Cornstarch Substitute: 6 Easy Swaps

Cornstarch Substitute

If you’re looking for an alternative to cornstarch, then you’re in luck! I’ll share my favorite cornstarch substitute, plus I’ll give you 6 options that work perfectly.

These cornstarch alternatives work great for thickening sauces, soups, stews, and gravies.

For a long time, I avoided cornstarch because I preferred to eat grain free. I wanted to avoid corn products because many are made from GMO corn.

I’ve tried a variety of cornstarch substitutes over the years in a variety of recipes.

If you’re looking for a substitution for cornstarch because you’re on a grain free diet like the Paleo diet or maybe you just ran out of cornstarch and need a quick alternative in a recipe, I’ve got you covered!

Substitute for Cornstarch

If you don’t have cornstarch on hand, you can use any of these ingredients as a substitute in most recipes.

• All-purpose flour (or gluten free all-purpose flour)
• Arrowroot starch
• Potato starch
• Tapioca starch
• Xanthan gum
• Gelatin

Simply use an equal amount of the substitute as you would cornstarch. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, you can use 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch instead.

Keep in mind that some of the substitutes will require a little bit more to thicken a sauce, soup, etc. I suggest starting with the same amount of cornstarch the recipe requires then adding 1/4 tsp more at a time.

My favorite cornstarch substitute is arrowroot starch (sometimes called arrowroot powder). I found this substitute works exactly like cornstarch when thickening recipes.

Tapioca starch can cause the sauce to get a little gooey.

Keto Cornstarch Substitute

Gelatin is my favorite way to thicken a sauce when on the keto diet. Use powdered gelatin (the kind that turns into jello, not the kind that stays dissolved and never turns into jello), and add the gelatin to a little bit of water to bloom it.

Then add the bloomed gelatin to the sauce you are thickening. If the recipe calls for 1 tbsp of cornstarch, start with 1 tbsp of gelatin and continue adding until you have reached your desired thickness.

Xanthan Gum Substitute for Cornstarch Ratio

You can use xanthan gum instead of cornstarch to thicken sauces. Use it 1:1 for cornstarch.

Substitute for 1 tbsp Cornstarch

• All-purpose flour (or gluten free all-purpose flour) 1:1
• Arrowroot starch 1:1
• Potato starch 1:1
• Tapioca starch 1:1
• Xanthan gum 1:1

More substitutions to try

• Egg Substitute
• Buttermilk Substitute
• Baking Powder Substitute

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