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The Daily Insight

How can I thicken sauce without flour or cornstarch

Author

Ava Hall

Published Mar 07, 2026

Puree some vegetables. Starchy vegetables—like potatoes, winter squash or celeriac—are excellent thickening agents, especially if they’ve been pureed. Simply roast or boil these vegetables and pop them into the food processor until smooth. Then, stir it into the sauce, and voila: It will instantly be thicker!

How do I make my stew thicker?

One tablespoon cornstarch per cup of liquid will give you a medium-thick stew that’s not overly viscous. Make a slurry by combining equal parts cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl, and whisking thoroughly to combine.

What can replace flour as a thickener?

Cornstarch can be subbed in for wheat flour at a 1:2 ratio. Because it’s a durable thickener, you only need half the amount of cornstarch to create the same effect. Also, adding cornstarch to a gluten free recipe is a great way to add softness and texture to baked goods while keeping them grain free!

What do I do if my stew is too watery?

If your stew looks too watery, have no fear! You can thicken it by adding common starches, adding flour, pureeing part of the stew, or boiling away excess liquid. Soon, you’ll be enjoying a delicious, hearty stew!

How can I thicken my stew without flour?

Peel a potato. Chop it up. Put it in a blender with half a cup of water and blitz until it has formed a smooth liquid. When your stew has cooked down and the meat is soft enough, add the potato water to the stew and stir through over medium heat until the potato tastes cooked and stew has thickened.

When should I thicken my beef stew?

If you do prefer your stew on the thicker side, though, you can toss your beef in flour or cornstarch before you sear it—the bits left behind will thicken your stew and add deeper flavor. Personally, we like a little bite on our veggies, so we add them with about 45 minutes in cooking time left.

Does butter thicken sauce?

4. Butter. Why it works: While adding a knob of butter to a sauce won’t thicken it dramatically, it can be just the thing to add extra richness and a glossy texture. How to use it: At the end of cooking, swirl a few tablespoons of cold butter into the sauce off the heat.

How do you thicken stew Roux?

1 Tbsp. flour mixed with 1 Tbsp. of butter or other fat should yield enough roux to thicken 3/4 to 1 cup of warm liquid. To avoid lumps forming, slowing whisk liquid into the roux and simmer until mixture thickens.

How do I thicken my slow cooker stew?

Cornstarch, potato starch, and chickpea flour are a couple of pantry-friendly ways to thicken soups, stews, and sauces in the slow cooker. Just a tablespoon or two of any — added towards the end of cooking — will thicken sauces especially well.

What can I use in place of flour for gravy?

Cornstarch is probably the most readily available ingredient to sub in for flour in your gluten-free gravy—and you probably already have it in your pantry. The only catch is you’ll skip the roux-making process. Once you’ve deglazed your roasting pan and added stock, transfer about 1 cup stock mixture to a medium bowl.

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What can I use instead of cornstarch to thicken sauce?

  • All-Purpose Flour. Yep, that’s right — all-purpose flour is a very stable thickener! …
  • Arrowroot Powder. …
  • Potato Starch. …
  • Rice Flour.

Can I use baking powder instead of cornstarch?

Can I Use Baking Powder or Baking Soda Instead of Cornstarch. It’s not recommended to use baking powder or baking soda as a substitute for cornstarch. Baking soda adds a particular flavour and both of them have specific chemical properties which is why they act as leavening agents.

What can I substitute for flour in beef stew?

  • Grated Potato. For each cup of soup or stew, add about 3 tablespoons of thinly grated potato during the last 15 minutes of your soup’s cooking time. …
  • Egg Yolk. …
  • Starch Thickener. …
  • Blended Soup.

What is used to thicken sauces?

Cornstarch is the most common to use for thickening, but you can also use potato starch, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, or rice flour. When combined with liquids and heated, these starches swell and form a thickening gel.

What does adding cold butter to a sauce do?

Small pieces of the cold paste are whisked into a gravy or sauce to thicken it. The sauce or gravy will never be as shiny as with beurre monter, but it will thicken more.

Is baking powder a thickening agent for sauce?

How Does it Work? Because baking powder usually contains cornstarch, this makes it viable option to thicken sauces. You wouldn’t be able to use baking soda as a thickener because it lacks the cornstarch. Cornstarch is what binds the wet ingredients together for a smoother and thicker substance.

Can you use baking powder instead of flour?

If your recipe calls for self-rising flour and all you have is AP, you can easily make it yourself by combining 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt for each cup of flour used.

How do you thicken watery gravy?

If your gravy is a little too thin, try stirring in 3 to 4 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you’ve created a smooth paste. Slowly and gradually whisk the mixture into the gravy a little at a time until it begins to thicken.

How can I thicken my milk?

The most commonly used thickeners are corn starch and all-purpose flour. But other flours can be used such as potato flour, rice flour and even tapioca flour. The most common way to thicken milk with a starch is to add a tablespoon of butter and your starch to a pan and heating it on medium low.

What is a substitution for cornstarch?

  1. Wheat flour. Wheat flour is made by grinding wheat into a fine powder. …
  2. Arrowroot. Arrowroot is a starchy flour made from the roots of the Maranta genus of plants, which is found in the tropics. …
  3. Potato starch. …
  4. Tapioca. …
  5. Rice flour. …
  6. Ground flaxseeds. …
  7. Glucomannan. …
  8. Psyllium husk.

How do you make homemade cornstarch?

Bring the corn into the blender and add some water to cover the corn in the blender. Blend until you notice a smooth texture. You can decide to blend the corn in batches if the amount of cornstarch you want to make is much. Repeat the process until you are done with all the corn in the bowl.

What is a cornstarch alternative?

We studied a number of different ingredients that work as a substitute for cornstarch, including all-purpose flour, rice flour, arrowroot powder, potato starch, and tapioca starch. Find out which is best for your recipe and the right ratio for a seamless substitution. Your pudding can (and will!)

How can I thicken without cornstarch?

Cornstarch is used to thicken liquids in a variety of recipes such as sauces, gravies, pies, puddings, and stir-fries. It can be replaced with flour, arrowroot, potato starch, tapioca, and even instant mashed potato granules.

Can you make soup without flour?

Immersion Blender When you desire to have clear soups without the mix of flour and cornstarch, it might be better to consider blending part of the soup so that you can thicken the other parts. Using an immersion blender works best if you are not keen to add other ingredients to your soup.

How can I thicken soup without flour gluten free?

Other options for thickening a soup include blending some of the cooked soup vegetables and adding them back in; throwing in some bread; or adding in a beurre manié — aka the “reverse roux” — made from flour mixed with butter.