Cornstarch is the finest rice flour alternative since it is gluten-free, has no particular taste, and can be used for baking, frying, and thickening sauces and gravy.

There are other replacements that may be used to accomplish the same outcomes. You will still need to change the ratios and determine which rice flour substitute works best for different types of cooking.

For thickening a sauce, for example, use cornstarch or potato starch; for frying, use potato starch; and for baking, use all-purpose flour, sorghum flour, or tapioca flour. Because there are several varieties of rice flour, these are the ideal substitutes that are readily available and will not impact the ultimate product.

5 Recommended Rice Flour Substitutes

Here are our favorite rice flour alternatives, ranked by taste, texture, and ability to achieve the required results:

• Cornstarch
• All-Purpose flour
• Almond flour
• Potato starch
• Tapioca flour

Cornstarch: Best Rice Flour Substitute

If you’re looking to thicken a gravy or sauce, cornstarch is the greatest rice flour replacement. Furthermore, it may be used as a gluten-free replacement. Cornstarch is also flavorless, so you may use it to thicken gravies and sauces without adding any other tastes.

If you want to fry anything, cornstarch is an excellent substitute for rice flour in this application. Feel free to dredge your chicken, potatoes, and pork chops in cornstarch; once fried, they will have a crispy feel.

Thickening sauce using cornstarch is simple, but there are a few things to bear in mind. Remember that you may use rice flour alone to immediately thicken a liquid by placing it right into it.

With cornstarch, however, you must first add some water and then filter the resulting slurry into your gravy or sauce. Allow it to thicken to your preference while simmering over low heat.

Rice flour may be substituted with cornstarch at a 1:1 ratio. However, before incorporating it into your sauce or gravy, make a slurry with the cornstarch.

All-Purpose Flour

All-purpose flour is an excellent thickening agent for sauces and gravies. Furthermore, it is quite likely to be present in your house at all times of the year. All-purpose flour, unlike cornstarch, is often not gluten-free.

To utilize all-purpose flour as a thickening agent, it must first be dissolved in water before being added to a sauce or gravy. Filter the flour into the sauce after transforming it into a slurry-like consistency with water. Allow the sauce to boil so that it thickens gradually.

All-purpose flour is so versatile that it may be used as a replacement for rice flour in almost any recipe. When you’re baking, consider how many baked items include all-purpose flour. You may easily replace bakers rice flour in its place. This demonstrates how interchangeable these elements are, since they can be swapped in a 1:1 ratio.

Almond Flour

Almond flour is something you may not have heard of, yet it is gluten-free and just as healthy as flour. According to Healthline, 1 ounce of almond flour contains numerous critical elements, including vitamin E.

Almond flour is an excellent rice flour substitute, particularly for baking. Although the flour has a nutty taste, it can readily disguised with vanilla or chocolate.

Almond flour may also be used to coat and fry meals. There is one caveat: since almond flour burns rapidly, you must keep a close check on your meal. Cooking your meal and then placing it in the oven for a crispy texture is a safer method that avoids the chance of destroying it completely.

Furthermore, a rice flour to almond flour ratio is a good starting point.

Potato Starch

Potato starch and rice flour may be used in the same way and are often interchanged. This is not the same as potato flour. Potato starch is created by extracting starch from potatoes. The starch is then dried and processed into a powder that resembles cornstarch.

When it comes to frying, potato starch is an ideal replacement for rice flour. More precisely, potato starch may be superior.

If you use potato starch to thicken sauces, gravies, or liquids, keep in mind that cornstarch is a far stronger thickening agent than rice flour. To thicken a dish, you will surely use less potato starch than any other thickening ingredient.

You may prepare a potato starch slurry by combining one tablespoon of potato starch and two tablespoons of water as a great substitute for thickening a cup of liquid.

Find out more about potato flour: What is the difference between potato starch and potato flour?

Tapioca Flour

Tapioca is a good rice flour alternative since it is gluten-free and has a comparable texture and taste to rice flour. This flour is made from the root of the cassava plant and is possibly the least priced rice flour alternative available.

It will not alter the taste or scent of whatever you add it to, but it is not suitable for frying since it cannot sustain high heat levels. It may be used for pan-frying, however it should not be used for deep frying. When it comes to thickening sauces or preparing an extra creamy gravy, tapioca is a terrific option for white rice flour.

Because it thickens fast, use care while incorporating it into a liquid. Tapioca flour is also suitable for baking. It produces a crispy crust as well as a mushy dough. It has a little sweeter taste than rice flour, so you won’t need as much sugar as you would if you used rice flour.

To replace tapioca flour, use a 2 to 1 ratio, which means you’ll need two cups of tapioca flour for every one cup of rice flour.

Related Questions

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about rice flour:

What can I use instead of rice flour for sourdough bread?

Rice flour is ideal for use in the banneton (basket) because it prevents the dough from sticking. Because rice flour lacks gluten, it does not bind to any gluten in the dough.

If you don’t have rice flour, use semolina or cornmeal instead. Keep in mind that cornmeal has a coarser texture than rice flour, which is finer and lighter in texture.

What is the difference between rice flour and all-purpose flour?

The main distinction between rice flour and all-purpose flour is that all-purpose flour contains gluten, while rice flour does not. Furthermore, rice flour has a more granular texture and is lighter than all-purpose flour. Brown rice flour has much more fiber than all-purpose flour.

Rice flour absorbs liquids less effectively than all-purpose flour. As a consequence, for best results while baking, combine rice flour with another gluten-containing flour.

You cannot use rice flour in the same proportions as you would if you were substituting it for all-purpose flour. Instead, use one cup of rice flour for every one cup of all-purpose flour. Otherwise, the texture will be grainy, oily, and even gummy.

What is the difference between bread flour and rice flour?

The primary difference between rice flour and bread flour is that rice flour has much more calories than bread flour. These two flours are also utilized in distinct ways while baking. When baking, rice flour should be combined with another gluten-containing flour since it does not absorb fats and liquids and hence does not generate the proper texture.

Bread flour is denser than white rice flour and has more protein. This makes bread dough elastic and provides an airy quality when cooked that rice flour does not generate. Bread flour also has a stronger taste than rice flour.

Can I substitute rice flour for self-raising flour?

Baking with rice flour may also be problematic, since the high moisture absorption means you may need to add additional liquid. One cup rice flour and one teaspoon baking powder are the rice flour components for a self-rising flour alternative.

Is rice flour the same as cornflour?

Rice flour and cornflour are not interchangeable. Rice flour is made by grinding white or brown rice into a fine powdery consistency. It has a little gritty feel as well.

maize flour, on the other hand, is made from dried entire maize kernels. It is a whole grain flour that includes the endosperm, germ, and hull of the corn. The texture is smooth and fine, similar to that of whole wheat flour.

Although rice flour and cornflour may be used interchangeably, it is preferable to replace cornmeal for rice flour. They both lack gluten and should be used with other flours for baking.

More flour substitutes:

• Spelt flour substitute
• Brown rice flour substitute
• Sweet rice flour substitute
• Potato flour substitute