What Can Be a Substitute for Starch?

December 27, 2025 •

3 min read

Over 50% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans come from starch, making it a culinary staple. When a recipe calls for it, but you're out, or if you have dietary restrictions like a gluten sensitivity, knowing what can be a substitute for starch is essential. Fortunately, several excellent alternatives exist for thickening sauces, creating crispy coatings, or binding baked goods.

Quick Summary

This guide explores various options that can be used in place of starch for different culinary applications. It details substitutes for thickening, binding, and providing crispy textures in cooking and baking, including all-purpose flour, arrowroot, tapioca, and xanthan gum.

Key Points

Arrowroot Powder: A gluten-free and flavorless thickener best for clear sauces, fruit glazes, and acidic mixtures, but should be added at the end of cooking due to its low heat tolerance.
Tapioca Starch: Derived from cassava, this gluten-free alternative provides a chewy texture to baked goods and a glossy, clear finish to sauces and pie fillings, with excellent freeze-thaw stability.
Potato Starch: This quick-acting, gluten-free thickener creates a silky, smooth texture in soups and gravies but should not be boiled.
All-Purpose Flour: A readily available substitute, though it has half the thickening power of cornstarch and produces an opaque, less glossy result in sauces; best used to make a roux.
Xanthan Gum: A very potent binder used in gluten-free baking and sauces, capable of thickening without heat, but must be used in very small quantities to avoid a slimy texture.
Substitution Ratios: To substitute all-purpose flour for cornstarch, use double the amount; for tapioca starch, use double the amount for thickening.
Best Use Cases: Choose your substitute based on the desired outcome—glossy vs. opaque, dairy-based vs. acidic, or freeze-thaw stability.

Common Starch Substitutes for Thickening and Binding

Starch is a common ingredient prized for its ability to thicken liquids, bind ingredients, and create specific textures. However, for a variety of reasons—allergies, dietary choices, or simply running out—a substitute may be necessary. The best alternative depends on the dish and the desired result.

Arrowroot Powder

Arrowroot powder is a flavorless, gluten-free thickener extracted from the root of a tropical plant. It creates a glossy, clear finish, making it ideal for fruit sauces, glazes, and soups. Unlike cornstarch, which can become slimy when mixed with dairy, arrowroot performs well in acidic mixtures. However, it can lose its thickening power when exposed to prolonged, high heat, so it is best added toward the end of cooking.

Tapioca Starch

Derived from the cassava root, tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) is another gluten-free alternative. It provides a chewy texture to baked goods and a clear, glossy finish to sauces and pies. Tapioca thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch and has excellent freeze-thaw stability, preventing sauces from separating after being frozen. It is a versatile binder for gluten-free baking and works well in pie fillings and puddings.

Potato Starch

This gluten-free, fine white powder adds a light, fluffy texture to baked goods and a silky-smooth consistency to soups and gravies. Potato starch thickens quickly at a lower temperature than cornstarch but should not be boiled, as this can cause it to break down. It is an excellent, neutral-flavored thickener for dishes served immediately.

All-Purpose Flour

As a widely available and inexpensive substitute, all-purpose flour can thicken gravies and sauces. Because it is not pure starch and contains protein, it has half the thickening power of cornstarch. It is often used to make a roux, which helps eliminate the raw flour taste. The resulting sauce will be opaque rather than glossy, and flour-coated fried foods will brown faster than those with a starch coating.

Xanthan Gum

Made by fermenting corn sugar, xanthan gum is a potent binder and stabilizer, particularly useful in gluten-free baking. It works without heat, making it suitable for salad dressings, sauces, and beverages. It must be used sparingly, as too much can result in a gummy or slimy texture. Xanthan gum is a reliable thickener for dishes that will be frozen, as it maintains its texture.

A Comparison of Common Starch Substitutes


Feature	Arrowroot Powder	Tapioca Starch	Potato Starch	All-Purpose Flour	Xanthan Gum
Source	Root of a tropical plant	Cassava root	Potatoes	Wheat grain	Fermented corn sugar
Thickening Power	High, best for quick heating	Moderate to high	High, quick-thickening	Moderate (1/2 strength of cornstarch)	Very high, potent
Best for	Fruit glazes, acidic sauces, clear sauces	Pie fillings, chewy baked goods, puddings	Soups, gravies, gluten-free baking	Gravies, cooked sauces (via a roux)	Dressings, sauces, gluten-free baking
Texture	Glossy and silky	Clear and slightly chewy	Silky, creamy	Opaque and cloudy	Gummy or slimy if overused
Heat Tolerance	Low; add at the end	High, but avoid prolonged boiling	Low; avoid boiling	High, used to make a roux	Needs no heat to thicken
Taste	Neutral	Neutral to slightly sweet	Neutral	Distinct cooked flour taste	Neutral
Dietary Notes	Gluten-free	Gluten-free	Gluten-free	Contains gluten	Gluten-free, but may cause digestive issues for some

How to Choose the Right Substitute

When selecting a starch replacement, consider the role it plays in your recipe. For glossy, clear sauces like a fruit pie filling, tapioca starch is an excellent choice. If you're thickening a dairy-based soup or stew and need a quick, neutral finish, potato starch works well, but be careful not to boil it. For gluten-free baked goods that need structure, xanthan gum is a powerful binder. In traditional savory recipes, all-purpose flour, used in a roux, provides a classic, opaque gravy. Experimentation is key to finding the best results for your specific culinary needs..

Conclusion

Starch plays a diverse role in the kitchen, but it is far from irreplaceable. From gluten-free root starches like arrowroot and tapioca to powerful binders like xanthan gum, a wide array of substitutes can achieve similar, and sometimes superior, results. By understanding the unique properties of each alternative, home cooks can confidently adapt recipes for dietary needs or pantry shortages. The right substitute can be the key to a perfect sauce, a crispy coating, or a successful gluten-free bake. For specific guidance, considering resources from reputable culinary institutions is often a good start.

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single 'best' all-purpose substitute, as each alternative has different properties. For thickening sauces, potato or tapioca starch are excellent gluten-free options, while all-purpose flour works well for gravies via a roux. For gluten-free baking, xanthan gum is a powerful binder.

To use all-purpose flour as a substitute for cornstarch, use twice the amount of flour. For every one tablespoon of cornstarch, use two tablespoons of flour. It's best to mix the flour with a cold liquid or fat first to prevent lumps before adding it to your hot sauce.

Yes, tapioca starch can generally be used in place of potato starch, but there are some differences. Tapioca creates a more glossy, clear finish and is more resistant to long cooking times. Potato starch, while a powerful thickener, can break down when boiled.

Excellent gluten-free substitutes for starch include arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, and potato starch. Xanthan gum and guar gum are also used extensively in gluten-free recipes for binding and thickening.

Xanthan gum is a very potent thickener and can work well as a substitute for starch, especially in cold applications or gluten-free baking. Use it sparingly, as a little goes a long way, and too much can create a slimy texture.

When choosing a sauce thickener, consider the other ingredients and how long you'll be cooking. For a clear, glossy finish, use arrowroot or tapioca, adding arrowroot at the end of cooking. For a more opaque, classic gravy, use all-purpose flour via a roux. If freezing is a concern, tapioca and xanthan gum are stable choices.

Most refined starches like arrowroot, tapioca, and potato starch have a neutral flavor. All-purpose flour will impart a distinct, cooked flour taste unless properly incorporated into a roux. Xanthan gum is also flavorless, making it ideal for many applications.