12 Ways to Use Tapioca Starch (2024)

Recipes
Ingredients
Flour Recipes
Tapioca Flour Recipes

Mary Claire Lagroue

Mary Claire Lagroue is the Commerce Editor at Food & Wine. A former associate editor at Allrecipes, she joined Dotdash Meredith in 2019. She has written about food since 2017, covering everything from product reviews to recipes to restaurants. Her work can be found in Cooking Light, Southern Living, and more.

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Published on March 31, 2021

Tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) binds baked goods together and acts like cornstarch as a thickener in soups and sauces. It's a must-have in the gluten-free cook's arsenal, but you can easily use it alongside wheat flour in place of cornstarch. Our favorite tapioca flour recipes include cake, quick bread, breaded chicken, pancakes, and more.

01of 12

Gluten-Free Biscuits

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"If you love old-fashioned baking powder biscuits and are gluten free, these are awesome," home cook RubyRoo says. These soft but sturdy biscuits make the perfect vehicle for your favorite jams and nut butters.

02of 12

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake

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"The best gluten-free dessert I've ever tasted," home cook Kevin Dieterle says. "I made them into cupcakes and the cake had a beautiful crumb and was perfectly moist. It also rose nicely and wasn't brick-like as many GF recipes end up being — exactly the right mixture of density and lightness. I can't praise this recipe highly enough. I got a ton of compliments on this."

03of 12

One-Egg Egg Drop Soup

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"My Chinese father taught me the trick to this soup," home cook Fei Fei says, who explains that properly timing the egg drop makes a huge difference. Really, this recipe couldn't be easier to pull together, as you're just flavoring chicken broth with garlic and ginger, adding tapioca starch to thicken it, then following Fei Fei's directions for stirring in the egg.

04of 12

Brazilian Cheese Rolls (Pao de Queijo)

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Recipes for this traditional Brazilian cheese bread call for tapioca starch, so you don't have to substitute ingredients to make it gluten free!

05of 12

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

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This gluten-free quick bread utilizes white rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, and tapioca starch to earn its five-star rating. "This is the best zucchini bread ever," home cook Julie Herman says. "It seems I've tried a zillion zucchini bread recipes and they either raise up way too high and then flop when they cool or they turn out rubbery. You wouldn't even think this is gluten free!"

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06of 12

Dreamy Chicken Francese

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Tapioca starch and flour both coat this buttery, crispy chicken, but you can easily substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose regular flour to avoid the allergen.

07of 12

Gluten-Free Rhubarb Bars

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"A sweet, pudding-like dessert," Allrecipes Allstar Buckwheat Queen says. "Goes nicely with some ice cream. The crust could be used on its own as a base for other desserts."

20 Flourless Desserts for Easy, Gluten-Free Baking

Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread

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Aside from brown rice flour and quinoa, this gluten-free bread doesn't need other grains to get its hearty multigrain taste. Toasted almonds, sunflower seeds, and chopped flax seeds add texture.

09of 12

Gluten-Free Cheese and Herb Pizza Crust

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Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and oregano take pizza crust to the next level. Home cooks recommend spreading the dough on parchment paper for a thin crust that gets rave reviews.

20 Savory Recipes Made With Almond Flour

10of 12

Delicious Gluten-Free Pancakes

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Rice flour, tapioca flour, and potato starch work wonders in this recipe. "These were VERY good. And yes, they really are indistinguishable from regular wheat-based pancakes," home cook SUEMYERS67 says.

11of 12

Gluten-Free Waffles

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You can use a number of flours and starches to make gluten-free pancakes. This has earned its five-star rating using a relatively uncommon one. "Made with sweet sorghum flour and tapioca starch, these waffles will be nice and crispy on the outside, while light and fluffy on the inside," recipe contributor Gen says.

12of 12

Gluten-Free Fruitcake

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You can even make fruitcake with tapioca starch! Reviewers give this gluten-free take on the holiday staple five stars for its moist consistency.

What Is Cassava and How Do You Use It?
See our entire collection of Gluten-Free Recipes.

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FAQs

12 Ways to Use Tapioca Starch? ›

Tapioca flour is one of the most popular flours in the world. It is highly prized as a South America and Caribbean baking staple for quick cheese bread. In addition, it can be used to thicken pie fillings, gravies, soups, and sauces.

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What can I use tapioca starch for? ›

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Is tapioca starch good or bad for you? ›

Tapioca starch is gluten-free, so it's a good choice if you have celiac disease. It's also easy to digest because it's low in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), a type of carbohydrate that's hard for your gut to process. It's a heart-healthy choice.

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Is there a difference between tapioca flour and tapioca starch? ›

In the United States tapioca starch and tapioca flour are the same thing. I have found that Asian type markets and products tend to label it as tapioca starch and companies like Bob's Red Mill tend to label it as tapioca flour, but there is no difference in the actual products. They are the same.

