel to the base to expose cloves and place over the top of buckwheat, cut-sides-down, pushing into the buckwheat slightly. Cook uncovered over med heat until most of the surface liquid boils out (10 min).
  • Poke 8-10 holes through the buckwheat to allow steam to escape to the surface, then cover with lid, reduce heat to the lowest setting and let pot sit another 30 minutes. Remove garlic and stir everything gently to combine. P.S. you can squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins and serve them in the pilaf if you wish.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Russian
Keyword: buckwheat, buckwheat pilaf
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

I hope you put this on your menu for the week!

Buckwheat Pilaf with fall-apart tender beef - simple and excellent dish. You'll be running back for refills! | natashaskitchen.com

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

Read more posts by Natasha

4.96 from 42 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  • Okski
    March 14, 2024

    I love all your plov you making! And I started to use all Hot water and not cold, though adding cold water meat wont be tender!

    Reply

  • Raya S
    November 23, 2023

    Love making this! Wondering if I try making this recipe with lamb meat, would the cook time after adding the meat be the same at all? Thank you for the help!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 24, 2023

      Hi Raya! I have not tested that to provide those exact instructions. I assume it would work, but you’ll have to experiment with it.

      Reply

  • Amanda
    May 25, 2023

    Hello, is it okay to rinse the buckwheat? I typically rise the buckwheat especially from the Russian store.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 25, 2023

      Hi Amanda! I did not rinse it for this recipe. It depends on the recipe and where it’s sourced from. That should be fine.

      Reply

  • Anna
    January 9, 2023

    Our entire family loves this recipe! I have made this buckwheat plov countless times. Thank you for it!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      January 9, 2023

      Thank you for sharing, Anna! I’m so glad your family loves the recipe.

      Reply

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