18 Sweet And Savory Gluten-Free Recipes To Add To Your Rotation
Anyone who avoids gluten knows firsthand just how many dishes incorporate the protein, whether it be in the form of flour, rye, barley, or wheat. Indeed, some of the most abundant foods — like bread and pasta — lean heavily on the gluten scale, and that can quickly become discouraging for people pursuing a gluten-free lifestyle. Fortunately, following a gluten-free diet doesn't mean that the party is over — in fact, thanks to our best savory and sweet gluten-free recipes, we'd argue that the party is only just beginning.
Some of the recipes on this list fall into the gluten-free category by nature, whereas others make intentional ingredient choices and swaps. Have you been avoiding your favorite pasta dishes for fear of the gluten-laden noodles? We've got you covered with a gluten-free lasagna recipe. Have baked goods just not been quite the same since you've changed your diet? No worries, we've got everything from donuts to tarts to chocolate cake — all gluten-free, all delicious, and all just as easy to make as their gluten-laden counterparts.
1. Classic Gluten-Free Lasagna
We can just about guarantee that no one at your dinner table would guess that this lasagna recipe is completely gluten-free. Thanks to the clever use of gluten-free pasta, this classic comfort dish gets a dietary upgrade without veering too far from the original formula. In fact, aside from the pasta swap, there really are no differences between this recipe and a classic lasagna.
In addition to the gluten-free lasagna noodles, you'll find a meaty sauce and lots of cheese in this recipe. The only other necessary ingredient swap comes in the form of a single tablespoon of gluten-free flour, which will contribute to the roux base for your béchamel. If you thought that pasta-based comfort foods were reserved solely for those who can eat gluten, this recipe is here to debunk that myth and taste mighty good while doing so.
Recipe: Classic Gluten-Free Lasagna
2. Gluten-Free Cornbread
Not only does this cornbread recipe check the gluten-free box, it also happens to check the dairy-free box, too. While most cornbread recipes call for all-purpose flour and dairy milk or butter, this one accomplishes that dense cornbread goodness by way of gluten-free flour and almond milk.
Of course, no cornbread would be what it is without cornmeal, an ingredient that not only gives the bread its distinct flavor but also helps give it that notable color and dense texture. Otherwise, you can expect to find some pretty common baking staples in this recipe, including sugar, baking powder, salt, and eggs. Ideal for pairing with a steaming bowl of chili or enjoying with a simple drizzle of honey, this gluten-free cornbread is sure to sweeten up just about any meal.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Cornbread
3. Gluten-Free Coconut and Pecan Granola
Of all the things that can be a yogurt topping, it's safe to say that granola reigns supreme. Sure, fresh berries or a bit of honey are nice, but nothing provides that immaculate crunch or toasted flavors quite like granola does. While you could buy a bag of granola from the grocery store and call it a day, a quick glance at the ingredients list might reveal that your beloved crunchy topping isn't gluten-free. The solution? Make your own batch of granola at home!
This recipe combines gluten-free oats, pecans, coconut, and even chocolate chips to make a granola that is equal parts filling and delicious. You'll start by tossing your granola ingredients in a mixture of coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, then into the oven it goes to get nice and toasty. While this granola makes for a great yogurt topper, you could easily enjoy the crunchy stuff as-is, either as a snack or in a bowl with milk.
4. Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts
You may notice a recurring theme with these gluten-free recipes — the only ingredient that sets them apart from their gluten-laced counterparts is flour. So, if you keep a bag of gluten-free flour stocked in your pantry, you can easily transform a number of baked goods into gluten-free ones without having to make an extra trip to the grocery store. Take these sprinkled donuts, for example; the only difference between these and regular donuts is the choice of flour.
Another notable aspect of this donut recipe is that you'll bake the treats instead of frying them. This means that you can avoid the fuss (not to mention hazard) of heating a large amount of oil on your stovetop, and your donuts won't be excessively oily or heavy.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts
5. Gluten-Free Yorkshire Puddings
Any self-respecting Brit is likely familiar with Yorkshire pudding cups, which are savory little cake-like bread cups that pair well with gravy or roast dinners. As expected, a classic Yorkshire pudding cup typically boasts all-purpose flour, but this recipe swaps in gluten-free flour to make the classic side dish one that just about anyone can enjoy.
