Wheat berries are one of the oldest and most nutrient-dense grains still used today, offering both simplicity and versatility in the kitchen. With just a pot of simmering water, these whole grains transform into a hearty base that can stand alone or enhance soups, salads and grain bowls with rich texture and subtle flavor. When ground into fresh flour, wheat berries become the foundation for wholesome baking—from rustic breads to everyday staples. Whether you’re looking to cook from scratch, eat more whole foods, or reconnect with traditional ingredients, wheat berries are a timeless addition to any kitchen.
Wheat Berries
SERVINGS: 2-4 3 lb. package = 8 cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup wheat berries
3 cups water
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start by rinsing wheat berries. Then combine them with water and salt in a cooking pot. After bringing it to a boil, reduce the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 45-60 minutes until tender but chewy. Drain any excess water, if needed.
OPTIONS:
- Soak overnight to cut cook time to ~30–40 minutes
- Finish with butter or olive oil for richness
Easy Ways to Serve
- Warm with butter, honey, and cinnamon
- Savory with salt, pepper, and herbs
- Cold tossed into salads or grain bowls
- Breakfast-style with milk and fruit
Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Wheat Berries*
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup wheat berries
2½–3 cups water
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rinse wheat berries well.
- Add wheat berries, water and salt to the Instant Pot.
- Seal the lid and set to Manual / Pressure Cook – High for 30 minutes.
- Allow a natural pressure release for 10–15 minutes. Vent remaining pressure.
- Drain any excess liquid if needed. Fluff and serve.
Texture Notes:
- Chewy (salad/grain bowls): 25 minutes
- Tender (breakfast-style): 35 minutes
Optional Upgrades:
- Swap water for bone broth for savory dishes
- Add 1 tbsp butter or olive oil after cooking
- Stir in honey + cinnamon for breakfast
WHEAT BERRIES BATCH TIP*: Cooled wheat berries keep 5–7 days in the fridge and freeze beautifully.
Yield:
- Makes ~4½–5 cups cooked wheat berries
- Enough for 5–7 meals
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups wheat berries
5½–6 cups water (or broth)
1 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Rinse wheat berries thoroughly.
- Add wheat berries, liquid and salt to the Instant Pot.
- Seal lid and cook on High Pressure – 35 minutes.
- Let pressure naturally release 15 minutes, then vent remaining pressure.
- Drain excess liquid if needed. Fluff.
STORAGE:
- Refrigerator:
- Cool completely before storing
- Keep in airtight containers
- Good for 5–7 days
- Freezer (Best Option):
- Portion into 1–2 cup containers or freezer bags
- Freeze up to 3 months
- Thaw overnight or reheat straight from frozen
Reheating Tips:
- Stovetop: splash of water,
medium heat - Microwave: cover + 1–2 tbsp water
- Skillet: sauté with oil or butter
for crisp edges
Robert’s Whole Wheat Bread
Makes 3 loaves
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups milk
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup honey
- 7 to 8 cups fresh milled flour
- 2 tablespoons yeast
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add an egg as an option. Fine without. The milk is optional as well — can use 3 cups of water.
- Warm the milk and water to 125⁰ and begin to mix the first 6 cups of flour, oil and honey. It will be about the ideal temp of 110⁰.
- Then add yeast, salt and remaining flour. Knead for about 7 minutes.
- Convection oven: bake at 325⁰ for 30 minutes. This dough never needs punching down. It fully raises in about 30 minutes. It is quite amazing and simple.
- This bread recipe, start to finish, is less than an hour and half. Over an hour of that is rising and baking. “It’s the easiest bread I’ve ever made,” Robert said.
- Bread should reach 190⁰ internal temperature to be done.
My experience with this recipe has been positive and I am exceedingly grateful to my brother, Robert, for sharing it with me as well as for allowing me to share it.
Please note that this bread is incredibly soft and delicious. You can certainly swap out a third of the flour for a different type, such as oat or even almond flour*. Wheat flour does tend to be somewhat dense; however, sifting freshly milled flour a minimum of two times helps with density.
- Recently, I baked two batches of bread, using this recipe. For the first batch, I used the convection baking feature on my oven. The loaves were – in my opinion – not baked long enough. For the second batch, I used the standard setting and added an additional 15 minutes. Both batches had nice crusts on them but the best doneness crumb was with the longer time.
- Ultimately, bakers will have to use trial and error to find their best baking practices. Ovens times and actual temperatures can vary, yielding differing results.
- For each batch of bread, I chose to bake one loaf of bread in a Dutch oven and two loaves in glass bread pans. Adding a small glass dish of water in the oven helps dough standard bread pans yield softer bread than without it.
* Recently, Robert made a batch of this bread, swapping out ⅓ of the flour with almond flour. After mixing and kneading, he rolled it out into a thin rectangle for cinnamon rolls. In a bowl, he mixed together monk fruit, cinnamon and butter. After spreading the mixture together on the dough, he rolled it up, cut it into slices and placed the pan into an oven at 325-degrees for 20 minutes.
Check out these links for additional recipes and help when using and grinding wheat berries.
