¡Buenos días! Are you ready for a super easy and simple dinner roll to serve with your meal tonight? This homemade traditional Colombian Pandebono gluten-free cheese bread can be made from start to finish in 30 minutes! This unique take on a dinner roll might surprise you. Most of the ingredients in this roll are NOT what you think. This bread hits the spot whether you’re having a bread craving and want something quick or cooking for your guests. This is the new favorite dinner roll for gluten and gluten-free eaters alike in my household. I can’t wait to share this recipe with you!
What May Surprise You…
This smooth, salty, moist, dense, and satisfying bread that originated in Colombia, South America doesn’t contain any of the ingredients you expect in a bread with this description.
This Bread Contains NO…
- yeast
- flour with gluten
- butter
- shortening
However, This Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread DOES Contain…
The primary ingredients are cassava flour, precooked cornmeal, lots of cheese, and an egg. What a short list of ingredients that really sing when baked together! Since this is a quick bread (or roll, rather), there’s no yeast. Pandebono rolls are smooth (no visible cheese), dense, salty, and very satisfying. I have been eating these all week and LOVING them! You will not miss the butter at all!!
A Little History of Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread
“Pan de bono” in English simply means “bonus bread”. It’s not exactly known how this bread originated, but there are several common stories. One of the most common thoughts is that historically Pandebono rolls were a popular, hearty snack for day laborers in haciendas in Colombia. The bread’s density was hearty enough to carry the workers between meals making it a sought after snack. The basic recipe was later shared throughout the country and across frontier lines. Now the rest of the world can enjoy them.
The Surprise Ingredient that Makes up for the Gluten, Butter, & Yeast
Let me just say, the cheese in this bread is everything! This bread is traditionally gluten free and you gluten eaters will NOT be missing anything! The salty, fatty cheeses substitute for the butter, oil, or shortening. In fact, this bread is as salty and rich as a normal yeast roll slathered with salted butter. The cheeses dissolved in the dough imitate the gluten stretch and air pockets that really only flour with gluten can provide. Add a little baking powder and egg for a simple rise and the yeast is unnecessary.
This bread comes together very quickly. So let’s get to baking!
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread Recipe & Baking Process
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread Ingredients
This simple recipe consists of cassava flour (aka yuca flour), precooked cornmeal (aka masarepa), baking powder, sugar, salt, Mexican queso fresco cheese, feta cheese, egg, and milk or water.
cassava flour (aka yuca flour), precooked cornmeal (aka masarepa), baking powder, sugar, salt, Mexican queso fresco cheese, feta cheese, egg, and milk or water
Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan
Start by preheating the oven to 400˚F/204˚C. Line a large (17×12-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper.
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread: Combine the Dry Ingredients
The easiest and quickest way to combine the ingredients is to use a food processor. In the bowl of a food processor, add the dry ingredients. First add 1 ½ cups of cassava flour, ½ cup cornmeal (this should be precooked cornmeal, not regular cornmeal), ½ tablespoon of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. While the quantities of the sugar and salt are in very small amounts, I think they enhance the flavor… like icing on the cake.
What is Precooked Cornmeal & Why Does it Matter?
Precooked cornmeal is also called “Masarepa”. Masarepa is precooked, dehydrated, ground corn best used in bread bakes where you want a smooth texture. Masarepa cornmeal is used in South America to make traditional arepas which are round, flat, corn cakes that are grilled like pancakes and topped with meat, cheeses, and/or veggies.
What Should You Look for in the Grocery Store Or Online?
Precooked cornmeal should be located in the same section of the grocery store as the cornmeal. It might also be found in the International food aisle. The brand “Pan”, as shown in the ingredient list photo, is the brand commonly found in American grocery stores. “Goya” is another brand and will likely include the word “Masarepa” on the package.
How Does Precooked Cornmeal Differ from Regular Cornmeal?
Precooked cornmeal is different from regular cornmeal because it is precooked and ground very finely. It works best in this recipe because it gives the bread a very smooth texture without any grittiness and holds well together without any crumbling. It provides more of a stretchy, yeast bread texture than a traditional crumbly cornbread texture.