The key to yielding the perfect Yorkshire pudding is more in the cooking technique than the ingredients, so switching up the flour conveniently makes no real difference here, taste-wise. You'll start by heating up oil in a Yorkshire pudding tray (or muffin tin), and you want that oil to get really, really hot. Once you mix in the batter and bake, you should end up with perfectly crisp, tall, puffy pastries.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Yorkshire Puddings
6. Gluten-Free Pancakes
Fluffy, golden brown, and topped with plenty of maple syrup, there's a reason that pancakes are a breakfast go-to. While most pancakes feature all-purpose flour in the batter, this gluten-free recipe swaps out that stuff to make these pancakes celiac-safe.
There is one special ingredient that works alongside the baking powder to ensure that these pancakes turn out nice and fluffy: xanthan gum. A common ingredient in gluten-free cooking, xanthan gum mimics the stretchy nature of gluten while maintaining a completely gluten-free profile. This means that you don't have to choose between fluffy pancakes and gluten-free ones — you can have both, all at once!
Recipe: Gluten-Free Pancakes
7. Easy Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Pizza crust is one of the most notoriously carb-laden (and therefore flour-laden) foods out there, but luckily, there's plenty of room for creativity when it comes to crafting a pizza. This gluten-free cauliflower pizza crust recipe puts the cruciferous vegetable to good use by breaking it down and combining it with almond flour, resulting in a crust that will also help you get in your daily dose of veggies.
With a gluten-free crust as your base, there's no stopping the ways you can top your pizza. Classic tomato sauce and shredded cheese are an obvious option, though you can also double down on the vegetables and top off your pie with peppers, onion, broccoli, or — we won't judge — pineapple.
8. Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Crinkle Cookies
Are you in charge of dessert for an upcoming party, and know that gluten-free folks will be in attendance? Don't fret over making a complicated, intricate dessert — keep things classic and simple with these gluten-free almond crinkle cookies. For bonus points, these cookies also happen to be vegan, so you can knock out two dietary restrictions at once.
Despite being dairy-free and using almond flour instead of all-purpose, we can assure you that these cookies are plenty decadent and delicious. While you will taste strong almond notes thanks to the flour and almond butter, you'll also taste some chocolatey flavors thanks to the addition of cacao powder.
9. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Seed Crackers and Pumpkin Hummus
Are you looking for the perfect autumnal appetizer? If so, look no further than this recipe for pumpkin seed crackers and pumpkin hummus — everything is made entirely from scratch, so you can ensure that it's all gluten-free. The crackers feature an assortment of crunchy seeds, whereas hummus gets a festive upgrade thanks to the addition of pumpkin. Together, the crackers and hummus make for an irresistible snack.
You'll find pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and chia seeds in these crackers, though there's no stopping you from swapping in something like hemp seeds or poppy seeds. As for the hummus, you're best off following the recipe exactly as is — fans of classic chickpea hummus will no doubt love the earthy undertones that this pumpkin hummus has to offer.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Seed Crackers and Pumpkin Hummus
10. Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
If you thought that rich, moist, decadent chocolate cake was a thing of the past after starting a gluten-free diet, this recipe is about to make your day. Just one glance at this chocolate cake proves that it looks exactly the same as its gluten-filled counterparts, all the way down to the layers of moist cake and rich chocolate frosting.
As expected, gluten-free flour helps make this possible, along with xanthan gum to ensure that the confection has a truly cake-like texture. Otherwise, most of the ingredients for this chocolate cake are pretty common ones, and any seasoned baker will already have their pantry stocked with the necessities. If there is one somewhat unusual ingredient, it would be the black coffee, but don't worry — it won't make your cake taste like coffee, it'll only help the chocolate flavor really pop.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
11. Gluten-Free Peach Crisp
Peaches may be a summer fruit, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy their sweet and juicy goodness year-round. This gluten-free peach crisp recipe not only enables you to enjoy peaches whenever the craving strikes, but it also makes this treat suitable for those who have celiac disease or are otherwise gluten-averse.
A big perk to this recipe is that it requires a mere eight ingredients, so it's also the type of dessert that you can make in a pinch. The simple swap-in of almond flour helps ensure that the crisp part of this dessert remains gluten-free while also providing subtle nutty notes.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Crisp
12. Vegan and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes
Though you might not suspect it at first glance, these vegan and gluten-free pancakes pack quite the nutritional punch — more so than your average stack of flapjacks. A more in-depth look at the ingredients list will reveal where the hearty nutrition lies: in the form of cashews, gluten-free oats, and flaxseed.
The cashews and flaxseed actually perform double-duty in this recipe, not only bulking up the pancakes but also serving as a binder that eggs would function as in a non-vegan recipe. Topped off with a pat of dairy-free butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and maybe some fresh berries on the side, these vegan and gluten-free cinnamon oatmeal pancakes are the perfect way to start your morning.
