01
White Rice
6.7best for french toast1 cup : 1 cup
Neutral starchy grain; fluffier texture, cooks faster but lacks quinoa's nutty taste and protein
6.7
quinoa substitute
in french toast.
A light coating of Quinoa helps French Toast custard adhere and creates a golden, crispy crust. The substitute should brown similarly in the skillet.
top substitutes
adjustment for this dish
White Rice flour makes a finer, more brittle coating than Quinoa; press it onto dipped bread with a gentle pat rather than a heavy press so the custard doesn't squeeze out. Melt 1 tablespoon butter per slice on a 300 degrees F griddle (50 degrees lower than Quinoa) -- rice flour browns 20% faster and scorches above 325 degrees F. Flip once when edges turn deep gold.
02
Buckwheat
6.7best for french toast1 cup : 1 cup
GF with similar earthy flavor
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Buckwheat flour has a grassy tang that pairs with vanilla and maple syrup; mix it 3:1 with cornstarch to keep the coating from turning bitter. Dip bread in custard, press the buckwheat blend on both sides, and griddle at 325 degrees F in butter. The nutty crust browns deeper than Quinoa -- pull when the exterior reads mahogany, not gold.
03
Spelt
6.7best for french toast1 cup : 1 cup
GF option, lighter texture
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Spelt flour has soft gluten that grips custard better than Quinoa, so soak slices just 30 seconds per side rather than 45 -- too long and the bread turns soggy. Press the spelt coating on firmly, melt butter to 325 degrees F, and flip once when the underside browns at 3 minutes. Spelt adds a nutty warmth under maple syrup.
show 15 more substitutes
04
Couscous
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Similar size and texture, not gluten-free
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Couscous flour creates a crisper, more brittle coating than Quinoa; it lacks fat-binding proteins so soak bread only 35 seconds per side. Melt 1.5 tablespoons butter per slice on a 325 degrees F griddle so the couscous browns without scorching. Flip once at 3 minutes when the golden crust sets, and serve immediately -- the crisp fades fast under syrup.
05
Brown Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Longer cook time, similar nutty flavor
6.7
adjustment for this dish
Brown Rice flour has a subtle nuttiness that deepens vanilla custard; mix 3:1 with tapioca starch to keep the coating from turning sandy. Dip bread, press the blend on, and griddle in butter at 325 degrees F. Brown rice browns slower than Quinoa, so add 1 minute per side; pull when the absorb line reads deep gold and the flip edge shows crisp edges.
06
Barley
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Chewy texture, works in salads and bowls
6.7
07
Lentils
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Good protein substitute, different texture
6.7
08
Oats
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Works as hot breakfast cereal, higher protein
6.7
09
Rolled Oats
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Use flaked or as porridge, higher protein
6.7
10
Pasta
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Gluten-free, works as base for saucy dishes
6.7
11
Long Grain Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Higher protein grain-free swap
6.7
12
Wild Rice
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Lighter but works in pilafs and salads
6.7
13
Bulgur
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF swap, works in tabbouleh
6.7
14
Farro
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF option, lighter but works
6.7
15
Sorghum
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Higher protein GF alternative
6.7
16
Millet
6.71 cup : 1 cup
GF, similar size and cook time
6.7
17
Teff
6.71 cup : 1 cup
Tiny Ethiopian grain, earthy and gluten-free
6.7
18
Hemp Seeds
3.31/2 cup : 1 cup
No cooking needed, sprinkle on bowls for protein
3.3
technique for french toast
technique
Quinoa-flour-dusted slices grab custard fast -- within 20 seconds the starch gels and locks egg into the surface, giving french toast a crisp shell that wheat coatings can't match. Unlike pancakes, where Quinoa goes into the batter itself, here Quinoa only coats the exterior of the bread after it's dipped in milk and egg.
Whisk 2 eggs with 1/2 cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt per 4 slices; soak stale bread 45 seconds per side, letting it absorb without sagging, then press a fine layer of Quinoa flour onto both faces. Melt 1 tablespoon butter per slice on a 325 degrees F griddle, lay bread flat, and cook 3 minutes per side until deeply brown and the interior reads 170 degrees F.
Flip only once -- extra flips shed the coating. Hold finished slices on a rack in a 200 degrees F oven so they stay crisp under the syrup rather than steaming soft.
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Avoid soaking bread longer than 45 seconds per side; Quinoa coating can't rescue custard-waterlogged slices and the center stays raw egg even after griddle time.
watch out
Don't flip more than once -- each extra flip sheds the Quinoa crust and the crisp shell that defines french toast collapses into soggy dip.
watch out
Skip thin sandwich bread; it absorbs milk past its structural limit within 10 seconds and tears on the flip. Use slices 3/4 inch thick minimum.
watch out
Don't crowd the griddle -- cooking more than 3 slices at once drops the surface below 300 degrees F and the butter steams instead of browning the exterior.
watch out
Use whole milk in the custard; skim or plant milk lacks the fat to brown evenly, and you end up with pale french toast no matter how long it cooks.