Hearty gluten free buckwheat crepes are filled with buttery smoked salmon and topped with creamy herbed lemon ricotta for a satisfyingly healthy breakfast.

Love bagels and lox? These crepes are a healthier twist on a breakfast favorite.

Working with alternative flours has definitely been a challenge and buckwheat flour was no exception.

Because we’re working without gluten, it’s difficult to get the balance of ingredients just right to avoid overly dry or sad-looking foods.

But when you do get it right it’s a dance- around-the-kitchen-worthy moment.

And let me tell you, I’m pretty proud of these healthy buckwheat crepes!

Don’t overcook buckwheat crepes!

While you don’t want to overcook any crepes, you especially don’t want to overcook these gluten free buckwheat flour crepes as they can dry out very quickly!

I learned this lesson the hard way when I was first going to make simple breakfast crepes with eggs, cheese and avocado.

A combination of talking while cooking, petting Bernie, and cooking eggs at the same time resulted in crepes that sat on the stove for too long and broke apart the minute I tried to fold them over.

And the worst part was I thought the runny egg yolk and avocado would help with the dryness, but instead it just made it even more obvious that these were not crepes that I’d hoped for.

So it was back to the drawing board, both in terms of how long to cook them as well as what fillings to use.

The richness of the salmon complements the earthier buckwheat

While I still think eggs and buckwheat could be a good match if you added a little more punch of flavor from a sharp cheese, salsa, or pesto, smoked salmon provides the richness that buckwheat flour is missing.

Ricotta adds a luxurious creamy texture to gluten-free buckwheat crepes

With salmon on the brain, the next decision was whether or not to use cream cheese.

After experimenting a bit, I determined that a whipped cream cheese would work, but regular cream cheese was too difficult to spread without ripping the crepes.

But then I thought about these salmon and ricotta crostinis that I’d seen in some food magazine a little while back.

I love ricotta, but I hadn’t ever had it with ricotta before. Well, let me tell you, smoked salmon and ricotta are delicious together, especially when the ricotta is filled with fresh lemon juice and dill.

I’m not a capers fan, so that’s why you won’t see those green dots on the crepes. But if you’re like Bry and find it appalling to have smoked salmon without capers, then feel free to add a sprinkle on top of the crepes or mixed into the ricotta.

Gluten Free Buckwheat crepes are a hearty breakfast

This was definitely a heartier breakfast that would be perfect before a day of skiing, as the combination of healthy fats, protein, and fiber kept me nice and full all the way to lunch.

What You’ll Need

• Buckwheat flour
• Salt
• Eggs
• Milk/milk alternative of choice
• Unsalted butter (or oil)
• Water
• Ricotta cheese
• Lemon juice
• Fresh dill
• Optional: capers

Tips for making gluten-free buckwheat crepes

1. Rest batter in fridge for 30 minutes. This will help the flour better absorb the liquid, so the consistency of the crepes will be a bit softer.
   
   However, if you’re in a pinch, you can skip this step. Just know that your crepes may end up a bit drier.
   
2. When you go to add the batter to your preheated pan, lift the pan up with one hand, slightly tilting it. Once you pour the batter, quickly swirl the pan so that the batter covers the bottom completely.
   
3. Wait to flip your crepes until the sides start to curl upwards.
   
4. Adding the ricotta on top makes for a prettier presentation and is less messy. But if you want your crepe oozing with ricotta, go ahead and place it inside the crepe before folding.
   
5. These taste best the day you make them. I found the leftover crepes dried out quickly in the fridge. While the next day I was able to bring some life back into them by covering each crepe with a damp paper towel and microwaving for 20 seconds, by the second day they were a lost cause.

Are you a savory or sweet crepe person?

Usually I love crepes filled with ricotta, jam, and fruit, but with the buckwheat flour I was really digging this savory spin.

Let me know what you end up filling your gluten free buckwheat crepes with in the comments below!

Looking for more healthy crepe recipes?

• Strawberry Shortcake Protein Crepes from Nutritionist in the Kitch
• Whole Wheat Cinnamon Crepes with Blueberries from Simple Fit Vegan
• Whole Wheat Vegan Crepes with Apricots and Ginger from Heart of a Baker

Print Recipe

Buckwheat Crepes with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Herbed Ricotta

Love bagels and lox? These crepes are a healthier twist on a breakfast favorite.

Total Time1 hr

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buckwheat Flour, Gluten-Free, Healthy breakfast, Salmon

Ingredients

• 1 cup buckwheat flour (120 grams)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
• ½ cup water
• 8-12 ounces smoked salmon estimate 2-oz per serving
• Optional: capers for serving

For the Ricotta Mixture:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese I used whole milk
• 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill or more to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place flour, salt, eggs, milk, butter and water in a blender. Blend until well-combined. I recommend letting the batter sit for 30 minutes in the fridge for optimal consistency, but if in a pinch you can skip the resting time.
• While crepe batter is resting, combine ricotta, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, lemon, and/or dill per personal preference. Set aside.
• Heat a medium-sized non-stick pan over medium heat until hot. Pour ¼ cup of batter into pan, quickly swirling it around to spread the batter evenly in the pan.
• Cook for 45-60 seconds, flip, then cook another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter.
• To assemble crepes, place 1-2 ounces of salmon on a crepe, then fold the crepe in half once and then again to form a wedge shape. Repeat with remaining crepes. Serve with lemon-herb ricotta cheese mixture and capers (if using). Enjoy!