Traditional cornbread gets a total makeover with this recipe, which uses no butter, eggs, cow’s milk, salt, oil, or refined sugar, instead getting its moistness from quinoa and its sweetness from dates.
Quinoa Cornbread
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 pieces 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup dry/uncooked quinoa
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1½ cups cornmeal
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¼ cups nondairy milk
- 3 ounces pitted dates (5 to 6 Medjool or 10 to 12 Deglet Noor), chopped
- ½ cup corn kernels
Instructions
- Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, uncovered. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
- Grind the oats into flour with a blender. Transfer to a medium bowl, and whisk in the cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Place the nondairy milk and dates into the blender, and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the dates can soften).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Blend the milk and dates until smooth. Stir this mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, along with the cooked quinoa and corn. Stir just until the dry ingredients disappear.
- Spread the batter evenly into the pan and bake for 33 to 35 minutes. The cornbread will not rise very much, but when it's done it will have cracks in the top and be lightly browned around the edges. Set aside to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting into 9 pieces.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 7.5g
- Sodium: 118mg
- Fat: 2.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 34.2g
- Fiber: 3.8g
- Protein: 5.1g
- Cholesterol: 0
I loved this and so did my friends. I also tried this with red quinoa and it was great. This can really be customized to various tastes.
You're awesome Cathy!
Thanks Kevin! You're right, it is really customizable. I've seen tri-colored quinoa at Whole Foods; that would be cool too. So many options... 🙂 See ya later, and thanks again!
oh also... trader joe's has this frozen roasted corn that I think I may have to try in this.
I made this last night, and it turned out great! I love the bit of nutty flavor from the quinoa. Thanks!
Just made these into muffins and really like them! I baked them at 350 for 17 minutes and they turned out nice. it made 24 muffins - next time I would probably do mini muffins and bake for 15 minutes. I like them a little more cooked!
Thanks so much!
I made the recipe last week, following it exactly and loved it. That said, I made it again tonight and used tri-color quinoa and added 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels. I'm in love with this recipe either way and look forward to trying it with blue cornmeal as well!!
UPDATE: I make this recipe in my silicone muffin pan just about every week, because they go so well with all the soup I've been making for dinner! I tried the blue cornmeal and was not so crazy about it - the blue cornmeal I bought was now as finely ground as the yellow cornmeal I've been using, so the texture of the muffins was not nearly as nice and crumbled a lot.
Hi:) can I use quinoa flour instead of cooked quinoa?
Thnx, patty
Hi Patty, I don't think that would work, unfortuanately. The quinoa when cooked has a lot of liquid in it, so flour would not be a suitable substitute.
Hi Lauren, I would use some white beans instead (Canellini or Navy, etc.). And then add a little spicy blend of your choice. 🙂
Excellent suggestion, thanks. I also thought about puréed carrots. Cheers.
I'm luvin your website - but my doctor is into RAW eating - what say ye about the RAW food eating experience vs steaming, baking, and heating food?
Hi Carol, I love raw food and cooked food, so I try to get a nice balance. If you are worried about cooked food but don't want to go all raw, you can stick to steaming and less overcooking at high heat (baking, roasting, broiling, frying). I do the latter less often, more as an occasional treat. Most raw advocates I've met consider themselves "high raw," meaning they eat mostly raw with some lightly cooked foods. But try both or a combo and see what feels right to your body. I think you can be healthy eating either way, but most find that eating some of both is the most sustainable for them, practically, financially and tastefully speaking. Ask your Dr. for more info and then do more research on your own. Doctors (and others with strong opinions) are just a starting point. Good luck! 🙂
Wow, this recipe looks good!! Finally, a healthy plant-based blogger with real healthy recipes and substitutions 🙂 so happy that I have found your site!!
Also love how many fruity recipes you have. I will be a frequent visitor!! Keep up the great work, you are awesome!!
😉 Thanks Jade! Welcome! -C
This is so good!
When I took it out of the oven I thought that this must be another of my many failures at cooking. Some of my rude friends from Texas would even say that it looked like a cowpie. It didn't puff up like regular cornbread.
When I cut it up and ate a piece, it was delicious! I can't believe how good this tastes. And all 100% healthy ingredients. This is an absolutely amazing recipe.
I made this bread today. I wanted to thank you. It is delicious and hearty. I am going thru your recipes. I love it!
Thanks Elizabeth!
Hi Cathy! Thank you for this. I made it and loved the recipe, it's so easy and delicious! Do you happen to know the calorie count for this? 🙂
Hi Cathy. This is such a good recipe! Just wondering what type of cornmeal do you use? I noticed the kind I can find at the grocery store is enriched and degerminated. So I am assuming this is no longer a whole food. Thanks!
Hi Tiffany, I use organic whole grain yellow corn meal 🙂
How many minutes do you bake for if making muffins?
I'd say 25 to 30. 🙂
Great ideas! Thanks Gira. 😉
First of all Cathy, thx for all the great recipes! Look forward to ur book.
