Cassava flour is a gluten-free flour made from the tuber cassava, which is native to South America and grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions (2Trusted Source).

Despite cassava’s nutty flavor, its flour has a light or neutral taste and a fine or smooth texture. It is predominantly white in color, although you may find some with a light red or yellow hue, depending on the cassava variety (1Trusted Source).

The process of making cassava flour can be divided into five steps:

  1. peeling the tubers
  2. soaking them in water for 4–6 days
  3. sun-drying or roasting them
  4. scraping off the outer layer
  5. grinding the remainder into flour

Cassava flour is a highly versatile ingredient with numerous uses in the food industry, including in all sorts of baked goods, tortillas, porridge, pancakes, and gluten-free pasta and pizza. Manufacturers also sometimes use it as a thickener for ice cream, sauces, and dressings (1Trusted Source).

Furthermore, its low moisture content gives cassava flour a long shelf life as long as it’s stored away from moisture


Cassava is a starch-tuber that can be eaten as a whole root or root chips, or grated to make flour for things like bread and crackers. It is also used for puddings or drinks made with tapioca pearls.

Cassava is popular in many parts of Africa, Asia, and South American. Along with other roots and starch-rich foods like yam, taro, plantains, and potato, it’s a necessary part of the carbohydrate diet for millions of people.

Cassava flour is made by grating and drying the fibrous cassava root. It’s a great substitute for wheat and other flours. You can use it in any recipe that calls for wheat flour, making baking and cooking gluten-free meals easy.


Cassava flour is very rich in carbohydrates. A cup of cassava flour (285 grams) has about 110 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, and 4.5 grams of sugar. It’s also rich in vitamin C, with one cup containing close to the recommended daily value.


Cassava flour is gluten-free. It is a great choice for gluten-free baking, ideal for people who have gluten sensitivities or disorders.

Cassava flour is low in calories, fat, and sugar. Compared with other gluten-free flours, such as coconut or almond, cassava flour has a low fat content. It has a high water content and a lower calorie density than flours like corn, plantain, rice, coconut, sorghum, and wheat.

The best way to use cassava flour is to mix it with other nutrient-dense foods to boost fiber, vitamins, and minerals.