Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Can I Thicken My Mac N Cheese Sauce?

user001

Recommended Posts

user001 Contributor
user001
Posted

I'm planning to make some Mac n cheese with veggies this week. I haven't made it in probably a year or more, I am confident that wegmans gluten free pasta will be delicious. I used to make it with a roux with flour of course, I was thinking of baking a potato and using that to thicken the sauce. I also have gluten-free cornstarch. Anyone have any experience making a roux? I use cornstarch in my gravy, but I'm worried it might be weird with dairy. Thoughts, ideas?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


StephanieL Enthusiast
StephanieL
Posted

I've never used a roux in my mac and cheese but I have made them for other things using gluten-free flour and never had a problem.

beth01 Enthusiast
beth01
Posted

I have been making a roux when I make hot dishes since there is a real lack of cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup around here that is gluten free.  You just might have to use more than you would have before

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Psyillium husks are good for thickening water containing liquids.  Not sure if the would work for a roux tho.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I do this all the time. I learned to make mac & cheese from a roux first and that's how I keep doing it. I use whatever flour I have at hand. I started using rice flour, although I'm not a super fan of it it works. I much prefer to use the AP flour that I keep on hand instead. At any rate, either worked just fine and my mac & cheese is as awesome as ever. And now I want some!

beth01 Enthusiast
beth01
Posted

My daughter and boyfriend have been hounding me to make homemade mac and cheese.  I have never done it, but I would think it would taste better than anything on the shelves.  My daughter was a die hard Kraft Mac and Cheese fan so I am not sure how homemade will stack up to her expectations.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

As Addy said, any all purpose flour mix (even baking mixes like pamelas) make great thickeners when used in a roux.  I generally make a roux with half corn starch and half brown rice flour, but if I am out of one, I use whatever flour is on hand.  Brown rice flour takes a little longer to thicken than white rice flour.  But either will make a great cheese sauce.  

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


user001 Contributor
user001
Posted
  • Author

You guys think I should use different proportions? I used to go on the rule that 1 tbls of fat + 1 tbls of flour to thicken 1 cup of liquid. I never measure anything exactly but I have a good eye. This will be my first gluten free roux, so im really hoping its not a bust. Like I said its been a year or more since Ive made my famous mac n cheese, I know it wont be the same but the original recipe took a few times to perfect. Im hoping to pump up this version with some veggies like spinach inside and tomatoes on top.

beth01 Enthusiast
beth01
Posted

I usually just eyeball everything also, but I have noticed that I need a bit more roux now than I did before.  Just my personal experience with the three things I have made, lol.  Someone with more experience will know more than I.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

You guys think I should use different proportions? I used to go on the rule that 1 tbls of fat + 1 tbls of flour to thicken 1 cup of liquid. I never measure anything exactly but I have a good eye. This will be my first gluten free roux, so im really hoping its not a bust. Like I said its been a year or more since Ive made my famous mac n cheese, I know it wont be the same but the original recipe took a few times to perfect. Im hoping to pump up this version with some veggies like spinach inside and tomatoes on top.

I use the 1:1 proportion.  There are probably slight differences in the amount of freed starches each individual flour puts off, so just eyeball it.

abqmalenurse Newbie
abqmalenurse
Posted

Xanthan gum would work.

NatureChick Rookie
NatureChick
Posted

I have never made mac and cheese from scratch but I use potato starch to thicken my gravies and sauces. I prefer it to flours because it doesn't impart any flavor so you don't have to cook it in order for it to be done, just add enough to get to the thickness you want and serve. 

But you do have to use less of it than flours so adding slowly helps to avoid going too far too fast. 

I haven't tried xanthum gum as a thickener but I generally try to avoid it and guar gum because both are known to cause digestive symptoms and mess with blood sugar levels. I only had a bad reaction once when I ate too much of something containing it in one sitting, but it was bad enough for me to learn that the maximum daily doses for each are pretty low.

Open Original Shared Link
Open Original Shared Link

user001 Contributor
user001
Posted
  • Author

Thanks you guys. I think I might just go with potato starch because it sounds like i can adjust if necessary. I can't wait! I will update later in the week when i finally make it.

lpellegr Collaborator
lpellegr
Posted

I make homemade mac and cheese all the time, using 2T butter + 2T cornstarch for the roux, with 2 cups of milk and as much cheese as I can cram into it.

NatureChick Rookie
NatureChick
Posted

I'm curious to know from anyone who has tried both if cornstarch is similar to potato starch when used as a thickener. I've only experimented with potato and not corn. Does it impart flavor, does it clump more or less than flours, etc.?

horseatemymoney Newbie
horseatemymoney
Posted

Hi I have tried this way of making mac and cheese before.  Its good, no need to make a roux, and there is less dishes to wash up after.

 

Open Original Shared Link

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

That makes me think of this recipe... I was going through bookmarks yesterday and drooled over this:  Open Original Shared Link

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

To the original question, we use Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten-free flour for this.

user001 Contributor
user001
Posted
  • Author

I just wanted to update. I made this over the weekend and it was really tasty! I put spinach in the sauce and pureed a potato in with the onion. It thickened it nicely but I didn't make nearly enough sauce, I think the corn pasta sucks up the liquid quite a bit. Very tasty! I topped it with cut up tomatoes and a little parmesan cheese. It was a bit much for my tummy, so I don't think i will be making it again for awhile.

