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DIY quinoa flour is great for experimenting with this high-protein, whole=-grain flour. Make it in no time with a high-speed blender or coffee grinder.
I *LOVE* baking with quinoa flour, so I hope a quick demo of how simple it is to make a batch in your kitchen encourages you to give it a try!
Quinoa Flour 101
Quinoa flour is made by grinding quinoa seeds to a fine consistency. It looks and feels like all-purpose wheat flour and is easily adapted to a broad range of baking recipes, from desserts to muffins to breads (with the exception of yeast breads). Quinoa flour can also be added directly to soups and stews as a thickening agent, or used like a protein powder in smoothies and shakes.
How to Use Quinoa Flour
Unlike other gluten-free flours or flour blends, there is no need to add gums (such as xanthan gum or guar gum) to make quinoa flour “work” in baking recipes.
This feature is particularly appealing to home bakers interested in gluten-free baking, incorporating nutritious non-wheat flours into their diets or creating baked goods that fit into a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet.
Because quinoa flour has a distinctive earthy, nutty flavor, you may want to begin with recipes that feature other bold flavors, such as dark molasses, cocoa powder or a mix of strong spices. The more familiar you become with quinoa flour, the more you will love the unique flavor it imparts to recipes.
You can also substitute a small amount (e.g., 1/4 to 1/3 the total amount of another flour) with quinoa flour for a healthy, high-protein, whole-grain boost.
How to Make Your Own Quinoa Flour
While quinoa flour is readily available in many health food stores, or by mail order, you can also make your own at home, using:
- a clean coffee or spice grinder
- a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix or a BlendTec)
Making your own quinoa flour is a great way to experiment with without buying an entire package.
Step 1: Rinse & Drain the Quinoa
Rinse 2 cups of quinoa through a fine mesh sieve for at least 1 minute to remove any remaining saponins. Shake off as much water as possible.
Step 2: Toast the Quinoa
Spread the quinoa on an ungreased large rimmed baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 325F for 12 to 15 minutes until dry, slightly golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
Step 3: Grind the Quinoa
High Speed Blender: Place all of the toasted, cooled quinoa in the container of the high-speed blender. Process on high until very finely ground.
Coffee Mill/Grinder: Place 1/4 cup of quinoa seeds in the grinder (adding any more will overload the grinder and prevent the seeds from being ground to a fine consistency).
Using on/off pulses, process, shaking the grinder every few pulses to ensure an even grind, until the seeds are finely and evenly ground. Repeat with more seeds until you have the desired amount of flour.
Note that 1/4 cup whole quinoa seeds yields about 1/3 cup of fine quinoa flour.
FAQ
Do I need to rinse my quinoa before grinding?
Yes. Virtually all quinoa that reaches consumers in North America and Europe has already had the saponin removed (this includes quinoa flour and quinoa flakes), but some traces of saponin typically remain due to processing.
Why Should I Toast the Quinoa Before Grinding It?
Toasting the quinoa gets rid of any remaining bitterness and lends a deepened nutty flavor that is wonderful in baked goods.
How Should I Store the Quinoa Flour?
Store quinoa flour in an airtight container of the refrigerator for up to 6 months, or freeze for up to 1 year.
Recipes Using Quinoa Flour
- Quinoa Flour Biscotti
- Double Quinoa Power Cookies
- Quinoa Soda Bread
- Quinoa Banana Bread
- Quinoa Flour Cheddar Scallion Drop Scones
DIY Quinoa Flour
Ingredients
- 2 cups 376 grams uncooked quinoa grain
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups of quinoa through a fine mesh sieve for at least 1 minute to remove any remaining saponins. Shake off as much water as possible.
- Spread on an ungreased large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350F (180C) for 12 to 15 minutes until dry, slightly golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
- Place 1/4 cup of quinoa seeds in the grinder (adding any more will overload the grinder and prevent the seeds from being ground to a fine consistency).
- Using on/off pulses, process, shaking the grinder every few pulses to ensure an even grind, until the seeds are finely and evenly ground. Repeat with more seeds until you have the desired amount of flour.
Notes
Yes. Virtually all quinoa that reaches consumers in North America and Europe has already had the saponin removed (this includes quinoa flour and quinoa flakes), but some traces of saponin typically remain due to processing.
Nutrition
DIY Quinoa Flour
Ingredients
- 2 cups 376 grams uncooked quinoa grain
Instructions
- Rinse 2 cups of quinoa through a fine mesh sieve for at least 1 minute to remove any remaining saponins. Shake off as much water as possible.
- Spread on an ungreased large rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350F (180C) for 12 to 15 minutes until dry, slightly golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
- Place 1/4 cup of quinoa seeds in the grinder (adding any more will overload the grinder and prevent the seeds from being ground to a fine consistency).
- Using on/off pulses, process, shaking the grinder every few pulses to ensure an even grind, until the seeds are finely and evenly ground. Repeat with more seeds until you have the desired amount of flour.
Notes
Yes. Virtually all quinoa that reaches consumers in North America and Europe has already had the saponin removed (this includes quinoa flour and quinoa flakes), but some traces of saponin typically remain due to processing.
The definition of plant based is “ no animals or animal products” You can’t say you are plant based if you include eggs or butter in your recipes. Instead of offering a flax egg alternative you should offer the tortured chicken egg as the alternative. Saying you are plant based is false advertising.
Lindsay,
I started my website in 2008. In my first few years my recipes were all vegetarian, not vegan. I think I have 3 recipes on my site (out of more than 800) from those early years that include eggs. I have gradually replaced the others and will eventually replace these remaining three.
I am not sure which recipe you are referring to since you posted your comment on the quinoa flour recipe.
Cheers.
given the health benefits of saponins, not going to rinse it off.
@philip d space, I would, they are haemolytic……
This is a wonderful article. Unfortunately, I grounded a lot of Quinoa without rinse it first. Do you know if there is something that I can do to be able to use it or should I need to tossed it? Thank you. Felicita
Question-would like to grind my own but only have a food processor & a nutrabullet. Do u think it is possible to get the right consistency by using these.
I gi grpund my quiona in a nutri bullet using blade for nuts.it worked great.
That’s great, Marilyn!
I used my nutribullet to grind the quinoa i used the FLAT blade used to grind nuts&other hard grains.it worked great it took a little longer to grind.thanks mary in tricities wa.
Excellent, thanks for sharing how you made it, Mary!
For anybody that make delicious dishes,baking with quinua google Bolivian recipes.
Even the ones in Spanish can be translated with google.
The best quinua is Real from Bolivia.
Enjoy!
Great post, I’m looking forward to trying this! How do I access the enlightened cooking links you posted? It says you have to been invited to view…
This is great! I make my son a high protein pancake in the mornings before school and have been using Bisquick. I just made my quinoa flour with my vitamix and made him a pancake with it to see if he would like it…He LOVED it! Thank you and I will be using quinoa from now on 🙂
Wondering if one of the blenders you tried was a VitaMix?
No–it was before I had a high-powered blended. I am sure a high powered blender would work!
I just bought a ton of red quinoa, not sure the difference from the white kind I usually get. Aside from the color, I shouldn’t notice a difference in the flour, right?
should work fine!
Hi – I was wondering if quinoa flour can be used in a 1:1 ratio when replacing it for white flour in a recipe.
For quick bread recipes (quick loaves, muffins, scones, biscuits, etc) and cookies, yes, but with some caveats: quinoa flour tends to absorb more liquid than wheat flour, so it’s a good idea to increase the overall liquid in the recipe by 1-2 tbso per cup of quinoa flour. If the recipe has eggs, definitely increase the liquids by simply adding an extra egg. Since quinoa flour has no gluten, the extra egg will help the baked good lighter (quinoa baked goods tend to be a touch heavier and denser than flour goods due to the lack of gluten). Good luck, Saima!
Hi Camilla,
Thanks for this post too! I ordered quinoa flour and flakes from nuts.com and wanted to tell you that I have been substituting the flakes for rolled oats in my yeast breads, and in fact I sub’d the quinoa flour for a cup of the whole wheat flour in my recipe which turned out great! I use a bread machine and love it! Also, I got your quinoa cookbook and have tried several recipes, all of which I have loved. Thanks for all that you do 🙂
Tracy, I am thrilled on all counts! (Isn’t nuts.com great? I do not work for them in any way, I just appreciate their business so much). Thank you so much for letting me know, Tracy, and enjoy the book! Camilla 🙂
This is wonderful!! We’ve always made our own bread, but since my son was born, I’ve wanted to make gluten-free for him…unfortunately the gluten-free flour is so expensive!! But my son has loved quinoa since he was a baby, and this is just what I was looking for! Thank you so very much!
Using the quinoa flour in meatballs should be perfect–the nutty flavor of the quinoa will blend seamlessly with the savory ingredients. Great idea!
Using the quinoa flour in meatballs should be perfect–the nutty flavor of the quinoa will blend seamlessly with the savory ingredients. Great idea!
I am on a low-carb diet looking to replace regular all-purpose flour. I plan on making meatballs this week with quinoa flour and am curious if the flavor will be noticeable or if it will be disguised by the savory flavors. Any advice?
Thanks!
Hi Tracy! Glad you found the post–it is such a simple process to make the flour, and it is incredibly versatile.I’m not sure about homemade quinoa flakes, They are made in the same way as rolled oats: they are first steamed and then rolled with huge industrial rollers. I am not sure how you could do that at home (rolling pin?). If you come up with a way, let me know! If you are looking for less expensive quinoa flakes: I get them in bulk at a natural food store ( a fraction of the cost of boxed ones–less than half) . The store is a ways away, so I also order from nuts.com, which is an AMAZING resource for grains, nuts, and more. Here is the link–they are a good price!
Thanks for this post. I found it while looking for how to make my own quinoa flakes. Do you know if it follows a similar process?
This is fantastic! Just ground my first batch yesterday and did half and half batch (whole wheat and quinoa ) muffins this morning. YUM!!!
Kristi
Hi Morgan,
I’ve added a note about this above because I think others will have the same question. Almost all quinoa in North American these days is pre-rinsed to remove the saponins. See my explanation above…Cheers, Camilla 🙂
I’m glad you posted this; I have been considering doing this myself and didn’t know if it would work with quinoa in particular because of the saponin that coats the grains. Question: before cooking with quinoa you rinse thoroughly to remove the saponin. Do you not have to rinse the grains if you’re making flour? Does it not matter in the final product?
Thank you for this, I had quinoa on hand and need the flour. This saved me having to order some.