Have you wondered what ingredients people use when it comes to coating and frying some meat, thickening a recipe such as soup, stew, curry, etc? The secret of all this stuff is Corn Flour. Sometimes, people run out of this important ingredient and start to worry about thickening their soup and other recipes. Not having an ingredient doesn’t mean your recipe won’t work well as you expected. You can also replace Corn Flour using its substitutes.
We have a huge list of ingredients you can use as a Corn Flour substitute. First, you have to know what is Corn Flour and how is it made.
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What is Corn Flour and how is it made?
Corn Flour is different from Cornmeal. It is the fine powdered form of Cornmeal. Many people get confused between both Cornmeal and Corn Flour. Some people make their own Corn Flour at home by grinding whole corn, but they are unaware of the nutritional value of Corn Flour. Here, you can see the nutritional value as well as some health benefits of having Corn Flour.
Nutrient Profile of Corn Flour:
- Calories: 221
- Fat: 2.2g
- Sodium: 21mg
- Carbohydrates: 47g
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 0.4g
- Protein: 4.5g
Health Benefits of Corn Flour:
- Corn Flour is gluten-free.
- It may help in obesity prevention.
- Corn Flour may boost heart health.
- It is a good source of vitamins and minerals.
- Corns are rich in fiber that supports digestive health.
What can I Substitute for Corn Flour?
Not having the main ingredient at the moment may disappoint you sometimes. What can you do in that case? Every ingredient has its substitute. Similarly, Corn Flour has its own. You don’t need to go through stores and waste your time in this situation. You need to handle this situation on your own using the best Corn Flour substitutes. These substitutes work pretty well without ruining any recipe. Here, you can see the huge list of Corn Flour substitutes.
1. Cornstarch:
Some people get confused between Corn Flour and Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a starchy part of the corn kernel that results in a white powder texture. It is easily available in grocery stores. Cornstarch is flavorless as compared to Corn Flour, but it’s the closest Corn Flour replacement you ever find. If you are using it for coating deep-fry goods or as a thickening agent in a recipe, Cornstarch will be a great option to choose. You can replace Corn Flour in the same ratio of 1:1.
2. Wheat Flour:
Wheat Flour contains an appropriate amount of protein and fiber. It is not easy to get the same effect of using Wheat Flour instead of Corn Flour because it contains gluten. You just need to take 2 tablespoons of Wheat Flour to replace 1 tablespoon of Corn Flour as a thickening agent in soups and stews. Don’t use it directly in your soups or stews otherwise, you may see lumps in your recipe. Take some cold water in a bowl and add Wheat Flour accordingly then mix well until it gets smooth.
3. Rice Flour:
Rice Flour is a common ingredient that is used in most Asian cuisines. Most Rice Flour is made from white rice, but you can use Brown Rice Flour as a healthy ingredient. It is perfect for those who are trying to stay away from gluten-rich recipes/dishes. Using Rice Flour as a thickening agent in a recipe, you have to take double the amount of Rice Flour with respect to Corn Flour. You have to mix it with cold water to prevent the lumps before adding it to a recipe.
4. All-Purpose Flour:
All-purpose flour is a common ingredient for making baking goods such as pastries, waffles, bread, etc. So, it would be impossible thought not to have All-purpose Flour in your kitchen. This Flour is also used for coating and deep-frying. The dish will taste chewier and thicker as compared to the crunchiness of Corn Flour.
As far as it won’t give the same crunchiness as Corn Flour, still can be used as a great substitute for Corn Flour. All-purpose Flour has less thickening power so you have to use 2 tablespoons of All-purpose Flour as a good Corn Flour replacement in place of 1 tablespoon of Corn Flour.
5. Potato Flour:
Potato Flour is made of fresh crushed potatoes and then dried to produce white starch. It doesn’t contain any gluten. Potato Flour has a tendency to absorb excess water from a recipe. So, add it later after the cooking process as a thickening agent. If you add it earlier the soup or stew gets too thick as well as Corn Flour would lose its thickening capabilities after cooking for too long. You can easily substitute 1 tablespoon of Corn Flour with 1 tablespoon of Potato Flour.
