Albanian cornbread is a delicious treat that’s easy to make and can even be made gluten-free with one minor ingredient swap. The recipe combines basic ingredients like feta cheese, cornmeal, flour, and olive oil for a flavorful and savory treat.
Are you wondering why Albanian cornbread, instead of being from anywhere else?
I would love to say it’s because we try to follow a Mediterranean diet or because we are huge fans of Balkan foods. But the truth is much simpler. One of our readers, Ketjona Piku, is Albanian and shared this piece of her homeland with us.
Perfect for any meal, it’s a comforting, homemade favorite that anyone can enjoy.
One of the best things about inviting others to share recipes on Kibitz Spot is the exciting foods we get to try from around the world. Today it’s Albania, next week it will probably be something from our own kitchen. Who knows.
But this cornbread sure looks great. It seems perfect for any meal.
We love that she’s helping us bring a taste of Albania to our home.
What you need to make Albanian cornbread
- Cornmeal
- All-purpose flour (gluten-free flour option)
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Milk
- Eggs
- Olive oil
- Baking powder
- Salt and pepper
Do you have a favorite recipe? Why not share it with us? Whether you’ve got traditional Jewish food or anything gluten-free, we’d love to see what you can create.
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How to make this Albanian cornbread recipe gluten-free (and dairy-free)
We haven’t made this Albanian cornbread yet, but we’re excited to try it. When we plan to make a gluten-free version, as our kitchen is 100% gluten-free. We will do it by simply swapping the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour.
If Jeff finds that successful, we’ll take it a step further and make it dairy-free for me. Again, the process is easy, but it will have a bigger flavor impact. We must replace the cheese and milk with a dairy-free feta and a plant-based milk (we always start with almond milk).
Serving suggestions
While this homemade cornbread with feta cheese is easily a stand-alone snack served alongside a hot beverage like our chia latte, it also makes a great side dish.
- Serve alongside a warm bowl of curried coconut pumpkin soup for a cozy and flavorful meal.
- Pair it with baked salmon with capers for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner.
- Have it with Tex-mex chili for an exciting mix of flavours.
- Enjoy it as a side to stuffed kabocha squash, complementing the savory, hearty flavors.
- Serve it with a light salad like this spinach salad with grapefruit and avocado.
- Bring it along to a pot-luck meal as a tasty compliment to just about anything.
Ketjona’s Albanian cornbread recipe
Albanian Cornbread
Delicious homemade Albanian cornbread with feta cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ( gf option* )
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and olive oil until well blended.
- Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
- Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cornbread to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
* To make this gluten-free, replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour and check the cornmeal and baking powder to ensure they are gluten-free as well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 256Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 525mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g
Nutritional information isn't always accurate and it will vary based on the specific ingredients used.
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About the author
My name is Ketjona, and I recently started my food blog, Easy Breezy Bites. I’m from Albania and passionate about cooking, sharing both traditional and new recipes.
More Mediterranean ideas. . .
Photo Credits:
All photos on this page are owned and submitted by Ketjona of Easy Breezy Bites.
This sounds delicious. This will go great with my chili.