About

Foods made with Otto’s Cassava Flour do not have that familiar dry or “alternative flour” taste or texture that often comes with gluten-free flours. In fact, many users comment that baked goods made with Otto’s are indistinguishable from their wheat based counterparts in taste and texture.

Questions & answers

What is Cassava?

Cassava (also known as Yuca) is a root vegetable grown in over 90 countries. Cassava is a staple food for half a billion people across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It is the perfect alternative to wheat flour when dried and ground using our proprietary method. It is totally unique from the traditionally milled cassava flours on the market.

How does Otto's Cassava Flour differ from others on the market?

Other flours begin as cassava peeled by hand and fermented in the sun. Fermentation is not a bad thing, but it adds a considerably sour flavor and smell to the flour. Sun drying is impossible to regulate and leads to varying levels of humidity in the flour that can then lead to mold. The smell and taste of sun-dried cassava flour is often described as “sour”, “fermented”, or “musty”. Not so of Otto’s Cassava Flour. It is thoroughly peeled, dried, and ground into wonderfully consistent, delicious flour that you can count on cup after cup.

Is Otto’s Cassava Flour the same as Tapioca flour/starch?

No. Tapioca is the extracted starch of the cassava root. Otto’s Cassava Flour is a whole food! It is the whole root; peeled, dried, and ground. Otto’s Cassava Flour and tapioca flour/starch have very different actions in both baking and your digestive system.

I heard there is cyanide in cassava. Is that true?!?

Yes, there is naturally occurring cyanide in cassava root, (and apples!) mostly concentrated in the peel, which we thoroughly remove; the rest is taken care of by heat when we cook it. We lab test each batch to ensure that you are totally and completely safe.

Is Otto’s Cassava Flour gluten-free?

Cassava is naturally gluten-free and Gluten-Free Certified by GIG (The Gluten Intolerance Group) to have no cross contaminants. Absolutely no gluten here!

Is it Paleo Friendly?

Yes! Otto’s Cassava Flour is even Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) friendly and Certified Paleo by The Paleo Foundation.

How should I use Otto’s Cassava Flour in a recipe?

Otto’s Cassava Flour works in the same proportions as wheat flour in most cases. We encourage you to try your old favorites from your pre-grain-free days. Just give Otto’s Cassava Flour a good whisk before measuring it out; it settles quickly. If you are finding your recipe on the dry side, try reducing the flour amount by about 15%.

The biggest exception is yeast based recipes. 1:1 substitution does not work. We encourage you to use the pizza and bread recipes available on our website Recipes page and Social Media pages that have already been optimized for Otto’s for your convenience. They are delicious!

We also have quite a few recipes waiting for you on our Pinterest.com/OttosNaturals boards if you’re looking for inspiration.

Wow! Well, what about baking sandwich bread with Otto’s Cassava Flour?

Otto’s Cassava Flour does not work in a 1:1 ratio for yeast-based breads like sandwich bread. But don’t worry! Otto’s Cassava Flour teamed up with some of your favorite food bloggers to develop great recipes for these more finicky breads. Please follow us on Pinterest and Instagram so you never miss a recipe!

What does Otto’s Cassava Flour taste like?

Otto’s Cassava Flour has a very clean, neutral flavor you never worry about “disguising.” Your family and friends will likely never know the difference. Be prepared for a lot of “Wait, this is grain-free?!?”

Does Otto’s Cassava Flour have a funny “alternative” texture?

Nope! No weirdness here. Our method of peeling, drying, and grinding creates a gorgeous texture just like that of wheat flour, before and after baking.

Cassava Flour is often known for being "gritty" in every bite. Is Otto's?

Most Cassava Flours use very large, fibrous, mature yuca root. This makes a lot of sense when quantity is of prime concern. The high fiber content is what causes “grittiness.” Otto’s uses young, tender yuca root instead. This produces a significantly smoother flour texture. While every once in a while you may experience a tiny crystal of fiber, it is noticeably less than traditionally milled cassava flours and most people don’t notice it at all.