Tipo 00 is not a particularly common flour in the USA, though if you take a walk through a European supermarket, you will see it everywhere! Tipo 00 is also known as type 00 or Italian 00 flour, and the 00 refers to the fineness of the mill. Tipo 00 is superfine in texture, Tipo 0 is a little coarser, and 1 and 2 are coarser again.
It is predominantly used to make pizza dough and certain types of pasta, though you can use it to make most baked goods too. So, are there any suitable substitutes? You betcha! Here are our 7 best:
- Bread flour
- All-purpose flour
- Durum flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Gluten-free 00 pizza flour
- Almond flour + lupin flour + wheat gluten
- Almond flour
Best All-Around Tipo 00 Flour Substitute: Bread Flour
Type 00’s soft, powder-like texture is perfect for creating that irresistibly airy and crispy pizza dough, specifically the Neapolitan style. But, to make a general pizza dough, bread flour can be a replacement in a pinch. It won’t be as light and delicate, definitely more dense and bready, and not as crispy, but it works well as a pizza base for the most part and has all the right flavors.
Best Easy-to-Bake-With Tipo 00 Flour Substitute: Bread Flour
Bread flour is also the substitute that is easiest to bake with. It is specifically designed for breads and is, therefore, a go-to for bakers to make foolproof bread-based products that rise well. Using bread flour not only promotes consistent dough rising and uniform texture but also enables the dough to endure longer fermentation periods, resulting in better flavored bread!
Use it for optimal results in recipes that call for yeast, like bread, pizza dough, bagels, and other baked treats.
Flour Closest in Flavor to Tipo 00 Flour: All-Purpose Flour
Tipo 00 flour is made by milling soft wheat grains and sifting them through a series of screens to remove any bran or germ. This process results in a very fine, powdery flour that is often pale in color. Both Tipo 00 and all-purpose flour taste pretty much exactly the same and are very neutral in flavor, but all-purpose flour will produce a slightly more dense baked good. All-purpose flour also wins in the most neutral flavored category!
Best Healthy Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: Durum Flour
If you’re making pizza, durum flour is a great option. Durum flour is a type of flour that has been a staple in Italian cuisine for centuries. It’s high in protein and gluten-rich but high in iron, B vitamins and magnesium. Semolina flour will also work!
Best High-Fiber Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: Whole Wheat Flour
Tipo 00 has had a lot of the fiber milled out of it and comes in at under 1 gram per ¼ cup. On the other hand, whole wheat flour makes a very tasty pizza dough with 5 grams of fiber per ¼ cup! It will make your pizza denser and chewier but can boost your fiber intake if you want to maximise it.
Best Gluten-Free Alternative to Tipo 00 Flour: Gluten-Free 00 Pizza Flour
Tipo 00 is hard to mimic if you are looking for a gluten-free alternative, so it is best to go for a blend specifically made to imitate it! Some brands use a gluten-free 00 flour mix, blending starches, alternative flours such as soy flour and rice flour, and other stuff to bind and thicken. Check your specialty stores or online to see what you can find!
Best Lower Calorie Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: None
Tipo 00 is super low in calories for flour, at only 100 per ¼ cup. The only flours that might beat it are completely unsuitable for making pizza dough, so if you are looking for a low-calorie alternative, maybe a cauliflower crust could be your go-to.
Best High Protein Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: Whole Wheat Flour
Whole wheat flour is quite high in protein, at 6 grams per ¼ cup. Tipo 00 has half of that at 3 grams. Because whole wheat flour contains the bran and germ, it has a coarser texture and a nuttier, earthier flavor.
Best Keto Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: Almond flour + Lupin flour + Wheat Gluten
Almond flour is a popular gluten-free flour made by grinding blanched almonds into a fine powder. It’s also lower in carbs and higher in protein than regular flour, making it a great option for those following a low-carb or keto diet.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same binding properties as gluten, so we need to make a few adjustments by adding other things, such as lupin flour and wheat gluten.
Lupin flour is a high-protein, low-carb flour that is making waves in the keto community, and vital wheat gluten is a gluten flour that is super high in protein and can add structure and elasticity to the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup vital wheat gluten, 1 ¼ cup super fine almond flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and you have your keto flour blend to add to the wet ingredients for your pizza dough.
Best Paleo/Whole30 Substitute for Tipo 00 Flour: Almond Flour
Almond flour is a popular gluten-free flour suitable for the paleo and Whole30 diets, as it is a whole food from a tree nut. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the same binding properties as gluten-containing flours, so it makes a rough and crumbly pizza dough, but you are pretty limited in your options on these diets!
Try combining 1 cup blanched almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 large egg, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to make the dough. Be sure to use paleo-approved baking powder, or switch it for baking soda instead.
FAQs
No, Tipo 00 is a finely-milled Italian flour made from hard durum wheat, while all-purpose flour is a mix of hard and soft wheat flour. All-purpose flour can be used as a substitute for Tipo 00, but it won’t give you the same light texture or subtle flavor that Tipo 00 does.
00 flour is the best choice for thin and crispy pizza dough because it contains gluten, which helps create a light and airy texture. The finer grind also makes a more elastic dough that can easily be stretched out thin.
It depends on the pizza style and the individual business, but many pizzerias use a type of Italian 00 flour, as it produces the best results for their particular style of pizza. The same goes for home cooks looking to make authentic Neapolitan-style pizza – Tipo 00 is the way to go.
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