What Is Arrowroot And What Does It Taste Like?

Arrowroot may sound like a strange ingredient name, but it has several uses. Arrowroot may be derived from several different plants, such as one species with the botanical name Maranta arundinacea, according to an article in Healthline. The word "arrowroot" may refer to either this plant or the starch. While it's sometimes eaten as a veggie, the tuber's rhizomes, or roots, are often ground into a white powder, as is the case with other tropical tubers whose starch is referred to as "arrowroot," according to The Spruce Eats. 

Sometimes, when you're cooking a dish, especially a gravy, stew, or sauce, you may need a way to thicken it. This is when the starch of these tubers comes in handy. Arrowroot powder is used as a thickening agent and is not only for savory foods but can also be used for desserts, such as custards or jellies, according to The Spruce Eats, or even for thickening a fruit pie filling so that it has a better consistency and texture.

What makes this starch a great ingredient to add to your recipes is that it's flavorless, as explained on Healthline. Having an odorless, no-flavor starch is essential — imagine needing to thicken a tomato sauce or your favorite soup and having to figure out how to disguise an unwanted flavor! That would just create too much hassle, complications, and worry in the kitchen. Arrowroot makes cooking and baking easy. 

If you haven't already, you'll want to consider adding this wonderful powder to your pantry, especially if you don't want to be concerned about altering your dish or favorite sweet treat. The other bonus of this starch is that it's gluten-free, paleo-friendly, and vegan since it's a plant (via The Spruce Eats).

So whether you've used arrowroot before or not, consider this tuber extra special because you can eat it as a veggie or use it as a secret ingredient in the kitchen for getting your dish just how you want it.