Einkorn Berries: What They Are and How to Cook Them
Explore einkorn wheat berries, their flavor, cooking uses and relationship to other wheat varieties.
Einkorn berries are the whole kernels of einkorn, a variety of wheat. Cooked until tender, they have a pleasant chew and a nutty flavor that works in salads, pilafs and breakfast bowls. In Italy, einkorn may also be called farro piccolo—one reason the word “farro” can be confusing at the shop.
Despite the name, a wheat berry is a grain kernel, not a sweet berry. It's best introduced to your saucepan before it meets your salad bowl.
Einkorn berries versus einkorn flour
The berries are intact kernels. Einkorn flour is milled from the grain and may be sold as whole-grain or refined flour. The two have different uses: simmer berries as a grain; use flour in a recipe developed for baking. Swapping one directly for the other is unlikely to improve your morning.
Einkorn is one of the wheats sometimes grouped under the Italian name farro. Emmer is often sold as farro too, so check the ingredient list if you specifically want einkorn.
How do you cook einkorn berries?
Follow the packet because grains and methods vary. In one Jovial Foods recipe for its einkorn berries, the grains are soaked overnight, drained and simmered for about 35 minutes, then rested. Begin checking toward the recipe's suggested time and continue until tender through the center, with a chew you enjoy.
Use enough water as directed and drain any extra if your method calls for it. Let the berries cool before tossing them with delicate greens. For a warm pilaf, add cooked vegetables and herbs after the grain is tender.
What can you make with them?
Mix cooked einkorn with roasted vegetables and a lemon dressing, serve it as a side with mushrooms, or add it to soup. It can also make a savory or sweet breakfast bowl. Its chew remains noticeable when chilled, which is useful in a make-ahead grain salad.
Spelt berries or whole wheat berries can be alternatives in a flexible salad. Their size and cooking time differ, so prepare the substitute by its own instructions.
Is einkorn gluten-free?
No. Einkorn is wheat and contains gluten. It is not suitable for people with coeliac disease or anyone who must avoid gluten, regardless of how old the variety is.