How to cook whole grains (cheat sheet)

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Want to cook more whole grains, but don’t know how to cook them? Need a cheat sheet to help you cook these nutritional gems?

Whole grains are foods rich in nutrients, phytonutrients, antioxidants, have a lower glycemic index, and may help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes

Whole grains include the whole kernel of the grain – be it wheat, rye, barley, rice, quinoa, rye and so on. Having trouble imagining this? Visualize a popcorn kernel which is a whole grain kernel of corn.

Each whole grain has 3 parts:

The bran which is the fiber-rich outer layer that supplies B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
The germ which is the core of the seed where growth occurs; it is rich in healthy fats, vitamin E, B vitamins, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
The endosperm which is the interior layer that holds carbohydrates, protein, and small amounts of some B vitamins and minerals.

Image courtesy of Whole Grains Council

Whole grains can be further refined by having their bran and germ stripped, leaving only the endosperm. Think white flour. The refining process thus removes some key nutrition from the grain and is less desirable than the whole grain.

Whole grains are simple, minimally processed, and deserve a place on your plate.

If you are looking to include more whole grains in your diet, but feel uncertain around how to actually prepare whole grains, I have put together a Cooking with Whole Grains Cheat Sheet.

This cheat sheet outlines how much water to add to cook 1 cup of the whole grain, the approximate cooking time and the approximate yield after cooking, as well as whether the whole grain in question is gluten-free or not.

Cooking with Whole Grains Cheat Sheet

To cook 1 cup of this grain	Add this much water or broth	Approximate cooking time	Approximate yield after cooking 1 cup raw	Gluten-free?
Amaranth	2 c	20-25 minutes	3.5 cups	Yes
Barley, hulled	3 c	45-60 minutes	3.5 cups	No
Buckwheat	2 c	20 minutes	4 cups	Yes
Cornmeal (polenta)	4 c	25-30 minutes	2.5 cups	Yes
Couscous (whole wheat)	2 cups	10 min (heat off)	3 cups	No
Millet, hulled	2.5 cups	25-35 minutes	4 cups	Yes
Quinoa	2 cups	12-15 minutes	3+ cups	Yes
Rice, brown	2.5 cups	25-45 minutes (varies by kind)	3-4 cups	Yes
Rye berries	4 cups	Soak overnight, cook 45-60 minutes	3 cups	No
Sorghum also called milo	4 cups	25-40 minutes	3 cups	Yes
Wild rice	3 cups	45-55 minutes	3.5 cups	Yes
Wheat includes the following varieties
Bulgur	2 cups	10-12 minutes	3 cups	No
Farro	3.5-4 cups	May or may not need soaking overnight; 15-25 minutes	3-4 cups	No
Spelt berries	4 cups	Soak overnight, then cook 45-60 minutes	3 cups	Np
Wheat berries	4 cups	Soak overnight, then cook 60+ minutes	3 cups	No

You can prepare a big batch of whole grains and freeze into smaller portions for later use. You can add whole grains to soups, salads, stews, beverages and soups, casseroles, pilafs.