In short
Gluten-free quinoa flour, in the plain sense: this 200 g Peruvian flour has a single ingredient, “quinoa grains”, and quinoa contains no gluten. It comes with a declared nutrition panel of 341 kcal, 9.1 g protein and 72.1 g carbohydrate per 100 g. It isn’t certified gluten free, so if you have celiac disease, choose a certified flour.
What is quinoa flour?
Milled Chenopodium quinoa, the Andean pseudocereal grown across the Peruvian highlands for over five millennia. It contains no gluten as an ingredient, which is why it’s popular in gluten-free baking.
In Peru it’s used mainly for queques, the light home-baked loaf cakes that are a staple of Peruvian kitchens, and increasingly for gluten-free baking of every kind.
What makes this flour different
It publishes both ingredients and nutrition
“Granos de quinua” (quinoa grains) as the single ingredient, plus a full macro panel. Among supermarket quinoa flours, that’s unusual. The declared protein, 9.1 g per 100 g, is at the lower end for quinoa flour, where 12–14 g is typical; milling grade and variety both affect it.
Origin declared
Peru, as stated on the pack.
A small, simple bag
200 g is enough for four to five bakes, a low-risk way to try quinoa flour.
Taste profile
Nutty and earthy, with quinoa’s faint characteristic bitterness. That’s normal for a quinoa flour that isn’t sold as saponin-free, and it’s no problem in a cake, where sugar and fat balance it.
How to use it
Substitution
20–30% of the flour weight. 200 g gives four to five bakes.
Ways to use it
| Use | How |
|---|---|
| Queques and loaf cakes | 25% of the flour, the traditional Peruvian use |
| Muffins | 25% |
| Pancakes | 25–30% |
| Bread | 20%, add 5% more water |
| Cookies | 25% |
| Smoothies | 10 g |
Where it comes from
Peru, national origin declared. Quinoa is grown across the Peruvian Andes between roughly 1,500 and 4,000 meters, with Puno the largest producing region.
Who it’s for
A good fit if you want a simple, low-risk way to bake with quinoa flour, want a published ingredient list and nutrition panel, or bake queques and cakes.
Look elsewhere if you are buying quinoa flour mainly for protein: the declared figure here is below the usual range. It isn’t certified organic or certified gluten free, so if you have celiac disease, choose a certified gluten-free flour.
Nutrition
Per 100 g, as declared on the pack.
| Energy | 341 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 72.1 g |
| Fat | 8.3 g |
Specifications
| Botanical name | Chenopodium quinoa |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Quinoa grains |
| Gluten | None in quinoa itself (not certified gluten free) |
| Allergens | None declared |
| Net weight | 200 g / 7 oz |
| Substitution | 20–30% |
| Origin | Peru |
| Storage | Cool, dry, away from sunlight |
Protein per 100 g compared
| Protein per 100 g | |
|---|---|
| Gelatinized amaranth (for reference) | 15.0 g |
| Typical quinoa flour | 12–14 g |
| This flour (declared) | 9.1 g |
| White wheat flour | About 10 g |
| Rice flour | About 6 g |
Storage
The pack says: “Do not expose to sunlight, keep in a cool, dry place.” Transfer the flour to an airtight jar after opening and use it within six months.
Questions
How much protein is in quinoa flour?
Typically 12–14 g per 100 g, though it varies with variety and milling grade. This flour declares 9.1 g, at the lower end of the range.
Why does protein content vary between quinoa flours?
Variety, growing altitude, and how much of the seed’s outer layers were kept in milling. Whole-seed flours generally have more protein than more refined ones.
Is quinoa flour good for cakes?
Yes, at around 25% of the flour weight. It’s the traditional use in Peru, where queque de quinua is a household staple.
Does quinoa flour contain allergens?
Quinoa isn’t among the major regulated allergens, and this flour declares none. Reactions are uncommon but not unknown, as with any food.
How should I store quinoa flour?
Cool, dry, out of sunlight, in an airtight container. Because of its fat content it goes rancid within about six months rather than simply going stale.
Is an inexpensive quinoa flour worth buying?
For baking, yes: the flavor is much the same. The differences are in certification (organic, gluten free), milling grade and protein content.
What is a queque?
A Peruvian home-baked loaf cake, closer to a pound cake than to a layer cake. Quinoa flour is a common addition.