Gluten-Free Pumpkin Quinoa Cornbread
This pumpkin cornbread recipe uses quinoa flour as part of the ingredients, though the overall cornbread flavors are not overpowered by quinoa's strong taste. Adding in a whole cup of pumpkin puree adds a touch of sweetness that creates balanced flavors and a wonderfully moist cornbread.
This cornbread recipe is naturally gluten-free and doesn't require any gums or starches. It only has a few ingredients and can be whipped up in a snap! Serve it with a spicy chili recipe or your favorite warming bean soup. This recipe would also be a fantastic accompaniment to this Black Bean and Yam Stew recipe.
For detailed instructions on making pumpkin puree you can view a recent blog post I did on How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Puree. If you are gluten-sensitive then be sure to purchase a gluten-free cornmeal. Many companies grind their cornmeal on equipment that also grinds wheat flour and other glutenous grains. Bob's Red Mill offers a gluten-free cornmeal but make sure to read the label because they also offer a cornmeal that is not gluten-free. Arrowhead Mills also offers an organic gluten-free cornmeal.
Pumpkin Quinoa Cornbread
This simple cornbread recipe can be enjoyed by both gluten-eating and gluten-free folks alike. It is moist, slightly sweet, and full of that traditional cornbread flavor we have all come to know and love. If you don't have any sugar pie pumpkins on hand to make your own puree, you could, of course, use canned pumpkin or any type of winter squash, such as butternut, kabocha, or acorn!
The quinoa flour can be replaced with brown rice flour in this recipe if you don't like the strong flavor of quinoa. Both work well!
Dry Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil an 8x8-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Pour the dry into the wet and whisk together well. Scoop batter into oiled baking dish and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Use this recipe in our Meal Planner
About the Author
Ali Segersten
Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. She is a Functional Nutritionist, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Alissa is the founder and owner of Nourishing Meals®.Nourishing Meals Newsletter
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Comments
Had this tonight with chili. I used coconut flour in place of the rice flour and it had a really nice flavor. However it was a little crumbly although it managed to hold together. I did have one thought about the corn meal, which I used the coarse version of. I wonder if it would be good to soak the cornmeal in the milk for a little while before combining the rest of the ingredients because the bread did turn out a little grittier than I would have liked. All in all a great recipe and I’ll definitely use it again!
LOVE this recipe!!! Turns out great every time! Thanks for sharing :)
I do have one question, though....I want to make this for a party, but one of the people has an allergy to pumpkin. Do you think using baked sweet potatoes in place of the pumpkin would work?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)
what other flour can be used besides rice flour and still keep it gluten free?
I too don't eat eggs and made this with EnerG Egg Replacer yesterday. It worked great ... moist and not too crumbly and a really easy replacement. Great recipe!
Hi there, I'd love to make this but can't eat eggs. Have you worked out a good cornbread recipe that doesn't use eggs? Thanks!
I loved this! I substituted corn flour for the quinoa flour and it was so rich and delicious!!
Hi Ali,
Well, I baked up a batch of this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge success. Then I baked it up again the following week for my daughter's school Holiday Fair - and it almost flew off the table it was so popular! Well, it didn't last long and I'll definitely be making at least 2 batches for next year's Holiday Fair! This will definitely be a staple in our house. I also love that this bread does not dry out like most GF breads; however, it does develop a bitter taste (due to the quinoa flour) after 4 days, but this usually isn't a problem in our house - it's gone by then.
Thanks again for another fabulous recipe!
Yum, this sounds really good. Especially alongside a pot of beans!
Great recipe! I tried it yesterday, it taste great, but I find lots of chunks (of corn meal?) still very hard. I'm not too familiar with corn breads, but did I do anything wrong? The bread has a good texture, not too dry, and it definitely looks cooked...
Thanks for an other great recipe!
I love it, such an unusual but delicious recipe! I'll have to give quinoa flour a go too.
Thanks for the comments!
Jennifer - Bob's Red Mill makes a good quinoa flour that you can order from Amazon.com. I don't think you could grind it fine enough. However, I just noticed that someone left a comment on this post on our facebook page and said that they used millet flour in place of the quinoa flour and the recipe worked great. -Ali :)
I would've never thought of using pumpkin in cornbread. Thanks for your continued inspiration!
We love cornbread! Especially with a bowl of soup and a few swipes of coconut oil! Now we have a new recipe to try - I love your ingredients Ali!
Hi Ali,
I have not found quinoa flour around here. Is it possible to grind my own with a spice/coffee grinder?
Thanks so much!
Omy!! I loove corn bread but am unfortunately also gluten-free. I want a piece of that!
This gluten-free version tastes really good - not gritty or dry! Thanks again for a holiday inspired recipe!
Looks divine! Can't wait to give it a try!