Savoury muffins are so great for a healthy in-between-meal snack, or as a light breakfast or lunch. If you’re eating these for breakfast or lunch then you might want two as they are on the smaller side.
These broccoli and cheddar cheese muffins are so delicious that even one of my pickier eaters devoured them! The best parenting win! I’ve used my go-to gluten-free flour blend of almond flour, buckwheat flour and tapioca flour, which keeps them nice and soft, while also providing healthy fats, fibre, complex carbohydrates and B vitamins.
This recipe is inspired by my Feta, Chive and Carrot Savoury Muffins, they have been incredibly popular so if you love a savoury muffin definitely try these as well!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
When it comes to gluten free baking, what type of flour you use really affects the final results. I’ve been experimenting for years with different combinations and have found the perfect mixture, which yields really great results while still using wholefoods. I’ve listed all of the ingredients you will need to make these savoury gluten free muffins below as well as any notes and possible substitutions. You can find the ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Wet Ingredients
- Broccoli – fresh broccoli is recommended for this recipe. Using frozen broccoli will add too much moisture to the bake. Very finely chop the florets and then coarsely grate the stems, discarding the more fibrous outer layer of the stem.
- Brown onion – You can swap brown onion for a white or purple onion. The purple onion will give your muffins a funny colour but they’ll taste very similar.
- Spring onion – also known as green onions, they add a lovely mild, fresh flavour through the muffins.
- Milk – I’ve used soy milk here but you can use any dairy-free milk or regular milk you prefer.
- Extra virgin olive oil – extra virgin olive oil can be swapped for avocado oil.
- Cheddar cheese – I’ve used tasty cheddar but you could use a sharp cheddar for a stronger flavour.
- Large eggs – the eggs provide structure and help bind the batter together. I haven’t tested this recipe with an egg substitute, so I’d recommend sticking with eggs for best results.
Dry Ingredients
- Almond flour – this gives the muffins a lovely moist crumb and adds protein and healthy fats.
- Buckwheat flour – despite the name, buckwheat is completely gluten free. It has a slightly earthy, nutty flavour that works beautifully in savoury baking. You could substitute sorghum flour or millet flour.
- Tapioca flour – this helps bind everything together and gives the muffins a lighter texture. You could use arrowroot flour or chickpea flour as a 1:1 substitute.
- Baking powder – make sure your baking powder is gluten free if you’re catering for a gluten intolerance or coeliac. Most brands are, but it’s always worth checking the label. And don’t confuse baking powder for baking soda, you definitely want baking powder!
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Tips for the Best Gluten-Free Savoury Muffins
There’s not much that can go wrong with these easy gluten free muffins. You essentially just add all of the ingredients to a large bowl, give the mixture a good stir and bake until golden brown. They’re really so simple but here are a few tips to make sure your savoury muffins turn out perfectly every time:
- Squeeze the moisture out of your grated onion – Onion holds a lot of water, and if you don’t squeeze out the excess, your muffins will end up far too wet. Grate the onion, add it to a cheese cloth or fine mesh sieve and then really squeeze it well before adding it to the bowl.
- Chop the broccoli finely – almost shave the florets with a knife to get them super fine. Then grate the stems and discard of the woody outer stem.
- Sieve the baking powder – sieve the baking powder into the batter rather than adding it straight from the tin to avoid any lumps.
- Use paper muffin cups – I like to line the 12-hole muffin tin with muffin liners / cups so there is no chance of muffins sticking to the tray.
- Reserve some cheese for the tops – Reserve a few tablespoons of the grated cheese to scatter over the top of the muffins before baking. That little bit of cheese on top is what gives you those gorgeous golden, crispy edges.
- Use a conventional oven setting – this recipe is written for a conventional (not fan forced) oven at 200°C/392°F. If you only have fan forced, reduce the temperature by about 20°C and keep an eye on them towards the end of baking.
- Test before removing from the oven – the muffins should be golden brown on top and feel firm to the touch. You can insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre, if it comes out clean (no wet batter), they’re done.
Storage
Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. Store them in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. They’re great to add to lunch boxes or to eat at home. I love warming them up for around 30 seconds in the microwave before eating to give them that just baked feel.
Broccoli & Cheddar Gluten Free Savoury Muffins
Equipment
- Fork
- Chopping Board
- Sharp knife
- 12-hole muffin tin
- Paper muffin liners
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli, finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup soy milk
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 large brown onion, grated with excess moisture squeezed out
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup buckwheat flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/356°F (conventional). Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin liners.
- Remove the excess moisture from the grated onion by adding to a fine mesh sieve or cheese cloth and squeezing as much excess liquid out of the onion as possible.
- To a large bowl add the broccoli, eggs, soy milk, olive oil, grated brown onion, almond flour, buckwheat flour, tapioca flour and finely ground sea salt. Reserve a few tablespoons of grated cheese for topping the muffins and add the rest to the bowl. Sieve in the baking powder and then stir until well combined.
- Divide the muffin mixture between the 12 muffin liners and top each muffin with a little grated cheese.
- Place the tray into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
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