Those with Celiac Disease or who prefer gluten-free eating are familiar with the versatile uses of buckwheat flour. If you don’t eat gluten you tend to avoid it at all costs, so when buckwheat flour is nowhere to be found you have to come up with a substitute.
Substitutes for buckwheat flour can be found near and far. Common substitutes for buckwheat flour include oat flour, sorghum flour, quinoa, brown rice, chickpeas, and gluten-free all-purpose flour.
All of these buckwheat flour swaps can be used in an equal ratio, which makes substituting them for buckwheat flour even easier. In addition, their use in place of buckwheat flour can almost always go unnoticed.
Alternative Options for Buckwheat Flour
Replacements for buckwheat flour can be found in a variety of stores. Some are commonplace at your local grocer, while you may have to travel to a health food store for others. Here are a few common alternatives to buckwheat flour:
1. Oat Flour
Unknown to many, oat flour is available in regular or gluten-free versions. You’ll have to read the package carefully to ensure you grab a gluten-free brand when searching for a buckwheat flour replacement.
With a milder flavor than buckwheat, oat flour blends into any recipe well. The end result is different in texture than recipes made with buckwheat flour, as baked goods are often more soft, moist, and spongy.
2. Sorghum Flour
Great in sweet desserts, sorghum flour can be substituted for buckwheat flour in muffins, bread, and cakes. Its taste is moderate and mild, so it can be swapped out without notice.
Keep in mind sorghum flour may contain fillers, which may not be gluten-free. Be sure to check your labels before grabbing a bag of sorghum flour at the store to ensure you’re getting a gluten-free version.
The advantage of sorghum flour is that it is a great source of nutrients and vitamins. Vitamin B, iron, fiber, and protein can be found in sorghum flour.
3. Quinoa Flour
Quinoa is a great source of protein for anyone, but in its flour form, it is a great gluten-free substitute for buckwheat flour. Quinoa flour absorbs moisture well, so it works well in recipes where you don’t want a lot of excess liquid.
When used in any recipe, such as pancakes, cookies, or other baked goods, it may cause them to come out crispier than they would with buckwheat flour. This doesn’t have to foil your baking plans, though. Simply adjust your baking time, as needed, to accommodate this change.
4. Chickpea Flour
This buckwheat flour substitute is made from finely ground chickpeas. Using chickpea flour will give your recipe an undeniably different flour, but so does buckwheat. So, those who use buckwheat frequently will probably enjoy the difference. Moreover, you can use chickpea or gram flour substitutes to change up the taste.
In addition, chickpea flour can result in a creamier, but denser, final outcome. Chickpea flour is low in calories and carbs, but high in fiber and protein.
5. Brown Rice Flour
Brown rice flour is derived from ground-up whole grain brown rice, which has a nutty flavor. Perfect for thickening gravies and sauces, brown rice flour also works well as a buckwheat flour substitute.
This alternative is quite dense, though, which makes it great for baking gluten-free bread.
6. Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
This is, perhaps, the closest thing to buckwheat flour you will find. Comprised of many flours, like potato starch, garbanzo, and tapioca flour, this blend is refined and a great option for gluten-free baking.
Gluten-free all-purpose flour works well in pizza crusts and pie dough. It also works in bread and muffins but will create a spongier texture.
Finding a Replacement for Buckwheat Flour
All of the options mentioned above have great potential as substitutes for buckwheat flour. Not only are most of them easy to find, but they are comparable in cost, too.
Also, the protein, fiber, and nutrients found in these alternatives make them somewhat comparable to buckwheat flour in their health benefits. Gluten-free flours, like pea flour and almond flour, can also be used as substitutes. However, their result isn’t much like that of buckwheat flour.
