Running low on buckwheat flour? Here are the best verified substitutes, including how to adjust your measurements.

About buckwheat flour
Buckwheat flour is a gluten-free flour milled from the seeds of the buckwheat plant, which is technically a fruit seed rather than a grain. It has a distinctive earthy, nutty, and slightly bitter flavour that is well-suited to pancakes, blinis, soba noodles, and hearty baked goods. Its dark colour and robust flavour make it a characterful ingredient, though it works best when combined with other flours to balance its intensity.
Best substitute
Whole wheat flour shares a similarly robust, nutty flavour and produces a dense, hearty texture that mirrors buckwheat flour reasonably well. It is not gluten-free, so it is unsuitable for those with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, but it performs well structurally in most recipes.
Alternative
Oat flour is a mild, slightly sweet gluten-free flour that can replicate the soft crumb and density of buckwheat flour in pancakes and baked goods. It lacks buckwheat's distinctive earthy bitterness, so the flavour profile will be noticeably milder.
Alternative
| Country | Name |
|---|---|
| Australia | buckwheat flour |
| FR | farine de sarrasin |
| JP | soba-ko |
| United Kingdom | buckwheat flour |
| United States | buckwheat flour |
Dark rye flour has a similarly earthy, slightly bitter flavour and dense texture that makes it one of the closest flavour matches to buckwheat flour. It does contain gluten, which improves structure in baked goods, but means it is not suitable for gluten-free applications.
Alternative
Sorghum flour is a mild, slightly sweet gluten-free flour with a fine texture and neutral colour. It works well as a structural substitute in baking blends but lacks buckwheat's characteristic earthiness, so combining it with a small amount of cocoa powder can help approximate the flavour.
Alternative
Teff flour is a naturally gluten-free flour with a deep, earthy, slightly molasses-like flavour that comes close to buckwheat's intensity. It produces a dense, moist crumb and works especially well in pancakes, waffles, and quick breads where a strong, nutty character is desired.