Out of Cornstarch, one case

Cornstarch substitute for gravy and sauces

6 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 6 options

Use All-purpose flour

2 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch

For gravy, use 2 tbsp all-purpose flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked into cold liquid or cooked in the pan fat first, then simmered at least 2 minutes longer than cornstarch needs. The gravy will be opaque, which is how gravy usually looks. For a sauce that should stay clear and glossy, such as teriyaki or a stir-fry glaze, use arrowroot or tapioca starch in the same amount as the cornstarch and take the pan off the heat as soon as it thickens.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Whisk it into ¼ cup cold stock or water until smooth, stir that into the simmering pan and cook at least 2 minutes longer than you would for cornstarch. Or cook it in 2 tbsp of the pan fat for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the liquid.
Best for —: turkey, beef and chicken gravy
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full cornstarch card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Cornstarch substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp cornstarch	Verdict
1	All-purpose flourturkey, beef and chicken gravy	2 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
2	Arrowroot powderteriyaki and stir-fry sauces	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
3	Tapioca starchglossy Asian-style sauces and glazes	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
4	Potato starchtightening a gravy or soup just before serving	1 tbspTweak it	Tweak it
5	Instant mashed potato flakesstew, chowder and chili	2 tbsp per cup liquidYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
6	Xanthan gumlow-carb and gluten-free gravy	¼ tsp per cup liquidYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option6 options

All-purpose flour

neutral once simmered, toasty if cooked as a roux; pasty if rushed

The classic gravy thickener. Flour is only about three-quarters starch, so it takes twice as much, and it gives an opaque, matte sauce that holds up to reheating.

Best for: turkey, beef and chicken gravy, cheese sauce, white sauce and stew, sauces made ahead and reheated
Prep: Whisk it into ¼ cup cold stock or water until smooth, stir that into the simmering pan and cook at least 2 minutes longer than you would for cornstarch. Or cook it in 2 tbsp of the pan fat for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the liquid.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Teriyaki, sweet-and-sour, fruit sauces and glazes: flour turns them cloudy and dull.

Arrowroot powder

neutral taste

A root starch that thickens clearer and glossier than cornstarch and is not weakened by acid.

Best for: teriyaki and stir-fry sauces, fruit sauces and sauces with lemon, wine or vinegar, gluten-free gravy served right away
Prep: Stir it into 2 tbsp cold water, add it at the very end of cooking and take the pan off the heat as soon as the sauce thickens.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Milk, cream and cheese sauces, where it turns slimy and stringy, and gravy held at a simmer on the stove, where it thins out again.

Tapioca starch

neutral; slightly stretchy if overdone

Cassava starch, also sold as tapioca flour. It thickens quickly at low heat to a shiny sauce and survives freezing.

Best for: glossy Asian-style sauces and glazes, sauces you plan to freeze
Prep: Stir it into 2 tbsp cold water and add it in two halves, stirring 30 seconds between them. Stop when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Too much makes a gluey, stringy sauce, and long boiling thins it.

Potato starch

neutral taste

Thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch, so it is quick to use for a last-minute fix.

Best for: tightening a gravy or soup just before serving, Passover and gluten-free cooking
Prep: Stir it into 2 tbsp cold water, take the pan off the boil, stir it in and serve within a few minutes.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Gravy kept warm through a long meal or reheated the next day: potato starch breaks down with heat and time and the gravy goes thin.

Instant mashed potato flakes

a mild potato taste and a slightly grainy body, not a smooth gloss

Dried cooked potato that thickens by soaking up liquid. It needs no slurry and does not lump.

Best for: stew, chowder and chili, rustic brown gravy when there is no flour or starch
Prep: Sprinkle them straight into the simmering pot while stirring, then wait 2 minutes before adding more, because they keep absorbing.
Where it fails: Smooth, clear or delicate sauces. The gravy looks thicker, not silkier.

Xanthan gum

none; the feel is slightly slippery

A very strong thickener that works hot or cold with no cooking and holds through reheating. It adds almost no carbohydrate.

Best for: low-carb and gluten-free gravy, sauces reheated several times, cold sauces and dressings
Prep: Sprinkle it over the surface in a thin stream while whisking hard, or blend it in. Wait a full minute before deciding to add more.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Any heavy hand: a little too much turns a sauce slimy, and it cannot be taken back out.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeCornstarch

In gravy and sauces cornstarch is purely a thickener: 1 tbsp sets about 1 cup of liquid to a medium gravy that coats a spoon. The first thing to decide is whether the sauce has to look clear. Gravy, stew and cheese sauce are already opaque, so flour is the easy answer. A glaze or an Asian-style sauce needs a pure starch to keep its shine.

Tips for substituting cornstarch

5 tips

For each cup of liquid that 1 tbsp cornstarch would have thickened, use 2 tbsp flour, or 1 tbsp arrowroot, tapioca starch or potato starch.
Mix any flour or starch into cold liquid first, about 2 tbsp cold water per tablespoon of starch. Dry powder dropped into a hot pan sets into lumps that never dissolve.
Simmer a flour gravy at least 2 minutes after it thickens. Arrowroot and potato starch are the opposite: add them at the end and get the pan off the heat.
For gravy from drippings, cook 2 tbsp flour in 2 tbsp of the fat for 1 to 2 minutes, then whisk in 1 cup of stock a little at a time.
Sauces keep thickening as they cool, so stop while the sauce looks slightly thinner than you want on the plate.

Questions

5 questions

How much flour do I use instead of cornstarch in gravy?

Twice as much: 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch, which thickens about 1 cup of liquid to a medium gravy. Whisk it into cold liquid or cook it in the pan fat first, and simmer at least 2 minutes so it does not taste raw.

What can I use instead of cornstarch in teriyaki sauce?

Arrowroot or tapioca starch, in the same amount as the cornstarch, mixed with cold water and stirred in at the end. Both keep the sauce clear and shiny. With no starch at all, simmer the sauce uncovered until it reduces to a syrup; the sugar in teriyaki thickens it as the water cooks off.

Can I thicken a sauce without flour or cornstarch?

Yes. Simmer it uncovered until enough water cooks off, which concentrates the flavor, so salt it afterward. For soups and stews, 2 tbsp instant potato flakes per cup of liquid, or a scoop of the cooked vegetables or beans blended and stirred back in, adds body with no starch.

Why did my gravy go thin again after it thickened?

Arrowroot and potato starch both lose their hold if they are boiled or kept hot for long. To fix it, whisk 1 tsp flour into 1 tbsp cold water, stir it in and simmer 2 minutes. For gravy that has to sit on the stove or be reheated, use flour from the start.

What is the gluten-free substitute for cornstarch in gravy?

Cornstarch is itself gluten-free, so any pure starch keeps the gravy gluten-free: arrowroot, tapioca starch or potato starch in the same amount. White rice flour at 2 tbsp per 1 tbsp cornstarch, simmered 3 to 4 minutes, makes an opaque gravy that reheats well.