Gluten Free Pasta: All Your Questions Answered
Pasta is a staple of many cultures around the world and it keeps people fed and happy practically everywhere. Those with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity often watch as others enjoy a seemingly endless variety of wonderful dishes that use wheat-based pasta without being able to enjoy them too. This is because wheat based pasta makes up by far the largest portion of pasta production around the world. However, there are plenty of gluten free pastas that hold their own against wheat based pastas.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best gluten free pasta, what makes them gluten free, how to cook them, and where to find “gluten free pastas near me”. Soon you’ll see how gluten free pastas can completely change your outlook on gluten free food. You may even learn how to make some delicious homemade gluten free pasta!
Is Pasta Normally Gluten Free?
No. The vast majority of pasta sold around the world is made from wheat flour, all of which contains gluten. The most prevalent gluten free pasta used in East Asia, for instance, is made from rice flour, but don’t automatically buy that since it may also contain wheat flour as a binding agent. Though gluten free pastas are becoming much more common worldwide in recent years, it’s important to always be careful when choosing a product. Even if a gluten free pasta does not naturally contain any gluten particles, it is possible that the product has been contaminated during harvesting, processing, or packaging. This is usually because a food processing plant will handle gluten free grains alongside wheat, which results in contamination. Be sure to only trust gluten free pastas from certified gluten free manufacturers.
What Makes Gluten Free Pasta Gluten Free?
The presence or lack of wheat in gluten free pasta is the main difference between various types of pasta. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein that is only found in wheat, barley, and rye. Since barley and rye are rarely used in pasta, practically all gluten in pasta comes from wheat sources. Other grains do not have any naturally occurring gluten at all. However, it is possible that a typically gluten-free pasta has been contaminated. This usually occurs during harvesting, processing, and packaging when wheat and non-glutenous grains are handled in the same facility. Products that are truly gluten free will be handled in separate facilities from wheat and be certified as such by the US Department of Agriculture. Don’t accept any gluten free substitutes without the clear, honest packaging and certifications.
Which Type Of Pasta Contains No Gluten?
The only types of pasta that contain no gluten are those that have absolutely zero traces of wheat, barley, or rye flour. Many rice based pasta products also contain wheat as a binder or filler, so it’s important for those with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities to only use pasta products that are certified gluten free. Although so much of the pasta market is dominated by gluten based pastas, the gluten free pasta market is growing quite quickly. Be careful when buying supposed gluten free products and look for certifications.
One great company that produces a wide variety of gluten free pasta is Miracle Noodle. Besides focusing on making some of the best gluten free pastas out there, they also don’t use any animal products of any kind, including milk and eggs that you can see in so many pastas around the world. For those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivities, and other food allergens, their product list is a great place to start searching for amazing gluten free and plant based pasta alternatives.
What Is Gluten Free Pasta Made Of?
Gluten free pasta can be made from many different ingredients. It’s always a good idea to read labels to know exactly what your pasta is made with. Nine of the most popular gluten free varieties are as follows:
Brown Rice Pasta: Brown rice is a type of whole grain rice along with red rice, gold rice, and black rice varieties. Brown rice has less carbohydrate content than white rice but more protein. It has a higher amount of B vitamins than wheat as well as a large daily value of selenium, an essential amino acid and antioxidant. Brown rice is full of antioxidants, which will help your immune system fight against disease. When used in pasta, brown rice has a chewy texture and a delicious, yet mild flavor that balances with all sorts of flavors.
Buckwheat Pasta: Buckwheat is used in a variety of applications around the world and one excellent form is the soba noodle. The buckwheat plant is known for its high levels of protein, B vitamins, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus. Buckwheat is also known for its uses in beverages and other types of foods. Soba noodles can be enjoyed in both hot and cold dishes with a wide variety of accompaniments such as cheese, tofu, peppers, garlic, meats, avocados, squashes, and more. The delicious buckwheat flavor and nutritional value make this a wonderful ingredient for your gluten free healthy meals.
Chickpea Pasta: Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are an essential ingredient in many food cultures around the world. Chickpeas can be eaten whole or ground into a flour or paste which can produce many wonderful foods. Hummus and falafel are two delicious foods which are primarily composed of chickpeas. With one third of the carbohydrate amounts of wheat, the chickpea is an excellent staple of a low-carb diet and it contributes lots of fiber to a diet as well.. Chickpeas generally have a strong flavor, but this is mainly due to the aquafaba, or the natural liquid that forms when dry chickpeas are soaked in water. (Keep in mind that aquafaba is a fantastic substitute for egg whites in both cocktails and baked goods!) Chickpea pasta has a wonderful texture and a delicious flavor that is perfect with cheese and veggies. Find out more about other gluten-free beans and their versatile uses in cooking to expand your diet with nutrient-rich options.
