Looking for more variety in your menu, additional fiber, good sources of protein, or to identify gluten-free or low-fructan menu options?  Our list of 21 alternative grains with pictures will get you started!  

This 21-grain primer is a list of alternative grains with pictures to help you select which grains to try next, and how to add healthy and diverse grains to your pantry.  The 21 illustrated grains on our list make great savory or sweet dishes and desserts or are a simple rice alternative if you’re looking for a side dish.

We’ve split the list into two parts: we’ve got 11 alternative grains below in this post and 10 gluten-free grains in the second part.  We also put together a handy whole grain reference chart with information on calories and protein content, as well as whether or not each of these alternative grains is gluten-free.

1. Wheat berries are a good choice for exploring alternative grains

What are wheat berries?  Wheat berries are minimally processed wheat kernels with only the outer husk removed. These wheat kernels, or wheat berries, are a whole grain; they retain the bran and other layers usually stripped away in more processed wheat forms.

Wheat berries have a higher level of nutrition, a different shape, and a chewier texture than many people are familiar with.

Wheat berries hold their shape once cooked, and have a sweet nutty taste.  These alternative grains are delicious in savory main dishes, as a warm side in place of rice, as a warm cereal, in soups or in cold wheat berry salads, and even as part of a sweet dessert.

Wheat berries are not gluten-free (they are wheat and therefore contain gluten).

To cook wheat berries: simmer for  45 minutes to an hour covered in water until soft, or to desired tenderness, then drain.  To reduce cooking time, soak these whole grains overnight or for several hours.

Do you have a favorite wheat berry recipe? Let us know!

Farro

Farro (an italian word, pronounced “Fah-row”) are the wheat berries of three specific wheat varieties: Emmer, Einkorn, and Spelt.  These wheat strains/varieties are ancient, but they are not as easy to harvest and mill so they had generally been displaced by more modern wheat hybrids (such as durum wheat).   Ancient grains and older varieties of wheat are now experiencing a great deal of interest as modern wheat alternatives.

Farro is not gluten-free (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten). Do not try to interchange cooking instructions between farro, emmer, einkorn, and spelt, as they are different sizes and will not cook at the same rate or length of time.

“Farro is an Italian word that encompasses three varieties of heirloom grains: einkorn, spelt and emmer wheat.  These are referred to respectively as farro piccolo, farro grande and farro medio. So rather than being a single grain, farro is a collection of three grains and the term farro can refer to any of these three grains.” according to the Nourished Kitchen.

2. Emmer wheat – or farro medio

Italian farro is Emmer wheat, also known as farro medio.  This alternative grain is sometimes referred to as “Pharoah’s wheat,” Emmer is an ancient wheat of the Mediterranean world that survived to the present day in rural pockets of Italy, Russia, and the Middle East.  There are a few hundred different types of Emmer wheat.

Emmer wheat contains less gluten than modern wheat hybrids.  Emmer is more disease resistant and grows in poorer conditions than most modern wheat, but its yield is lower, and it’s more difficult to harvest and mill, so it had fallen out of popularity until fairly recently.

Emmer wheat also known as “farro” is a medium size kernel wheat, and is a central ingredient in Italian cooking. Farro medio, or Emmer wheat, makes excellent alternative risotto, salad, or grain bowl.  The flour has less gluten and can be very dense in texture.

To cook Emmer or farro medio kernels: three cups of water to one cup of Emmer, simmer for thirty to forty minutes  or to taste, and then drain excess water.

3. Spelt – or farro grandio

Spelt is an ancient wheat grain also known as farro grandio.  However, as discussed above, don’t try to substitute spelt for farro in recipes and expect the same cooking times because spelt has a larger grain size and texture are different than the widely known farro (farro medio, or Emmer).

Be aware that Bob’s Red Mill brand sells spelt labeled as farro without indicating that it’s actually farro grandio rather than Emmer, also known as farro medio.

