What Can I Substitute Instead of Using Cornstarch?

As cornstarch is extracted from corn kernels, wheat flour is made by grinding wheat into a powder. Wheat flour consists of fiber, proteins, and starch, making it one of the best cornstarch substitutes. 

You may need to use a higher quantity of wheat flour to have a similar effect as cornstarch.

It's typically recommended to use white flour in a quantity double that of cornstarch to get the perfect thickening effect. This means that if you used to add one tablespoon of cornstarch to your gravies, you should swap it with two tablespoons of wheat flour. The same applies to whole grain flour or white flour.

You'd need to mix the wheat flour with cold water and form a paste. Then, add this mixture to your meals to prevent the flour from sticking and forming clumps.

Remember that wheat flour is not gluten-free, so if you have any gluten-related health conditions, avoid using this ingredient.

Arrowroot is another effective cornstarch substitute made from the Maranta plants' roots. The plants from this genus are primarily found in tropical areas. The roots of these plants are dried and ground into fine flour.

Many people prefer arrowroot flour over cornstarch, as the former contains more fiber. Mixing arrowroot with water makes a clear gel, which thickens your meals instantly.

Like wheat flour, arrowroot flour is also supposed to be used twice as cornstarch to get the best results.

Potato starch is an effective and safe cornstarch substitute. Powdered potato starch is obtained by crushing potatoes until they start releasing their starch content. Then, the potatoes are dried and ground into a powder.

One good thing is that potato starch is bland and has no particular taste, so you can rest assured that it won't change the original taste of your meals. 

If you like to avoid fats, potato starch would be ideal for you, as it is gluten-free and contains high carbs and little fat or protein. 

The ratio between potato starch and cornstarch is 1:1. This means you'd use one tablespoon of potato starch instead of one tablespoon of cornstarch. 

Bear in mind that potato starch can absorb water from your meals much quicker than other grain-based starches. Also, avoid heating the potato starch for long, as that may break down its contents, making them lose their thickening properties. Many expert chefs recommend adding potato starch or arrowroot flour when your meal is almost cooked.

This is a type of processed starch extracted from South America's popular root vegetable "cassava." Tapioca makes one of the best cornstarch substitutes, available in several forms, such as flakes, flour, or pearls. 

Tapioca is produced after crushing cassava roots to a pulp. The starchy liquid is then filtered out and dried into a fine, powdered form known as tapioca flour. The product is gluten-free.

It's recommended to use two tablespoons of tapioca flour to replace one tablespoon of cornstarch.

Please note that some cassava plants may contain cyanide, but typically they're treated first to make the tapioca flour non-toxic and safe for everyday use.

Rice flour is a popular ingredient in rice noodles, desserts, and soups in Asian countries.

It is a finely ground powder extracted from rice. Many people use rice flour as a cornstarch substitute since it's naturally gluten-free.

This ingredient quickly thickens the recipes. Rice flour becomes colorless when mixed with water, so it neither changes your meal's color nor taste. You must make a paste of rice flour with water (hot or cold) or roux (a mixture of fat and flour) before adding it to your recipes. 

You'll need to double the quantity of rice flour to get quick and similar results to cornstarch.

These cornstarch substitutes are very absorbent but give a gritty texture to your meals. Flaxseeds are rich in soluble fibers, so using them in ground form instead of flour enhances your recipe's fiber content. 

When mixed with water, ground flaxseeds form a jelly that thickens your dish instantly. You should add one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds instead of two tablespoons of cornstarch to four tablespoons of water.

Glucomannan is one of the best cornstarch substitutes because it is colorless and odorless. It is a powdered soluble fiber extracted from the konjac plant's roots. Glucomannan contains no calories or carbs, as it is pure fiber. 

This ingredient is ideal for people following a strict low-carb diet. Glucomannan is also a probiotic, so it helps nourish the beneficial bacteria in your large intestine to strengthen your gut. It's also found that consuming 3 grams of glucomannan daily can reduce your LDL (so-called bad cholesterol) by 10%. 

To avoid clumping, you'll need to mix glucomannan in cold water before adding it to your meals. One thing to remember is that this ingredient absorbs water way quicker than cornstarch, so replace two teaspoons of cornstarch with a quarter teaspoon of glucomannan.

You can use a psyllium husk as a cornstarch substitute since this plant-based fiber is high in soluble fiber and contains low carbs. This thickening ingredient has more powerful absorbing properties than cornstarch, though, so you'll have to use it in small quantities.

The best way to start using psyllium husk is by adding a small amount to your recipes. It's better to begin with half a teaspoon of psyllium husk and then increase the amount to achieve your desired thickness.

Sometimes, you may not achieve your desired results with cornstarch substitutes. 

Here is what you can try as a substitute for cornstarch:

• Cooking meals at a high temperature. Simmering your meals at low heat evaporates some liquid from your meals, giving you a thicker gravy.
• Vegetable puree. Add leftover vegetables' puree to your tomato gravy to make it thicker. This also adds more nutrients to your dishes.
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt. These cornstarch substitutes make your sauces thicker and creamier. 

If you want to make your meals more fibrous or low carb, you now certainly have a range of cornstarch substitutes to consider.