Have you acknowledged how many different types of flour there are? With that, there are numerous replacements to 00 flour for the moments like when you are assembling pasta and realize you only have half the amount of 00 flour.
Have you ever noticed you are short on 00 flour when making pizza dough for dinner? We’ve all been there! Fortunate for you, there are countless alternatives to 00 flour, whether you’re in a pinch or have a gluten intolerance. Examples are all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and bread flour.
00 flour come from Italy, it is a staple ingredient in most pizza and pasta doughs. 00 flour is an extremely fine powder like flour that can give dough a very elastic and stretchy feel that bakes into a soft, fluffy and chewy crust. Though popular in Italy and Europe region, it may be a bit harder to find in the United states, making you use an alternative. 00 flour is an excellent source of protein at 12% and gluten at 12%.
Why is it Called 00 Flour?
00 flour does seem like a silly name for flour until you learn the Europian way of grading flour. In Europe, there is a grading scale with 00 being the absolute finest flour and most refined and 2 being the most coarse flour. The grades you may see in Europe are 00, 0, 1, and 2.
What is the Difference Between 00 Flour and All-Purpose Flour?
The biggest difference in 00 flour and all- purpose flour is texture. 00 flour is a lot more finer than all-purpose. 00 flour is also made from durum, where all-purpose is not. 00 flour has a bit of a higher protein content than all-purpose, giving a slightly tougher texture.
What Can I Use Instead of 00 Flour?
1. All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour is your first and most common option for a 00 flour alternative. Hard wheat flour and soft wheat flour are combined to make all-purpose flour. There is usually some nutritional value added to all-purpose flour by enriching it with proteins and glutens.
As the name states, you can use all-purpose flour in numerous recipes. However, all-purpose flour dough is not as elastic as bread flour dough. That said, you cannot stretch it as easily; it is still relatively easy to stretch.
All-purpose flour is one of your more valuable options to substitute 00 flour as it is extensively available, easy to work with, and great for if you are baking. Using all-purpose flour as a substitute could give your cakes and cookies a crustier and more delicate texture.
The best doughs and recipes you can use all-purpose flour in are as follows:
Pasta dough.
Pizza dough.
Bread dough.
Cookies.
Cakes.
Practically anything!
Although it is excellent in most recipes, you may not see the same springy and stretchy texture in your final product. To avoid this, start with a 1/4 cup less than the recipe requires of 00 flour.
2. Whole Wheat Flour
The endosperm, bran, and germ wheat are combined, and segments are either milled together or separately to produce whole wheat flour. You may know whole wheat flour for its darker color, high fiber, distinct taste, and naturally increased nutritious value compared to some of the other flours mentioned.
Whole wheat flour, as a substitute, could add a bit of nutritional value and extra fiber to your dish while keeping a good elasticity. Whole wheat flour is also broadly obtainable, making it the second best alternative, assuming you are not allergic to gluten.
The best recipes you could substitute 00 flour for whole wheat flour are as follows:
Pasta dough.
Whole wheat provides a durable dough that maintains formation nicely, even after cooking.
Bread dough.
One of your more common and best uses for whole wheat flour; make sure not to add too much, as that can toughen the dough.
Muffindough.
Using whole wheat instead of 00 can be one of the better uses for whole wheat substitutes.
Pancakes.
Pancakes have the best texture to use whole wheat; this can significantly brighten your recipe.
Although it is excellent for almost all recipes, a few recipes do not recommend using whole wheat flour. Occasionally, you have no option but to use whole wheat flour; in that case, you can combine whole wheat flour with other flours to make your dough a bit lighter and less dense.
There are a few recipes that do not recommend using whole wheat flour:
Pizza dough.
Whole wheat flour will make pizza dough.
Cakes.
The texture of the whole wheat can show through after baking making your cakes have an off texture.
Cookies.
Whole wheat can make cookies have a dry and coarse consistency; you don’t want a dry, brittle cookie.
3. Bread Flour
Bread flour is the most commonly used flour for… Of course! Bread! Bread it literally in the name! Because of bread flour’s texture, it is the best substitute you could use in place of 00 flour! You can use the same quantity of bread flour as you would with 00 flour.