Konjac Yam Pasta: Certain varieties of yams make excellent pasta, such as the stem of the konjac yam which is the source of shirataki noodles. You may find shirataki noodles in bags with liquid, which has a refrigerated shelf life of up to a year. They are also found in dry form. Even though the flavor profile mostly lends itself to East Asian influences, you should play around with this ingredient and you might find a flavor combination you love!
Lentil Pasta: Lentils are a versatile legume that can be cooked in a wide variety of techniques, including the boiling and shaping of pasta. Lentils are high in protein and constitute a delicious flavor that easily lends itself to spices, onions, tomato, and all sorts of other ingredients. Red lentil pasta is the most common product and you’ll find that it’s quite a filling option for healthy gluten-free eating.
Multigrain Pasta: Very often, the best way to make a delicious pasta with various non-gluten grains is to combine the flours from different sources. Many multigrain pastas use ingredients such as brown rice, buckwheat, chickpeas, konjac yams, lentils, peas, potato, quinoa, corn, millet, amaranth, and more. None of these grains contain gluten and a combination will be used to attain the best pasta texture.
Pea Pasta: These aren’t your typical green peas that few kids love growing up. Yellow split peas are used to make some delicious pasta. They are renowned for their very high protein content, almost double that of wheat by weight. Yellow split peas also have high amounts of B vitamins and iron. This ingredient can make a truly excellent cold pasta dish or a hot bowl of your favorite flavors.
Potato and Sweet Potato Gnocchi: White potatoes and sweet potatoes are gluten free starchy vegetables that, on their own, don’t make the best material for pasta. However, when they’re combined with flour and egg and rolled into little dumpling shapes, they are delicious! Potato gnocchi is one of those dishes that your family will keep asking about. Gnocchi can be used in most sauteed dishes that call for pasta, since they absorb all kinds of flavor. Due to their thickness and shape they’re not ideal for lasagna and other layered dishes. Be careful to read the labels and make sure you’re getting gluten free gnocchi. The same applies to sweet potato gnocchi, which is also available in a gluten free version.
Quinoa Pasta: Quinoa has been making waves across the world for its nutritional value for years now. This tiny and delicious grain is perfect for all sorts of applications, including pasta. Quinoa has a higher nutritional content than wheat, including higher amounts of protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. Quinoa also has a striking nutty flavor that enhances the taste of many incredible pasta dishes. Many quinoa pastas are typically blended with corn and rice flour to help retain that wonderful pasta texture.
What Is The Best Gluten Free Pasta Made From?
One of the best gluten free pastas out there is also one of the most affordable. Banza makes the excellent Banza Chickpea Pasta, which is simply made and composed of just chickpeas, tapioca starch, pea protein, and xanthan gum. The chickpeas make up the majority of the product, while tapioca starch, pea protein, and xanthan gum are used to help the pasta retain a decent shape and texture. It’s a delicious pasta that will satisfy any gluten free or celiac requirement as you craft some memorable meals for your loved ones.
Is Gluten Free Pasta Healthier?
Of course, gluten free pasta will be much healthier than wheat based pasta when it comes to those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. However, there’s no guarantee about whether or not a gluten free pasta is going to have a better nutritional value than wheat-based pasta. Wheat in itself is a very high protein grain and is full of nutrients. This is especially true when whole grain wheat is used in pasta. It’s better instead to focus on whether or not gluten free pastas are delicious and nutritious enough to make a worthwhile meal for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities.
Virtually none of the gluten free pastas available will make a difference in nutrition for those without celiac disease or gluten sensitivities. That’s not to say, however, that they can’t be enjoyed by all. Brown rice pasta and buckwheat soba noodles, for instance, can make up some fantastic meals that have a different flavor from traditional wheat-based pasta. Each kind of gluten free pasta has slight differences in nutritional value, so it all really comes down to preference and health restrictions.
What Is Different About Gluten Free Pasta?
The biggest difference between gluten free pasta and wheat based pasta is of course the lack of gluten in the former. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein that is only found in wheat, barley, and rye. Barley and rye are rarely used in pasta applications, but wheat remains by far the most used ingredient in pastas worldwide. Pasta made from other grains is mostly used these days as a gluten free substitute, but plenty of varieties have been used for centuries in various global cultures.
What non-celiac pasta lovers may notice with gluten free pasta is that the texture is different. Glutenous wheat flour has the ability to bend and stretch so that the resulting dough is well-incorporated. Other types of grains do not have the same flexibility, but are still quite suitable components of many types of pasta. Certain pastas have a much more grainy texture which many non-celiac pasta lovers will notice upon first bite. That isn’t to say, however, that gluten free pastas aren’t just as delicious and healthy as wheat based pasta.
