15 Types of Grains

1. Wheat

Wheat is a commonly known wholegrain with great potential in recipes. Wheat can be used to make some of the most beloved foods, such as breads, pastries and fresh pasta noodles. There are a number of benefits to milling your own wheat flour for recipes.

Wheat flour is a great choice for bread because of how well it develops the strong gluten strands that result in a more complex, dense and chewy crumb.

When crafting recipes surrounding this grain, you can keep it simple by opting to make delicious, homemade staples for your kitchen or to try daring new recipes that enhance your meals. Sweet apple wholemeal pancakes or warm wholemeal seed bread are recipes that require just a few swaps to add more wholemeal wheat into your diet. For a flavourful twist on a comfort classic, try wholemeal biscuits with smoked paprika and chives for an entrée or a wholemeal pear and apple crisp for dessert

2. Barley

A hearty grain with a beautiful nutty flavour, barley is a classic addition to soups and stews. If you want to pack even more nutrients into recipes that call for barley, opt for hulled or whole barley. 

To make barley that's tender yet still has a little bit of bite, cook barley in a pot of water until it comes to a boil. Tender beef, simple vegetables and nutty pearl barley coalesce to create this grain-based soup– a perfect rustic meal to enjoy during colder weather.

3. Oats

An extremely versatile item to have in your pantry, oats can be added to sweet and savoury meals alike. Although oats are traditionally made into porridge by boiling them in milk and water, there are more creative ways to prepare this grain.

Ditch the dairy by making your oat milk at home or concoct one of the many delicious desserts that include oats, such as pecan coconut cups, a strawberry plum crisp or rhubarb pistachio baked oatmeal.

4. Rice

A popular gluten-free grain, rice is versatile as a complementary ingredient in a number of dishes across cuisines. Rice is fairly straightforward to prepare, most commonly prepared in a rice cooker or by boiling it in a pot of water.

Rice is naturally anti-inflammatory and a great source of energy, which makes it a nutritionally dense ingredient to add to meals. Try your hand at foods from around the globe by making chana masala, spicy tuna rolls and dolmades

5. Rye

Rye grain is higher in fibre, vitamins and minerals than most other wholegrains and its distinct earthy flavour, along with its high gluten content, make it one of the most favoured grains for bread-making. Making your own rye bread at home is incredibly rewarding.

The flavours of rye grain make it a great addition to both sweet delights, such as honey rye pancakes with lemon ricotta, and savoury dishes such as a rye bread sandwich served with wholegrain mustard

6. Corn

Corn is commonly overlooked as a member of the grain family due to many refined corn products, such as tortillas and cornmeal being sold prepackaged and premade. Corn is rich in antioxidants, mainly vitamin C and can be woven into a number of recipes.

The next time you're in the mood for comfort food, buy fresh corn to add some sweetness to a warm seafood corn chowder or make a cornmeal batter for lobster corn dogs with savoury aioli, an upscaled homage to your childhood

7. Quinoa

The pseudocereal quinoa has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, becoming many foodies' go-to side due to its nutritional benefits. Quinoa is a great healthy substitute in lieu of other refined grains, as it's high in fibre, protein, essential amino acids and iron.

Brace yourself for busy mornings by baking quinoa-based muesli bars from scratch, adding ingredients that work best for you and enhancing this typical breakfast bar. You can also add quinoa to salads, creating a fruit and vegetable quinoa salad that uses farm fresh and in-season produce.

8. Bulgur

Bulgur is the dried, ground, precooked kernels of durum wheat and is most known for being the main ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes, such as kibbeh meat patties and tabbouleh salad. 

Create a unique bulgur dish inspired by classic Middle Eastern flavours, such as a Middle Eastern veggie burger. You can also incorporate bulgur into your breakfast by serving up some grain-based hot breakfast cereal.

9. Farro

Farro is an ancient Italian wholegrain that's similar in flavour and texture to barley. Farro is the star of many Tuscan dishes, such as hearty zuppa di farro. Before you cook this grain, it's important to be aware that you will need to let it soak before it's ready to be woven into your unique recipes.

Farro doesn't get mushy like some cooked grains, which makes it the perfect addition to salads for some extra texture and a well-rounded nutritious meal. A farro rainbow salad will channel summertime fun during mealtime.

10. Freekah

Freekeh is another Middle Eastern grain derived from green durum wheat. Unlike bulgur, which is made from durum wheat berries, freekeh is harvested when the wheat is younger. This grain is most often sold cracked to decrease its cooking time. 

Freekeh is popular for its use in pilaf, a Middle Eastern dish. Next time you're in the kitchen, swap out the rice for freekeh in pilaf recipes to expand your palate and test new flavours.

11. Amaranth

Amaranth dates back to the time of the Aztecs, becoming popular more recently for its lack of gluten. Amaranth contains all nine essential amino acids, making this peppery-flavoured pseudocereal a nutritional ingredient you won't want to pass up. 

Amaranth holds a similar resemblance to couscous and can be used in place of couscous in recipes that call for it. This can be in the form of a simple side, an ingredient in stuffed capsicums, or something more bold.

12. Spelt

Spelt is an ancient grain commonly found and used in German cuisine. Spelt closely resembles farro and can be used in recipes that would typically call for it. Because spelt has a much higher protein content than most other grains, milling this grain into flour for dough or adding the fully cooked grain to salads or soups can create a meal that will curb your hunger and leave your palate satisfied. 

13. Millet

The gluten-free millet grain can be found in yellow, red, white or grey varieties. This grain is common in Indian dishes, specifically roti, a type of flatbread. Toasting millet before you cook it completely will bring out the flavour of the grain and add more depth to your recipes. 

Millet can be used as a substitute for rice and is commonly incorporated into porridges. Use millet to create a plant-based, gluten-free fritter dish, like vegetable fritters with creamy avocado dip

14. Buckwheat

The small, triangular seeds of the buckwheat pseudocereal deliver a nutty, bitter flavour along with antioxidants and fatty acids. Like many grains, buckwheat can be milled into flour for baked goods, though it is not ideal for bread.

Japanese soba noodles contain a significant amount of buckwheat and making your own noodles can add freshness to this soba bowl recipe. Swap out the unbleached flour in this apple and rhubarb crumble recipe for buckwheat instead and engage your guests by informing them that the buckwheat grain in your dish is actually a fruit relative of rhubarb.

15. Khoran

Also known as kamut, khorasan is a grain derived from Egypt that is high in vitamin E and protein. Although this grain is typically milled into flour for doughs to make breads and pastas, you can use it to make a delicious breakfast cereal by puffing it before adding it into a bowl with milk.