I can’t believe I waited this long to try quinoa bread!
I’ve tried so many quinoa recipes, but never once until now have I thought of making bread with quinoa.
In truth, considering that my bread making in general has stopped since my bread machine died, it is really not that surprising.
This weekend I finally decided to take the time to make the quinoa bread recipe from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day
It’s just that there was a part of me that had serious doubt that I could make any bread, especially quinoa bread, without a bread machine and without a lot of fuss.
Sure, I’ve thrown a bunch of ingredients into my old bread machine and hit go hundreds of time. ………but this time it was just going to be me and my Viking Mixer
I really have a reader to thank for this little experiment. A couple of weeks ago I was asked by some one who couldn’t find quinoa flour if they could just add uncooked quinoa seeds to my banana bread recipe. I quickly said that I didn’t think that it would work, but then I started questioning my response. My gut reaction was that the seeds would be hard like when you toast them and that it would create a crunchy bread. I started thinking and I realized that just because I’d never thought to try it didn’t mean it wouldn’t work.
So, I started doing some research and ran across the Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a day book. I was really suprised to see that they only had one recipe for quinoa bread and that the recipe didn’t use quinoa flour at all! Surely that was a typo! A little more research revealed that these 5 minute a day bread people were well respected and really know their stuff, so I decided to give it a try.
Boy, am I glad I did. I made this quinoa bread on Sunday at my Mom’s house while everyone was outside planting the garden I was so excited at how pretty it was looking that I literally made my Mom and husband come inside and look through the glass in the oven as it was cooking. (Mom understood, my husband looked at me like I had lost my mind because I was so excited over bread!)
Of course the true test came with the taste and texture. I took the bread out five minutes early because it was looking brown, but I think I should have left it in the full time.
Other than that – it was simply AMAZING!
Ingredients
- 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed an uncooked
- 2 packages yeast
- 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
- 3 ¾ cup lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt (though I used red mineral rich sea salt)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment.
- Cover (not air tight) and allow to rest for 2 hours.
- Prepare a bowl that is at least twice the size of the dough with olive oil.
- Add dough and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least over night. (The dough will last covered in the refrigerator for 10 days.)
- On baking day, divide dough into grapefruit size pieces. (Or do what I did and bake just one loaf and save the rest for another day of fresh bread!)
- Form into a narrow oval and allow to rise for 90 minutes.
- Preheat baking stone in oven at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.
- On a lower rack, place a metal broiler tray.
- Brush loaf with water and use a serrated bread knife to make ¼ inch parallel cuts.
- Transfer to preheated pizza stone.
- Place one cup of water in broiler tray. Bake bread for 30 minutes.
Notes
Vegan, Vegetarian
- Quinoa Bread
I’ve had several people email me and ask me what vital wheat gluten is since I posted this. Vital wheat gluten is 75% protein, and used to help the texture of breads. You should be able to get it in the baking section of your grocery store. I used Bob’s Red Mill, which is found in the organic baking section.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I too had problems with the rising and googled only to discover kneading. You need to knead the dough and that is what makes it rise. No where in the recipe did it mention that. Perhaps it’s that I don”t have a bread making machine. I was so excited to have fresh bread only to be disappointed by the dense mess I ended up with. Let me say though that I have used many recipes from Wendy and this is my first problem. So, thanks Wendy for sharing so many good recipes with us.
Hi Debbie – sorry you had a problem but I don’t think kneading was it. This recipe is from the Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a day and their whole method – which two books are based on- is all about not kneading. I don’t have a bread machine either. Maybe the yeast was old? I’ve made this three times now with no issues.
It didnt raise very much, did I do something wrong? I followed the directions perfectly, I'm getting ready to put it in the over as soon as my stone heats up but the loaf looks pretty flat?? Should I be worried? I do not bake much but this looked so good . Any help?
I don't have a stone, but have a cast iron pizza maker……can't you use that the same as a stone?
Thanks for any help, I'm a begginer and about ready to give up.
That should work just fine! I just got an email from someone who made it in their bread machine so I think it's pretty forgiving! Let me know if I can help!
Beware of the Quinoa flour you use and ensure it doesn't contain gluten. Most of my family is celiac and react really badly to gluten and we find that even if the ingredients on a package don't have gluten in them the first time it's read, doesn't mean it doesn't show up in the list a few weeks later. I haven't purchased the flour before, but I was warned to double check those ingredients to confirm that it's true Quinoa flour.
Do you think it could be made in a bread maker?
That is one beautiful loaf of bread! I just have to try it. I had given my baking stones to my kids because they make pizzas all the time. They had one at the grocery store recently for under $10 so I bought one and keep it in my oven. Surprising how many things you can bake on it. I like the idea of the crusty loaf so I'm glad I have it. When I do this, I'll report back. I'm on Weight Watchers and try to avoid good breads because its so hard for me to just eat a normal amount.
Thanks Linda! I can honestly say that it may be the prettiest loaf of bread I've ever made! I'm just dying to try more recipes from the book.
I agree – a pizza stone is invaluable. You can heat up pizza on it and it usually tastes fresh again! I've been debating about upgrading to a thicker one but I haven't done it yet because there are so many things I want for my kitchen.
Let me know how it goes! The good news is that the dough lasts for 10 days in the fridge, so you can bake an amount that won't let you get too wild.
(I'm the same way BTW!)
For me, the idea is to be completely gluten-free. I'm more interested in quinoa flour bread that looks, feels and tastes like really good bread with no sugars or dairy, if that's possible. That would be a recipe I'd be willing to try.
Thanks for the feedback. I had someone else email me with the same request so that is what I'm going to work on next!
Sent from my iPad
The bread looks delicious! I do want to try…..I am a novice at bread making….but love Quinoa….My question is….what is Vital Wheat Gluten and where might I find this and what is the exact purpose for the wheat gluten? Thanks so much for you fabulous site!!
Has anyone tried it without a pizza stone? What if just placed on a baking sheet?
I haven't tried it without a stone but I think you would be ok.
The purpose of the stone is to grab moisture from the wet dough and allow the crust to crisp. It also helps to ensure even heat. Most baking experts recommend using one that is 1/2 inch thick, but the one I have is no where near that.
The crust may not be quite is pretty but it will still be good.