The 22 Best Plants You Can Grow to Make Flour From

Flour is an indispensable essential in the kitchen. It’s used in all sorts of dishes, every kind of baked good, and for more mundane tasks like thickening sauces and preventing your food from sticking to your cutting board. It’s one of those things that most of us take for granted and just pick up from the grocery store when we are out and about in town.

But just like everything else in a homesteader’s life, it’s possible to make your own flour, too, and from many more plants than what you might be thinking of off the top of your head.

Different kinds of flour have different characteristics, flavors, and nutritional profiles, and experimenting with making your own flour from plants you can easily grow in your region can be a rewarding activity all its own.

If this sounds like a good time to you, keep reading and I’ll tell you about 20 of the best plants that you can grow to make flour from.

Wheat

You knew wheat was going to be on here, didn’t you? That’s the very first thing most folks think of when they think of flour in the first place!

Although you might think of it as the province of massive commercial farming operations, it’s entirely possible to grow your own wheat assuming you live in a temperate climate.

Wheat flour is the most common and versatile on earth and is made after harvest by threshing the stalks to separate the grains, which are subsequently milled.

Wheat flour is ideal for pasta, pastries, breads, and basically anything else you can think of, and depending on the variety you grow, it can be processed into hard and soft types that are better for different kinds of foods.

Oats

Oats are tasty, nutritious, and beloved by people and animals alike, and historically they have also been processed into flour. Compared to wheat, oats do better in cooler, moist climates and are ready for processing after hulling, being easily ground into flour.

Now, compared to wheat flour, oat flour has more protein and tends to be dense, and it retains considerably more moisture, giving it a unique property for various breads and chewy desserts like cookies.

Corn

When most folks think of baked goods and corn, they naturally think of cornmeal, from which we get cornbread. One of my favorites! But cornmeal can be further processed into a fine powder to make corn flour.

This is also the picture of simplicity because the dried corn kernels only need to be sufficiently ground up to the desired texture; there’s nowhere near as much intricate processing to be done as with wheat.

Corn flour is also perfect for making tortillas and as a thickener, and different corn cultivars can impart a significantly different flavor or texture to the finished product. The only trick is you’ll need consistent warm weather to grow a good crop.

Quinoa

One of the most nutritious “grains” around, quinoa isn’t a true grain because it isn’t really a cereal grass. It is properly called a pseudocereal because it can still be prepared and used in much the same way.

Quinoa is notable for its excellent profile of vitamins, minerals, and proteins, and is one of the most complete and well-rounded vegan protein sources you can find.

After harvesting, it must undergo a thorough washing to remove saponins and then intensive drying before it can finally be milled into flour. Although it loses out on some of its nutrients, it’s still one of the healthiest types of flour around, and an excellent choice for gluten-free baking.

Amaranth

This heat-tolerant plant is, like quinoa, a pseudocereal that has been cultivated throughout history, especially in Central and South America.

With good protein and mineral content, amaranth flour is notable for imparting moisture and chewiness to breads made with it, and it remains a popular choice for various kinds of ethnic flatbreads for that reason.

Once mature, the seed heads are harvested, dried, threshed to separate the chaff, and then finally ground into a chunky, chalky powder to make flour.

Buckwheat

Despite what the name would have you believe, buckwheat isn’t a close cousin to true wheat. In reality, it is more closely related to rhubarb, if you can believe it!

But whatever family it falls under, it is fast-growing, adaptable, and resistant to both drought and rough conditions, meaning it will be an option for most people no matter where they live.

Most important for some of us, buckwheat is another gluten-free option that proves to be nearly as versatile as true wheat flour. It has an earthy, nutty flavor that many people grow to like, and it’s just as good in pancakes as it is in making noodles.

Millet

A family of small-seeded grasses, Millet is famously drought-tolerant with a finished flavor that is mild and slightly savory.

It’s a great choice for heavy, chewy breads and flatbreads, and has the unique quality of combining well with different kinds of flour, particularly wheat.

Aside from providing a bit of nuance and interest to your usual recipes, it can be a great way to fortify your usual flour with an excellent mineral profile.

But before you go all in with millet, take the time to research the different varieties and see which one will grow best in your growing zone and terrain. Japanese, Finger, Foxtail, Browntop, and Pearl are all popular varieties with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Sorghum

A truly ancient grain that is believed to have originated somewhere in the continent of Africa, sorghum is remarkably resistant to extreme heat and tolerates drought remarkably well compared to most other cereals and pseudocereals on our list.

Known for being both gluten-free and with a naturally sweet taste, it is a mainstay of Asian, African, and some Middle Eastern cuisines.

Turning it into flour consists of harvesting and removing the hulls entirely or partially and then milling repeatedly to the desired consistency. Nothing to it!

This won’t be an option for folks who are living in far northern latitudes, but if you live in the south or across the Southwest, it can be an inspired option.

Barley

Another ancient cereal grain, barley grows best in temperate regions but is fairly adaptable, and there are many varieties that are more or less suitable to different climates. Known for its good nutrition and sweet, nutty, and slightly earthy flavor, it is a regular component in blended wheat flour.

Most varieties must be hulled upon harvest, but there are types out there that are actually hull-less, something that can save time, effort, and aggravation. Once hulled, it is milled into flour.

Chickpea

The next bean on our list is one that will be well known to some readers for its versatility.

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are the primary ingredient in such delicious dishes as hummus, and they are found constantly in all kinds of other foods across the Mediterranean and much of the Middle East.

Absolutely packed with protein and fiber, you might be surprised to learn that you can grind completely dried chickpeas into a rough flour, known as besan.

