When it comes to cooking, cornstarch has a few different uses. The most common use is being a thickening agent. When adding cornstarch to soups, stews and puddings, the molecules in it work to absorb water. When heated, those same molecules expand and soak up even more moisture in a recipe. This starch reaction makes cornstarch the perfect starch to use to boost the consistency and texture of the soup.
Additionally, cornstarch can be used in baked goods like brownies, bread, cakes and cookies. To add more structure to your favorite dessert, just add cornstarch! Using cornstarch in your baked goods recipe will help bind the ingredients in the recipe together, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.
Lastly, cornstarch is also commonly found in commercially produced products like powdered sugar and shredded cheese. When added to packaged goods, cornstarch works to absorb moisture and condensation. This process helps prevent lumps from forming and food from spoiling.
It's not hard to guess where potato starch comes from. Potatoes, of course! The starch inside of a potato is extracted to create a powder-like substance. Though whole potatoes contain a wide variety of vitamins and nutrients, potato starch itself is not very nutritious. That's not to say that it doesn't have some pretty amazing benefits, though! Gluten free, easy to cook with and practically tasteless, potato starch is a great starch to use if you don't want to change the flavor of a recipe.
Plus, unlike cornstarch, potato starch can tolerate higher temperatures. This being, it's often used as a replacement for cornstarch in many baked goods recipes. When added to baked goods, potato starch acts as a binding agent and results in a moist and chewy texture.
When using potato starch as a cornstarch substitute, it works best added to recipes that are not going to be cooked for elongated periods. Dishes like soups, gravies, pie fillings and puddings are all recipes in which you can use cornstarch and potato starch interchangeably. If you're substituting cornstarch for all-purpose flour as a thickener, for every 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour that a recipe calls for, it is recommended to use 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch.
Before adding cornstarch to a recipe, it's crucial to consider the acidity and sugar content of the dish. While cornstarch works well with dairy-based recipes, if a recipe is high in sugar or extremely acidic, then cornstarch may not be the best substitute. Acidic foods include tomatoes, canned fruit, juices and vinegar. Cornstarch should also not be used in a recipe that you intend on freezing. Freezing cornstarch could cause the recipe to become spongy once thawed out.
An example of a recipe that would benefit from cornstarch is pasta sauce. Whereas potato starch is not able to withstand long cooking times, and would not work well in this type of recipe.
From savory soups to fruity pie fillings, each of these starches offers incredible baking benefits for you to experiment with. Now that you understand the different benefits that these two starches possess, we hope you feel more confident when adding them to your tasty treats.
Have a favorite starch of your own? We'd love to hear it. Let us know what it is in the comments below!
The article mentioned potato starch is good for pie filling. Is this a cooked pie filling, or a filling where you toss the fresh fruit in a sugar, starch, and spice mixture prior to baking, as it also mentioned that it doesn’t stand up well to long cooking times?
Thanks for the article. I’ve never considered using potato starch, but now I’m going to have to give it a look.
I’ve used cornstarch almost exclusively for preparing Chinese food, most of them being stir-fry dishes with sauces that require thickening. Hannah Che’s recent book, “The Vegan Chinese Kitchen” suggests a preference for potato starch, and while allowing cornstarch to be substituted for it, recommends increasing the amount specified [in her recipes] “by at least 50 percent.” I purchased some Bob’s Red Mill potato starch and have yet to try it on a recipe, but thought this might be of interest since most of the comments here pertain to uses other than Asian dishes of this type.
I’m also intrigued to see that “cornstarch” appears in print most frequently as one word (rather than “corn starch,” whereas “potato starch” is always two words. Who knew?!
How long past the sell by date can I use my package of unopened potato starch? It somehow got hidden away.
Hi Candy! We cannot recommend consuming any of our products past the best by date.
I am making air fryer chicken wings, the salt and vinegar king. It calls for tossing in potato starch after they’re done can I use corn starch? Praying you say yes!
Hi Courtney, please email [email protected] for assistance.
What about thickening things when you live at high altitude? Cornstarch doesn't work, because of the lower boiling point of water at altitude, never reaches a high enough temperature for it to thicken. Will potato starch work, or will it have the same problem? Or is there something else that will work?
Hi Teresa, please email [email protected] for assistance.
I use potato starch when baking Norway krumkaker cake on a waffle iron 1 minute at 220 temp. For some reason city market where I live wont carry it- they think corn is best for everything. Please educate them. If I had known I would have ordered online ahead of time. Im hoping the corn will be able to handle high heat.