What’s the Difference Between Masarepa (precooked cornmeal) and Masa Harina (corn flour)?
Masarepa and Masa Harina are both precooked cornmeal. Masa Harina corn has been soaked in alkaline limewater. Both are great in dishes, but the limewater in Masa Harina will add additional flavor. While you could probably use Masa Harina in this recipe, you might taste an (undesirable) additional flavor. Masa Harina is commonly used in making corn tortillas, tamales, etc. where many other flavors are also added.
food processor measure out 1 1/2 cups & add cassava flour 1/2 cup PRECOOKED cornmeal 1/2 tbsp baking powder 1/8 tsp granulated sugar 1/8 tsp salt
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread: Add the Wet Ingredients
Once the dry ingredients are well combined, add the cheeses. Start by crumbling a block (~1 1/4 cups) of feta cheese. Then, crumble in 1 cup of Mexican queso fresco (cheese). Pulse again until all the ingredients are mixed well.
TIP: If you can’t find feta or queso fresco (which means “fresh cheese”), you can substitute with farmer’s cheese. Basically, you just want a salty, crumbly cheese.
1 block of feta 1 cup of queso fresco still very dry after mixing well
Add the Final Wet Ingredients
While the food processor is running, slowly add the egg and continue to run the machine until the egg is mixed in. If the dough is too crumbly, add milk one tablespoon at a time and blend until you have a bread dough consistency. In fact, the dough will look a lot like sugar cookie dough.
TIP: If you don’t have or don’t want to use milk, you can substitute with water. If your cheeses are very wet, you may NOT need any additional liquid. I have made this recipe using 1 tablespoon of milk and 5 tablespoons of milk… it all depends on the cheese!
egg going in almost the right consistency add 1 tbsp milk
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread: Shaping Time!
Scoop out the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 12 relatively equal portions. They are commonly eaten in the shape of a ball (roll) or bagel-like ring shape with a hole in the center. I find rolls are the easiest AND you get a nice thick bread in the middle once they are baked. Shape them in your preferred shape. I’m making rolls out of mine by rolling each in my hands into a ball.
The EASIEST Way to Divide into 12 Rolls
You can simply eyeball the 12 “equal” portions. Shape the entire dough in a simple log. Cut the log in half. Then, cut each half in half (you will have quarters). Cut each quarter into thirds. That will give you 12 pieces. Roll each into a ball using the work surface or your hands.
TIP: Try to minimize any creases. The dough will rise some in the oven and will crack and separate along any weak point in the dough. If you have any creases, place the crease(s) on the bottom against the baking sheet when you place the dough on the baking sheet.
shape dough into a log cut the log in half for each half, cut in half again (making quarters) for each quarter, cut into thirds
roll each piece into a smooth ball all 12 pieces are rolled into balls
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread: Baking Time!
Place each ball/ or bagel shape on a lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. You can get all 12 rolls on a 17×12-inch cookie sheet or larger. Bake the rolls in the 400˚F/204˚C preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
place each roll 2-inches apart on lined baking pan ready for the oven (20-25 minutes)
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread Baked & Ready to Eat
Bake the rolls until the tops and bottoms are golden brown. My rolls are usually done in 22 minutes.
golden brown on top & bottom looks like gluten with a stretchy crumb
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread: A Closer Look!
What do you notice in this close up? The rolls are pretty close in size. Notice the air pockets within the roll. The ingredients are blended so well you can’t even discern the cheese or cornmeal. This is where the precooked cornmeal makes a difference. It looks like flour. The combination of cassava flour and precooked cornmeal creates a striking resemblance to regular all-purpose flour. The baking powder and egg produce a bit of a rise like yeast. The cheese adds the gluten-like texture as you tear the bread apart along with the air pockets as it melts.
Eating & Storing Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread
They are best eaten warm or hot, right out of the oven. They begin to harden the very next day if left at room temperature. I prefer to store them in the freezer. I place my baked rolls in a zip-top bag once they’ve cooled. When I want one (or two), I just remove preferred number from the freezer and microwave it (them) for 30 seconds. They are soft and hot as though I just baked them. You can store them in the freezer for up to a couple of months.
