Quinoa Flour Substitutes 8 Ideas To Try Today
Are you looking for Quinoa flour substitutes? If yes, then you are at the right place. In today’s recipe, I am going to share some ideas that will help you replace quinoa flour in baking recipes. This article has eight great substitutions for quinoa flour. Let us get started.
It is very important to note that quinoa flour is gluten free and contains no added sugar or salt. It also has high protein content and fiber. It is widely used in bread baking.
There are many ways to substitute quinoa flour. For instance, you can try using other flours such as almond flour, coconut flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, etc. The substitution ratio depends on the type of recipe.

What are Quinoa flour substitutes?
Brown rice flour, oat flour, almond flour, buckwheat flour, teff flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour, and millet flour are the finest alternatives to quinoa flour.
These are all reasonably simple to locate and gluten-free as well. Some of these alternatives offer a more inexpensive alternative because quinoa flour is an expensive option.
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Additionally, you can produce your own quinoa flour. Quinoa grains are all you require (dry, raw). Toss them in a spice grinder or blender after lightly toasting them on a dry skillet. After blending for 1 minute to get a powder that is extremely fine, sift the powder.
There you have it, quinoa flour! However, since you have to purchase the quinoa, it can still be costly. But it’s still a choice. Let’s now examine the alternatives and other choices you have.
Brown rice flour
For people who avoid wheat or gluten-containing flours, quinoa flour is an excellent substitute. You may buy it at the supermarket or make your own at home by crushing uncooked quinoa seeds.
Brown rice flour can be used in place of quinoa flour if you don’t have any on hand. They are both medium-sized flours, and when it comes to binding behavior, calorie content, and fiber content, brown rice flour and quinoa flour are very similar.
You can substitute seven-eighths of a cup of brown rice flour for every one cup of quinoa flour in a recipe to get the same results.
As previously mentioned, this one is the most similar to quinoa flour in terms of texture, flavor, and cooking time. Despite being a seed, quinoa is only slightly more processed than brown rice to become flour. Rice is a seed as well, however after the husk is removed, it is considered a grain.
Brown rice is the product of the first step of processing; this brown rice then goes on to produce high-fiber brown rice flour, which has a light and powdery texture. It’s a great option for those who are unfamiliar with the use of gluten-free or alternative flours. It’s quite simple to work with and has a flavor that is well-balanced, making it ideal for baking goods.
Oat flour
Oat flour is one of the best flour alternatives available because of the unexpected convenience it offers. You can quickly create oat flour by simply grinding up some of the oats in the pantry. Oat flour is incredibly adaptable due to its mild flavor, delicate texture, and high protein content. For anything from nutrition bars to cookies to pancakes and more, get some gluten-free oats!
Almond flour
Both blanched and unblanched almonds are used to make almond flour. The latter is made using skin-on almonds and has a little coarser texture than the former, which has a finely ground and light texture.
You can make it quickly at home and would love to use it for white flour or quinoa flour when baking delights, particularly brownies, cookies, and other sweets. It is incredibly adaptable and excels when used in place of breadcrumbs.
Buckwheat flour
This flour, which is made from groats or buckwheat seeds, is both gluten-free and delicious. It has a particularly earthy, nutty flavor and is richly supplemented with protein and fiber. You may always combine it with another flour of your choice or just use it to make traditional buckwheat pancakes.
Teff flour
Teff, a plentifully produced staple grain in Ethiopia and Eritrea, is most frequently processed into flour and used to make the spongy Injera flatbread. It’s fantastic to give baked items like muffins and quick breads an earthy flavor and a nutty touch.
Additionally, it functions flawlessly when combined with other gluten-free flours. Whatever you use it for, this quinoa flour substitute is a very nutrient-dense choice that is high in protein and fiber.
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is made by drying and grinding coconut pulp, which yields an amazingly high amount of fiber. To avoid absorbing a lot of moisture and developing a thicker texture, be careful not to use it as a 1:1 substitute. To achieve the best results, increase the amount of eggs or other wet components in the same recipe.
Coconut flour, which is gluten-free, performs best in fast breads like banana bread that call for a lot of moist components. It is a fantastic option for those following a grain-free diet because it is naturally free of grains.
Chickpea flour

Garbanzo beans that have been dried and finely processed are used to make chickpea flour. It serves as a fantastic replacement and is extremely high in protein and fiber. Not only does it hold together miraculously well, but it also gives the treat much more texture.
It works best for savory and sweet treats including breads, pancakes, crepes, socca, and dumplings. It has a mild flavor with a nutty undertone in addition to having an earthy flavor. Bengal grammes are commonly used to produce this gluten-free quinoa flour alternative.
Millet flour
A small grain-like seed that is high in fiber, protein, and fiber is used to make millet flour. It has a soft, starchy feel, which makes it a fantastic ingredient for gluten-free sweets like muffins, cookies, and chocolate cake. To bring out a fantastic flavor, especially while baking, millet flour is frequently advised to be combined with at least one additional flour.