I am new to vegetarian dishes and have a lot to learn. I made ur cornbread recipe tonight (muffins actually, with a couple of variations.). It was pretty good - very filling 🙂
How does one keep the muffins from sticking to the paper cups? Would it be worth it to invest in some of that 'rubbery' cookware? Silk something?
This for all your hard work!
Thx for ur reply. Since I am changing over to new way of eating (feeling so much better already!) I will invest in some silicone items :>
Happy Holidays to you and family 🙂
Hi Cathy! I made this today and added some frozen corn because I had some. It turned out great and my husband really liked it too. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
This is so wonderful Cathy. Made it two days ago, then again today-it was devoured in my house. I used polenta instead of cornmeal and it was litter grainey-er which gave it more texture. I might try a lil jalapeno in it next batch. So grateful for your generosity and sharing of these recipes (I refer people here regularly).
Thank you David! 🙂
I made it Mexican style! Chopped jalapenos, onions, chili powder and corn! It is amazing!! I will make this again and again! Thanks for the healthy and yummy recipe! 🙂
Nancy, did you leave out the dates for the Mexican version? I don't like sweet cornbread.
Can white corn meal be used?
Sure!
Excited to try this recipe! Do you think it would work with masa harina? I happen to have some so just wondering if that may work.
Hi Alex, not sure. That is a flour and finer than cornmeal so it probably wouldn't be the same exactly. If you try it, let me know how it works. 🙂
Cathy, I adore this recipe and your creativity. Didnt' it used to use a banana instead of dates? I notice you are using dates in almost all sweeter foods on your blog. Any reason to not use other fruit?
Yes, but some people didn't really dig the banana taste in their cornbread. This recipe has always had some dates in it. They are my favorite sweetener. You could try other fruit, sure! 🙂
I have a product called "date sugar" which is just powdered dates. Could I use that instead of the dates, and if so, how much should I use?
No, it would be like using white sugar since it's powdered. I've never used date sugar, so am not sure; but google it as a substitution for dates and see what comes up. 🙂
Well, I found a recipe on line to make your own date sugar, but no conversion for using instead of whole dates. I guess I will have to experiment. Thanks.
Hi, I'd really like to try this recipe it looks great...in the UK though cornmeal is hard to find! I can only seem to find either coarsley ground (polenta) or finely ground (maize flour) - which would you recommend using if any?!
Thank you 🙂
I would use the coarse ground and give it a whirl in your blender to further grind it. 🙂
hi cathy, i'm going to try this tomorrow. do you know how much silan (date syrup) to use instead of the dates? Thanks!
I don't as I've never used date syrup. Google it; maybe there is a conversion online.
thanks for replying. you should try it. you'd love it for baking. some varieties have sugar added, so check ingredients, but many are pure dates. https://www.amazon.com/Yoffi-Syrup-Natural-Silan-Sugar/dp/B01MA52PDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502896919&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=silan&psc=1
Hi Cathy! I would love to try this recipe, but I am actually allergic to quinoa! Bummer, I know! Could I substitute barley or rice?
Thanks
I would use millet instead of quinoa.
Do you think this would work without using a non-dairy milk (i.e., using only water)? Alternatively, what about with coconut milk?
I think any liquid would work. 🙂
Hi Cathy! Do you think I could use riced cauliflower instead of the quinoa?
Hmm, not sure. Try it and let me know if it works! 😉 Maybe!
Hey Kris, did it work? I love that idea!
Could I use the frozen quinoa from T Joes? If so how many cups would I use? I love your "Straight Up Food" recipie book, thank you Cathy!
Vicki
I've never used that, but it would be 1.5 cups cooked. 🙂
This is so delicious just be sure you let it cool. I tore mine up trying to get it out of the pan to soon. We are eating it anyway but in chunks with beans over it. lol. Definitely making this one again.
brenda, I did, too, the first time I made it.
I have made this several times and it is easy enough for a beginning cook. I'm glad I read through all the comments; I got some ideas on how I might tweak it a tad. I found a recipe for an autumn soup with sweet potato, carrots and onion, plus spices and these are a perfect match. Now if only the Denver weather would cool dwn and start acting like autumn...
Thanks Martin! 😉
This is yet another amazing recipe from this site. Just had to tell you that I love this so much I'm making it once a week. My husband loves it too and is always disappointed when the last piece disappears! I don't find that the dates make the cornbread too sweet. I am not a fan of sweet foods for dinner and to me, the sweetness level is fine for eating with stews and soup. I'm making Jambalaya and quinoa cornbread for dinner tonight!
Yay! Thanks Jackie! 😉
What could I substitute for the rolled oats? Anything other than quinoa flakes?
I haven't tried it with anything else, but I tend to think that flours are pretty interchangeable, with slight variations. So if you're not sure, you can try a half batch as muffins before you commit to a whole batch when experimenting with another flour. 🙂