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Slow cooker wheat berries are one of the easiest ways to enjoy whole grains. Just add water, set it, and forget it. They turn out perfectly chewy and nutty every time. Enjoy them as a side or use them in soups, salads, casseroles, or freeze them for later.
Over the past year, I've shared plenty of recipes and YouTube videos about milling wheat berries.
But you don't need a grain mill to enjoy the benefits of whole grains. Cooking wheat berries in the slow cooker is an easy, hands-off way to get started.
Wheat berries are hearty, chewy, and nutty in flavor, and they're packed with 100% whole grain nutrition.
Because they take a while to cook on the stovetop, I prefer using the slow cooker. It's completely set-it-and-forget. You just combine the wheat berries and water, and enjoy the rest of your day (or go to bed like I do since I cook mine overnight).
Once cooked, you can add them to everything from cozy breakfast bowls to fresh salads.
I like to throw them into my regular rotation of Instant Pot millet and Instant Pot freezer rice. That way, we can enjoy a variety of flavors and grains.
If you're curious about milling wheat berries, you can learn how to turn these same wheat berries into bread in my grain milling beginner's guide, or dive into my fresh-milled sourdough starter and fresh-milled flour recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy: Making wheat berries in the slow cooker is completely hands-off. All you have to do is combine the wheat berries and water, then walk away!
Nutritious: Wheat berries are packed with nutrition and can be easily added to any meal for a healthy side.
Versatile: Use cooked wheat berries for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch once, freeze it, and enjoy it for weeks (or months) to come!
No Grain Mill: If you're curious about fresh-milled flour but don't have a grain mill yet, cooking whole wheat berries is an easy way to enjoy the same nutritional benefits.
What Are Wheat Berries?
Though many folks think of a berry as a type of fruit, wheat berries are the whole, unprocessed kernels of wheat. In short, they are grains in their most natural form.
Wheat berries are available in many varieties: hard red, hard white, soft white, spelt, einkorn, and more. Each type of wheat berry has a slightly different flavor and texture, but most have a chewy texture and a nutty, earthy taste.
Though wheat berries are consumed around the world, in the U.S., the most popular way to eat wheat berries is via flour.
Flour is made from finely ground wheat berries. In most store-bought flour, the bran and germ are removed to extend shelf life. But when you cook wheat berries whole-or mill them without sifting-you get the full benefit of 100% whole-grain nutrition.
Ingredients
Wheat Berries: You can use any wheat berry. For breakfast, I like to use soft wheat. If I’m making a big batch for a variety of uses, I prefer hard red or hard white.
Water: You will need three cups of water per cup of wheat berries.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You May Need
Strainer: Use a mesh strainer to rinse the wheat berries.
Slow Cooker: Any slow cooker will work for this recipe. I use a Brod & Taylor proofer and slow cooker with a covered pot as the insert.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Note: My slow cooker uses regular cookware, so the images show a saucepan. Use your regular slow cooker insert for this recipe.
Step 1: Place the wheat berries in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water.
Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
Step 2: Pour in the water.
Cover with the lid and cook 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low (I usually cook mine on low overnight).
Step 3: When the wheat berries are cooked through (tender but with a chewy bite), drain them and enjoy!
You can serve them as is, mix them in a soup or salad, or freeze them for later use.
Tips for Success
- Don't skip rinsing. Unlike milling flour, where berries must stay dry, rinsing for cooking helps wash away dust and debris.
- Wheat berries soak up a lot of liquid, so use at least 3 cups of water for every cup of wheat berries. Extra water is fine, but don’t use less.
- Slow cookers and wheat berry varieties can vary in their cooking times. I usually start checking on my wheat berries around 6 hours (on low) so they don’t get mushy.
- Cooked wheat berries should be tender but still have a chewy bite.
- I recommend seasoning them later. That way, you can use them in sweet or savory dishes.
Serving Suggestions
Breakfast: Serve the same way you enjoy your oatmeal. I like mine with maple syrup, nuts, and cinnamon. But you can use milk, honey, fruit, or your other favorite toppings.
Salad: Toss cooked wheat berries with leafy greens, veggies, feta, and a vinaigrette.
Soups and Stews: Add the cooked wheat berries to veggie soup or stews. This is a great way to use leftovers or frozen wheat berries.
Side Dish: Swap rice or quinoa for wheat berries.
Storing
- Store leftovers in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Freeze flat in bags or in Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
- Reheat with a splash of water in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Variations
Broth: For savory dishes, you can swap the water with chicken broth or beef broth. I like to use home-canned chicken broth.
Apple Cinnamon: Top with cinnamon and apples before serving. Freeze-dried apples are great for this!
Pumpkin: Cook the wheat berries with half water, half milk, one cup of pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice.
Garlic Herb: Mix warm wheat berries with homemade herb butter.
FAQs
No, you don’t need to soak the wheat berries when cooking them in a slow cooker.
Absolutely! Cooking wheat berries in chicken or vegetable broth adds extra flavor and depth, especially for savory dishes.
Use hard red/white for savory dishes, soft white for breakfast bowls, and ancient grains like spelt or einkorn for a unique flavor.
Definitely, since most slow cooker inserts are large, I recommend making use of that space. Just be sure your slow cooker is large enough and keep the water ratio the same (3 cups of water per 1 cup of wheat berries).
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Slow Cooker Wheat Berries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup wheat berries, any variety
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Place the wheat berries in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water. Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
- Pour in the water.
- Cover with the lid and cook 3-4 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low (I usually cook mine on low overnight).
- When the wheat berries are cooked through (tender but with a chewy bite), drain them and enjoy! You can serve them as is, mix them in a soup or salad, or freeze them for later use.
Notes
- Don't skip rinsing. Unlike milling flour, where berries must stay dry, rinsing for cooking helps wash away dust and debris.
- Wheat berries soak up a lot of liquid, so use at least 3 cups of water for every cup of wheat berries. Extra water is fine, but don’t use less.
- Slow cookers and wheat berry varieties can vary in their cooking times. I usually start checking on my wheat berries around 6 hours (on low) so they don’t get mushy.
- Cooked wheat berries should be tender but still have a chewy bite.
- I recommend seasoning them later. That way, you can use them in sweet or savory dishes.
- For savory dishes, you can swap the water with chicken broth or beef broth. I like to use home-canned chicken broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is auto-calculated and may not reflect your final product. Please verify independently if needed.