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It is intriguing to utilize each of the aforementioned flours because of their distinctive qualities, especially if you are new to baking with all of those flavors. However, because they are all slightly different, you frequently can’t just substitute them for all-purpose flour or quinoa flour and expect to get good results.
Some recipes call for more liquid, while others might require some form of modification to the final dish. Simply begin by gradually increasing the amount of flour you add until you achieve your desired results. And certainly, don’t be afraid to try new things!
Quinoa, the word itself is a little complicated to pronounce. Most people do not actually know how to pronounce quinoa so let’s start with the word itself. The word quinoa is pronounced as “keen-wa”.
Quinoa is a grain crop that is grown just for the edible seeds it has. Quinoa flour is the most nutritious flour available out there and therefore many people stock them in their houses. It is made by a simple method that is by grinding quinoa grains into small particles. The quinoa flour is white or creamy yellow. When we talk about quinoa there are three types, that are red, white, and black. The most commonly used is the white one for making flour. Many people grind quinoa in a food processor in their home itself.
However, there are chances when you might have quinoa flour with you and you might be wondering what to do. Quinoa flour is mostly used for baking purposes and if you can’t find it in a bakery near you and you do not want to prepare it at home then it’s natural that in such situations people go for other alternatives. Today we are going to look at some quinoa flour substitutes that you can use instead of quinoa flour.
These flours will save your day and rescue you when there’s no quinoa flour available. Below are some of the alternatives you can try.
Best Quinoa Flour Substitutes
The below mentioned are some of the best alternatives you can make use of instead of quinoa flour. These are very easy to find and gluten-free as well.
Brown rice flour
The people who do not prefer wheat or flour that contains gluten can go for Quinoa Flour. They are easily available at stores and you can even try making them at home. They are high in protein and good for health.
There can be chances when you might not have quinoa flour at hand and now you might be wondering what to use instead. This is just normal human behavior when you try to look for alternatives when you don’t have something. If you are also looking out for an alternative then you are at the very right place. You can make use of brown rice flour instead of quinoa flour. It is a very good substitute that is gluten-free and the brown rice flour matches the quinoa flour in terms of calorie content and fiber content.
They both are medium flours that are good for people who are looking for gluten-free flour.
You need to keep in mind the cup measurements for using brown rice flour instead of quinoa flour. If you use 1 cup quinoa flour in a recipe then you will have to use 7 or 8 cups of brown rice flour when using it as a substitute. This will match the content of 1 cup quinoa flour and the recipe requirements as well. You will be able to achieve the same results.
The brown rice flour is the closest alternative you can go for because it matches the texture, flavor, and process of preparation. For making quinoa flour one has to just grind the seeds but brown rice flour is different.
Once the husk is removed, rice is counted as a grain. After the starting stage of processing, you will receive brown rice. which also yields a light and powdery fiber brown rice meal. It is a marvelous selection of people new to alternative and gluten-free meals. It is super easy to work with and has a balanced taste at the same time as it is perfect for making baked products.
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https://www.amazon.com/Brown-Pounds-Anthonys-Tested-Gluten-Free/dp/B00PG8RT6O/
https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Brown-Rice-Flour-Ounce/dp/B07V2PDQ9C/
Oat flour
Oat flour is yet another very close substitute you can make use of instead of quinoa flour. This is very simple to make and we all know how good oats are for our health. This is a gluten-free flour as well.
It comes with surprising convenience making it the best thing to use instead of quinoa flour. All you are required to do is some grinding of oats inside a pantry and you get your oat flour. This is a very useful mild flour with a lot of protein and mild taste with a tender texture making it very versatile. You need to get some gluten-free oats and this will simply get you the flour you can use to prepare protein bars, your favorite cookies, pancakes, and many more things of your choice.
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https://www.amazon.com/Arrowhead-Mills-Flour-Oat-Organic/dp/B06X9KWMSY/
https://www.amazon.com/Anthonys-Organic-Gluten-Irradiated-Finely/dp/B0898N89VV/
Almond flour
Almond flour can be prepared using blanched and unblanched almonds. This is an alternative that you can try using when you are looking for quinoa flour substitutes.
Blanched almond flour provides a ground and light texture while unblanched almonds flour is made with the skin of the almonds on and this is the reason why it has a coarse texture. If you want to then you can prepare it at home as well. While baking, you can easily swap quinoa flour with almond flour. The best things that you can prepare using almond flour are cookies, brownies, and more. It also works excellently for replacing breadcrumbs. This is a very versatile flour that can come in very handy.
