The Corporate Celiac

There are a ton of gluten-free ingredients or alternatives available. I’d say that most of the time, you’ll find an option for gluten-free foods like brownies, croutons, pizza, pasta, and more.

However, there are some items that are tougher to replace and may not be exactly like the original item.

Flour tortillas are a prime example. There are a ton of gluten-free alternatives for flour tortillas, but in my experience, none of them quite have the softness, chewiness, or stretchiness (like a burrito at Chipotle Mexican Grill) of wheat-flour based tortillas.

So instead, I’d rather use something that is definitely different but still has an authentic flavor. For example, a burrito bowl (no tortilla), nachos, or fajitas/tacos with corn tortillas. Those are all distinctly different experiences from a burrito in a flour tortilla, which for me is a good thing: I know I won’t be disappointed in trying to perfectly recreate my favorite burrito only to have it fall apart as I take my first bite.

In the same way, you’ll find other ingredients or items that are not easily recreated, but can be swapped in recipes. These are my recommendations:

Original ingredient:		My recommended swap:
Couscous	→	Millet
Grains like farro or bulgar wheat	→	Other grains like rice, quinoa, millet
Barley (like in soup):	→	Buckwheat
Beer	→	To use in chili, pulled pork, or beer bread: Hard cider, wine, seltzer, soda or hard soda
Soy sauce	→	Gluten-free soy sauce (tastes exactly the same!). Other options are Coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
Flour tortillas	→	Corn tortillas (heat or char them for the best flavor), egg white wraps, gluten-free wraps (be warned: gluten-free wraps are not nearly as pliable as flour tortillas!)
Thickeners:	→	Roux, to thicken gravy or soup: corn starch, potato starch, measure-for-measure gluten-free flour To thicken chili or soup without a roux: beans (not dry!), blended with a small amount of liquid
Gluten flour*	→	A “one-to-one” or “measure-for-measure” gluten-free flour blend

*Be careful when swapping for flour!

Not all gluten-free flours or starches are created equal. Almond flour does not work the same as an all-purpose GF flour blend! Do a little bit of research before swapping. For example, some are denser than others (e.g., almond flour) and may not give you the same results. Others might have a distinct flavor (e.g., chickpea flour) that may not work in all recipes.

“One-for-one” or “measure-for-measure” gluten-free flour blends are designed to be used in place of wheat flour, in the same amounts. But again, each brand tends to work a little bit differently. I’d recommend trying a few different blends until you find one (or more) that you prefer most. I’ve had success with blends made by King Arthur Baking Company™, Bob’s Red Mill®, and Cup4Cup™, as well as several DIY blends on the Gluten Free on a Shoestring website.

Looking for other gluten-free alternatives? Check out:
Gluten-Free Product Recommendations

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