01
Arrowroot Flour
10.0best for dressing1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Same as arrowroot; 1:1 swap for thickening, freezes better than cornstarch but don't boil long
10.0
cornstarch substitute
for dressing.
Room-temperature dressings use cornstarch as a light body-builder — a pre-cooked 1 tsp slurry cooled to 20°C holds 80% of its hot-state viscosity and resists phase separation in oil-vinegar mixes for roughly 40 minutes before stratification. The coating ability on leafy greens depends on dynamic viscosity around 200-400 cP. Substitutes here are ranked by cold-set clarity, coating behavior on hydrophobic leaf surfaces, and taste-as-served acidity balance without cooking off.
top substitutes
adjustment for dressing
Use 1:1 by tablespoon, pre-hydrated. Bloom arrowroot flour in boiling vinegar 30 seconds, cool to 20°C, then whisk into emulsions. It coats leafy greens at roughly 300 cP and holds clarity through 3 hours at room temp — cornstarch clouds within 45 minutes post-emulsion.
02
Arrowroot
6.7best for dressing1 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Use 1:1; arrowroot gives glossy finish like cornstarch, breaks down with prolonged heat
6.7
adjustment for dressing
Swap 1:1. Arrowroot pre-cooked then cooled produces a glossy, transparent body for vinaigrettes that must hold on leafy surfaces at 20°C for 30-40 minutes before stratification. Tolerates acid down to pH 3.5 without shearing, which cornstarch fails below pH 4.0 over the same rest period.
03
Rice Flour
10.02 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Use double; less smooth finish
10.0
adjustment for dressing
Use 2 tbsp per 1 tbsp cornstarch, pre-cooked. Rice flour in creamy dressings like ranch-adjacent emulsions carries a slightly grainy mouthfeel — not suited for polished vinaigrettes. Holds through 7-day fridge storage at 4°C better than cornstarch, which separates within 3 days.
show 3 more substitutes
04
Potato Flour
5.01 cup : 1/2 cup
As thickener only; use half
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Use half the volume, pre-hydrated at 68°C then cooled. Potato flour in dressings delivers heavy cling — roughly 450 cP — which suits spoon-ladled dressings on composed salads but overcoats delicate greens. Holds emulsion 5 days at 4°C without major phase split.
05
Tapioca
6.72 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Use 2 tbsp tapioca per 1 tbsp cornstarch; gives glossy thickening for pie fillings and fruit sauces
6.7
06
Chia Seeds
3.31 tbsp : 1 tbsp
Ground chia thickens puddings and jams; forms gel when mixed with liquid, slightly seedy texture
3.3