Bread flour is incredibly similar to 00 flour, although they differ in distinct ways. Bread flour is a bit more coarse and has higher levels of protein. At the same time, 00 flour is very finely ground and has a high level of gluten content. You want a sticky dough for particular recipes making bread flour ideal for the following recipes:
Bread.
As it states in the name, bread flour is an excellent use for bread; who would’ve thought?
Pizza dough recipes with lots of toppings.
Bread flour contains high gluten and protein levels, giving it more structure and stability. The durable and elastic dough makes for a perfect base for a pizza with many toppings.
Pasta.
Bread flour has a coarser texture than 00 flour, making it perfect for pasta dough! The coarser texture causes bread flour to absorb water. You may have to add a bit more water.
4. Pastry Flour
Pastry flour is an excellent substitute for 00 flour as it is the United States’ counterpart to 00 flour in Italy, ultimately making the two very similar. 00 flour and pastry flour have a baby powder-like texture, giving that light and airy final product.
Recipes you would want to use pastry flour in:
Pastries.
Why was pastry flour invented? Pastries.
Cakes.
Pastry flour is terrific in cake batters.
Bread dough.
As pastry flour can yield a light, fluffy texture, it is excellent for your types of breads, like banana bread, white bread, etc.
However, pastry flour is your safe bet most of the time, but it is not always. Pastry flour is weaker than most of the other flours you have read about, making it more unsuitable for the following recipes:
Pizza dough.
You may use pastry flour in pizza dough. However, you must ensure you don’t over-knead the dough, as it can reduce the quality.
Pasta dough.
Pasta dough needs a strong and durable dough; pastry flour gives off a more delicate dough. You may run into your pasta falling apart if you choose to use pastry flour for your pasta dough.
Bread dough.
As stated earlier, pastry flour makes for a delicate dough, making it inadequate for rising. Rising your dough for bread is a crucial factor in bread making.
Another alternative for 00 flour is semolina flour. Using semolina flour can cause a stretchy and flexible dough while adding a bit of an Earthy, nutty flavor to your recipe. Semolina flour is available in three textures: fine, medium, and coarse.
Besides giving a bit of taste and durability, semolina flour also has a high protein and gluten content. High protein and gluten levels give the dough structure, making it perfect for pizza dough!
Pizza dough.
Although you may notice that semolina flour dough is more sticky than other flours provide, the coarse texture compensates by having a good form.
Pasta dough.
You may want to use semolina flour in pasta dough, and you would be right to desire that! With semolina flour, pasta maintains its shape, and you don’t have to worry about falling apart while boiling it.
Pie Crusts.
Semolina flour is perfect for pie crusts as it holds its shape when molded; making a pie crust has never been easier!
Semolina is a more uncommon substitute for 00 flour, but that doesn’t mean it is any less useful as a substitute!
6. Buckwheat Flour
Another less common alternative to 00 flour is buckwheat flour. Buckwheat flour is comparable to wheat flour in nutritional value but is a gluten-free option! If you’re gluten intolerant, this is one of the better options! You can use buckwheat flour in the same amount as if you were using 00 flour.
Despite being a common ingredient in store-bought gluten-free noodles, you could use buckwheat flour for various recipes at home.
Those recipes can include but are not limited to:
Waffles.
Waffles are a hefty food that makes buckwheat flour an ideal substitute for 00 flour.
Muffins.
Muffins, like waffles, are hefty food. You will see Buckwheat be beneficial in multiple heavier food recipes.
Quick bread.
Since quick bread can be from the dough, poured, or dropped, Buckwheat flour is a perfect substitute as you can easily incorporate it into all those recipes.
Although if you use Buckwheat can be beneficial in the above recipes, Buckwheat is not ideal for pizza dough. Buckwheat is heavy and will make the pizza crust tough.
7. Oat Flour
Oat flour is another good substitute. Oats you ground into a fine powder, would be classified as oat flour. You could easily do this from home, or it is generally available in your nearest grocery store.
