A sauce can be secret of success of your best recipe. get one creamy texture and a smooth, balanced flavor It’s not that easy. Sometimes, the preparation of sauces may sometimes require some time to reduce over low heat until the desired texture is achieved.

The most used for thicken the sauces are wheat flour and cornstarch, but there are many other options you can explore if you don’t want to resort to conventional flours. Proof of them are the healthy ones vegetable ingredients that we show you below, which give very good results and, in addition, enrich your sauces with various nutrients.

coconut flour

Beyond cereal flours, there are other types of flours that can be good options for thickening sauces or stews: nuts (for example, almonds), seeds, fruits…

Coconut flour is particularly interesting because it is low in carbohydrates, rich in fiber, does not contain gluten and has a great absorbent powerhence no need to use a large amount to thicken the liquid you want. It is advisable to add it little by little until you get the texture you want.

chia seeds

The chia seeds They are very rich in omega-3, minerals (such as calcium or magnesium) and fiber, and they also have great absorbent power: they can reach absorb up to 30 times its weight in water.

When mixed with a liquid they form a gel that is ideal for thickening all types of preparations without altering their flavor. You can add them whole (for example, in jams or juices) or ground to thicken sauces.

Vegetable puree

Depending on the sauce you want to thicken, add a vegetable puree Not only will it help you improve the texture, it will also It will improve its flavor and add nutrients.

You just have to boil the vegetable you prefer (cauliflower, potato, carrot, eggplant, pepper…), strain it and grind it until it forms a puree. Then, add it to your sauce and mix well.

A combination that looks very good is the carrot puree in tomato sauce for the pasta.

Agar-agar

He agar-agar It is a thickener that comes from algae and does not modify the flavor or aroma. It is widely used to gel desserts, but it is also useful in other preparations such as sauces.

The usual proportion is one tablespoon of agar-agar powder per 500 ml of liquid and you must add it with the hot liquid. Bring it to a boil, mixing it well, and when it cools, you will see that the texture becomes more gelatinous.

flax seed

In addition to being one of the plant foods richest in omega-3 (very beneficial fatty acids for heart and brain health), flax seeds are a wonderful thickener which does not add too much flavor or smell to the preparations.

If you add a little water to the ground flax seeds and wait a few minutes, you will see how a gel is created that can be used to thicken sauces or soups (better cold).

potato starch

The starch from potato starch is also useful for thickening sauces without adding a marked flavor. So that there are no lumps, it is advisable add it little by little to the hot sauce and stir it until you achieve the desired texture.

Tapioca, a starch extracted from cassava, also has a neutral flavor and acts in a similar way. You can find it in the form of flour.

guar gum

The guar gum It is a white powder that is extracted from the seeds of a type of bean called guar. It has great thickening properties and does not add flavor or odor.

It is usually used in a proportion of one level teaspoon per 250 ml of liquid and can be used with hot or cold liquid.

Psyllium

He psyllium It is a fiber obtained from the shell of species of the genus Plantago and has binding and thickening properties.

It can be used to thicken sauces, but if you do not have practice with its use it can be a little more complicated than the options we have mentioned before, since tends to form clumps.

It suits mix a small amount of psyllium with water to create a gel and then add it little by little to the sauce, stirring continuously.

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