Hi there! Please contact [email protected]. :)
I am making gnocchi but having trouble sourcing potato starch
The recipe calls for potato starch and rice starch
Can I substitute the potato starch with cornstarch and not get a bad result
We haven't tried that ourselves, but you can source potato starch at a retailer near you with our Store Finder feature: https://www.bobsredmill.com/store-finder.html
I have been a baker of bread, rolls, biscuits, etc most of my adult life. My son-in-law has a lot of food allergies. He is allergic to many fruits, almost all berries except blueberries. He is deathly allergic to potatoes, and he just realized he is also allergic to gluten.
So I am trying to find recipes for bread made from rice and but call for potato starch. I can't use that in his case. He and my daughter enjoy home made bread and cinnamon rolls. So I have been searching online for other types of non-gluten grains that I can mix with rice flour. I can grind my own rice and also my own oats.
It is really challenging. I have found there are many kinds of pseudo-grain "flour" that I never heard of. I am glad to see that I can try corn starch instead of potato starch. We will see how that works out.
Can potato start be added to buttercreams as a stabilizer? I've used it in a mousse and it was just added to the sugar instead of creating a slurry. Would this application be the same for adding it to the buttercream? Thank you!
We have not tested the use of potato starch in buttercreams. Happy baking!
Can you substitute cornstarch for potato starch in your German potato dumpling recipe?
Hi Hendrick, that should work!
i am making gluten free all purpose flour ,original recipe calls for potato starch so can i substitute it with cornstarch? if yes by how much ratio i should substitute?
Hi! Yes, you can substitute corn starch for the potato starch in a 1:1 ratio. Depending on the type of recipe, it may help to mix in tapioca starch as well as it assists with browning and texture. If you have more questions feel free to contact us at 1-800-349-2173 or [email protected]
Informative article . I want to make a lamb stew/casserole and need a thickening agent. My granddaughter has complex allergies but is ok with potato starch. It would be a long slow cook. Will potato starch work? At what point should it be added?
Hi Anne - You can add the potato starch in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Remove a small portion of cooking liquid and whisk in the starch, creating a thick slurry. Incorporate the slurry into the dish and cook until thickened/finished.
This is awesome information that you put out foe all of us that have questions regarding those two types of starches.
I have a recipe that calls for 1/2 cp of flour and 1/2 cp of cornstarch. In this application I can I just switch to 1/2 cp of potato starch and have it work just the same? This is for a sponge cake. Thank you very much.
Hi Michelle - Yes, that would likely work. Sounds like the starch is there to lighten the cake batter for a tender cake.
I'd like to use corn OR potato starch as a base coat for raw onions before dippng in an ethnic batter ("Besan" which is chickpea/garbanzo flour) and fry onion rings (aka onion pakoda). Would it work for me to use potato starch slurry, dip the raw onion ring into it, and then dip it in the besan batter before dunking into the hot frying oil?
Hi, we haven't tried that specifically but it should work, though I'd be careful with adding too much moisture by making a slurry rather than using the starch alone.
Hi
Would like to know when making flat bread is potato starch a good option to use as a presivertive will it freeze well?
Hi! Hm, the potato starch itself will not act as a preservative though it may absorb any excess moisture. I'd recommend doing a test with a par baked and full baked flatbread. Let them cool, wrap and freeze. As the final step in the test, see which has the best flavor/texture when reheated.
I'm trying to workshop a recipe for gluten free lemon bars that calls for rice flour as a thickener for the custard. Rice flour has a chewy, gummy texture, and I'd rather the bars be much softer to the tooth. The filling will consist of eggs, lemon juice, sugar, and baking powder. I'd be willing to use any mix of cornstarch, potato starch, xanthan gum, and rice flour. Any suggestions?
Hi Vanessa - Cornstarch is a traditional thickener for lemon bars and won't give that gummy/chewy texture like rice flour.
I have a cookie recipe that calls for 1/2 cup cornstarch, and powdered sugar, and 1 cup flour. Can I use potato starch instead of corn starch?
Hi Michele - Yes, that should work!
You say potato starch can withstand higher temperatures and then say corn starch is better for long cooking. Neither like to be frozen and reheated or acid recipes. What temperature and time is the limit for corn starch and potato starch. Is there another starch that works better at high temps, Freezing and long cooking?
Hi Ron - Cornstarch has a gelation temp of 144 – 180 F. Potato Starch has a gelation temp of 136 – 150 F. Arrowroot is good for high-temp and longer cooking; Tapioca freezes the best though all starch-thicken mixtures run the risk of weeping.
I have a mostly flourless chocolate cake recipe that calls for 4 1/2 Tablespoons of flour. Can I use potato starch instead?
Hi Aimee, we haven't tested that but I'm inclined to say no. I think the potato starch will gelatinize, giving the cake a different texture.
Hi Sharon! Our Cornstarch has a 2 year shelf life. There should be a best by date on the bottom of your package.
I have a brownie recipe that uses potato starch instead of flour! Could I use cornstarch?