Oat flour is high in fiber but is also gluten-free, making it one of your better choices if you are gluten intolerant. The high fiber in oat flour helps add structure and bulk. Oat flour can even help you with digestion.
The best recipes that you can use oat flour in are hence:
Cookies.
Oat flour is one of your best 00 flour alternatives as it is gluten-free and can provide the proper structure for your cookie.
Cakes.
00 flour is a popular ingredient in most cakes or that alike; when you don’t have any other option, oat flout will get you by in a pinch.
Fruit crumbles or crisps.
Fruit crumbles and crisps are the best things you can use oat flour in. The oat flour will add the nutritional value that most fruit crumbles or crisps made with 00 flour cannot provide you.
That said, you can run into some downfalls with Oat flour; your dough may not rise as oat flour does not have the leavening agent to rise. An easy fix you can do is add either baking soda or gums like xanthan gum; this serves as a rising agent.
You may have heard of ‘Rye bread,’ though do you know rye bread’s ingredients? Rye, obviously! You can use rye flour instead of 00 flour in many cases, although they differ in some ways.
If you are making brown, aromatic bread, rye flour is your best option as an alternative to 00 flour.
Other recipes that rye is a good alternative for:
Banana bread.
Rye flour can be a perfect alternative for you to replace 00 flour in banana bread, as banana bread is dark bread.
Fruitcakes.
Rye flour is a great gluten-free alternative you can use instead of 00 flour.
Dark Crackers.
You can make rye crackers in little to no time! Rye crackers could be your healthier alternative to white crackers, which can be unhealthy.
9. Spelt Flour
You may not have heard of spelt flour before today, as it is a tad uncommon. That said, it is a guarantee that you can still use spelt flour as a substitute for 00 flour. Spelt flour has a lot of nutrients, including lots of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. These facts make spelt flour one of your healthier alternatives to 00 flour.
You may be wondering, do any of these recipes have whole grain or white options? The answer is yes! Spelt flour comes in both whole grain and white, allowing you to choose for yourself!
Some great recipes you can use spelt flour in place of 00 flour:
Scones.
You do not want your scones to flake as a biscuit does. Spelt flour is a good alternative because it will give you that crumbly but not flakey texture you want in a scone.
Muffins.
Not only does spelt flour provide you with a decent base for a muffin recipe it also offers added nutty flavor.
Bread.
Spelt flour can provide you that light sweetness with a hint of nutty that you look for in your bread.
10. Gluten-Free Flour
Last but not least, our final alternative on the list is gluten-free flour. You may use this all the time if you have celiac disease or another type of intolerance to gluten. Still, gluten-free flour is almost identical to all-purpose flour. In any case, you don’t have to worry about the chance of consuming gluten!
Usually, you would read a list of best recipes you can use gluten-free flour in here, but truthfully it is best used in the same recipes as all-purpose flour.
Gluten-free, although it can give you the light and fluffy result you want, it will not produce the exact amount of elasticity as 00 flour. You can use it in the same way you would with all-purpose.
What is 00 Flour Best For?
Ultimately, 00 flour is best for use in pizza dough and pasta dough. 00 flour can provide the structure and texture ideal for pizza and pasta; ask any Italian!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 00 flour easier to digest?
00 flour retains an exceedingly fine grain, making it more manageable for your body to digest 00 flour. As well as being extremely fine, the bran and germ, which are more difficult for you to digest, are extracted from the wheat.
Does 00 flour take longer to rise?
00 flour does take longer to rise than all-purpose flour. The reason is that 00 flour absorbs more water, making the dough wetter. The wetter dough will take longer to rise and bake.
Is high gluten flour the same as 00?
Although very similar, high gluten flour and 00 flour have some differences. High gluten flour has a little more gluten, holding 14% gluten. 00 flour has a bit lower protein content than high gluten flour, containing 12% gluten. That 2% can have an impact on some of your recipes. Other than that, they are almost identical.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are numerous substitutes for 00 flour. Whether you want to substitute because of health issues or because you merely ran out of 00 flour. No matter the case, you will never wonder what substitutes work best for 00 flour again.