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Is tapioca starch stronger than cornstarch? ›

Tapioca Starch

It's less potent than cornstarch, so you'll need about 2 tablespoons tapioca for every 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Unlike cornstarch, which begins to break down when frozen, tapioca stays strong. Avoid boiling, which would make the thickened sauce stringy.

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Is tapioca good for arthritis? ›

Starchy foods or high gluten content Some starchy or gluten-rich foods like barley, wheat, tapioca, bread... can make inflammation worse. Therefore, rheumatoid arthritis patients should not eat anything, one of which must include dishes made from the starchy foods mentioned above.

Is tapioca good for diabetes? ›

¼th serving of tapioca has 26 grams of carbs – which is significantly high. Even though it has 0 sugars, it is not recommended for a person with diabetes. This food has certain benefits that can make it advantageous – however, the costs might outweigh the benefits in the case of people living with diabetes.

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What happens if you eat too much tapioca starch? ›

When taken by mouth: Tapioca is commonly consumed in foods. It is possibly safe when used in larger amounts as medicine, short-term. Side effects might include stomach pain, bloating, gas, and vomiting.

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Is tapioca starch inflammatory? ›

A starch which comes from the cassava tuber. Tapioca caused an increase in anti-inflammatory bacteria and a decreased in pathogenic bacteria when fed to an animal model. However, this growth in beneficial bacteria may still be too much for patients with IBD.

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Is tapioca bad for high blood pressure? ›

Tapioca helps keep the heart healthy by lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease and stroke, among other things. Because it has less salt, it is especially good for people with high blood pressure.

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Which is healthier tapioca starch or potato starch? ›

Aside from being gluten-free, tapioca starch is low in calories and free from sugar. It is the purest form of starch available. Tapioca starch adds great moisture to products and can sometimes be used as a thickening agent and binding agent as well.

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Is cassava and tapioca the same thing? ›

While both flours derive from cassava roots, tapioca flour is made only from the starch obtained from the root's pulp. Cassava flour, on the other hand, comes from the entire root. As you can imagine, those characteristics inform the results of whatever recipe they enter.

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What plant is tapioca made from? ›

Tapioca (/ˌtæpiˈoʊkə/; Portuguese: [tapiˈɔkɐ]) is a starch extracted from the tubers of the cassava plant (Manihot esculenta, also known as manioc), a species native to the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, but whose use is now spread throughout South America.

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What is the healthiest starch for thickening? ›

Potato starch is a powder made by extracting starch from potatoes and drying it out. Potato starch contains few nutrients . However, potato starch contains significantly fewer calories and carbohydrates than cornstarch, making it a good substitute for people looking to thicken foods without adding calories or carbs.

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Does tapioca starch expire? ›

When Does Tapioca Expire? Fortunately, tapioca starch does not spoil readily and can last between six to 12 monthsin an unopened package. Tapioca pearls will stay soft for only a few days after opening, so you'll want to use those as soon as possible.

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Can I use tapioca starch to fry chicken? ›

You want a wet batter consistency. Coat the chicken with Tapioca Starch and let it sit for 5-7 minutes to prevent the coating from falling off. In a pan, add in oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add in the Thai Basil and fry it for 30 seconds – 1 minute or crispy.

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What Is Tapioca Starch? 5 Ways to Use the ...MasterClasshttps://www.masterclass.com ›

What Is Tapioca Starch? 5 Ways to Use the ...

MasterClass

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MasterClass

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Tapioca starch is a gluten-free flour that comes from the cassava plant. You can use it to thicken soups, stews, and gravies, or you can swap out wheat flour wi...

What is Tapioca Flour and Tapioca Starch

Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

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Lynn's Kitchen Adventures

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Tapioca flour/starch adds structure to gluten free baking. It also helps give things a chewy and/or crisp texture, especially in things like cookies and cakes. ...

Tapioca Starch 101: Nutrition, Benefits, How To ...

Fas Kitchen

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Fas Kitchen

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Tapioca starch, also known as tapioca flour or cassava starch, is a starchy white powder extracted from the roots of the cassava plant (Manihot esculenta).

Can I use tapioca starch instead of all purpose flour? ›

If you're in a pinch, you can swap all-purpose flour evenly for tapioca flour in most recipes, but keep in mind that all-purpose flour contains gluten. The swap may affect the texture of baked goods slightly—they'll have a little less chew and be slightly more dense.

Does tapioca starch make things crispy? ›

Tapioca starch has a different effect when used as a coating for fried foods. Instead of becoming slippery, it creates an exquisitely crunchy crust that will stay crunchy for a long time. Imagine the same beautiful crunch you hear when eating a potato chip but while biting into a chicken tender.

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What is the function of tapioca starch? ›

As a food additive: Tapioca is used in food industry to improve the taste and texture and to give consistency or stickiness to many products, including confectionary, yogurt, and noodles.

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Can I use tapioca starch instead of potato? ›

Yes, you can substitute one for another in recipes. Just keep in mind, that potato starch is a bit heavier than tapioca starch. So, if you are substituting one for another in a baking recipe, I recommend that you use a digital kitchen scale to avoid adding too much or too little.