Substitutions / tapioca starch
What to use instead of tapioca starch
Use cornstarch in equal amounts. Works well for thickening and glossy sauces, but produces a slightly more opaque finish and can turn spongy if overcooked.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Cornstarch | 1:1 | Works well for thickening and glossy sauces, but produces a slightly more opaque finish and can turn spongy if overcooked. |
| Arrowroot powder | 1:1 | Very close in texture and clarity; doesn't hold as well if the dish is reheated or stays hot for a long time. |
| Potato starch | 1:1 | Good thickener with a neutral flavor, but breaks down faster at high heat and can make sauces a little gluey if overdone. |
How much is a cup of tapioca starch?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh tapioca starch in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.