Cooking gluten-free can feel overwhelming at first, but a huge amount of everyday food is naturally gluten-free. The real work is knowing where gluten hides and keeping your kitchen free of cross-contamination.
If you have coeliac disease, follow the advice of your doctor or dietitian. Coeliac UK is an excellent source of detailed guidance.
Naturally gluten-free
- Rice, potatoes, corn (maize), quinoa, buckwheat, millet and polenta.
- Fresh meat, fish, eggs, milk and plain cheese.
- Fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
“Plain” and “fresh” are the key words. Once food is processed, coated or sauced, check the label.
Where gluten hides
- Wheat, barley and rye — and everything made from them: bread, pasta, couscous, most breakfast cereals, pastry and beer.
- Soy sauce is usually made with wheat. Look for tamari labelled gluten-free.
- Stock cubes, gravy granules, sauces and spice mixes often contain wheat flour.
- Oats are often contaminated with wheat. Only oats labelled gluten-free are suitable, and a small number of people with coeliac disease react to oats too.
- Sausages, battered or breaded foods, and some crisps and sweets.
In the UK, cereals containing gluten are one of the 14 major allergens, so they’re emphasised on the ingredients list of pre-packed food. Recipes change, so check every time.
Avoid cross-contamination at home
- Use a separate toaster, or toaster bags.
- Keep separate butter, jam and spreads, so knives don’t carry crumbs from ordinary bread.
- Clean boards and worktops before preparing gluten-free food, and prepare it first.
- Never cook gluten-free pasta in water that has already been used for ordinary pasta.
Gluten-free baking tips
- Use a gluten-free flour blend rather than a single flour.
- Many recipes need xanthan gum to replace the stretch that gluten provides. Some blends already include it, so check the bag.
- Gluten-free batters often benefit from resting for 20–30 minutes before baking, so the flours can absorb the liquid.
- Cakes, brownies and biscuits convert most easily. Yeasted bread is the hardest, so start with recipes written specifically to be gluten-free.
Gluten-free pasta
Use plenty of boiling water, stir often in the first few minutes, and start tasting early — it can go from undercooked to mushy quickly. Toss it with the sauce straight away.
Add Gluten to your allergens in your CulinaryFlow Diet Profile and our tools will build recipes around it. Always check the labels on the products you buy.