The 5 Best Cornstarch Substitutes for Cooking and Baking

If you\’re out of cornstarch, check your pantry for one of these substitutes.

This natural product is really better for thickening stews and sauces without changing their flavor altogether.

But when you don\’t have that cornstarch, take a good look at this article to find out the best cornstarch substitutes to use easily.

  What is cornstarch and what is it used for?

Cornstarch is made from the endosperm found in the center of a corn kernel. The starches inside the endosperm are rinsed, removed, dried and then ground into a fine powder and that leaves just cornstarch. Do not confuse cornstarch with corn flour, which is made from whole grains.

The white powder can be used in several ways, in the kitchen or in other areas. Mostly it is used to thicken stews, sauces and creams.

Here then are the five of the best cornstarch substitutes for all your at-home thickening needs:

  1. All Purpose Flour

Yes, as you know, all-purpose freshness is a good thickener. It doesn\’t quite produce the same glossy sheen as starch, but it will do the trick.

All-purpose flour typically has half the thickening power of cornstarch. So if you use one tablespoon of cornstarch for thickening, then you\’ll need to use two tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

  2. Arrowroot powder

If you have this starch on hand, you are really lucky. It has the same sauce thickening properties as cornstarch and makes a nice shiny sauce.

However, be careful using arrowroot. Arrowroot really doesn\’t keep well or is difficult to reheat. it is really best to use this substitute immediately when you serve the food.

Also : How to prepare cassava leaves 

  3. Potato starch

Like arrowroot, starch is still a powerful thickening agent, but it doesn\’t keep for long after heating food, so you\’ll eat it as soon as possible. Potato starch has the same thickening power as cornstarch, so there isn\’t no need to convert it.

  4. Rice flour

Like the previous flours, rice flour has about half the thickening power of cornstarch, so we recommend using two tablespoons of rice flour for every tablespoon of cornstarch. You should know that it is also colorless, and is ideal for use in clear liquids.

  5. Tapioca Starch

Tapioca is an ingredient derived from cassava, a root vegetable found essentially throughout South America.

It doesn\’t have all the thickening power of cornstarch, but you should still use two tablespoons of tapioca starch for every tablespoon of cornstarch needed.

You want to avoid cooking the tapioca paste as it will create a thick, runny string.