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Xanthan Gum

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For a detailed look at xanthan gum please check out my full guide on how to use xanthan gum.

Xanthan gum, or just xanthan, is one of the easiest modernist cooking ingredients to work with. It is used extensively to thicken liquids; a great ingredient used to turn thin liquids into savory sauces. It quickly hydrates or disperses at any temperature, making it one of the few ingredients you can add slowly and instantly see the result. Also, xanthan gum does not lose its properties when microwaved.

Strawberries xanthum balsamic syrup

Xanthan gum has a very neutral flavor so it mixes well with foods without masking their flavor. It provides an improved mouth feel to preparations, slightly thickening a liquid similar to how traditionally reducing a liquid does.

When used as a thickener in low dosages, xanthan gum produces a weak gel with high viscosity. This gel will also be thixotropic or shear thinning with a high pourability. This means that when the gel is at rest it maintains its shape but when stirred or mixed it begins to flow again as a liquid and then resets once the agitation stops.

Xanthan gum is gluten free and is often used as a substitute in baking and thickening. It also helps baked goods to retain more moisture than they would have otherwise. When mixed into batters or tempura xanthan gum adds good cling, allowing the batter to stick more easily to the food.

Xanthan gum is produced through the fermentation of glucose with a bacteria found in cabbage, known as Xanthomonas campesteris

You can discover more information about xanthan gum from my how to use xanthan gum guide or any of the xanthan gum articles and recipes below.

Xanthan Gum Recipes and Articles

Pressure Cooker Brisket Peppered Beef Recipe


Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Pea Shoots

Chilled cantaloupe soup At this time of cantaloupe is just starting to come into season. They are tender and sweet and barely resemble the bland and watery winter versions. The local farmers market recently had some "Sugar Kiss" melons that I couldn't resist.

Sous Vide Brisket Recipe with Cranberry BBQ Sauce


How to Keep Sauces from Separating - Ask Jason

Watermelon soup pickled rind A big issue with purees, sauces, and emulsions is that they separate over time. With the addition of some modernist ingredients, especially xanthan gum, you can delay this process.

Spinach-Garlic Dip Recipe

Spinach garlic dip This recipe turns a popular spinach-garlic dip into a foam for dipping. It can be served with roasted pita squares or even just vegetables and chips. This dip also works great as a sauce to perk up the flavors of steak or chicken.

Flank Steak with Chimichurri Recipe

Flank steak chimichurri overhead Flank steak is full of beefy flavor and has a great bite to it. Serving it with chimichurri, a spicy garlic and parsley based sauce, is very popular in Argentina and other South American countries. This recipe makes an excellent choice for a party!

Sous Vide Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney

Turkey breast cranberry chutney This is a great meal anytime and pairs the sous vided moist and tender turkey with a sweet and sour cranberry chutney. Always a family favorite!

Easy Aioli Dip Recipe

Aioli Aioli is simply a mayonnaise made with garlic and olive oil. This recipe uses an immersion blender to make the process super-easy and results in a light dip for vegetables or a spread on breads and toast. It's a popular addition to any party fare!

Cranberry Chutney Crostini Recipe


Pork and Roasted Strawberry Salad Recipe

Roasted strawberry salad For this recipe I roast the strawberries then puree them to form a sweet and tangy salad dressing. For a different flavor combination I serve it over a savory pulled pork and arugula salad.

Shredded Beef with Spicy Tangerine Froth Recipe


Sous Vide Honey-Chipotle Glazed Country Style Ribs

Honey chipotle spare ribs corn This sous vide country style ribs recipe uses a honey-chipotle glazed to perk up the flavor of the dish. For a thicker, clingier sauce on your ribs, adding a tad of xanthan gum will make that happen!

Mango Foam

Mango agar fluid gel foam 2 Versawhip and xanthan gum combine to make light foams that are a great way to add texture to dishes. It's a great topping for desserts and ice creams or can even be eaten as an amuse bouche between dishes.

Sous Vide Bourbon-Maple Chutney

Apple bourbon chutney This apple chutney is a very flavorful topping that provides a savory punch to pork, fish or even on a dessert! This recipe sous vides the apples in a bourbon, maple syrup, chipotle and thyme mixture.

Roasted Parsnips with Carrot Froth Recipe

Roasted parsnips with chipotle froth Roasting parsnips gives it an almost nutty taste, which holds up well to a topping of chipotle-carrot froth. The modernist ingredient of xanthan gum is used in the froth to help it retain the bubbles generated in the whipping siphon. This is a fun dish to serve as an appetizer or starter plate.

