Hi y’all, I love experimenting in the kitchen, but I’ve run into a bit of a dilemma. I’m working on a recipe that calls for cornstarch as a thickening agent, but unfortunately, I’m all out. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for alternative ingredients I could use instead? TIA for your help…
I often experiment in the kitchen and have encountered the same problem before. If you are out of cornstarch, you can use flour, arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca. Flour is a frequent alternative, but arrowroot and potato starch also work well. Tapioca is another fantastic thickener. 
Other suggestions here are also good, but for thickening stew, I’d recommend using potato starch, potato flakes (instant mashed potatoes), unflavored gelatin, or starting with a substantial stock, like a long-simmered bone broth full of collagen.
If you’re looking for something to dredge the stew meat in before browning it, use potato starch. However, if the meat is well-seared, you could probably skip that step altogether.
You can use flour, but ensure it’s thoroughly mixed into the liquid before heating to prevent lumps. Unlike cornstarch, flour will make your sauce less transparent and more “gravy-like.” It should still work just fine.