Substitutions
A fine white starch extracted from the rhizome of the arrowroot plant. It thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch and sets to a very clear, glossy finish.
What it does in a recipe: Clear, acid-tolerant thickening for fruit sauces and glazes, with a neutral flavour. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Arrowroot starch, Arrowroot powder, Arrowroot flour
Quick answer
Tapioca starch
1 tbsp arrowroot = 1 tbsp tapioca starchAll substitutes, best first
1 tbsp arrowroot = 1 tbsp tapioca starchBoth are pure root and tuber starches with similar granule behaviour, and both give a clear, glossy set that survives freezing without weeping.
Trade-offSlightly stringier and a touch sweeter than arrowroot, and marginally more tolerant of heat.
1 tbsp arrowroot = 1 tbsp cornstarchComparable thickening power by volume, so the measurement carries across directly, though cornstarch needs to reach a higher temperature before it sets.
MethodBring it properly to a simmer for a minute so the starch fully gelatinises, which arrowroot does not require.
Trade-offCloudier than arrowroot, and it breaks down under acid, so a lemon or vinegar sauce will thin out. It also weeps badly after freezing, where arrowroot does not.
1 tbsp arrowroot = 1 tbsp potato starchAnother root starch that thickens clear at a low temperature, which puts it close to arrowroot in both behaviour and appearance.
MethodAdd it at the end, off the heat if possible, and do not let it boil.
Trade-offEven less heat-stable than arrowroot — a hard boil collapses it completely and the sauce runs thin again.
1 tbsp arrowroot = 2 tbsp all-purpose flourFlour carries about half the thickening power per spoon because much of it is protein and fibre rather than starch, so it takes twice as much.
MethodCook it out for several minutes to lose the raw taste, ideally as a roux.
Trade-offOpaque, matte and faintly cereal-flavoured, which defeats the purpose if you chose arrowroot for a clear glaze. It also dulls a fruit sauce's colour.
Allergen checkWheat flour is not gluten-free. If arrowroot was chosen because someone at the table is coeliac, this is the wrong direction entirely — stay with tapioca, potato starch or cornstarch.
Arrowroot turns slippery and unpleasant in dairy, so it is the wrong thickener for a cream sauce or a custard. Its strengths are clear fruit glazes, acidic sauces, and anything destined for the freezer.
At a glance
| Category | Thickeners |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Clear, acid-tolerant thickening for fruit sauces and glazes, with a neutral flavour |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free |
| Swaps available for | Dairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 4 |
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.