Then realised the only thing you can’t find is cornmeal? Don’t worry; there are lots of different substitutes for ingredients, and cornmeal is no exception.
There are many ingredients you might have lying around the pantry that might do the trick! It all depends on the recipe.
I’m going to guide you through all the different cornmeal substitutes so that you can continue with that recipe.
Cornmeal is a coarse flour made from corn kernels, and it can come in a few consistencies from coarse, medium and fine. The ingredient is the same for each, and the only difference is in texture.
It’s made from different corn kernels, but the most common are corn kernels from yellow corn. Cornmeal is gluten-free and has a slightly sweet corn flavour.
There are some additional foods you can use in place of cornmeal. If you don’t have any of the options above, you can consider ground oats, masa harina, bread crumbs, ground flaxseed, polenta flour, smashed cornflakes, homemade cornmeal, or hominy grits.
Corn Flour (Not Corn Starch)
In the United kingdom, corn starch is branded as cornflour. Corn starch is not a suitable replacement for cornmeal, and it’s a much starcher powder used for a completely different reason.
On the other hand, Corn flour is just refined ground cornmeal, and it gives you the same corn flavour but a different texture.
Corn flour is an excellent replacement if you plan to use cornmeal in a sauce or as a thicker for soups or stews. It’s a fine powder that will give you the same corn flavour.
Recipes: Cornbread, Biscuits, Dumplings, Desserts and Baking
Finding a cornmeal replacement for a corn allergy is slightly more complex. The flavour will be different, but you can have similar cooking results.
You may think it’s impossible to find a suitable replacement for cornmeal for a corn allergy, but I will give you some good ideas.
Coarse Wheat Flour
Coarse wheat flour is one of the best non-corn substitutes for cornmeal. It’s an all-purpose choice that can replace cornmeal in any recipe, and it provides the same cooking purpose with a similar texture.
Replace cornmeal with wheat flour by weight instead of volume. It will give you the most accurate results.
You can also use regular wheat flour; this is more refined but still has the same cooking purpose.
Recipes: All Purpose
Semolina is also an excellent replacement. It’s made from durum wheat and is high in minerals, and it has a slightly nutty flavour with a similar cooking purpose to cornmeal.
Recipes: All Purpose
It’s a type of flour made from dried corn kernels cooked and soaked in a lime solution. It is used for the dough to make tortillas and even pizza dough. It’s very refined like wheat flour but can still be used as an alternative in specific recipes.
Recipes: Bread, Biscuits, Dumplings, Tortillas
Rice flour is finely milled rice. It has a starchy texture and can be used as an alternative for thinking sauces and soups.
Recipes: All-purpose
What can I substitute for cornmeal in cornbread?
FAQ
Can I use cornstarch instead of cornmeal in cornbread?
What is the same as cornmeal?
What can I use instead of cornmeal for the bottom of bread?
Can you substitute cornmeal for cornbread mix?
What can I substitute for cornmeal?
Below is a list of frequently made dishes with cornmeal, and the substitute you can use if you have none of it. Cornbread: Corn grits, polenta, ground flaxseed, almond flour, wheat flour. Corndog Batter: Wheat flour, masa harina. Cornmeal Pancake: Masa harina, polenta, semolina, ground flaxseed, almond flour.
What can be used as a substitute for egg when baking cornbread?
Aquafaba might be used as a substitute for the egg when baking cornbread. Aquafaba is chickpea water that has a similar function to eggs.
Can you use corn flour instead of cornbread?
If you want to get something that will still taste like cornbread, then corn flour should work out well enough. You’ll be able to make cornbread that will be a bit different than usual when using corn flour instead of cornbread. Polenta is actually a closer substitute for cornmeal than you might think as well.
Can you make cornbread with cornmeal?
The consistency of corn flour and polenta won’t perfectly replicate how the cornbread would turn out when made with cornmeal as normal. You can still make cornbread that is satisfying and convincing this way, though. Perhaps you’d like to use actual corn in your cornbread. This is possible if you have sweet in-season corn stocked in your kitchen.