How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (2024)

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How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (1)

Gravy, Sauces, Soups, Gumbo: they all need Roux. Now you have it!

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How to Make Gluten-Free Roux: it's one of the basics you need to know! This recipe for gluten-free roux also offers a dairy-free version, plus tips & tricks for getting gluten-free roux just right.

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (2)

Can you make thick, rich gluten-free sauces & gravies? Yes, you can.

This White Lasagna starts with a roux that becomes a creamy mushroom sauce. Who wouldn't want that? Nobody, that's who.

You can use this roux to make your own gluten-free sauces and recipes, or convert conventional favorites, like sausage gravy.

What to use the roux for, and roux colors or "stages"

Roux is used for thickening gravies, soups, sauces - all kinds of delicious things. Many recipes call for a white or blond roux, which simply refers to the color of the mixture as it cooks. Gumbo and a few other dishes call for a "brick" roux (or a dark roux). This just means that the mixture is cooked until it gets brick red- just before it burns!

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (3)

Pro Tip: don't take gluten-free roux much past the "peanut butter" stage

Because gluten-free flour acts a little differently than wheat flour, I don't recommend making gluten-free roux much darker than peanut butter colored. Going darker than that can result in a burnt or scorched taste, even if the gluten-free roux doesn't look burned. I also don't make the roux in the oven, because I think you really need to keep an eye on it.

Choosing gluten-free flour for roux:

I usually use one of my favoritegluten-free flour blendsto make roux, along with butter or olive oil. My favorites arePamela’s Gluten-Free Artisan BlendorKing Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purposeblend (not the King Arthur Measure for Measure blend). Neither of these blends contains dairy- some GF blends do. Also, the Pamela's has limited gum binder, and the recommended King Arthur blend had no gum binder. You can also use a mixture of rice flour and tapioca flour/starch. Our favorite rice four isMochiko Sweet Rice Flour from Koda Farms.

You want a blend with starches like tapioca, potato or corn, but no or limited gum-binders.

Can you make grain-free roux? Yes.

If you'd like to make your roux grain-free, the best option I've found is using a mixture of cassava flour and tapioca starch.

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (4)

What do you need to make this roux recipe gluten-free?

Making gluten-free or gluten-free dairy-free roux doesn't take much. Here's what you need:

Supplies:

  • heavy duty saucepan or skillet
  • whisk

Ingredients:

  • butter or olive oil
  • gluten-free flour blend -OR- sweet rice flour + tapioca starch

Making dairy-free roux:

You’ll notice I use a little less olive oil than butter when I make dairy-free roux. That’s because the consistency of the oil is different than butter. Roux is usually half butter-half flour, and I've tried all kinds of dairy-free fats and oils. I'm convinced if you need GFDF roux, the scant-olive-oil-way is the best way.

Now you're ready to make gluten-free Bechamel Sauceor one of your other favorites.

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (5)

Gluten-Free Roux Recipe

K.C. Cornwell

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux: it's one of the basics you need to know for gravy, soups, sauces and gumbo. This recipe can also be made dairy-free.

4.76 from 50 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, French

Servings 1 batch

Calories 496 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter -OR- 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend -OR- 2 tablespoons rice flour + 2 tablespoons tapioca flour * for grain-free, use 2 tablespoon cassava flour + 2 tablespoon tapioca flour

Instructions

  • In a medium-sized, heavy duty saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted (or warm the oil).

    How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (6)

  • Add the gluten-free flour and whisk until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color (blond roux), about 6 to 7 minutes.

    How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (7)

  • If desired, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the mixture turns the color of peanut butter, roughly 4-6 minutes more.

    How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (8)

Video

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (9)

Notes

Use this roux to make soup, gravy, stew, or even gluten-free white sauce!

  • Nutrition calculated for one batch of gluten-free roux using butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 3gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1399IUCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Keyword gluten-free, roux

images byMeg van der Kruik

Use your roux to make Gluten-Free Bechamel Sauce/White Sauce:

This Gluten-Free Béchamel Sauce recipe can be made with or without dairy, and it always comes out beautifully.

Frequently asked questions about gluten-free roux:

Can you use gluten-free flour for a Roux?

Yes, but the blend matters. Don't use an all-nut blend or a blend with tons of binders. Our favorites arePamela’s Gluten-Free Artisan BlendorKing Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purposeblend, which has less binders then their Measure for Measure blend. You can also use finely ground sweet rice flour, our favorite is from Koda Farms, with a bit of tapioca starch.

Can almond flour be used to make a roux?

All-nut flours won't thicken the same way as conventional flour or a GF blend. If you want to make a grain free roux, the best bet is to use a blend of arrowroot or tapioca starch and cassava.

What is the best gluten free flour to use for thickening sauces or gravy?

The best options to use as a universal cooked thickener like roux are rice flour + tapioca flour or a gluten-free all purpose blend. Arrowroot, cornstarch or tapioca slurries will work if you're trying to thicken a sauce without starting from a roux.

Will gluten free flour thicken a sauce?

Yes, absolutely. Be sure to use a blend that has some starch and/or binders, Pamela’s Gluten-Free Artisan BlendorKing Arthur Measure for Measureblend.

Can you make gluten-free and dairy-free roux?

Yes. Use olive in a slightly reduced measurement for the fat, along with a gluten-free flour blend, and an unsweetened plant-based milk if you're making a white sauce or gravy.