Spelt is NOT gluten-free (it is a wheat) but it IS low in fructans, so it’s a good grain to try for those on the FODMAP diet. The FODMAP diet is a 4-6 week diet in which fructans are restricted and then added slowly back in one at a time to see what particular foods are problematic.

To cook: Soak spelt kernels overnight covered in water.  Add to boiling water and simmer for up to an hour, then drain excess water.  Or, boil three cups of water for each cup of drained spelt kernels. Add spelt, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or to taste.

4. Einkorn – farro piccolo

Einkorn wheat, or farro piccolo, is a small kernel wheat that nearly went extinct. Similar to its cousins Emmer and Spelt, it’s an ancient alternative grain that has fallen out of favor until recently.  The flour is outstanding for baking. Einkorn is not gluten-free (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten).

To cook: Einkorn can be simmered for 25-30 minutes until tender, then strain the excess water out.

5. Freekeh for a toasty nutty alternative grains choice

Freekeh (pronounced freeh-kah, and also known as farik) is a Middle Eastern wheat grain.  Freekeh is a cracked and toasted immature (or green) wheat. The toasting process removes the dry outer hull of the wheat, but the leaves the inside intact.  The result is a roasted, nutty, earthy whole grain that looks a little bit like wild rice. A staple for centuries the the Middle East, the alternative grain Freekeh is becoming more popular in North America.

Like many other whole grains, freekeh is extremely versatile.  Cook it like rice, use it as a side, a base for a savory meal, part of a salad, or a breakfast cereal topped with fruit, nuts, or eggs.

We like warm freekeh topped with fresh herbs like lovage and mint,  some chickpeas, and a drizzle of good olive oil. Freekeh is not gluten-free (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten).

To cook freekeh:  Simmer on the stove top (one cup of freekeh to three cups water) about 15-25 minutes or use a rice cooker.

6. Khorasan wheat (aka Kamut®)

Kamut® is the commercial brand name for a high-protein wheat known as Khorasan (pronounced core-ay-san). The kernels of this wheat are twice the size of modern wheat. It is sweet (sometimes referred to as “sweet wheat”), richly flavored and higher in protein than modern wheats.  Khorasan is not gluten-free (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten).

Khorasan, also known as Kamut®, is an ancient wheat grain dating back to the Egyptians if not earlier, but its origins are uncertain.  “Following WWII, a US airman claimed to have taken a handful of this grain from a stone box in a tomb near Dashare, Egypt. Thirty-six kernels of the grain were given to a friend who mailed them to his father, a Montana wheat farmer. The farmer planted and harvested a small crop and displayed the grain as a novelty at the local fair. Believing the legend that the giant grain kernels were taken from an Egyptian tomb, the grain was dubbed “King Tut’s Wheat.” But soon the novelty wore off and this ancient grain was all but forgotten,” according to a Purdue article. Khorasan wheat had fallen entirely out of modern cultivation until 1990 when the Kamut® variety was registered and trademarked.

To cook: simmer one cup of wheat in three cups of water on the stove top for 1 1/2-2 hours. Pre-soaking overnight can reduce cooking time to 30 minutes.

7. Bulgur

Bulgur is a quick-cooking form of whole wheat that is cleaned, steamed (partially cooked) and ground to varying sizes. Bulgur is not on of the gluten-free alternative grains (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten).  Medium grind bulgur is probably most familiar as the main ingredient in tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern wheat salad with tomatoes, mint, cucumber, and lemon and other spices.

Bulgur is eaten as a cereal in some parts of the world, as well as a warm side dish, and as a cold salad (tabbouleh), and in soups and bread.   Bulgur has a very pleasing texture and a very mild taste. It seems light but is quite filling. An alternative spelling/word is bourghul.

To cook bulgur:  the water to grain ratio is two to one.  Measure one cup of bulgur in a bowl, and add two cups boiling water.  Let sit for 15 minutes to absorb, then fluff with a fork. These directions are for a standard medium grind. Cooking times may vary with grind sizes, so check your package directions and follow them if any doubt.

