Gluten-free cooking can seem limiting, but there are plenty of gluten-free flours that work great for frying. When choosing a flour for frying, you need one that can hold up to the high heat of the oil and give your food a crispy, crunchy coating. The best gluten-free flours for frying are rice flour, chickpea flour, and gluten-free all-purpose flour blends. Each has their advantages and best uses which we will explore in detail.
Rice Flour
Rice flour is one of the most popular gluten-free flours for frying due to its neutral flavor, crisp texture, and ability to brown nicely. The fine texture of rice flour creates an exceptionally delicate and crunchy crust on fried foods.
There are a few types of rice flour to choose from:
- White rice flour – This is the most widely available and has a mild flavor. It works well for frying chicken, fish, vegetables, and other everyday fried foods.
- Brown rice flour – This has a deeper, slightly nutty taste from the bran layer left on the grains. It can add more flavor to fried foods.
- Sweet rice flour – Made from short-grain glutinous rice, this has binding properties to help adhesion for fried batters. It also crisps up nicely.
The light color of white rice flour makes it ideal for achieving golden-brown fried foods. One downside is that foods fried in just rice flour alone might not get as crispy or crunchy as using a flour blend. For ultra-crispy results, mix rice flour with a small amount of tapioca starch, corn starch, or arrowroot powder.
Best Uses for Rice Flour in Frying
- Fried chicken with a super crispy crust
- Tempura battered vegetables and seafood
- Fried shrimp with a light, delicate crunch
- Onion rings and other fried vegetables
Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour, also known as gram flour or besan, is a popular gluten-free flour made from ground chickpeas. It has a nutty, beany flavor and adds more protein than other gluten-free flours. Chickpea flour has binding properties that help fried coatings adhere well to foods. It crisps up nicely for a deliciously crunchy crust.
When frying with chickpea flour, use it combined with other gluten-free flours for the best texture. Try mixing it with rice flour, tapioca starch or cornmeal. Using 100% chickpea flour can result in a slightly dense or grainy texture. Blending it with other flours helps lighten the texture.
Best Uses for Chickpea Flour in Frying
- Pakora – Indian vegetable fritters
- Socca – Chickpea flour pancakes
- Falafel
- Fried chicken tenders or nuggets
- Breading fish fillets before frying
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
Gluten-free all-purpose flour blends provide a great basic flour mix for frying all kinds of foods. These blends are formulated with several gluten-free flours and starches to achieve the best flavor, texture and binding power. Look for blends based on ingredients like rice flour, tapioca starch, sorghum flour, potato starch and xanthan gum.
Using an all-purpose gluten-free blend means you don’t have to buy and mix several flours yourself. The blend incorporates the ideal mix of light flours for crispy frying along with binders to help coatings stick to foods. Many brands also add enzymes to improve the performance of gluten-free baking.
Some good gluten-free all-purpose flour options include:
- Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour
- King Arthur Flour Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
- Betty Crocker All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend
- Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour
Best Uses for Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flours
- Fried chicken
- Fried seafood like fish fillets or shrimp
- Fried vegetables such as zucchini, onions, mushrooms
- Fritters
- Hushpuppies
Other Flour Options
In addition to the top three flours mentioned, there are a few other options that work well for gluten-free frying:
- Cornstarch – Very light and crispy. Best mixed with other flours.
- Almond flour – Nutty flavor and crunch.
- Coconut flour – Absorbs oil for a crispy crust.
- Tapioca flour – Gluten-free starch that gets super crispy.
Tips for Frying with Gluten-Free Flours
To achieve the best results when frying gluten-free foods, follow these helpful tips:
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350-375°F. Properly heated oil prevents sticking and uneven cooking.
- Mix flours before using to prevent clumping from moisture or compacting.
- Combine your chosen flour with seasonings like garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper to flavor the coating.
- Let floured foods sit for several minutes before frying so the coating adheres. You can also dip in egg or buttermilk first to help the flour coating stick better.
- Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Avoid crowding.
- Let fried foods drain on a paper towel-lined plate or rack after cooking.
Conclusion
When it comes to gluten-free frying, you can choose from several great options that each have their advantages. Rice flour is light and crispy. Chickpea flour adds binding and crunch. Gluten-free flour blends provide an all-in-one frying solution. With the right flour and proper frying technique, you can create perfectly crispy gluten-free favorites.