Top 10 Flour Substitutes

3 mins to read

Whether you're following a keto, paleo, gluten or grain-free way of eating, one of our flour substitutes is sure to be right for you.

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It has been interesting to see the many different flour substitutes that have cropped up on the supermarket shelves over the years. This has been largely due to the increasing prevalence and awareness of allergies and intolerances to wheat, the main ingredient in flour.

There has also been increasing awareness that refined white flour provides no nutritional benefits, is digested very quickly, causing blood sugar levels to rise quickly, making you feel hungry soon after.

There is no equal substitute for all purpose flour, which has the protein gluten. Depending on the type of alternative flour, it can be a substitute or may need to replace just some of the white flour. Keep in mind that baking temperatures, liquid ratios and mixing all need to be adjusted when swapping all purpose flour for an alternative flour. These instructions all vary depending on the flour and are usually found on the packet of flour.

Try these alternative flours, a great way to improve the nutritional value of your foods, with some of them bringing a different flavour to the dish.

1. Almond flour

Made from finely ground almonds, using almond flour can help you to feel more full and satisfied than using plain white flour. It’s also high in protein, healthy fats and fibre and reduces blood sugar impact after a meal or snack.

Almond flour is suitable for grain free, low carb, paleo and keto diets.

2. Coconut flour

Coconut flour is made from dried and ground up coconuts. It’s packed with fibre and healthy fats. When used in recipes it may require more moisture in the form of liquids, due its high fibre content. It’s best used for things that don’t need to rise very much like pancakes, cookies, waffles. Coconut flour is suitable for grain-free, paleo and keto diets. It’s also a great alternative to almond flour for those with nut allergies.

3. Banana flour

A great gluten free flour made without any grains, banana flour has a delicious, natural nutty flavour, that doesn’t distinctively taste of bananas. It is a pale brown colour with a light texture that is great for baking recipes and a wonderful all-purpose flour. It is manufactured from green bananas which is a great source of resistant starch, with almost 60% dietary fibre and zero sugar.

4. Buckwheat Flour

Despite its name, buckwheat flour doesn’t contain wheat. It’s made from a fruit seed related to sorrel and rhubarb. With a nutty taste, it is great for pancakes, muffins as well as savoury dishes. It is also packed with fibre and protein and ideal for anyone with a gluten intolerance.

5. Quinoa Flour

Quinoa grains are tiny edible seeds that belong to the amaranth family, a group of highly nutritious ancient grains, that are high in protein and fibre. Quinoa flour is popular for its high protein content, which makes it great for adding protein to the diet. It can also be used as a protein powder substitute. It can be bitter in large amounts. The consistency of quinoa flour is similar to all-purpose flour and can be used as a thickener. It can be used for battering or as a breaded coating.

6. Oat Flour

Oat flour is made from grinding rolled oats. It is mildly nutty in flavour. Rolled oats are good for baking, such as bread. It’s also high in fibre and protein compared to all-purpose wheat flour.

7. Rice flour

Rice flour is quite bland and often used in Asian dishes. It is used in a similar way to cornstarch, to thicken sauces by stirring a little into a liquid.

Rice flour can also be used to make anything fried light and airy in texture. In Asia, it’s used in dishes such as Japanese tempura vegetables to the ever-popular Korean fried chicken.

8. Amaranth Flour

Ground amaranth, is made with an ancient grain, contains no gluten and plenty of protein. Substitute up to 25% of the wheat or other grain flour in a recipe with amaranth flour to boost nutritional content. It makes baked goods moister. It may also be used as a thickener in sauces, soups and other liquid-based dishes. It has a slight nutty taste. Because it's a so dense, amaranth flour is generally mixed with another lighter flour, such as all purpose flour in a 50:50 ratio.

9. Chickpea flour

Made with ground chickpeas, this gluten free flour is higher in fibre, protein, and iron than white flour. Chickpeas are generally milled raw. The dense texture of chickpea flour means it works great as a thickener or binder in items like pasta sauce. An example of its use is to make creamy pasta completely vegan by using a blend of water and chickpea flour instead of cream or milk.

10. Cassava flour

Cassava flour is made from the Cassava root vegetable yuca, that’s dried and ground into a white flour. It contains no grains, nuts and gluten. It is high in fibre and vitamin C while low in calories. Cassava flour has a very neutral taste, a powdery texture, and helps recipes to achieve a lighter texture. The weight and texture of cassava flour resemble all-purpose flour and can be swapped with a 1:1 ratio in certain recipes.