Chicken Recipe with Teriyaki Froth

Teriyaki froth2 This recipe takes a traditional teriyaki chicken dish and elevates it with a modernist twist. However, even pickier eaters enjoy this teriyaki froth entree!

Chocolate Covered Mint Marshmallows

Marshmallows   chocolate covered mint syrup This recipe takes classic homemade marshmallows and covers them in yummy chocolate. Mint and chocolate is a classic pairing and the soft marshmallows are a great way to hold them all together! A definite party favorite!

Honey-Chipotle BBQ Sauce Recipe


Sous Vide Beer Brat Grinders with Guinness Mustard

Brats guiness mustard Beer braised brats are a great summertime BBQ dish. I really like it served with a strongly flavored Guinness mustard on a toasted bun with grilled peppers and onions. Since the grill is already hot from the veggies, finish the brats with a quick sear to caramelize the outside and enjoy!

Pea Pesto Recipe


Chicken with Teriyaki Froth Recipe


Sous Vide Shredded Duck Legs with Sesame Noodles

Shredded duck legs sesame noodles What to serve your guests something a little different but exceptional for dinner? In this dish I topped sesame noodles with shredded duck legs because they can hold up to the strong flavors of the pasta. You can serve this entree either hot or cold. It's sure to be a hit!

Sous Vide Tarragon, Lemon, and Shallot Vinaigrette


Blackberry-Peach Wrapped Pork Recipe


White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Recipe


Sous Vide Salmon Recipe with Apple and Jalapenos

Sous vide salmon 122 apple jalapeno vinaigrette Sous vide salmon is a tender, soft meat that can be unlike anything cooked in a traditional manner. I pair it with spicy jalapenos and sous apples for a tart, rich dish.

Sous Vide Asparagus Recipe with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Sous vide asparagus with turkey Sous vide asparagus is similar to blanched asparagus but ends up with a stronger flavor and slightly firmer texture. It only needs a short cooking time unless the asparagus is really thick.

Sous Vide Tri-Tip Recipe with Roasted Fennel and Orange Salad

Sous vide tri tip roasted fennel olive salad This sous vide tri-tip steak recipe takes full advantage of the rich, meaty cut and is tenderized through the sous vide process and pared with an exotic fennel, orange, and olive salad.

Seared Tuna Squares Recipe

Seared tuna with pickled pear relish and asian accent sauce side By using the basic modernist ingredient of xanthan gum this recipe turns tuna into an upscale party favorite for any gathering. I serve the tuna squares with a pickled pear relish and an Asian accent sauce for a pop of flavor.

Pulled Pork with Spicy Pineapple Chutney Recipe

Pulled pork pineapple salsa This pulled pork recipe takes a tropical turn with pineapples, chiles, cilantro, and lime juice. This versatile dish can be served as an appetizer or main dish and either hot or cold.

Watermelon Soup Recipe With Pickled Rind


Sparkling Grape Gazpacho Recipe


Lemonade Recipe with Blueberry Froth

Blueberry foam lemonade This modernist recipe is a refreshing take on blueberry lemonade that changes the ubiquitous summer drink into a modernist creation your friends will love. It is a light blueberry froth dispensed on top of a glass of lemonade. The blueberry foam slowly filters into the drink, changing the flavor of the lemonade the longer you drink it. It is a quick recipe to make and is a great way to elevate a common drink.

Aquarium Pump Grape Bubbles Recipe


Salmon Bites with Tomatillo Agar Fluid Gel Sauce Recipe


Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Recipe


Xanthan Strengthened Maple Vinaigrette Recipe


Cherry Whipped Methocel Foam Recipe


Xanthan Gum

Xanthan syrup strawberries2 Xanthan gum, or just xanthan, is one of the easiest ingredients to work with. It is used extensively to thicken liquids; a great ingredient used to turn thin liquids into savory sauces. It quickly hydrates or disperses at any temperature, making it one of the few ingredients you can add slowly and instantly see the result. Also, xanthan gum does not lose its properties when microwaved.

Xanthan Gum Banana Milkshake Recipe


Xanthan Gum Balsamic Vinegar Syrup Recipe

Strawberries xanthum balsamic syrup One of the nice things about modernist cuisine is being able to thicken liquids without significantly diluting the flavor of them. There are several ingredients that can do this and here I use xanthan gum to make a balsamic vinegar syrup.

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