By Wendy Stoltz and Yuliia Stsepeleva / Last Modified On February 15, 2023

You are going to love this gluten-free roux. No more lumpy sauces, and your soups and stews will come out perfectly creamy and dense. This is a great recipe to master, and I am going to show you how to make it perfect every time. It keeps well in the refrigerator and freezer so you can take it out when needed. 

So, what is a roux? A roux forms the base for sauces, casseroles, and soups. Experimenting and making your own sauces is easier than you think once you've mastered this technique, which is not hard at all. It really is such a versatile thickening agent to have on hand, either in the refrigerator or stored in the freezer.

If you love experimenting in the kitchen, give James Beard Award–winning author of The Cooking Gene's masterclass a try. He will teach you how to trace your culinary roots through the food your ancestors ate. Another great option is this course, The Science of Gastronomy.

If you want to try another roux incorporated into the recipe, make these gluten-free scalloped potatoes. Everybody needs a tasty gluten-free gravy recipe, right? This one is my go-to recipe. This gluten-free macaroni and cheese is such a great dish to try too!

GLUTEN-FREE ROUX RECIPE

Gluten-free roux (pronounced “roo”) is a thickening agent in sauces, stews, casseroles, and more. It is a useful skill to have on hand as it really helps with the texture of your dishes. Two to three tablespoons of gluten-free roux will thicken about a cup of liquid.

I would encourage you to make an extra batch and freeze it. Once you start using this GF roux, you will want to have it on hand for those unexpected times you want to make a dish with a great texture.

GF roux is such a great kitchen technique to master, and you are going to love just how easy it is. The number of times you use it will make you wonder why you never made it before.

WHY YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THIS GLUTEN-FREE ROUX

Stores well - You can store it in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. The best part is you can freeze this GF roux for later use.

Add it to stews and sauces - This gluten-free roux can be added to your stew and sauces to thicken them up nicely.

Easy to make - Making a GF roux is a straightforward process. Just follow my visual cues. 

INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN-FREE ROUX

Butter - 3 tbsp unsalted butter. Use vegetable oil if you are making a brown sauce.

Flour - 3 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour. I used Bob's Red Mill Resealable Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour. 

EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR THIS GLUTEN-FREE ROUX

Saucepan - I like to use a smaller non-stick saucepan. 

Spatula - This is a great spatula set that is dishwasher safe.

Jar - Use a wide mouth jar so it is easy to take out the measurements you need.

If you have any questions about making gluten-free roux, please leave a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE ROUX

1. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt it over low heat. Be careful not to burn the butter.
2. Once the butter is melted, add the gluten-free all-purpose flour. Stir with a spatula so that there are no lumps of flour.
3. At first, the roux will be thicker, but after 2-3 minutes it will become a little thinner. It can be used already at this stage.
4. If you wait a couple more minutes, the sauce will become darker (light brown). However, for brown sauce it is better to use vegetable oil. If you heat a butter-based sauce for too long, the flour and butter particles may burn. It will look like black dots in the sauce. The smell will become toastier and nuttier. TIP: Don't go past the stage of a peanut butter color. GF flour acts differently to gluten flour.

Pour the roux into a jar, let cool and store in the refrigerator in a container with a lid. You can store it for 1-2 weeks. You can also freeze the sauce. Two to three tablespoons of sauce will thicken about a cup of liquid.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in gluten-free roux, please see the complete recipe below.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE ROUX

Don't burn the butter - Start off with low heat so you don't burn the butter.

Make sure there are no lumps - When you add the gluten-free flour to the butter ensure you have no lumps.

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO I STORE GLUTEN-FREE ROUX?

Pour the roux into a jar, let it cool, and store it in the refrigerator in a container with a lid. You can store it for 1-2 weeks. 

CAN I FREEZE GLUTEN-FREE ROUX?

You can also freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Two to three tablespoons of sauce will thicken about a cup of liquid.

CAN YOU MAKE THIS GLUTEN-FREE ROUX AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, you can store it in your fridge for 1-2 weeks or alternatively freeze it in the portions you'll use it in. As a rule of thumb 2-3 tablespoons of sauce will thicken about 1 cup of liquid.

WHAT SUBSTITUTIONS / REPLACEMENTS CAN I MAKE IN THIS GLUTEN-FREE ROUX?

Vegan - You can use vegan butter. I have not tried it yet.

 

CAN ALMOND FLOUR BE USED TO MAKE A ROUX?

Sadly, you can try it but not all-nut flours thicken the same way as gluten flour or a gluten-free flour blend.

WILL GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR THICKEN A SAUCE?

Yes, it will. But select a gluten-free flour that has starch and/or binders.

CAN YOU MAKE GLUTEN-FREE AND DAIRY-FREE ROUX?

Yes, you can. Use vegan butter or oil.

HOW DO YOU PREVENT YOUR ROUX FROM FORMING LUMPS?

Correct temperature - Make sure you have a low temperature.

Add flour in small increments - Stir in the flour bit by bit as opposed to placing it all in at once.

Sieve the flour - You can also sieve the flour in but that is optional.

Stir and stir - Stir the roux frequently.

WHAT IS THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR FOR ROUX?

The best GF flour is usually a blend that includes arrowroot and tapioca if possible. I used Bob's Red Mill Resealable Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour for this recipe. 

HOW DO YOU MAKE GLUTEN-FREE ROUX FOR SAUCES AND SOUPS?

You usually add the gluten-free roux to the recipe when it calls for it. Use 2-3 tablespoons of GF roux to thicken about 1 cup of liquid.

HOW DO YOU MAKE A DARK GLUTEN-FREE ROUX?

I would use Bob’s Redmill Cassava Flour to make a darker roux. 

 Did you make this gluten-free roux recipe? Please leave me a comment below letting me know what you thought.