Quinoa Bread (Gluten-Free, Easy)
Healthy, Gluten-Free Quinoa Bread made by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist using soaked quinoa, oat flour, and psyllium husk to support gut health and lower LDL cholesterol.
Servings: 7 servings
Calories: 266kcal
Equipment
- Blender
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
- 1 ½ cups oat flour
- 3 tablespoons whole psyllium husk or powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt or salt substitute (optional)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Olive oil for brushing (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the quinoa: Transfer the dry quinoa to a medium bowl and add enough water to cover it by at least 2 inches. Soak for at least 3 hours in lukewarm water (or overnight in room-temperature water). Do not soak longer than 12 hours. Drain using a fine-mesh strainer, rinse thoroughly, and drain well.
- Blend: Add the soaked and drained quinoa to a high-speed blender along with the lukewarm water. Blend on high until smooth with no visible specks of quinoa. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil it.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, psyllium husk, baking soda, salt (if using), and nutritional yeast until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the blended quinoa mixture. Stir well until fully incorporated. Fold in the pumpkin seeds using a rubber spatula. The mixture will form a thick, moist, greyish dough within about a minute as the psyllium and oats absorb the liquid.
- Rest the dough: Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to allow it to firm up.
- Add apple cider vinegar: Lightly oil your hands. Add the apple cider vinegar and gently knead it into the dough by hand—no more than 2 minutes to avoid overworking.
- Shape the loaf: Work quickly, transferring the dough to the prepared baking sheet. (It will be sticky.) Shape it into an oval loaf with oiled hands, smoothing the surface. Keep the loaf no taller than approximately 1½ inches (4 cm) so it bakes evenly.
- Optional topping: Sprinkle with bagel seasoning or za’atar, if desired.
- Bake: Bake on the center rack for about 1 hour, or until the loaf is crusty on the outside and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a minimal amount of sticky batter. (Optional: For a deliciously moist yet crusty loaf, lightly brush the top with olive oil every 15 minutes while baking.)
- Cool and slice: Let the bread cool completely before slicing it with a bread knife.
Notes
Soak the quinoa for at least 3 hours or overnight, but no longer than 12 hours to prevent excess moisture from affecting the texture of the bread. If soaking overnight, use room-temperature water.
Oat flour: The oat flour should be very fine. Blend rolled oats on high speed for about 30 seconds until they become an ultra-fine powder. If using a food processor, sift the flour after blending to remove any larger pieces. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
Lukewarm water temperature is 98°F / 37°C.
For the best rise, let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then stir in the apple cider vinegar just before baking to activate the baking soda.
Psyllium husks: I made this with whole psyllium husks, and it turned out perfectly. However, the powder form works, too.
Optional ingredients: Feel free to omit the optional ingredients, but it is best when you include them all.
Nutrition
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