Does Gluten Free Pasta Taste The Same As Regular Pasta?
The simple answer is no, but the differences are mostly quite subtle. Wheat based pasta is an ingredient that goes well with so many different other ingredients, both cooked and raw. By itself, some pasta lovers may be able to tell the difference during a blind taste test. When cooked into a dish with well-balanced ingredients, however, it is difficult to find any differences in taste.
Some of the most delicious pastas of other grains include those made from corn, quinoa, and potatoes. Most people are well acquainted with those flavors and find them appetizing. Others may be a harder sell at first, but the gluten free pastas that you find yourself to enjoy are an excellent step in diversifying your gluten free cooking.
Why Is Gluten Free Pasta So Mushy?
Sometimes gluten free pasta has the tendency to become mushy. Actually, wheat based pasta can become mushy too. This doesn’t have much to do with the ingredients themselves but the cooking method. Any experienced cook knows that the amount of time pasta spends in the boiling water is everything. In fact, pasta will continue to cook for several minutes after it is taken out of the pot. Any pasta that has been overcooked will start to fall apart and dissolve, especially pastas made with less-starchy ingredients that don’t naturally bind together. Undercooked pasta will, of course, not be very enjoyable either if eaten directly instead of being put back for a second round of cooking or baking.
The simple fact is that the cooking time will vary between the different grains used in creating pasta. After bringing gluten free pasta home for the first time, it’s important to follow the cooking directions on the box closely. As you get better acquainted with your preferred type of gluten free pasta, you’ll notice how to best bring out the flavor and texture. It definitely doesn’t need to be mushy!
Why Is Gluten Free Pasta So Slimy?
Sometimes gluten free pasta will get slimy as well. Believe it or not, so will wheat based pasta. This again has to do with the cooking method instead of the actual ingredient. When any type of pasta is boiled, the starches will coagulate from the hot water and form a delicious food. When the ingredient has been boiled for too long, the starches will start to burst and leach into the water. When water has a high concentration of starches, it will become slimy and leave the pasta feeling slimy too.
As we said before, it’s important to learn how to cook any pasta, gluten free or not, using the directions on the box. Once you get used to cooking it for a specific amount of time, you will find that the gluten free pasta does not need to be mushy or slimy at all. It’s all in the technique!
How Do You Keep Gluten Free Pasta From Falling Apart?
Most of the time someone has a bad experience with gluten free pasta, it’s because the texture was somehow wrong. Almost always, this is a result of the wrong cooking time being applied to a certain ingredient. When gluten free pasta, and gluten based pasta for that matter, is cooked too long, it will start to fall apart, creating a mushy and slimy mess that looks unappetizing and doesn’t taste great either. In order to avoid making a less than fantastic gluten free pasta meal, it’s important to learn exactly how to cook the intended ingredient.
What Are The Main Shapes of Gluten Free Pasta?
Imagine you and your family’s favorite shapes of pasta. You can rest assured that each of these shapes is being produced by a certified gluten free pasta maker. The shape of the pasta not only determines how it looks and how it’s eaten, but how it interacts with the other ingredients in a dish. Let’s cover some of the best shapes of gluten free pasta as well as some of the best brands that make them!
Longer Varieties: The most famous types of pasta include spaghetti, fettuccine, and ziti. Though they may require a spoon to eat, these are some delicious examples. Taste Republic makes the excellent Gluten Free Pasta, Fettuccine from brown rice, which cooks in just 3 minutes in boiling water.
Shorter Varieties: There are so many short shapes of pasta including gluten-free cavatelli, fusilli, penne, farfalle, and more. Kids love a big bowl of these pastas with sauce and they’re sure to love Rummo Italian Pasta GF Fusilli No. 48. This delicious pasta is made from brown rice flour, corn flour, and potato starch.
Smallest Varieties: Some of the most delicious forms of pasta are made from the scraps or eaten as additions to larger dishes. Orzo is just one of those examples, being a type of pasta that resembles a long grain of rice. A fantastic gluten free orzo is the DeLallo Gluten Free Orzo Pasta, which is made from corn and rice flours.
How Do You Cook Gluten Free Pasta?
The most important thing to remember about cooking gluten free pasta is that you shouldn’t treat it the same as gluten based pasta. The different nutritional compounds in various grains means that each pasta will react slightly differently. While many cooks will be able to claim that they know how to cook wheat based pasta with their eyes closed, it’s important to remember that not adapting to those slight changes in cooking technique can turn a delicious ingredient into a mess on a plate.
