“The appeal of crispy food appears, like our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to be self-evident. Everybody seems to enjoy crispy food,” writes John S. Allen in The Omnivorous Mind. In fact, sound is considered by some food scientists to be the “forgotten food sense,” as the sound of crunchy foods have been shown to contribute to their enjoyment.

This phenomenon, known as the crunch effect, helps explain the irresistible appeal of potato chips and fried foods today. But crispy, crunchy textures don’t have to come at a nutritional cost. In fact, one of the most versatile sources of texture and crunch is a place you might not have thought to look… whole grains.

Below are our 5 favorite ways to add texture and crunch to meals using whole grains.

1. Toast buckwheat and use as a crouton replacement in salads. For a delightfully crunchy salad topping, toast raw buckwheat over a warm skillet until just golden and fragrant. This crumble contributes a warm nuttiness to the dish that no crouton can rival. Our arugula salad with chicken, dates, and buckwheat crumble is a delicious example of this strategy in action.
2. Dredge chicken, fish, or vegetables in whole grain cornmeal, teff, or amaranth. These tiny grains add the perfect crunch to meals and don’t get soggy as quickly as a typical flour dredge. For an entry into this technique, try our jalapeno corn salmon patties recipe.
3. Use popped quinoa or amaranth to add crunch to desserts. If you’re team nuts in brownies, this idea is for you. This technique was inspired by the puffed quinoa brown sugar brownies recipe in Rose Wilde’s 2023 cookbook, Bread and Roses. To pop your grains, simply heat a Dutch oven over medium-high until hot, then add 2-4 tablespoons of quinoa, shaking the pan for about a minute before removing them from heat. Then, simply stir these grains into your favorite brownie, blondie, muffin, or banana bread batter for a delightful symphony of textures.
4. Stir whole wheat breadcrumbs into sauteed greens. Sauteed spinach can quickly veer into the soggy side. To add some crunch and body to what otherwise be a mushy dish, thicken the mixture by stirring in a handful of whole wheat breadcrumbs and a few shavings of a high quality traditional cheese, as in this Catalan-inspired spinach and raisins recipe. If you aren’t able to find whole wheat breadcrumbs near you, have no fear. Slice your favorite whole grain bread (stale is preferred, but fresh is fine) into bite-sized pieces, then pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Extras will keep in the fridge or freezer.
5. Liven up cooked fruit with granola toppings. One of our favorite weeknight dessert shortcuts is to make a simplified fruit crisp by baking fresh fruit topped with granola. Granola is also the perfect topping for grilled peaches, especially when served alongside a small scoop of frozen yogurt. The crunchiness of the oat clusters beautifully complement the softened cooked fruit.

Upping the crunch factor of your meals can take your food from conventional to crave-worthy. By using whole grains as the vehicle for this textural journey, your dish will punch above its weight in both flavor and nutrition. (Kelly)

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