13. No-Cook Pomegranate-Stuffed Brownies
Brownies aren't typically a no-bake dessert, but this recipe manages to defy all odds by requiring not even a second of oven or stovetop time. (It does require a tiny little bit of microwave time, but we'd hardly call that cooking.) Because these are no-bake brownies, they will require some time in the refrigerator — but all told, you could have these brownies ready to go from start to serving in just about an hour.
Of course, we'd be remiss to not highlight the unique ingredients that make up these chocolatey treats, including walnuts, almonds, Medjool dates, and pomegranate seeds. You'll also find plenty of chocolate in this recipe, both in the form of a chocolate bar and cacao powder, so you can count on these brownies packing a deliciously rich and sweet punch along with some nutty nutrients, too.
14. Zucchini Noodles
If you're a fan of simple recipes, then it really doesn't get much simpler than this three-ingredient zucchini noodles recipe. Gluten-free by nature, these zucchini noodles make for a pretty perfect pasta swap. We're not going to pretend like they're an exact duplicate for real noodles, but they definitely mimic the look and feel of spaghetti quite well. Not to mention you'll get a built-in veggie boost without needing to add any other toppings.
Because this recipe has such a bare-bones ingredient list, the secret is really in the tool needed to make the magic happen, which is a spiralizer. This kitchen tool is pretty non-negotiable if you want to make perfect zucchini noodles, so this recipe is ideal for those who have the device collecting dust in their cabinet. Once you've spiralized your zucchini, serve it as you would any pasta, with your favorite sauce and possibly with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe: Zucchini Noodles
15. Flourless Chocolate Torte
Anyone who has ever enjoyed a chocolate torte can likely attest to the rich, decadent nature of such a treat. Comprised mostly of eggs, butter, and chocolate, this flourless (and therefore gluten-free) dessert gives classic chocolate cake a run for its money, and we'd argue that a torte is easier to make than regular cake, too.
The beauty of this torte recipe is that it's designed to let the chocolate really shine, which is why it's a good idea to spring for high-quality dark chocolate. Aside from the chocolate, you'll only need six other ingredients to make this decadent treat, and something tells us that your gluten-free friends will be thrilled when you show up to the party with this torte in tow.
Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Torte
16. Savory Chickpea Pancakes
When you think of pancakes, there's a good chance that you picture sweet breakfast flapjacks, ideally topped off with plenty of syrup and maybe even some fruit. Well, these chickpea pancakes will reinvent the way you picture the dish, as they put a savory spin on the breakfast classic. These pancakes make for the perfect brunch or lunch fare, especially for those who never really cared for overly sweet breakfast dishes to begin with.
Chickpea flour, unsurprisingly, makes up the bulk of these pancakes, and simple extras like water, olive oil, baking powder, and parsley help round them out. The fun part comes in the form of toppings — you could follow the recipe as-is and garnish your savory cakes with tomatoes, avocado, and crème fraîche, or you could get creative and come up with your own finishing touches.
Recipe: Savory Chickpea Pancakes
17. Vegan, Gluten-Free Chocolate Pomegranate Tart
A chocolate tart is an impressive enough dessert on its own, but this vegan and gluten-free version really takes things to a whole new level. The base of this tart consists of both almond and coconut flours, along with cardamom, cocoa powder, and maple syrup to add warm, rich, and sweet flavors. The real star of the show is the filling, of course, which is comprised of dark chocolate, coconut milk, and pomegranate juice.
While you could skip all of the garnishes and enjoy the tart in its simplest form, the abundance of pomegranate seeds and fresh berries really provide an outstanding visual appeal. You can keep things simple and just scatter a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds on top of the chilled tart, or you can go all-out and include an assortment of blueberries, raspberries, and maybe even some fresh mint sprigs for good measure.
18. Roasted Corn and Squash Quesadillas with Hot Honey Dipping Sauce
Though quesadillas typically utilize flour tortillas, this roasted corn and squash quesadilla recipe opts for corn tortillas, which helps ensure that the dish remains gluten-free. The quesadilla inclusions are also atypical, with corn and roasted squash making up the bulk of the filling. All combined, these quesadillas are cheesy, comforting, and most importantly, there's no gluten in sight.
While the quesadillas are a highlight all enough on their own, the hot honey dipping sauce also adds something special to this dish. Simply combining regular honey and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce goes a long way to create a dip that gives plain old hot sauce a run for its money. For those who follow both gluten-free and vegetarian diets, you really can't beat the cheesy goodness that this quesadilla recipe has to offer.
Recipe: Roasted Corn and Squash Quesadillas with Hot Honey Dipping Sauce