Have you heard of cassava flour? Made by from a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber root commonly called “yuca”, cassava flour is a type of gluten-free, wheat flour alternative that is quickly making a name for itself for being the great white whale of grain-free and allergy-friendly cooking.
Here’s why we think it should be on your radar: cassava is vegan, vegetarian, and paleo friendly, as well as gluten, grain, and nut-free. It also mimics wheat flour extremely well, which is exciting news for anyone who’s spent time combining different allergy-friendly flours in the attempt to achieve a nice consistency, to no avail.
Not only can cassava flour be replaced with a 1:1 ratio of wheat flour in most recipes, but it’s high in dietary fiber, and resistant starch.
If you’ve been on a seemingly endless hunt for the perfect grain-free flour, cassava might just be the pot of gold at the end of your culinary rainbow. Check out some of our favorite recipes to learn about all the different ways you can use it:
1. Summer Vegetable Flatbread Pizza 
We love enjoying flatbread pizzas in the summer, and this Summer Vegetable Flatbread Pizza by Alison Marras is no exception. A compilation of summer veggies on top of a cassava flour flatbread, this recipe is adaptable and satisfying.
2. Squash Ravioli With Kale Pesto and Pine Nuts
Our blogger Alison Marras has struck gold with this Squash Ravioli With Kale Pesto and Pine Nuts. This recipe showcases so much flavor in a homemade ravioli shell! Gluten-free raviolis with a seasonal filling, topped with a simple kale pesto and toasted pine nuts. Dig in!
3. Pumpkin Pie Stuffed Dough Balls
These Pumpkin Pie Stuffed Dough Balls by Lindsay Cotter have us weak. This recipe includes sweet, cinnamony pumpkin pie filling enveloped in soft dough or a cheesy, savory pumpkin-y filling. Both doughy and delicious. Both simple to make. These portable snacks will be your go-to, gluten-free favorites in no time.
4. Thumbprint Cookies 
How cute are these Thumbprint Cookies by Jennifer Strohmeyer? Fresh and flavorful, these cookies are like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, only bite-size and portable. We recommend you enjoy them with a big glass of non-dairy milk – milk mustache optional.
5. Ongol Ongol Singkong: Indonesian Steamed Cassava Cake 
This Ongol Ongol Singkong: Indonesian Steamed Cassava Cake by Anita Jacobson is a naturally gluten-free Indonesian dessert. Grated cassava is combined with sugar, coconut milk, and agar agar, then steamed until it’s light and fluffy and topped with coconut sprinkles. Some people like to steam the cake batter three portions, then add food coloring to each portion, typically red, green, and yellow. These colorful cakes are known as kue lapis singkong.
So tell us: Do you agree that cassava flour could potentially become the holy grail of allergy-friendly flours? Let us know what you think of the recipes above, and be sure to check out our Food Monster App which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook, if you’re loving these kinds of forward-thinking, super inclusive recipes. If you download, you will have immediate access to 500 plant-based recipes. If you become a subscriber, you will then be able to scroll through over 8,000 plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes. Check it out!
Lead image source: Pumpkin Pie Stuffed Dough Balls
Cassava is almost pure starch that turns to blood sugar very quickly and it is NOT as resistant as one thinks. I would NEVER use it at all for that reason as a diabetic Starch, tapioca, and sago showed levels of resistant starch ranging from 0.56 to 1.1% which is NOT enough for me since cassava is 49% starch to begin with so that would only reduce the available starch by very little.