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Quinoa Potato Bread with Chia Seeds - Pan de Papa con Quinoa y Semillas de Chia




Marian Blazes

This tasty bread has three ingredients that are traditional foods for the indigenous populations in various parts of Latin America. Potatoes (one of the oldest South American crops) give the dough great texture and help it to stay soft over a period of days. Quinoa, a nutritious grain that grows in the Andes, add a pleasant chewiness and nutty flavor. Chia seeds, a traditional staple food in Mexico and Central America, add crunch and flavor.

This combination of ingredients makes for an interestingly complex and nutritious bread. As a bonus, the moisture retaining properties of the potato and chia seeds also help this bread to keep well. Shape this dough into a sliceable loaf, dinner rolls, or hamburger buns.

Yield: 1 bread loaf, or about 16 rolls.


  • 1/2 cup quinoa flakes (quinoa that has been processed into cereal flakes similar to oatmeal)
  • 1/2 cup raw quinoa
  • 4 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup cooked, mashed potatoes (about 1-2 medium yellow potatoes boiled and mashed)
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons molasses or honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3-4 cups bread flour
  • 3/4 cups milk


  1. Rinse the quinoa seeds with water, and place them in a small sauce pan. Add 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring water to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat. Fluff with fork, and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

  2. Place 3 tablespoons of the chia seeds in a spice grinder and pulse briefly. (Reserve the remaining tablespoon for sprinkling on top of the bread)

  3. Add the yeast to the bowl of a large standing mixer. Warm 1/2 cup of the milk until just hot to the touch and add to the yeast. Let yeast sit for 5 minutes.

  4. Add 1 cup of the bread flour to the yeast, along with the quinoa flakes, the ground chia seeds, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the molasses or honey, the potatoes, and the cooked (and cooled) quinoa. Using the dough hook attachment, start to knead the mixture while incorporating another cup of the flour. Add the salt and another 1/4 cup of milk, and continue to knead until dough begins to come together.

  5. Add another cup of flour and knead dough until smooth. Gradually add up to one cup more flour if dough appears sticky, and knead until dough is stretchy, smooth, and relatively firm, about 5-8 minutes.

  6. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

  7. Punch down dough and shape into a loaf (see how to shape a loaf of bread) and place into an oiled bread pan. Or to make dinner rolls: divide the dough into about 16 pieces and shape each into a ball. Place balls of dough side by side on a cookie sheet (or use a smaller pan with sides, like a 9x9 inch baking pan). To make hamburger buns, divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball. Let the balls of dough rest for 5 minutes, then flatten them with your hand and place them on an oiled cookie sheet.

  8. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and brush top of bread loaf or rolls with melted butter. Sprinkle with chia seeds. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rolls rise in a warm place until almost double in size.

  9. Preheat oven to 375 degree. Once the bread has risen, place in the oven and bake until golden brown, firm, and slightly hollow-sounding when tapped. A loaf of bread will take about 40-50 minutes, depending on the oven, while the rolls will bake more quickly (20-25 minutes, depending on the oven).

  10. Remove bread from the oven. Let the bread cool for 5-10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let bread loaf cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

  11. Bread will keep for several days loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. Wrap bread in aluminum foil to store in the freezer, then reheat in the oven.

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