6. Masa Harina:
Masa Harina is a great product to use as a Cornflour alternative. It is made from Corn with some additional steps in its making process. The process is totally different from making Corn Flour. The whole corn kernels are soaked in calcium hydroxide and then ground well to make a dough. The dough gets dehydrated itself and has a fine texture. If you are making tortillas, tamales, or other dishes with similar textures, you should go for Masa Harina to replace Corn Flour.
7. Cornmeal:
Cornmeal is just dried ground corn. The texture is more coarse than the Corn Flour. It is totally gluten-free and can be used for making gluten-free bread with a spongey and cake-like texture. We suggest you grind it well similar to the Corn Flour to mimic the same effect so that your recipe won’t be ruined. It works pretty well as a Corn Flour alternative after being grounded like a powder.
8. Self-Rising Flour:
Self-Rising Flour is a type of wheat flour that contains some extra ingredients such as baking powder and salt. It can easily replace Corn Flour as whole wheat and all-purpose flour do. You need to use double the amount of Self-rising Flour in place of Corn Flour to get that perfect thickening power. If you are making a baking product, you would use the same amount. You might want to lessen the amount of salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour and any baking powder by 1½ teaspoon per cup.
9. Tapioca Flour:
Tapioca Flour is from the cassava root. Most of us are aware of its pearl form (Sago/Sabudana). It is used for making gluten-free baked goods and to thicken soups. You should use the double amount of Tapioca Flour to substitute Corn Flour because it doesn’t absorb extra water from the recipe to quite the same extent that corn and potato do.
10. Arrowroot:
Arrowroot Flour is another starch made from plants. Using 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot Flour gives the same effect as 1 tablespoon of Corn Flour. The thickening tendency of Arrowroot becomes low after storing it for a long time. For a good result and to avoid lumps, take twice the amount of normal water in a bowl and 1 tablespoon of Arrowroot and mix well until it gets smooth.
11. Almond Flour:
Almond Flour is highly nutritious flour and nut-based flour that contains zinc, magnesium, calcium, copper, fiber, etc. It is made from blanched almonds with the skin removed, oil extracted, and finely grounded. Almond Flour is available in grocery stores. This can also be used as a good Corn Flour alternative in a recipe. You have to maintain a ratio of 1:1 when replacing Corn Flour with Almond Flour.
12. Kuzu:
Using a sodium-free variety of Kozu in your diet would be a great option for those who suffer from blood pressure. Even if you have sufficient stock of Corn Flour available, take into account the treatment of Corn Flour going through. It is the perfect choice for sweetmeats and desserts.
13. Guar Gum:
Guar Gum is made from guar beans. Guar beans go through a process to make Guar Gum. The starchy endosperm is dried and ground to form a powder. It is a much cheaper option to replace Corn Flour. You just need 1/4 tablespoon of Guar Gum to replace 1 tablespoon of Corn Flour. People who are suffering from bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity, and diabetes would get direct benefits from it.
14. Xanthan Gum:
Xanthan Gum has a high thickening tendency with excellent binding properties. Vegetable Gum which is also known as the gel is extracted and dried to make a powder form. You can apply it in any recipe, but it is mainly used in salads, soups, and stews. Thanks to its superior binding tendency make it a powerful thickening agent. It works pretty well as a Corn Flour alternative.
FAQ:-
What is the Difference Between Corn Flour and Corn Starch?
Corn Flour is a yellow powdered form of whole dried corn Whereas Cornstarch is a white fine powder form of starchy part of a corn kernel. Corn Flour is used similarly to other flours and as a thickener too, but Corn Starch is used as a thickening agent mainly.
Does Corn Flour raise blood sugar?
Foods that have a high glycemic index (70 and above) can increase your blood sugar level. Corn Flour has a 52 glycemic index which is not going to raise your blood sugar level.
Now, you know the best Corn Flour Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂
