Recipes

A Guide to Identifying Grains, from Amaranth to Sorghum

Know your spelt from your sorghum (from your amaranth) with our cheat sheet to these complex foods
Image may contain Plant Food Seasoning Sesame Produce and Vegetable
Ditte Isager

Know your spelt from your sorghum with our cheat sheet to these complex foods.

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    Ditte Isager
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    Millet

    Gluten-free, high in fiber, and mild in flavor. Treat it like rice, or try subbing it for quinoa.

  • Actually a grass that grows in lakes and streams. It takes a while to cook but stays deliciously al dente.
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    Wild Rice

    Actually a grass that grows in lakes and streams. It takes a while to cook but stays deliciously al dente.

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    Ditte Isager
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    Barley

    The most nutritious barley is hull-less or hulled (not pearled); it contains more bran.

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    Wheat Berries

    These kernels are the whole wheat grain—bran and germ intact. Hard wheat is generally chewier than tender soft wheat.

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    Freekeh

    These grains come from green (underripe) wheat that’s roasted or smoked, giving it a toasty flavor. Try using it to make tabbouleh.

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    Amaranth

    Considered the superfood of the Aztecs, amaranth is technically a seed. It has all nine essential amino acids, making it a “complete” protein.

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    Sorghum

    Dress these gluten-free grains generously with saucy vinaigrettes, which they’ll greedily absorb.

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    Farro

    This hardy wheat kernel is great in salads and soups, or use it in place of arborio rice to make farroto.

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    Rye Berries

    If you like pumpernickel breadand Templeton Rye whiskey, get to know the slender, green-tinted grains they come from.

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    Spelt

    Spelt’s smooth, shiny outer layer stays intact when cooked, making it ideal for sautéed dishes (it’s less likely to stick to the pan).

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    Black Rice

    Thanks to its relatively thin bran layer, Chinese black rice cooks fairly quickly. It delivers deep flavor and looks amazing in salads.

As BA’s former deputy editor Julia Kramer traveled the country, scouting the best new restaurants in America for the “BA Hot 10.” In January 2017, she oversaw the launch of our Healthyish vertical, while guiding overall editorial direction, including the ASME award–nominated BA Kitchen section of the magazine, which focuses ... Read More
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