Soy Flour Recipes

Soybeans in the field

Soy flour recipes offer more alternatives for creating gluten-free foods while providing the additional health benefits of soybeans. The absence of gluten, of course, affects how the flour handles and the ways in which it can be used.

Using Soy Flour

When using soy flour, you should first make sure that it is indeed gluten-free. Soy flour naturally is safe, however, the processing methods used in its manufacturing may lead to cross contamination. Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Soy Flour, for example, is not gluten-free because their supplier cannot guarantee that the product is safe from contaminants. Your first task then, is to carefully review the product label to make sure it is safe for the gluten-free kitchen.

Handling Soy Flour

Like other gluten-free flours, soy flour has a light, fine-grain texture. Soy flour is made from ground soybeans which adds fat to the flour product. A ¼-cup serving contains 120 calories of which just over 40 percent are derived from fat. This can be an important consideration if you are trying to reduce the fat content in your diet.

It is typically not used alone in baking and cooking, so you may find that your soy flour recipes contain more than one type of gluten-free flour. It is however, high in protein so it does add nutritional value to all of your cooking. Due to its fat content, you will need to store soy flour in the refrigerator to prevent the product from going rancid.

The high fat content also means that your recipes may brown more quickly. You will need to keep a close eye on your recipes as they bake. Despite its fat content, soy flour contains no cholesterol.

Soy Flour Recipes

Knowing a bit how soy flour handles can give you the necessary information for trying it out in your recipes. Its trait for browning can be used to an advantage with recipes calling for fried cooking methods. You can use soy flour in your batter recipes to help reduce the amount of fat absorbed due to the soy's fat content. A hot frying pan will quickly brown the outside of fish filets or chicken cutlets.

You can also use soy flour in your pancake or crepe recipes for similar results. Its nutty flavor will provide delicious nuances to your recipe without adding a lot of carbohydrates. You can use soy flour to reduce the carbohydrate content in your favorite foods such as:

  • Pizza crusts
  • Breads
  • Muffins
  • Cookies

A one-cup serving of soy flour contains only 32 grams of carbohydrates. Compare this amount to the 88 grams of carbohydrates in whole-grain wheat flour or the 95 grams in white flour.

Examples of Uses

To get the most out using soy flour recipes, you can capitalize on its qualities. For example, you can enhance its nutty flavor by toasting it in a dry skillet before usage. Soy flour can add a nice taste to your dessert bread recipes such as banana bread or zucchini bread.

Like many gluten-free flours, soy flour makes for a good thickening agent. You can use it to thicken a gluten-free white sauce or other sauces or gravies. The fat content will offer a good finish to your recipe which will give your sauce a velvety texture.

You can use the unique properties of soy flour to make your all-purpose, gluten-free flour blend. You can mix it with heavier flours such as brown rice flour to lighten the density of your flour or combine it with neutral flours such as tapioca flour to give your blend a subtle, nutty flavor.

Healthy Cooking

Your soy flour-based recipes will provide healthier options for snacks and all of your cooking. A ¼-cup serving contains 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance for protein. If you mix soy flour with other healthy flours such as quinoa or brown rice flour, your baked goods will contain an excellent source of dietary fiber.

You can substitute about one-third of regular flour for soy flour in your recipes. Soy flour adds moisture to your recipe, so you can easily substitute one egg with 1 tablespoon soy flour and 1 tablespoon water.

Recipes using soy flour add a new dimension to your gluten-free cooking which, in turn, provides healthy fiber and protein to your foods. These nutritional perks account for one of the many benefits of exploring options for gluten-free baking and cooking as part of a gluten-free lifestyle.

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Soy Flour Recipes