The Cornstarch Alternative That's Perfect For Thickening Simmered Sauces

Whether you're trying your hand at making Martha Stewart's iconically delicious beef stew or putting a secret ingredient in your chili that packs a punch, there's nothing more satisfying than a spoonful of perfectly simmered ingredients draped in a thick, rich sauce. Of course, getting your sauce or gravy to the right consistency without overcooking all your other ingredients into a mushy mess can be tricky.

The same goes for building a sauce by itself, such as a bone broth gravy or herby marinara — typically, a cornstarch slurry or flour-based roux are the best solutions for achieving a smooth, thick pasta sauce. However, arrowroot powder has entered the chat, and it may just become your next pantry staple. Neutral in flavor with virtually no odor, arrowroot powder looks and feels a lot like cornstarch, but it's made from the arrowroot plant native to West India. It's also gluten-free, making it an ideal alternative for those with gluten sensitivity or corn allergies.

The best part is that arrowroot powder may actually be the superior thickener, as it takes much less time than cornstarch to tighten up your sauces and stews. Additionally, while cornstarch has a tendency to turn acidic recipes cloudy — such as tomato or cranberry sauce — arrowroot powder will keep them transparent with a glossy finish and silky mouthfeel. Just whisk it with cold water to make a slurry and add it to your recipe as you would cornstarch.

In addition to its other advantages, arrowroot powder is also fantastic for meal prep, as it doesn't change the consistency of foods it's added to after they've been frozen and thawed. Foods thickened with cornstarch often thaw with a broken or unpleasant texture, but arrowroot powder protects these foods from being ruined, which is a godsend when it comes to avoiding food waste.

This characteristic also removes some of the stigma from prepping your own frozen meals, as you can be confident their flavors and textures will be more similar to when they were freshly made. Arrowroot powder may also be the best choice when making homemade pie fillings, as they'll give you a rich, fruity, transparent gel studded with pieces of whole fruit that holds its texture in the oven or the fridge.

The only area where arrowroot powder falls short is when it's mixed with dairy. If you need to thicken up a pot of classic New England clam chowder, for instance, it's best to stick to flour or cornstarch, as arrowroot powder will react poorly with the milk or heavy cream to create a gross slimy texture rather than the rich, velvety, creamy one you want in this kind of soup. If you need to avoid both cornstarch and flour as classic thickeners in a cream-based soup, milk gravy, or alfredo sauce, potato starch is a good alternative, as is blending up cooked white beans and stirring them into your recipe.