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread Final Thoughts
In Colombia, it’s not uncommon to eat these with a cup of hot chocolate or a nice cup of Colombian coffee. You can enjoy them with guava jam as well. Personally, I just enjoy them as a dinner roll. In fact, I enjoy these rolls so much, I intend on keeping queso fresco and feta on hand so I can make them routinely. Not that it matters, but they are SOOOOO good… in my opinion. 😉
Even though these are gluten free, they weren’t created for gluten-free eaters. They were created because the ingredients just make a good, hearty, tasty, sustainable bread. Give these a try, you won’t miss regular flour!
Baker’s Perspective
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Bread is such a surprisingly easy bread to make for such a tasty bread. You can’t beat 30 minutes from start to finish in making a homemade bread. Granted, the baking takes most of the time, but if you have the ingredients, the recipe comes together in just a few minutes… even the rolling. The ease of making this bread reminded me a lot of making homemade southern American biscuits. If you have the time to make biscuits for breakfast, you have time to make these cheese rolls for dinner. Let them bake while you prepare the rest of your 30-minute meal.
These days in the US, cassava flour, masarepa (precooked cornmeal), and the cheeses are not difficult to locate in a regular grocery store. They aren’t expensive either. If you can’t find the flours, they can easily be ordered online through Amazon.
Taster’s Perspective
I can’t say enough about this bread. This bread as been on my plate almost everyday for over a week and I can’t get enough. I was surprised at the smooth texture since it has ZERO gluten in it. I also couldn’t believe the cheeses could mimic gluten in providing the stretch and air pockets (when melted) typically found in bread.
Keep in the mind, this bread is dense. However, when warm, it’s soft and has a bit of lightness to it. The saltiness!!! Oh, my! Butter! Who needs it?!? On the first bite, I thought I was eating a dinner roll slathered with butter. Again, it’s the cheese! The cheese provides that saltiness and moistness you get from a pat of butter.
Whether you’re a gluten eater or not, this roll is something special. It’s certainly unique due to the ingredients. I can definitely see why day laborers working in haciendas in Colombia enjoyed this bread as a snack. I can also understand why the basic recipe made its way around the world.
Check out my YouTube video on making these rolls. “Colombian Pandebono 30 Min Cheese Bread: Rich and Salty Goodness Surprisingly Gluten Free“.
Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!
Colombian Pandebono Cheese Rolls: Rich, Salty, & Gluten Free in 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cassava flour aka yuca flour
- ½ cup precooked cornmeal Pan, aka masarepa
- ½ tbsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt use more or less depending on saltiness of the cheese
- 1 cup Mexican queso fresco or farmer's cheese
- 1¼ cup (1 block) feta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1-5 tbsp milk/or water depending on dough consistency due to the amount of water in the cheese, you may NOT need any or you may need several tbsp!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F/204˚C and line a large (17×12-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add the dry ingredients- flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. Add both cheeses- queso fresco and feta. Pulse again until all the ingredients are mixed well. Then, while the food processor is running, slowly add the egg and run the machine. If the dough is too crumbly, add milk or water one tablespoon at a time and blend until you have a bread dough consistency. In fact, the dough will look more like sugar cookie dough.
- Scoop out the dough onto a work surface (no flour needed). Divide the dough into 12 relatively equal portions and roll each in your hands or on your work surface into a ball. TIP: I like to shape the whole dough into a log like a cinnamon roll and cut it in half. Then, cut each half in half giving 4 smaller logs. Then, cut each of the 4 sections into thirds. That will give you 12 relatively equal sized rolls.
- Place each ball on a lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. You can get all 12 rolls on a 17×12-inch cookie sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
You might like these other bread recipes.
Mexican Conchas (sweet rolls topped with a cookie)
Mexican Bolillos (baguette style individual rolls- perfect shape for football season!)
Filipino Ensaymada Rolls (enriched rolled dough with options for fillings)
The Berry Rolls (my grandmother’s recipe & family favorite)
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