When making a new recipe and you find that you don’t have all of the ingredients needed, it can nearly ruin dinner! But don’t panic, because if one of those ingredients is gram flour, we are going to share some great substitutes.
There are numerous alternatives to gram flour. Using substitutes made from other legumes like lentil flour, quinoa flour, chickpea flour, soybean flour, tapioca flour, buckwheat flour, rice flour, corn flour, millet flour, and fava bean flour will work well in place of gram flour.
What can be used in place of gram flour?
Each of these flours can be a bit different from gram flour, so which one is right for you? Let’s take a closer look at the substitutes.
- Lentil Flour. Lentil flour is very close in texture and taste to gram chickpeas, so this ingredient works great as a substitute. Lentils have been increasing in popularity with gluten-free diets, so this flour should be easy to find.
- Quinoa Flour. Quinoa is a good replacement for gram flour when it is being used as an ingredient in a crust or baked items, like muffins or cakes. If you cannot find quinoa flour at your local grocery store, you can purchase quinoa and grind it up yourself.
- Chickpea Flour. There is some confusion surrounding the difference between chickpea flour and gram flour. They are not the same thing! It depends on the type of chickpea being used- Gram flour is made from split brown chickpeas, and chickpea flour is finely ground white chickpeas. While similar in taste, the texture is different.
- Soybean Flour. This flour may be a bit harder to find but can be a suitable replacement for gram flour. However, it may lend a bit of a soy flavor to your recipe so make sure it will work with the dish you are making.
- Tapioca Flour. Made from the cassava, or yuca root, this is a great substitute for gram flour when making cakes and other bakery items. It also works well to make pita pockets or tortillas.
- Buckwheat Flour. High in fiber, buckwheat is a good replacement for gram flour when called for in bread recipes. It does have a bit of a nutty flavor, so keep that in mind when choosing it as a replacement.
- Rice Flour. Rice flour thickens just as well as gram flour and is fantastic as a replacement where gram flour is called for as a coating.
- Corn Flour. Possibly a bit to dense for certain dishes where gram flour is called for, but will do in a pinch where gram flour would be binding other ingredients together.
- Millet Flour. Whole grain millet flour is a decent substitute for gram flour, but be warned: it can have a bitter aftertaste if not blended with another substitute such as rice flour or soybean flour.
- Fava Bean Flour. Fava bean flour is often found in a blend with chickpea flour. It is a great alternative to gram flour when used in cookies, cakes, and bread. Talking about cookies, learn how to thaw frozen cookie dough.. It is a wonderful choice not only as a substitute for gram flour but in gluten-free baking.
What do all these flours have in common?
Not only are these flours wonderful substitutes for gram flour, but these alternatives are also Celiac disease friendly. That’s right- all the above-mentioned substitutions are gluten-free.
Related questions
What are the health benefits of gram flour and gram flour substitutes?
Gram flour and the substitutes mentioned are all gluten-free and high in fiber. High fiber foods have great health benefits, one being contributing to a reduced risk of diabetes.
Can I use regular all-purpose flour as a substitute for gram flour?
If you’re not avoiding gluten due to dietary needs, you can use all-purpose flour. However, the texture may be similar but the taste will be very different. If you want to stick to a more authentic flavor in a dish calling for gram flour, stick with one of the substitutions listed here.
What are some other uses for gram flour?
One great use for gram flour outside of cooking is for skincare. It removes dead skin cells and tightens and firms skin when used as a mask. It is also said to reduce acne and oiliness when applied to the face.
