Which Bouillon Cubes are Gluten-Free?

There are plenty of gluten free brands of bouillon cubes. However, the most popular brands available are Knorr, Herb-Ox, Orrington Farms and BOU. We'll be taking a closer look at which of their products are gluten free in this post.

Is Organic Better than Bouillon Gluten Free?

Unfortunately, no. While their Chicken Better than Bouillon does not contain any gluten ingredients, they state on their website that their products are not gluten free as, "Better Than Bouillon is made in a facility where wheat ingredients are housed." In simpler terms, their products can not be deemed as gluten free, as they may contain wheat because gluten and non-gluten products are prepared in the same way.

Does Bouillon Have Gluten?

Whatever the flavor, there's a chance that bouillon will contain gluten. This is why it's super important to check the ingredients of anything you're purchasing; even if it's a product you've bought before. This is because brands can change ingredients or manufacturing methods at any time. For example, Better than Bouillon used to make gluten free claims, and now they state that their products are not suitable for a gluten free diet.

Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes Gluten Free?

Last Updated on July 4, 2024

Chicken bouillon cubes are incredibly popular, and probably not even a product you would have ever thought could contain gluten. However, they absolutely can and many brands are not gluten-free. Let’s take a closer look at all things chicken bouillon cubes.

Table of Contents

What Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes?

To put it simply, bouillon cubes are dehydrated stock. They come in individual small cube shapes that you add water to, to create a delicious broth. They come in a range of flavors, with chicken being the most popular.

Learn more about: Is Kroger Chicken Broth Gluten-Free?

Ingredients In Chicken Bouillon Cubes

The ingredients in chicken bouillon cubes can vary depending on which brand you buy and the seasonings that have been added to the bouillon. The most common ingredients you’ll find in bouillon cubes are:

chicken (or whichever flavor you’re buying) stock
vegetables
fat
salt
seasonings
spices
MSG (sometimes)

Nutritional Information Of Chicken Bouillon Cubes

You may be wondering what the nutritional value is. In one cup of prepared chicken bouillon with water, it contains the following nutrition:

Calories: 10
Protein: 1g
Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 1g
Sodium: 42% of your daily intake

As you can see, bouillon cubes are incredibly high in sodium!

Are Chicken Bouillon Cubes Gluten Free?

The answer to this can be quite tricky. The answer is: sometimes. Chicken bouillon cubes can contain wheat as an ingredient, and can also be derived from barley or wheat. Not only that but they can also be made in an area that manufactures gluten-containing foods too, meaning we can not be sure of the gluten-free status of the bouillon cubes.

Some ingredients you may want to look out for when buying bouillon cubes are:

wheat
wheat protein
natural flavors
yeast extract

Yeast extract and natural flavors will not always contain gluten, but it’s best to check where those ingredients are derived from, so you can be sure the product is gluten-free.

However, there are plenty of gluten-free alternatives when it comes to bouillon cubes, so don’t feel too disheartened!

Gluten Free Bouillon Brands

BOU

BOU has a range of gluten-free products available, including bouillon cubes. They confirm in their FAQ that all of their bouillon cubes are suitable for a gluten-free lifestyle. They offer the following flavors:

Vegetable Flavored Bouillon Cubes
Beef Flavored Bouillon Cubes
Chicken Flavored Bouillon Cubes

It’s worth noting that all of their World Flavor products are gluten-free too.

Knorr

Many Knorr products do not contain any gluten ingredients but are not labeled gluten-free. However, recently (in the UK at least) they’ve released their stock cubes with a gluten-free option available. So if you can, always opt for the gluten-free choice – however, they will likely be more expensive.

They offer the following flavors in their exclusively gluten-free range:

Chicken Cubes Gluten Free
Beef Cubes Gluten Free
Vegetable Cubes Gluten Free
Lamb Cubes Gluten Free

Orrington Farms

Orrington Farms have a huge selection of gluten-free products, with a whole host of flavors. If you’re looking for a choice – this is definitely the brand for you. Orrington Farms currently offers the following options:

Beef Flavored Broth Base
Chicken Flavored Broth Base
Ham Flavored Broth Base
Low Sodium Beef Flavored Broth Base
Low Sodium Chicken Flavored Broth Base
Vegan Beef Flavored Base
Vegan Chicken Flavored Base
Vegetable Flavored Broth Base
Vegan Ham Flavored Base
Vegan Vegetable Flavored Base

Gluten Free Chicken Bouillon Powder Recipe

It’s super quick to make your own chicken bouillon powder, and this recipe from Healthy Slow Cooking is not just gluten-free, but also vegan too!

Ingredients

The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:

1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of marjoram
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of ground celery seed

Recipe

This recipe is so simple, it only has one step! All you need to do is:

Place all of the above ingredients into a blender, food processor, or even a spice grinder. Grind, pulse, or blend well. Keep in a container and your powder will last for up to 6 months! It really is that easy.

You can use the bouillon any way you wish – but it tastes best in stews and soups, and really packs in that flavor.

Read more about: Is Top Ramen Gluten-Free?

Conclusion

I hope this article has helped to answer the question: are chicken bouillon cubes gluten-free? And also helped you to find the best gluten-free brands available. While gluten can be found in bouillon cubes, it’s super easy to find gluten-free alternatives.

FAQs

Zoe Collins

Hi, my name’s Zoë. I live in London, UK. I work full time as a freelance writer and critic for West End theatre. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I spend most of my free time at the theatre, or at conventions. I’m married to the love of my life, and live in a small apartment with my fur baby, Lillie. I run two of my own blogs: No Safer Place and Stage to Page: both of which have won awards. I also have a YouTube channel where I talk about all things stagey.