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Potato starch

Baking essentials · Starches

Potato starch

Very fine white starch from potatoes; thickens at low heat and fries extra crisp. Not the same as potato flour.

Also called: potato flour, kartoffelmehl, krakmolas, skrobia ziemniaczana

Around the world: bulvių krakmolas (lt) · mąka ziemniaczana (pl)

2 recipes with it

Photo: Jon Pallbo (Jon.Pallbo@gmail.com), via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

Potato starch is the pure starch extracted from potatoes, a bright white powder that feels squeaky between the fingers. It thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch and gives a clear result, but thins if boiled for long. Its large granules make very crisp fried coatings, as in Japanese karaage. Note that 'potato flour' can mean either this starch (common in Europe) or a heavier flour of whole dried potato.

How it’s used

  • Karaage and other crisp fried coatings
  • Thickening soups, sauces and Nordic fruit soups (kissel)
  • Gluten-free and Passover baking
  • Potato dumplings and noodles

Characteristics

Texture
Squeaky, very fine powder.
When cooked
Add as a slurry near the end of cooking and do not boil hard.
Sold as
powder
Cooking uses
Used for thickening, Suitable for frying, Suitable for baking, Used for binding

Storage

Pantry-stable. Airtight and dry; keeps for a long time.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Naturally gluten-free.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
357 kcal
Protein
6.9 g
Carbohydrate
83.1 g
Fat
0.34 g
Fibre
5.9 g
Sugars
3.52 g

USDA FoodData Central: Potato flour (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Cornstarch — 1:1; coatings slightly less crisp and needs a full boil to thicken.

Related ingredients

Recipes with potato starch

More starches