This article may contain affiliate links and if you make a purchase after clicking on a link, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
You are about to whip up your infamous sandwich bread recipe when you find out that you are out of potato flour. This can be demoralizing, but you can still treat yourself and your family to those delicious bread rolls by opting for potato flour substitutes.
Some of the best substitutes for potato flour that you can use include cornstarch, mashed potatoes, rice flour, arrowroot powder, wheat flour, etc.
But before we divulge the different available options you can use in place of potato flour; please note that potato flour and potato starch are not terms used interchangeably for the same item. We’ll look into their differences shortly!
Let’s learn more about potato flour first!
What Is Potato Flour?
Potato flour is made from whole peeled potatoes, which undergoes a couple of processes that turn it into fine-textured powder. They smell and taste just like potatoes with a comforting and earthy taste.
Whole potatoes are peeled, then cut up into small slices before being dehydrated and ground into a fine powder to make potato flour.
Potato flour has a high nutritional value with a not-so-overpowering taste, meaning it can be added to different dishes and get the benefits and flavor of potatoes. It is a versatile ingredient and can be used to make delicious curry, gravy, bad, and pastry.
Most baking recipes call for a little bit of potato flour, but if halfway through your dish and you find out that you are out of stock, here are some potato flour substitutes you can use instead that deliver a similar taste and flavor like you would get with potato flour.
Difference Between Potato Flour and Potato Starch
Potato flour is made from whole peeled potatoes that are cooked, dehydrated before it is grounded into a fine powder. Potato starch, on the other hand, is extracted from crushed potatoes, which are then dried to a fine, bright-white powder.
Potato flour contains fiber, protein, and flavor, unlike potato starch that is pure flavorless starch. With that common misconception cleared out, let’s look at some substitutes for potato flour.
Best Potato Flour Substitutes
1. Mashed Potatoes
This is a great substitute option when you are baking or making stews, gravy, and soups. When used as a substitute for potato flour, mashed potatoes add the right moisture and softness to your dish.
But you may find it difficult to determine the right water ratio of mashed potatoes. Adding too much water can ruin your recipe, especially when making bread, as it causes it to become sticky; using too little water can also make your bread turn out very hard.
Due to the difference in the moisture level of mashed potatoes and potato flour, you need to be careful when making a substitution.
Use accurate measurements when substituting mashed potatoes for potato flour; you’ll need ¾ cups of mashed potatoes for every 1/4 cup of potato flour. You also need to reduce the amount of liquid your recipe calls for by 40-60%.
2. Cornstarch
Cornstarch is more similar to rice flour than potato flour and is made from the endosperm of corn. It does not contain the delicious earthy flavors of potato flour but can be used as a gluten-free substitute option for baking as it contains starch, which helps to retain moisture in any dish.
When used in making bread, cornstarch keeps it from going stale after a few days. The flavor of these two ingredients is the only difference that sets them apart; cornstarch has zero flavors, so it doesn’t alter the dish’s taste.
It can be used to make thick sauces, glazing, soup, gravy, and Chinese dishes, most of which uses cornstarch to thicken a stir fry before serving.
3. Arrowroot Powder
Arrowroot is also known as Maranta Arundinacea and is native to Indonesia; it can be made into root flour, which is filled with scratch and gluten-free.
Arrowroot flour is not very popular but can be used as a substitute for potato flour, cornstarch, and all-purpose flour.
It is a thickening agent just like potato flour and can be used to make your sauces glossy and less acidic.
It is a gluten-free product that is great for baking, as it blends very easily with another type of flour; it can be swapped with potato flour and deliver a similar result.
Arrowroot flour does not have an intense flavor but has an earthy aroma, which pairs very well with sweet baked items.
Not only is arrowroot powder an excellent substitute for potato flour, but it also has certain health benefits:
- Arrowroot is easily digested, so it’s ideal for making meals for children and the elderly. It also has a high protein content compared to potatoes
- Arrowroot powder contains vitamin b9, which is proven to help with DNA formation during pregnancy. It has a high iron, potassium, phosphorus, and starch content, which helps with weight loss by slowing down digestion
- It is rich in fiber which helps to relieve digestive problems
4. Rice Flour
Rice flour is a common household ingredient, making it a quick and easy substitute for potato flour as it’s readily available.
Rice flour is made from rice with a high starch content, unlike other flours on this list; rice flour is very dense and heavy.
This makes them your least favorite option for baked items because too much rice flour can prevent the baked goods from rising and forming a good shape.
Most bakers like to combine rice flours with other ingredients to make it less dense unless you do not mind the alteration of texture when making bread and other baked goods. It gives your bread a delightful, chewy texture.
It is a gluten-free substitute for general baking, and it is effortless to use. Rice flour has some crucial health benefits when consumed; it is rich in vitamin b, especially if you are using flour made from brown rice, which has higher levels of b vitamins.
Rice flour is an excellent source of fiber that aids digestion and helps with weight loss; it has high fiber content, which helps to keep hunger at bay.
Rice flour is also a great option for those seeking a substitute for potato flour to maintain their blood sugar level, like type-2 diabetic patients.
Also, being totally gluten-free makes rice flour suitable for those with celiac disease.
Rice flour contains choline, a very useful nutrient that helps transport your cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to different parts of the body, improving your gut’s health.
5. All-Purpose Flour
A quick swap of all-purpose flour for potato flour can work in most recipes. However, all-purpose flour is not gluten-free, so you’ll need to keep that in mind if you are allergic to gluten.
When used in bread and other baked goods, all-purpose flour changes its texture and does not deliver similar chewiness, although the dish can become a bit denser.
All-purpose flour can also be used as a thickener but will need to be cooked for a while. Otherwise, it may leave a grainy taste and a powdery texture to any dish it is added.
However, all-purpose flour isn’t great with sauces; it does not deliver similar glossiness and thickness of a beautifully made sauce as you would get when you use potato flour.
All-purpose flour only thickens up the sauce but does not get that glossiness and shiny finish.
6. Wheat Flour
Wheat flour may not be the best substitute for baking because, unlike potato flour that is known for its ability to hold onto moisture, wheat flour does not do that. It will help the bread to rise, but it loses its moisture within a few days.
So any bread or baked goods that are made with wheat flour cannot be kept for a long period of time. Wheat flour also lacks the distinctive potato flavor, which means it doesn’t achieve the same flavor profile.
Wheat flour has some key health benefits; it contains many antioxidants like alkylresorcinols and lignans; it is rich in insoluble fiber, which helps sustain the beneficial gut bacterias.
Wheat flour also contains vitamins like niacin, calcium, iron, thiamine, and vitamin B6 alongside helpful minerals including selenium, phosphorus, folate, manganese, and copper.
7. Potato Flakes
In the absence of potato flour, you can use some potato flakes instead. They are essentially the same thing, and when the right measurements are used, they are interchangeable.
Potato flakes can be referred to as the rougher ground version of potato flour. They do not have a smooth and fine texture but cannot use to add texture to dishes.
You can not use potato flakes straight out of the package; they need to be dissolved in water before adding them into a recipe.
Related Articles:
