5 Easy Cassava Flour Substitutes: Pep Up Food

Staring at a recipe calling for cassava flour (a gluten-free flour made from the whole cassava root, Manihot esculenta), and there's none in the pantry.

No need to make a grocery run. We have some great substitutes to save the day.

Remember that time we tried making pancakes and realized halfway through that we were out of flour? Yeah, that's the kind of stuff nightmares are made of.

So, we found simple swaps to keep your meal on track.

From coconut flour to almond flour, these alternatives are easy to use. Plus, they're likely already hanging out in your kitchen.

We're here to help you nail those recipes without a hitch.

Let's get to it!

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5 Easy Substitutes for Cassava Flour

When your favorite recipe calls for cassava flour, try these substitutes instead:

1 - Coconut Flour

As coconut flour (Cocos nucifera) subtly whispers sweetness in our recipes, we love its nutty flair. This magically absorbs liquids, so we tend to use 20% less of it than cassava flour.

There's a mild coconut hint, but it's not overpowering; for creamy dishes see coconut milk substitutes for curries.

Perfect for those gluten-free bakes. It makes our cookies crispier and our bread a bit denser.

We've tried it in pancakes, and wow, they were gorgeous.

2 - Tapioca Flour

Another great cassava flour substitute is tapioca flour, a starch extracted from the cassava root (Manihot esculenta).

It makes our crusts chewy and yummy; for other starch options see corn flour alternatives for baking.

For baking, use in a one-to-one ratio with cassava flour. It thickens our soups just right and adds crispiness to fried foods.

We find it keeps the fried stuff crunchy longer. Our pie crusts have never been flakier.

Curious about other tapioca flour alternatives? Check out our detailed review.

3 - Almond Flour

The almond flour substitute (Prunus dulcis) stands out for its light texture and mildly sweet, nutty flavor.

We use almond flour in a one-to-one ratio with cassava flour. It makes our cakes moist and our cookies chewy.

There's a slight almond taste, which adds a delicious twist to baked goods; try almond oil substitutes for baking.

We found that almond flour makes our pancakes fluffy and our quick breads tender.

4 - Arrowroot Powder

When we sub in arrowroot powder (a starch from Maranta arundinacea), our dishes are smooth and light. This magical ingredient has a neutral taste and a silky texture.

It's smart to use in a 1:1 ratio with cassava flour; for bold color alternatives see Kashmiri chili swaps for color.

Try it in baking for a satisfying result. Plus, it's a champ in soups and stews.

We find it keeps our batters light and our pies slightly crispy.

For more tricks, check this arrowroot powder substitute.

5 - Potato Starch

Last, we have potato starch, a fine white starch derived from potatoes (Solanum tuberosum).

Plus, it's got a neutral flavor that blends seamlessly.

Use it in a 1:1 ratio with cassava flour. Our gravies get smooth, and our cookies stay crisp.

We tried potato starch in our brownies, and they turned out fudgy and perfect; for equipment swaps see potato ricer substitutes for mashing.