8. Barley: one of the most ancient alternative grains

Barley is one of the cereal-type alternative grains dating back to the Egyptians. Barley is actually one of the first cultivated grains, used in trade, as currency, as food, and in brewing.   It was an essential staple until replaced by wheat in Roman times. Barley is not one of the gluten-free whole grains, it is actually one of the three whole grains that contain gluten (wheat, barley, and rye).

Barley may be most familiarly used in soup and porridge. It is hearty, with a nutty flavor and somewhat chewy.  Barley is high in fiber, and an excellent source of protein, iron, B vitamins, and trace minerals.

Barley is available as pearled barley (the inedible hull has been removed and the grain is creamy white), hull-less barley (a variety with a loose hull that keeps more of the grain intact after harvest and is darker tan), malted barley (toasted), and rolled barley (having an appearance similar to rolled oats).

To cook barley: If you’ve cooked brown rice, cooking barley is a breeze.  The ratio of whole grains to liquid is one cup of barley to three cups water (or stock).  Simmer pearled barley for approximately 25 minutes, hulled barley for 40 minutes.  Check for desired texture, add water and continue cooking as needed. Drain if water remains, and let sit ten minutes.  Fluff and serve!

9. Rye and rye berries

Rye is an ancient grain with a distinctive fragrance and mildly bitter flavor… rye is not a mild tasting grain, it has a “bite.” Common across northern Europe, Nordic countries, and Russia due to its hardiness (basically its ability to grow well despite cold and damp conditions). Rye is not one of the gluten-free whole grains (it is one of the three main gluten-containing whole grains along with barley and wheat).

Familiar to most as a bread likely seasoned with caraway, rye is also a common whiskey base (as rye whiskey) and a main ingredient in Kvass.  Did you realize rye might have a connection to the Salem witch trials?  Ergot is a fungal disease of rye and there is speculation that rye crops infected with ergot might be a contributing factor in the Salem witch trial hysteria.

Rye berries are the minimally processed kernels of whole rye grain.  Like most whole grains, they can be cooked similar to rice or beans as a side dish, or salad base.  Ground into flour, rye makes an excellent pasta, and of course, rye bread.

To cook rye berries: simmer one cup of rye berries in four cups of water for one to two hours until tender.

Soaking overnight before simmering will reduce cooking time of these whole grains to about 45 minutes – the rye berries will still be somewhat chewy and firm. Cook longer to your preferred tenderness.

10. Triticale: a hybrid of wheat and rye

Triticale (trit-ih-KAY-lee) is a flavorful wheat and rye hybrid whole grain, with higher protein than wheat, dating back to the turn of the 20th century.

Triticale kernels are a bit larger than standard wheat kernels and it tastes much milder than rye, and nuttier than wheat.  It’s higher in protein and lower in gluten than wheat, and contains a high amount of lysine.

Try triticale berries (pre-soak and then simmer until tender as wheat berries).  If using triticale flour, keep in mind the lower gluten content and substitute only half or less of triticale flour for wheat flour.

11. Couscous

Couscous looks like a pasta, so much so that the not-pasta taste is a bit startling.  Couscous is a  coarse ground wheat. The wheat is rubbed with damp hands and a bit of flour to form coarse granules.

Typical couscous is small, like a pastina size. Israeli couscous or pearled couscous is a bit larger in size, similar to a pea. Both make an outstanding savory meal or side dish. Couscous is not gluten-free (it is wheat and therefore contains gluten).

To cook couscous: add one cup couscous to 1 ¼ cup boiling water.  Remove from heat and let sit 5-10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Israeli couscous is simmered for eight minutes or to al dente taste.

To continue onto the next ten alternative grains, read 10 Gluten-free grains and we’ll fill you in on millet, teff, quinoa, rice, sorghum, grits, polenta, amaranth, oats, and buckwheat!