Gluten free alternatives & substitutes

Gluten is in wheat, barley and rye, as well as their many derivatives such as malt and other ingredients that are present in many foodstuffs. The good news is that there is always a gluten free substitute that can stand in for a wheat- or barley-based staple. It’s just a question of learning and experimenting. For example, soy sauce can be perfectly substituted by tamari sauce, also made with fermented soybeans but without the wheat, for that umami taste.  

Looking for a gluten free bread substitute that is made with naturally gluten free ingredients?  The possibilities are many and offer a huge variety of textures and taste. Mexican-style corn tortillas are a popular alternative to traditional bread, naturally gluten free, tasty and also high in fibre. This kind of corn bread can be used to make sandwiches, wraps, with burgers or with toppings like a pizza base.  

Arepas and tamales are other kinds of bread great for sandwiches and wraps stemming from Latin American traditions, and generally made with corn flour. Other flatbreads can be found made from chickpea or lentil flour, such as socca, a crispy bread typical of southeastern France and made with chickpea flour and olive oil. In Brittany, northwest of France, buckwheat crêpes are used to wrap a variety of foods, and not just as a sweet breakfast option. 

Moving around the world, injera is a flatbread typical of Ethiopia and Eritrea, made with teff grain, which is high in protein and very flavoursome. In Africa, there is also to many types of bread made with sorghum, another gluten free grain.  

There are plenty of gluten free substitutes for wheat flour, although they all offer their own unique properties in terms of flavour and texture. Expert gluten free bakers often end up finding their favourite blend of flours. 

Buckwheat flour is a great gluten free substitute for all-purpose flour, and has the advantage of substituting wheat in a 1:1 ratio in recipes. Buckwheat flour is high in fibre and provides a moist, tender texture when used in small amounts. As well as baking, buckwheat flour is good for coating meat or other proteins before frying them.  

Oat flour, which is gluten free as long as the oats used to make the flour are free from cross-contamination, is another alternative flour for baking, best for cookies and  breads. You can also use it for other things in combination with other gluten free flours. Tapioca flour is extremely popular as a thickening agent, and can also be used for baking, combining very well with buckwheat flour for a versatile blend. Other options include flours from white and brown rice, chickpea flour, amaranth flour, almond flour, coconut flour, sorghum flour and teff. 

Perhaps the most versatile gluten free substitute for breadcrumbs is almond flour or ground almonds, with its nutty taste and coarse texture making it an ideal replacement for thickening and blending as well as coating for frying. Different nuts can also work in a variety of dishes as topping – it just depends on your taste. Seeds too – chia seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, flax and poppy seeds - can help to dress up vegetables or meat that needs to be coated and cooked.  

Among other things you already have around the kitchen and can also work as a gluten free replacement for breadcrumbs, oat flakes can be pulverised in a blender with some seasoning. Packet corn flakes are a delicious way of coating chicken, but check carefully that you are using gluten free flakes as they often have added malt.  

As we have seen above, there are often direct gluten free replacements for foods containing gluten, but it is also true that sometimes improvisation is also required. Gluten free cooking needs an open mind, and can end up providing far more variety for your palate.  

To replace bread and crust, a whole series of vegetables can provide tasty and healthy alternatives, depending on the use required. Slices of sweet potato can be toasted and have be piled up with cheese or all kinds of delicious toppings. For dipping, cucumbers, carrots and peppers make healthy and fresh stand-ins for bread-based snacks. For a completely alternative approach to pizza crust, grated cauliflower bound with eggs and cheese has its fans and you can even find frozen cauliflower pizza bases on sale in some stores.