Easy potato starch substitutes to save your homemade recipes and dishes. From simple cornstarch to coconut flour, these best ingredient alternatives are up to the job.
Made from the fine white powder extracted from potatoes, potato starch is the gluten-free and odorless ingredient used as a binding agent in noodles, sauces, and even hot dog sausages. It’s also used to thicken homemade soups and stews and stop packaged cheese clumping.
But what if you don’t have any? These everyday ingredients will save your home recipe at the last minute.
Corn Starch
Corn starch (also called cornflour or maize starch) is derived from corn or maize grain and can be used in place of potato starch as a thickening agent. Furthermore, it’s also a tasteless ingredient with similar color, meaning swapping in cornstarch will not alter the appearance or flavor of your recipe.
To use cornstarch in place of potato starch, use it in a 1:1 ratio. Just like potato starch, corn starch is gluten-free.
Arrowroot Powder
Arrowroot powder is derived from the arrowroot plant, native to Central America. It makes an excellent substitute for potato starch because it has a similar color and taste. It is also colorless and tasteless. The other advantage is that it is also gluten-free. To make the substitution, use two teaspoons of arrowroot powder for one teaspoon of potato starch.
Potato Flour
Potato flour is made from dehydrated and ground potatoes. The downside of using this as a substitute is that potato flour has strong potato flour, which may offset your recipe. You may use it using a ratio of 1 to 1. So you can use one teaspoon of potato flour in place of 1 teaspoon of potato starch if you don’t mind your recipe having an earthy flavor. It is a better substitute if you are frying the dish. This way, the strong potato flavor will not throw the taste of your dish off too much.
Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is taken from the cassava plant root. It’s a great thickening agent. However, it is not very nutritious, so nutrition can not be why you pick this substitute. one glance at it, and you may confuse it for potato starch when it’s on the shelf. It is a fine white powder that looks like flour. It makes a good substitute because it can be used as a binding agent or as a thickening agent, in the same way that you can use potato starch. It is also gluten-free. You can use a 1-to-1 ratio, especially when using small amounts.
Mashed Potato
Mashed potatoes can be used in place of potato starch when you are looking for a substitute to use as a thickening agent. The disadvantage is that mashed potatoes taste a lot like potatoes, which may not augur well with recipes in which you want to use potato starch. Since potato starch has no taste, mashed potatoes can offer a strong-tasting tasting alternative. The thing to look out for is the difference in the consistencies. You can use mashed potato instant mix using a 1-to-1 ratio.
Rice Flour
Rice flour is a type of flour that is made from rice. It can be used as a substitute for potato starch because it has no taste, just like potato starch, making it a good substitute. You can use it for baking and frying. However, for best results, use soups and stews. To use it as a substitute, you can mix two tablespoons with liquid. The downside with rice flour is that it is heavier.
Mochi Flour
This is a type of rice flour made from short-grain rice that is considerably more glutinous than other options. It is an excellent substitute for potato starch when baking. But you can also use it for cooking. Even though You can describe it as tasteless, it has some hints of sweetness, which is why it does excellent in baking. To use it as a substitute, use a ratio of 1 to 1.
Coconut Flour
This is a type of flour made from coconuts. It is white and is often used for baking. The great thing is that it doesn’t have gluten which means it’s similar to potato starch. To use it in place of potato starch, you will need to reduce the quantity by about 15%. Remember that it has a bit of sweetness, so it may not work well in savory dishes.
All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is a quick and easy solution that you can use to substitute potato starch. It may not be the best substitute, but it is usually readily available. It is bland and doesn’t have a taste. When using it as a substitute, use twice the amount of flour for potato starch. The other downside with this alternative is that it’s not gluten-free like potato starch is.
Ground Matzo
This is a type of ground flatbread made from flour and water. While matzo isn’t usually the first suspect in the lineup of potato starch alternatives, you can use it in its ground form. The difference between ground matzo and potato starch is that it has a certain amount of flavor. However, it is heavier. When you use it, it works in the same way as breadcrumbs. However, this isn’t an alternative you should be reaching for.