Arrowroot flour is a fine, odorless powder extracted from the roots of the arrowroot plant, native to South America. It is usually used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews without altering their taste or as a binding agent in recipes for baking.
Cornstarch used to be the go-to for these types of tasks, but many brands actually contain sneaky gluten, plus corn can be an allergenic ingredient for some. So, arrowroot has become a handy alternative.
So, what about when you need an alternative to the alternative? You are in luck. Totally possible! They are:
- Tapioca starch
- Corn starch
- Cassava flour
- Konjac flour
- Potato flour
- Xanthan gum
Side note! Arrowroot flour isn’t usually used as primary baking flour, as it is more of a thickener and binder, so this article focuses on alternative thickening and binding ingredients for that reason.
Best All-Around Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is a great all-around alternative to arrowroot. It is gluten-free and is derived from the cassava root, which originated in South America. In addition to being an effective thickening agent, it’s also a good binding agent to create a more cohesive texture in your final product.
It tastes pretty much like nothing, so it’s on point with arrowroot in terms of flavor. It also thickens in a very similar way, and you can substitute it one for one!
Best Budget-Friendly And Easy-to-Bake-With Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Corn Starch
Good old cornstarch was the first thickening ingredient I ever used when I used to bake with my grandmother. I didn’t even realize there were other options until I had to research alternatives for my nutrition clients! Corn starch works perfectly as a thickener, and it is cheap and easy to use to boot. In fact, most recipes calling for a thickening agent will list cornstarch almost automatically.
The downsides? Corn allergies affect a surprisingly large cohort of people, and many brands of cornstarch are not gluten-free!! It blew my mind, so check your labels if you are coeliac!
Closest Flavored Substitute For Arrowroot Flour: Tapioca Starch
Arrowroot flour has a very neutral flavor, and the closest substitute for its taste (and also the most neutral-flavored substitute) is tapioca starch. The little pearls in bubble tea are traditionally made from tapioca starch, and arrowroot starch works well as a substitute due to their similar texture and flavor.
Best Healthy Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Cassava Flour
The issue with tapioca starch, or any of the starches, is that they aren’t that healthy. So for the best healthy substitute, we are going with cassava flour. Tapioca starch and cassava flour come from the same plant, so the flavors are very similar. The difference is that cassava flour has more fiber and nutrients, making it a healthier option.
You can use cassava flour as a thickener, just as you would arrowroot flour, and you can also use it in a wider variety of recipes, as it can be used as a primary flour. So versatile!
Best High-Fiber Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Cassava Flour
The starches are usually high in carbohydrates but low in fiber. Cassava flour is not really high-fiber flour by any means, but it has about 2 grams per ¼ cup, which is much more than the other starches’ zero-fiber level.
Cassava flour is also relatively high in resistant starch. This type of starch is important because it helps to feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut, which can help with digestion and reduce inflammation.
Best Gluten-Free Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is the best gluten-free alternative to arrowroot flour. While both are gluten-free, tapioca starch is often easier to find as it is more widely used. As always, anything that should be gluten-free is sometimes brand-specific, and labels must be thoroughly read. The reputable brands will be labeled “gluten-free and non-GMO’.
Best Low-Calorie Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Konjac Flour
If you want to stay seriously low on calories, check out konjac flour. This flour is made from a tuber that is heavy in fiber but low in calories, usually less than 30 calories per ¼ cup. Konjac flour also contains glucomannan which is excellent for those looking to make their gut bacteria happy.
It is highly absorbent, so it can help thicken sauces quickly, but you would need to use considerably less of it than arrowroot starch. I will guess roughly about ¼ of the amount, but if you have experience directly substituting, please let me know what ratio has worked for you!
If konjac flour isn’t something you can find or want to use, tapioca starch is lower in calories than arrowroot starch.
Best High Protein Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Potato Flour
There aren’t any starches that are high in protein; they are primarily carb-heavy. But, if you are looking for a higher protein, gluten-free alternative to arrowroot flour, then potato flour might be the answer. It contains 3 grams of protein per ¼ cup. Not high, but it beats zero.
Don’t confuse potato flour with potato starch – they are different. Potato flour is made from whole potatoes and contains more fiber, protein, and vitamins than potato starch. It can be used as a thickener in soups, sauces, and gravies, just like arrowroot flour, but it’s not quite as powerful of a thickening agent, so you may need to use more of it. Potato starch is made from starch that is extracted from potatoes and contains no protein.
Best Keto Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Xanthan Gum
Xanthan gum you may have seen as an ingredient in gluten-free flour blends, and that is because it’s an excellent binding agent, which you need in gluten-free baking. It is also a powerful thickening agent, which makes it a great replacement for arrowroot. The key with xanthan gum is to use very little. Too much can make your dish unpleasantly slimy.
Xanthan gum is made by bacteria! These bacteria feed on glucose and starch, and as they eat, they create xanthan gum, which is dried into a powder that is great for thickening and gelling. It is definitely different from arrowroot, but it and konjac are the only keto-friendly thickening agents I know of!
Best Paleo and Whole30 Substitute for Arrowroot Flour: Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is a grain-free whole food and is both Whole30 and paleo-friendly, provided you are using it as a thickener in sauces and not in a sugary baked good!
Arrowroot is also a paleo and Whole30-approved ingredient, but it is a starch and, therefore, not appropriate for keto diets.
FAQs
Arrowroot starch is a grain-free, paleo, and Whole30-approved ingredient, whereas cornstarch is derived from corn, is processed differently, and often contains gluten, so it is unsuitable for those grain-free or gluten-free diets.
Arrowroot has a smoother texture than cornstarch and produces clearer sauces and gravies when used as a thickener. It also creates a glossy finish, unlike cornstarch, which can produce an opaque finish.
Base ingredient aside, the way arrowroot starch is processed is healthier than the way cornstarch is processed. Cornstarch is typically bleached and treated with chemicals to give it a white color, while arrowroot starch is simply dried and ground.
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