Are tapioca starch and tapioca flour the same?

Yes. Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same product. That is not the case with potato flour/potato starch or corn flour/corn starch/corn meal, so it can be confusing.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carpenter Dave says

    Thank you for the information. You have a typo and a word omission in the first sentence under the heading "Choosing gluten-free flour for roux + making it dairy-free too".
    You sound like you really know your stuff but it is a bit hard to take you completely seriously when one has to guess what is trying to be communicated.

    Reply

    • Ed says

      You're an a$$

      Reply

    • Ryan says

      Shut the f*ck up, Dave.

      Reply

    • Brenda Kay says

      Totally agree, so uncalled for Dave, we know perfectly well what she is saying. So maybe its just you that has to guess?

      Reply

  2. Olivia Lind says

    So excited I found this! I shared with a friend

    Reply

Let Us Know What You Think

How to Make Gluten-Free Roux with Recipe | G-Free Foodie (2024)

FAQs

Can I make a roux with gluten free flour? ›

Unlike other gluten-free recipes, you don't need to substitute the wheat flour used in roux with several gluten-free flours. Sweet rice flour, ground from glutinous rice, makes a velvety gluten-free roux and nicely replaces wheat flour measure for measure. Classically roux uses clarified butter as its fat.

What is the best substitute for flour in a roux? ›

How to Make a Roux Without Flour. Roux is commonly made with flour, but you can also sub in cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Mix the cornstarch or arrowroot powder with water to form a slurry before adding it to the pan and cooking it with the fat.

Will almond flour work in a roux? ›

Skinny Roux is prepared using avocado oil and almond flour, and cooked slowly until it is the perfect deep, rich, chocolate-brown color! It can be used in your gumbos, stews, and gravies, exactly how you would use a traditional jarred roux.

Can you use xanthan gum to make a roux? ›

How to make a keto-friendly roux or thickener for keto sauces, soups, and gravies
  1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add ONE teaspoon of xanthan gum, whisk, and then add the other teaspoon of xanthan gum, and whisk.
  3. Cook over medium heat, darkening to the desired color.
Jan 24, 2019

What is the best gluten free flour for thickening sauces? ›

Made from finely milled white rice, rice flour is a great substitute for wheat flour. It works very well as a thickening agent because it prevents liquid separation – it is particularly good for soups, gravies and sauces but can also work for cakes, cookies and crackers.

Should I use xanthan gum with gluten free flour? ›

Xanthan Gum adds thickness and viscosity to gluten-free breads and other baked goods. Without xanthan gum, your gluten-free baked goods would be dry, crumbly and flat. Because xanthan gum is gluten-free and vegan, it's the preferred thickener for those home bakers with food allergies.

Should I use xanthan gum with almond flour? ›

The Basic Baking Guidelines

Our chef prefers to add a little xanthan gum or cornstarch to the almond flour to help with the texture, though it is not entirely necessary to do so. Almond flour is pretty forgiving in that regard. Some use arrowroot powder to achieve a similar effect in their bread recipes.

Can I use oat flour to make a roux? ›

Since it's close in texture to wheat flour, it's a great replacement for using in a stew, sauce, or roux. However, while regular flour doesn't have much of a taste, oat flour possesses a nutty, somewhat sweet flavor that's present when it's baked or stirred into a sauce.

Does almond flour thicken like wheat flour? ›

Almond flour doesn't absorb liquid the same as traditional flour so you'll need to add more to thicken doughs and batters. Both should be on the thick side for the best baking results.

What can be used as a thickening agent that is gluten-free? ›

Arrowroot starch works in these sorts of dishes, too. Some sauces are thickened by starting with a “roux” (a butter + flour mixture), traditionally made with wheat flour. White rice or sweet rice flour is a perfectly good substitute.

Can you make a roux with Bisquick? ›

Use a little Bisquick mix wherever you'd use flour to make a roux and thicken a pan sauce to make gravy.

What is the best thickening agent for roux? ›

Clarified butter will improve the roux's thickening power and it combines more easily with the flour. The butter in the roux basically serves to keep the starch grains separate. If you simply added raw flour to your liquid, it would clump up and you'd get a lumpy sauce, not a smooth one.

Can gluten free flour be used as a thickener? ›

White Rice Flour: An all-purpose flour for breading and thickening. Sweet Rice Flour (Mochiko): Thickens gravy and sauces, and is used to make noodles. Tapioca Flour (Tapioca Starch): Use it to thicken sauces, as you would starch. Xanthan Gum: Include in gluten-free flour mix to help your baked goods stick together.

Can I use gluten free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour? ›

This can be tricky because gluten free flours react differently in pretty much every recipe. But in general, use in place of all purpose or whole wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio. For extra binding (since there is no gluten) you can add a pinch of xanthan gum depending on the recipe, but I don't find it necessary.

Can I make a roux with oat flour? ›

Since it's close in texture to wheat flour, it's a great replacement for using in a stew, sauce, or roux. However, while regular flour doesn't have much of a taste, oat flour possesses a nutty, somewhat sweet flavor that's present when it's baked or stirred into a sauce.

Does roux always have flour? ›

Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooked to the desired level of brownness. A roux can be white, blond (darker) or brown. Butter, bacon drippings or lard are commonly used fats.

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