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https://www.amazon.com/Wellbees-Super-Blanched-Almond-Powder/dp/B00CLLV1BS/
https://www.amazon.com/Anthonys-Almond-Natural-Unblanched-Friendly/dp/B07C11TDH5/
Buckwheat Flour
This flour is prepared using buckwheat seeds or groats. One of the best substitutes for white flour or quinoa flour can be buckwheat flour. This is a gluten-free flour and at the same time, this flour is very tasty.
This is a very nutritious thing that comes with a good amount of protein and fiber which is very important for health. It has a nutty and earthy flavor which is good enough to go for. If you want, then you can try pairing it with any other flour of your choice. You can also prepare buckwheat pancakes using this flour. This is a very versatile one which will be a good alternative.
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https://www.amazon.com/Anthonys-Organic-Buckwheat-Flour-Gluten/dp/B01EIQROUA/
https://www.amazon.com/Great-River-Organic-Milling-Specialty/dp/B0049YMB5U/
Teff flour
Teff is a staple grain that is grown on a large scale in Ethiopia and Eritrea. For making teff flour you need to grind it. This will simply give you a spongy sourdough. This spongy sourdough which is a flatbread is called Injera.
It has an earthy flavor with a nutty touch. You can bake muffins and pieces of bread very quickly. You can also mix other gluten-free flours with this one. You can use it for many different purposes and they will always be protein and fiber-rich.
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https://www.amazon.com/Teff-Flour-20-Ounce-Pack/dp/B07XKDR6HN/
https://www.amazon.com/Simba-Teff-Flour-2lbs/dp/B005H409LE/
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is yet another useful thing that you can make use of. This is very high in fiber and can be used instead of quinoa flour. This flour is prepared when the pulp of the coconut is dried and then ground.
One thing to keep in mind is that you should not use it directly as a one-to-one substitute. As coconut flour can absorb a lot of moisture and it will eventually end up being a heavy texture which will be hard. You can try adding eggs or other ingredients that are liquids to the flour for getting exceptional results. You can use coconut flour for making quick loaves of bread if you make use of wet ingredients like bananas.
This bread is known as banana bread. This is a gluten-free flour and one more thing you should know is that it is grain-free as well which makes it the best option for people that prefer a grain-free diet.
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https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Coconut-Anthonys-Verified-Gluten-Free/dp/B00BSZBEAG/
https://www.amazon.com/Jans-Organic-Coconut-Flour-1-1lb/dp/B078WFSH1Q/
Chickpea Flour
You might have not heard about this but Chickpea flour is made using dried and grounded garbanzos beans. This flour contains a high amount of protein content and fiber as well. You can use it as a substitute for quinoa flour.
It is capable of adding a lot of texture to your treatment and it also holds together well. You can use Chickpea flour for sweet snacks and savory snacks. Snacks like pancakes, crepes, socca, loaves of bread, and dumplings can be made with this flour and they are very tasty. It has a mild flavor and an earthy taste. A good texture is provided. This flour is extremely versatile. This substitute of quinoa flour that is so useful is prepared with the help of Bengal grams.
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https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Chickpea-Flour/dp/B07XC3CCWL/
https://www.amazon.com/Anthonys-Organic-Chickpea-Garbanzo-Non-GMO/dp/B075LZKMMR/
Millet Flour
Millet flour is grown with a small seed that is very rich in fiber and protein and fiber that resembles grain.
When we talk about the texture of this flour, it’s starchy, soft and makes it a great choice for free-gluten treatments such as muffins, cookies, and chocolate cake. However, millet flour and at least one other flour are often recommended to bring a great flavor especially when baked.
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https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Millet-Flour/dp/B081DQ6YNX/
https://www.amazon.com/Arrowhead-Mills-Flour-Millet-Organic/dp/B06X9D5H5D/
How to Make Quinoa Flour
- The first thing to do is to start with the entire raw seed (1/4 – 1 cup everywhere).
- Now you need to fill a dry skillet with crude quinoa and then start grinding toast until the quinoa is brown and pop. It’s going to smell clearly nutty. You will have to be extra careful, as quinoa may burn fast, so keep an eye on it.
- Transfer the quinoa to either a spice grinder (as I have here) or a powerful mixer after toasting. Put the quinoa together and crush it up for 1 minute to a fine powder.
- After this, you need to add the combination of quinoas to a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl.
- Sift until there are only big pieces left. (P.S. don’t throw out this — it produces great warm cereal combined with some water or milk)
- When the quinoa has been roasted, you will have to give it some time before storing it. If not, move it to a container with a seal and keep it until you are ready to use it!
- See how simple it is to prepare the quinoa flour all by yourself.
Conclusion
Quinoa flour which is pronounced as keen-wa is a very healthy and nutritious option for people who want gluten-free flour. This has a high amount of protein and fiber content making it the best option to go for.
However, if you do not have quinoa flour at your place there are many other options you can try that are almost the alternative for quinoa flour. The above-mentioned flours are the 8 best substitutes you can try instead of quinoa flour. All these flours are gluten-free. I hope this article was informative and useful.