Hi Tim - Hm, since it's not something we tested, we're not sure. The starches do behave in a similar manner, but that recipe sounds very unique. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Can potato starch be stored for longer periods? Does refrigerating or freezing increase the shelf life?
Hi Sabine - our Potato Starch has a shelf life of 2 years. Each bag will have a specific best by date printed on the back/underside of the package. We recommend storing it in a cool, dry place (it does not need to be refrigerated or frozen). We also recommend enjoying the product within the best by date.
After compiling all my ingredients for blue cheese cookies I realized I only had 1/2 c cornstarch instead of the full cup it calls for. Can I use potato starch to complete the cup requirement? I live on the end of an island so can’t run to the store for more cornstarch. Help!
Hi Joyce - Yes, that should work fine.
Hi Valerio - Hm, unfortunately we're not in a place to provide expert opinions on that matter.
Hi Catherine - both would work equally well in that type of recipe. Enjoy!
I fried chicken in potato starch last night was lovely and crispy dipped it in potato starch then beaten egg and lastly potato starch deep fried it turning once
I have been watching NHK ( Japanese national tv.).
They frequently use potato starch to fry meat and vegetables as apparently it gives a nice crisp texture,but you make no mention of this on your site. Is this purely a Japanese style of cooking?
Hi Philip - We haven't experimented with using potato starch to fry meat and vegetables, but it sounds like it would create a crisp exterior. If you do try it, we'd love to hear your results!
I can vouch for this. Potato starch makes an incredibly crisp coating for Japanese Fried Chicken, or Karaage. It's also used to coat proteins before pan frying. The potato starch helps the sauce cling to the food after cooking it. I like to dust tofu slices in potato starch, pan fry them, then coat them in teriyaki sauce. The sauce clings tenaciously to the tofu, making it a real treat.
Hi Tracy, here's a great blog article comparing all of our starches.
Bob's Red Mill Blog: All About Starches
Hello im making sous vide egg bites and have had the hardest time finding rice starch. For a substitution would you suggest using the cornstarch or potato starch? Surprisingly I already have potato starch but not corn starch thank you!
Hi Carrie - I think Potato Starch would be the best substitute here.
I would like to use potato starch to thicken a blend of cooked vegetables and cashews. All the ingredients go into the blender at either room temperature or colder. The are blended for 15 minutes. By the end of that period, the friction of the process raises the temperature up to between 65 - 70. My question is this, should I add the potato starch at the beginning of the blending processes, part way through or towards the end.
Hi! You could add the potato starch at the beginning of blending. This will help if become completely incorporated. You will need to heat the mixture after in order for the starch to thicken.
This is an excellent article. Thanks for the information. I would like to use potato starch to thicken chicken stock. I would then use the thickened stock as a base for a chicken casserole that will w baked in the oven. Would this work? I am not sure what you mean by “prolonged cooking times” when you advise against using potato starch In these applications. Thank you very much!
i have a recipe that says use 1/4cp cornstarch on the meat this will thicken the sauce as it cooks in the slow cooker but it makes so much food and i cant freeze this cause next time around its no good so if i use potato starch will i be able to freeze left overs and when slowly reheated will it be just as good as the first time?
Hi James, if when reheated from frozen you find the mixture thinner, you can always whisk in more cornstarch as it heats, though it will likely hold its texture.
Greetings, I typically use "modified cornstarch" also known as Clear Jel to thicken my pie fillings that I can in a hot water bath for 40 minutes (as I'm at high altitude). Can I substitute potato starch for this application?
Hi Jody - that might require some experimentation. Our Potato Starch is not modified; it may not react in the same manner as modified cornstarch.
I was using both corn starch and potato starch, and might have mixed up their containers and lids. Does anyone know how to tell them apart by physical means? Taste, color (yes, both are white, but the whites are a tad bit different), by mixing with an acid and checking the reaction? I can always mix them together and know I have a 50/50 mix of potato/corn starch, so they won't go to waste. Thanks for any help with this. In the future, I will label both lid and container.
Hi Kristen - Hm, that's quite a conundrum. We suggest mixing 1 Tbsp of each in ½ cup of water. The thicker one will be cornstarch, though they may be very similar. Ultimately, this means they are fairly interchangeable save allergy concerns.
Hi Eve - Much like cornstarch, potato starch is used to thicken soups, sauces and pie fillings. It's also an essential part of gluten free baking. We unfortunately do not have any information about starches used in vegan milk recipes.
Hi there
I work in a company that produces wrappers for egg rolls. The wrappers are brushed with corn starch on the production line. One of our customer keeps complaining about cracks on the spring roll. They buy the wrappers, fill it with meats and other ingredients, cook it and freeze it in a blast freezer on trays exposed to the blast freezing and they take it out after few weeks and they find cracks on the spring rolls. Does anyone knows if brushing with potato starch would make a difference on the condition mentioned above ?
Thanks