This can be used to make bread, as a base for a roux, in sauces, and as a thickener generally. It’s super tasty and one of my favorites, and is just another great reason to grow these beautiful beans!

Lentils

Another bean, and one of the most important foods around the world, lentils are a cool-season option that can be grown in a wide variety of climates and other conditions.

Like some of the other plants on our list, there are many varieties out there, and doing a little bit of research to determine which type is best for your region will save you a ton of grief.

As with chickpeas, completely dried lentils can be ground into flour and used for various purposes, though they don’t lend themselves particularly well to making bread unless combined with other kinds of true flour.

Soybean

We’re not done with the beans just yet! Another crucially important crop, soybeans are eaten around the world and aside from their pivotal place in all kinds of cuisine, they are used in all kinds of products.

Soybeans are a warm-season bean, but one that can be grown nearly anywhere.

A high-protein and gluten-free option, soybean flour—produced by drying and grinding the beans as normal—is another splendid choice for combining with wheat flour for baking and other recipes. Give this one a try; I was pleasantly surprised at how good the results are.

Peas

The last legume we will talk about on our list of “flouring” plants (heh), pea flour isn’t for everyone: if baked goods are what you are after I would advise you to look somewhere else because peas have a distinctive flavor that only really works with savory dishes.

That said, this stuff is absolutely perfect for thickening and fortifying sauces, soups, broths, and so much more. Like with all beans, the individual peas are removed from their pods, hulled, then completely dried before grinding. Kept in ideal conditions, it has a surprisingly long shelf life.

Potato

Potatoes are already one of the most versatile veggies around, if not the single most versatile. This starchy member of the nightshade family can nonetheless be turned into a pretty good flour stand-in.

Peeling, slicing, then thoroughly drying prior to intensive milling will make for an easy-to-use flour, though it tends to come apart when used by itself for things like noodles.

A better use is as a thickening agent since it is gluten-free, or it can be combined with other flour to add moisture and nutrition.

While, at first glance, rye is just another cereal, it’s actually more nutrient-dense than most other cereals, including wheat. As you might expect, you can use it to make pancakes, muffins, and bread.

Sweet Potato

One of my very, very favorite flour varieties on this list, sweet potatoes aren’t related to actual potatoes but that doesn’t stop them from being just as useful in this capacity.

Prepared exactly the same way, the naturally sweet and slightly savory flavor is dynamite in everything from pancakes to pastries and adds a distinctive note to breads and thicker pastas that you and your family will love.

If you don’t have the room or patience to grow cereals or pseudocereals like we talked about, definitely give sweet potatoes a try for your alternate flour needs!

Sunflower

Some of the most gorgeous and instantly recognizable flowers on earth, sunflowers come in many different varieties.

From petite cuties that are suitable for a bouquet to towering behemoths with massive, composite heads the size of a dinner plate, most produce edible, protein-packed, and extremely nutritious seeds.

That nutty, savory, fatty flavor of sunflower seeds translates into baking flour which can produce truly stellar bread, or be used to fortify other types of flour.

Sunflowers are also easy to grow in various climates when chosen with care, and are easy to process: just shuck the shells from the kernels. They are the perfect way to start experimenting with novel types of flour; highly recommended!

Pumpkin

You might be thinking right now that it is impossible to process pumpkins into flour. And I’m here to tell you that, broadly, you are correct. But it’s not impossible to turn their seeds into flour! Ha, a bit of a trick!

Jokes aside, pumpkin seeds, like most seeds, are highly nutritious, very easy to dry, and can easily be ground into powder. However, they don’t make for good flour all by themselves and are usually added to other kinds of flour for their color and subtle flavor.

Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are another commonly eaten seed and routinely used as an ingredient in all kinds of things. Something of a star health food, it’s one of the very best vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Compared to most of the novel plants on this list, you are most likely to find flaxseed meal and flour on the market in health food stores and online, and curiously it’s often used to replace eggs in vegan recipes thanks to its properties as a binder.

But if you can grow flax in a cool climate, you can make your own flaxseed flour. All you need to do is harvest the seeds, separate out the other bits of the plant and debris, and then grind into a coarse meal or into flour proper.

Almond

The truth is almonds are pricey, and that goes double for almond flour. As you may have guessed, you can make your own and save a few bucks.

Almond flour is perfect if you’re alergic to gluten (but not to nuts), and you can make a ton of things, such as shortbread, cookies, and tarts. Yum!

Chia

Native to Mexico, this distant member of the mint family is another edible seed, and it is basically an analog to flax seeds above.

It already has an established reputation for both good health and versatility in vegan and vegetarian baking: it’s loaded with minerals, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Once you’ve harvested the seeds and cleaned them up a bit, they are ready to grind.

Hemp

A contentious inclusion, there is no denying the versatility of the hemp plant. With varieties capable of growing readily almost anywhere, assuming it is legal in your area you’ll be able to raise hemp for its nutritious, high-protein seeds.

Hemp flour has a distinct nutty, savory flavor and the texture works quite well in all sorts of breads and other baked goods.

And before you ask, no, the seeds contain effectively no THC. We aren’t making those kinds of edibles! So harvest and enjoy without fear of any intoxication.

As I said, just make sure you do your homework and triple-check all local and state laws concerning the growth of hemp in your area because of legal issues…

Rice

Last but not least, rice flour is probably one of the more affordable options pound for pound. Not only that, rice will keep for a really long time without turning it into powder, so it’s a good option for building a survival stockpile.

And once you use that stockpile and decide to ground some, know that you can make pancakes, various types of bread and survival bars.