The BEST Teff Flour Substitutes to Use

Teff flour is a unique and nutritious flour that is perfect for baking, especially if you need to be gluten-free. However, it can be difficult to find in stores. If you can’t find it or don’t want to use it, there are several teff flour substitutes that will work just as well. 

I don’t know the specific reason why you are using teff flour. It could be a specific recipe you want to try or because you in need of having baked goods that are gluten free. Because of this I have made two sections one for gluten free substitutes for teff and one with flours that contain gluten.

What Is Teff Flour and What Does it Taste Like?

Teff flour is made from grinding whole teff grain into a fine powder. The teff plant is native to Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years.

The grain is extremely small—each seed is about the size of a poppyseed—and packs a serious nutritional punch. It’s high in fiber and protein, and also contains calcium, iron, and magnesium.

Teff has a earthy nutty flavor, and it is often used in baking. It can also be cooked and eaten as a porridge or used to make flatbreads. Some great brands that sell teff flour is Bob’s Red Mill and Anthony’s.

Gluten Free Teff Flour Substitutes

We will go over some of the top gluten free options for teff flour.

* It’s important to know that each flour absorbs liquids differently. So, you might need to add or omit some liquid. Keep an eye on consistency.

Sorghum Flour

Sorghum flour has a similar nutty flavor and nutritional value as teff. Sorghum flour is made from the whole grain sorghum berry. It is a good source of fiber and protein and is naturally gluten-free.

Sorghum is used a lot in quick breads, pancakes, and even in making bear. You can usually find it in the health food section of your grocery store or online.

Rice Flour

Rice flour is another good substitute for teff flour and easy to find. To top it off you can actually make it from home! Say what?! That’s right you can make your own rice flour. You will need a way to grind the rice with like a Vitamix dry grains container or a KitchenAid Grain Mill.

Rice flour has an overall neutral flavor which makes it a great flour for both savory or sweet baked goods. Rice flour is made from either white or brown rice. Brown rice flour is more nutritious than white rice flour, but it is heavier than white rice flour. Almost like using a whole wheat flour versus all-purpose.

Buckwheat Flour

Buckwheat flour is another good substitute for teff flour. It has a nutty rich flavor and is high in fiber. Buckwheat may have the word wheat in its name it’s actually not wheat at all, but a seed. It is gluten-free and high in protein. It makes for some tasty pancakes and breakfast foods. The one thing you have to keep in minds with buckwheat is that it is quite a dark flour and it will darken your recipes final product.

Millet Flour

Millet flour can be another great substitute for teff flour. It leans more towards sweet corn-like flavor and it’s also naturally gluten-free. Millet has another big perk besides being a substitute. It’s a great source of protein, packing in tons of essential amino acids. Millet flour is commonly used in gluten-free baking which means you are more likely to find it at the grocery store.

Quinoa Flour

You may have heard or even eaten Quinoa! It’s a common grain (actually a seed) that people use almost like rice. It has a nutty flavor and is high in protein and fiber. You want to make sure to grab quinoa flour and not the grain itself when using it as a substitute for teff flour.

Cornmeal

Cornmeal can also be used as a substitute for teff flour. It has a slightly sweet flavor and can be either course or fine ground. Cornmeal is made from dried corn kernels that have been ground up. When using this as sub for teff, please keep in mind that flavor will change. Cornmeal will have a corn like taste.

If your recipe calls for a small amount of teff then finely ground cornmeal can be used. But if teff is a major player in the recipe I would then choose a recipe that is more similar to teff like sorghum.

A big plus for using cornmeal is that all major grocery stores will carry it. Plus if you have some left over you can make some cornbread!

Oat Flour

Oat flour can also be used as a teff flour substitute. If gluten is an issue make sure to purchase one that specifically says gluten free. Oat flour has a nutty and toasty flavor. It’s quite versatile because of its flavor.

Oat flour is extremely simple to make at home! Grab some rolled oats and place them in a blender. Run it on high speed until you reach the texture of flour. You may have to stop it a few times and push the sides down to make sure all the oats get ground up.

Gluten Flours to Use as Substitutes for Teff

If gluten isn’t an issue then here are two substitutes for teff flour that will work. These flours are a lot easier to find and bring forth a nice nutty flavor.

Spelt Flour

Spelt flour is a type of wheat flour that is lower in gluten than other types of wheat flour. Because of that it tends to hold it’s shape, while gluten free flours will fail. It can be used as a teff flour substitute in most recipes as long as gluten is ok to consume.

Barley Flour

Barley flour is similar to wheat flour that can be used as a substitute for teff flour. Barley flour has a sweet nutty flavor and works great for quick and yeasted breads because of it has 5 to 8 percent gluten.

Final Thoughts on Alternatives for Teff Flour

Teff flour is a delicious, nutty-tasting, gluten-free flour perfect for baking; however, it can be difficult to find in stores! I’ve been there since I am gluten-free.

If you’re looking for substitutes, look no further! Sorghum and rice flour are both good substitutes that are readily available at most health food stores or online retailers.

Buckwheat, millet, quinoa, cornmeal, and oat flour are all other viable substitutes with similar tastes and textures. And if gluten isn’t an issue try out spelt or barley. Bon appetite!

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