Many people go through the same process of learning how to cook with any type of gluten free pasta. The directions on the box should be your initial guide and you should follow them closely until you’re comfortable cooking the ingredient. With few variations for specific products, it’s good practice to stick to this style of cooking pasta:
Use a larger pot. Gluten free pasta has different quantities of starches and proteins than wheat based pasta, which will cause it to foam slightly more. To avoid any messy surprises, use a larger pot than you would otherwise use so you see what you’re working with.
Season the water. It may seem silly, but seasoning the water will go a long way towards building an incredibly tasty gluten free pasta meal. Before the water comes up to a boil, add enough salt so that the water is as salty as the ocean. Just before you add the pasta to the water, add a few dashes of olive oil or other similarly flavorful seasoning oil. This will help to keep the pasta from sticking to itself.
Stir often. Once the pasta is in the water, it’s important to stir the noodles frequently during the first few minutes. This will go a long way in helping them cook more evenly. It will also keep them from sticking together or becoming mushy or slimy. Once the noodles are soft, taste a small sample every minute or so. Once the crunchiness is gone and the noodle has a crisp bite, it has become al dente. At this point, it’s time to remove the pasta from the water (it’ll keep cooking unless it’s doused in cold water right away).
Rinse the pasta. Right after you take the pasta out of the boiling water, you should give it a quick rinse with cold water. This will remove any of the surface starches that may cause the pasta to clump together as it cools.
Mix immediately. In a bowl, make sure to mix the pasta with olive oil immediately (you can add sauce at the table if you prefer, but definitely stir in olive oil immediately. This will help to keep the pasta from sticking together as it cools. It will also help the pasta absorb more seasoning or sauce.
Serve! The warmer your pasta dish is, the better it’s going to taste. Enjoy!
Make sure to take notes of what works and what doesn’t work after you have eaten your gluten free pasta dish. It’s an entirely new cooking technique that all of those with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity should learn!
Can I Make Gluten Free Pasta At Home?
Of course! To begin, you’ll need to collect a few ingredients and some basic equipment. Let’s cover the essentials and soon you’ll move towards adding some more flavorful accents and variations.
The equipment you’ll need is a large mixing bowl, a large open surface, plastic wrap, handheld dough roller or pasta roller machine, and a large steel pot. If you have specialized pasta making equipment, it will make things a little easier and more accurate. However, you can do everything by hand, too.
The ingredients you’ll need are: gluten free flour, salt, eggs, and xanthan gum. That’s it! After you’ve successfully made gluten free pasta a couple of times, you can start to experiment by adding other ingredients such as black pepper, rosemary, or pepper flakes. Gather these ingredients first:
4 cups gluten free flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 large eggs
1 tablespoon xanthan gum (a thickener that prevents ingredients from separating)
For a great gluten free flour, we recommend Cup4Cup Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour. Designed by famed Chef Thomas Keller at his restaurant French Laundry, this flour is meant to be used in practically any circumstance. It’s made of white and brown rice flours, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, cornstarch, and milk powder.
Now let’s go over how you turn the ingredients into something delicious!
Mix the gluten free flour and xanthan gum in a bowl with a whisk, being sure to break up any chunks. You can also pass the dry ingredients through a fine mesh strainer. Move slowly to avoid a mess!
Make a crater in the center of the dry mix while still in the bowl.
Add all of your eggs to this crater.
Use a fork or a whisk to break the egg yolks.
Use either the fork or whisk to mix the eggs into the dry mixture. You will need to use your hands once the dough starts to firm up. Mix until no traces of dry flour are left. The dough mixture should integrate well while still in the bowl. If too wet, add a small amount of flour. If too dry, add a tiny splash of water. Repeat until the dough forms together nicely.
Spread a handful of flour on the open counter surface. Place the dough on this surface and knead it with your arms and hands for around 2 minutes until the surface is smooth.
Cut the dough into six roughly equal pieces and wrap each one with plastic wrap since they will dry out quickly otherwise. You don’t need to wrap the last one if you’re making the pasta immediately. You can keep this dough wrapped for two or three days in the fridge, but no longer.
Using a dough roller, spread the piece of dough on the floured counter until it’s rectangular in shape and a quarter inch thick.
Make the pasta shape you want! You can use a knife and a dough roller to achieve the shapes you want, but the best use of your time and energy will be a pasta maker to accurately cut out some fantastic shapes.
Boil the pasta for 2 or three minutes and stir with a wooden spoon.
Fully drain the pasta. You can either hang the pasta on a drying rack or serve immediately!
Repeat as necessary.
Eat up!
Bon Appetit!
To conclude, gluten free pasta can be just as delicious as wheat pasta. Follow cooking instructions carefully and experiment with different varieties to find the one that works best for you.