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

Something else to make before going totally gluten-free :D.  We used the recipe on the Creamettes box and I love it!!  I use Wondra for making gravy or roux usually but cornstarch works fine too.  I always add potato water to my gravy as well...well, I used to do all that I guess.  

gilligan Enthusiast
gilligan
Posted

I do this all the time. I learned to make mac & cheese from a roux first and that's how I keep doing it. I use whatever flour I have at hand. I started using rice flour, although I'm not a super fan of it it works. I much prefer to use the AP flour that I keep on hand instead. At any rate, either worked just fine and my mac & cheese is as awesome as ever. And now I want some!

What is AP flour?

beth01 Enthusiast
beth01
Posted

All purpose

gilligan Enthusiast
gilligan
Posted

All purpose

Thanks!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. asaT
      - asaT replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      48

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      plant sources of calcium, such as spinach, have calcium bound to oxalates, which is not good. best source of calcium is unfortunately dairy, do you tolerate dairy? fermented dairy like kefir is good and or a little hard cheese. i do eat dairy, i can only take so much dietary restriction and gluten is hard enough! but i guess some people do have bad reactions...
    2. asaT
      - asaT replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      48

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      i take b12, folate, b2, b6, glycine, Nac, zinc, vk2 mk4, magnesium, coq10, pqq, tmg, creatine, omega 3, molybdnem (sp) and just started vit d. quite a list i know. I have high homocysteine (last checked it was 19, but is always high and i finally decided to do something about it) and very low vitamin d, 10. have been opposed to this supp in the past...
    3. nanny marley
      - nanny marley replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      20

      Insomnia help

      Great advise there I agree with the aniexty part, and the aura migraine has I suffer both, I've also read some great books that have helped I'm going too look the one you mentioned up too thankyou for that, I find a camomile tea just a small one and a gentle wind down before bed has helped me too, I suffer from restless leg syndrome and nerve pain hence I...
    4. nanny marley
      - nanny marley replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      4

      nothing has changed

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again
    5. trents
      - trents replied to Scott Adams's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      48

      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,342
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Muhammad
    Newest Member
    Muhammad
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      plant sources of calcium, such as spinach, have calcium bound to oxalates, which is not good. best source of calcium is unfortunately dairy, do you tolerate dairy? fermented dairy like kefir is good and or a little hard cheese. i do eat dairy, i can only take so much dietary restriction and gluten is hard enough! but i guess some people do have bad reactions to it, so different for everyone.  
    • asaT
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By asaT · Posted

      i take b12, folate, b2, b6, glycine, Nac, zinc, vk2 mk4, magnesium, coq10, pqq, tmg, creatine, omega 3, molybdnem (sp) and just started vit d. quite a list i know.  I have high homocysteine (last checked it was 19, but is always high and i finally decided to do something about it) and very low vitamin d, 10. have been opposed to this supp in the past, but going to try it at 5k units a day. having a pth test on friday, which is suspect will be high. my homocysteine has come down to around 9 with 3 weeks of these supplements and expect it to go down further. i also started on estrogen/progesterone. I have osteoporosis too, so that is why the hormones.  anyway, i think all celiacs should have homocysteine checked and treated if needed (easy enough with b vit, tmg). homocysteine very bad thing to be high for a whole host of reasons. all the bad ones, heart attack , stroke, alzi, cancer..... one of the most annoying things about celiacs (and there are so many!) is the weight gain. i guess i stayed thin all those years being undiagnosed because i was under absorbing everything including calories. going gluten-free and the weight gain has been terrible, 30#, but i'm sure a lot more went into that (hip replacement - and years of hip pain leading to inactivity when i was previously very active, probably all related to celiacs, menopause) yada yada. i seemed to lose appetite control, like there was low glp, or leptin or whatever all those hormones are that tell you that you are full and to stop eating. my appetite is immense and i'm never full. i guess decades or more ( i think i have had celiacs since at least my teens - was hospitalized for abdominal pain and diarrhea for which spastic colon was eventually diagnosed and had many episodes of diarrhea/abdominal pain through my 20's. but that symptom seemed to go away and i related it to dairy much more so than gluten. Also my growth was stunted, i'm the only shorty in my family. anyway, decades of malabsorption and maldigestion led to constant hunger, at least thats my theory. then when i started absorbing normally, wham!! FAT!!!    
    • nanny marley
      Insomnia help

      By nanny marley · Posted

      Great advise there I agree with the aniexty part, and the aura migraine has I suffer both, I've also read some great books that have helped I'm going too look the one you mentioned up too thankyou for that, I find a camomile tea just a small one and a gentle wind down before bed has helped me too, I suffer from restless leg syndrome and nerve pain hence I don't always sleep well at the best of times , racing mind catches up I have decorated my whole house in one night in my mind before 🤣 diet changes mindset really help , although I have to say it never just disappears, I find once I came to terms with who I am I managed a lot better  , a misconception is for many to change , that means to heal but that's not always the case , understanding and finding your coping mechanisms are vital tools , it's more productive to find that because there is no failure then no pressure to become something else , it's ok to be sad it's ok to not sleep , it's ok to worry , just try to see it has a journey not a task 🤗
    • nanny marley
      nothing has changed

      By nanny marley · Posted

      I agree there I've tryed this myself to prove I can't eat gluten or lactose and it sets me back for about a month till I have to go back to being very strict to settle again 
    • trents
      Supplements for those Diagnosed with Celiac Disease

      By trents · Posted

      You may also need to supplement with B12 as this vitamin is also involved in iron assimilation and is often deficient in long-term undiagnosed celiac disease.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.