Amaranth Granola (with Sourdough Discard)
Super crispy granola made with amaranth and sourdough discard.
I have been on an amaranth baking spree since the spring when I had some in mexico where it is native. There amaranth is ubiquitous but its most popular form seems to be alegria: a crispy treat made with honey. It occurred to me that it would make a wonderful addition to homemade granola but what I didn’t expect was that the granola would be so crispy. This recipe is somewhere between that alegria sweet in its utter crispness and a good homemade (chunky! It all sticks together!) granola.
Recipe Origins
This recipe is a mix of king arthur’s sourdough granola recipe and my own almond granola recipe. I swapped out one cup of my oats for amaranth seeds and increased the oil, syrup, and discard amounts to fit a bigger batch.
Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
Discard: leftover sourdough starter. This is key to making a crispy granola that bakes into big chunks. No substitutions.
Oil: I use olive oil, if you don’t like the flavor use something else.
Syrup: maple syrup (not pancake syrup!).
Salt: fine sea salt.
Cinnamon: ground. Optional.
Oats: old fashioned rolled oats.
Amaranth: technically a seed but often seen as a grain in food applications. Puffed amaranth makes for a super crispy granola with its texture being a bit like puffed rice.
Nuts: I like pumpkin seeds in my granola but use what you like!
How to make Amaranth Granola with Sourdough Discard
This process is so simple but let’s go over it in a little detail so you get the perfect granola:
Whisk together the discard, oil, and syrup. Make sure that it’s well mixed so that you don’t have bits of unmixed discard.
Whisk in the cinnamon and salt. I like to add a dash of vanilla here too but it’s up to you.
Now toss in the oats and amaranth, as well as the nuts or seeds you’re using. Careful not to add too many more nuts/seeds or you won’t have enough ‘wet’ to cover all the ‘dry’ and your granola won’t be as crispy.
Stir this really well, it’s important that the amaranth and oats are completely coated by the wet ingredients.
Have the oven preheated to 325F : we bake this a little low and slow so it develops that crispy texture.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Don’t use foil, the granola will stick to it. A silicone mat is fine but parchment will give you the best crisp (closer proximity to the heat of the pan).
Tip: I always oil my pan before putting the parchment paper on top so that it sticks to it.
Spread the amaranth granola onto the pan, in an even layer and packing it in so it’s not too thick in the center but thin on the edges. The more even the layer the more even the crisp.
Bake for about a half an hour, we’re looking for a golden color, especially on the edges. If it looks a bit pale in the center, break it up a bit (just in the center) and let it bake a bit more (5 minutes or so).
Let it cool completely before breaking it apart, this helps keep those big slabs of granola.
Keep it in an airtight container (I use a gallon bag) at room temperature, it’ll be good for about two weeks.
Recipe for Amaranth Granola (with Sourdough Discard)
Amaranth Granola (with sourdough discard)
Ingredients
- 130g or ½ cup sourdough discard
- 80g or 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 115g or 6 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 250g or 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 60g or 2 cups puffed amaranth can sub with puffed millet
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (use a bit of oil to make it stick to the pan).
- In a large bowl whisk together the sourdough discard, olive oil, and maple syrup. Add the salt and cinnamon (a dash of vanilla too if you like) and whisk to combine.
- Add the oats, amaranth, and nuts/seeds and toss very well, ensuring that all the oats and amaranth have been covered with the wet.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer, pack it into as thin of a layer as you can. Bake, until the granola is golden, for about 30 minutes. If it’s soft/pale in the center you can gently toss it and return it to the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Let the granola cool before breaking up into bits. Store in an airtight container at a cool, room temperature.
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