While most kinds of flour we find in the store are made from wheat, there are many types of flour made from other ingredients that can be just as useful as wheat flour, and one example is lupin flour.
If you have never tried lupin flour before, you may be curious as to what lupin flour is. I did the research, and here is what I found!
What Is Lupin Flour?
Lupin flour is legume flour that is made from sweet lupin, a relative of peanuts and soybeans. Normally, lupin flour can be used as a gluten-free and keto-friendly alternative to wheat flour for most baking recipes. However, lupin flour may have a slightly bitter and starchy taste that may need to be masked with sweeteners.
If you want to learn how to make lupin flour less bitter, if you can use lupin flour instead of all-purpose flour, and what substitutes you can use for lupin flour, keep reading!
What Is Lupin Flour Made Of?
Lupin flour is a kind of legume flour created from sweet lupin, which is related to soybeans and peanuts.
What Does Lupin Flour Taste Like?
Typically, lupin flour has a somewhat neutral flavor profile, but some people note that lupin flour has a slightly starchy taste and is a little bitter.
What Is Lupin Flour Used For?
Normally, lupin flour is used for baking recipes since lupin flour has a very similar texture to wheat flour.
For instance, you can use lupin flour to create tortillas, bread, crackers, and biscuits.
Additionally, lupin flour is popularly used as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour in most non-baking recipes due to their similar textures.
Moreover, many people who follow keto diets use lupin flour because lupin flour has fewer carbohydrates than wheat flour.
For instance, ¼ cup of lupin flour usually has one gram of carbs whereas ¼ cup of wheat flour can have more than twenty grams of carbs.
Is Lupin Flour Good For Baking?
Generally, lupin flour is good for baking and most people will use lupin flour as a baking ingredient.
Typically, lupin flour works best as an all-purpose flour substitute given that there are other stronger-tasting ingredients in the baking recipe.
How Do You Make Lupin Flour Less Bitter?
If you are using lupin flour in a baking recipe, the easiest way to mask any bitterness from lupin flour is to opt for sweeteners in your recipe.
For instance, if your baking recipe already includes sugar, the sugar may be enough to overpower lupin flour’s bitterness.
Alternatively, you may opt to add other ingredients with stronger flavors to your recipe. For example, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, etc. can mask the taste of lupin flour.
Does Lupin Flour Cause Gas?
Consuming a little lupin flour in your diet may not cause gas, especially if you have a relatively balanced diet that does not involve gas-inducing foods.
However, lupin flour can cause gas if you eat too much lupin flour in a short period because lupin flour can shock your body.
Does Lupin Flour Have Gluten?
Lupin flour is a naturally gluten-free flour since lupin flour is created from legumes called sweet lupin, not wheat.
However, it is always ideal to check the ingredients list of your lupin flour to see if the lupin flour is completely gluten-free.
Some manufacturers make their products in factories that create gluten-containing ingredients, which could contaminate your lupin flour.
Therefore, you need to see if the product “may contain gluten,” and if the packaging states that that means your lupin flour may have traces of gluten.
Can Lupin Flour Replace All-Purpose Flour?
Lupin flour can replace all-purpose flour, and lupin flour is most commonly used as a replacement for lupin flour.
Moreover, lupin flour may be best as a substitute for all-purpose flour in baking recipes since lupin flour can be bitter and starchy.
Most baking recipes involve sweeteners and other strongly flavored ingredients, such as cocoa powder, and these ingredients can easily cover the taste of lupin flour.
Typically, lupin flour can replace all-purpose flour in an equal ratio, but this will depend on the exact recipe you are making.
What Can I Substitute For Lupin Flour?
If you want another gluten-free flour alternative to lupin flour, almond flour is usually a decent substitute to try.
Generally, unblanched almond flour would be a better choice if you want a moister texture and a sweeter flavor.
If you want finer, smoother, and fluffier flour for your recipes, you can opt for blanched almond flour, which is almond flour that was made without the almond skins.
If you do not mind consuming gluten, you can easily use all-purpose flour in most recipes that call for lupin flour.
Moreover, corn flour may be a good substitute for lupin flour for baked recipes with soft textures but you will get a sweeter flavor from the cornflour.
Have a look at our other articles to learn what lentil flour is, what light spelt flour is, and what light rye flour is.
Conclusion
Lupin flour is legume flour created from sweet lupin, and lupin flour is a neutral flour with a slightly bitter and starchy taste.
Generally, lupin flour can be used in most recipes that call for wheat flour, making lupin flour a popular flour alternative for people with gluten allergies and following keto-based diets.
However, some people may need to use sweeteners or strong-tasting ingredients to mask any bitterness that comes from the lupin flour.