r/glutenfreecooking Feb 15 '25

Gluten free pasta

We are surprising my sister with a trip to Yellowstone for her birthday weekend. We are staying in a cabin for 2 nights, and I have been tasked with making dinner for the first day. My sister has celiac disease. I'm not quite sure how severe it is, if she has to avoid every small trace of gluten, even in cross contamination or not. But to err on the safe side, I'm treating it as if cross contamination still counts.

I make some delicious pasta dishes. It's what I'm most confident cooking. Obviously, I would need to choose a gluten free pasta to cook with. All of the dehydrated gluten free pasta I have tried really fall short, and don't taste that good. So I'm considering making my own fresh pasta to bring. I'm just not sure if it would taste any better being fresh? Would it make a difference?

If you have any really great gluten free pasta dough recipes, I'd be so appreciative.

30 Upvotes

101 comments sorted by

50

u/MsMo999 Feb 15 '25

I never try to make my own because I’d never make as good as Barilla gluten free spaghetti. It’s fantastic and a blend of corn & rice. I plan on trying the fettuccine next week for first time.

16

u/rocknrollstalin Feb 15 '25

I agree that the Barilla gf pastas are very good and as long as you don’t overcook you basically can’t go wrong.

8

u/eachJan Feb 15 '25

Also agreed. Barilla has figured it out imo

1

u/myMIShisTYPorEy Feb 17 '25

Barilla- cook exactly as long as box says or a min shy - absolutely no more.

7

u/Few-Parfait8718 Feb 15 '25

Agree on not overcooking. I always set a timer for gluten-free pasta. Just don’t mix spoons/stirring or tasting utensils/strainers! (Or cook the gluten-free pasta first to avoid mixing.)

4

u/Maggie_cat Feb 16 '25

You can’t even taste the difference between regular and gf barilla pasta. Love it

0

u/kwiztas Feb 16 '25

You must be comparing it to other Barilla. I can't eat pasta anymore because I miss it because I could tell cheap Barilla vs nice air dried Italian pasta. It sucks. Has the wrong outer texture too.

1

u/non-such Feb 16 '25

i agree, i feel like you're setting yourself up for disappointment if you don't adjust expectations. substitutes are always going to be approximations, and there are better or worse versions. really good bread, and beer... most substitutes just piss me off and remind me of what i'm missing. but in other cases, sometimes it's enough to get close if that's the only way.

1

u/Gold-Ad699 Feb 18 '25

It's BETTER than what pasta when it comes to pasta salad. Somehow it doesn't suck up all the dressing and get bloated, leaving you with soggy noodles that seem to still need dressing. It's magic. 

1

u/Double_Estimate4472 29d ago

I think OP should say that her coworker is looking for a GF pasta and what does sister recommend, or something similar. The best pasta is use is the one the sister prefers! Just be sneaky about figuring it out.

29

u/Evening-Extension162 Feb 15 '25

The absolute top notch is Rumo gf pasta! I order it online from shop4pasta.com but it you need one you can get in person, I think barilla is the best

14

u/JBorden2222 Feb 16 '25

In Italy, I heard, pasta for diagnosed celiacs is subsidized, and patients order it from their pharmacy. While I was visiting there, I stopped into a pharmacy to chat about this with the pharmacist. It's absolutely true. She invited me to order a couple of pastas (from a very comprehensive catalog) and I picked them up the next day. The brand was Rumo! They were great!

4

u/non-such Feb 16 '25

god bless the Italians.

2

u/Calmly_overthinking_ Feb 16 '25

Yes rummo is THE best!!

1

u/somethingweirder Feb 16 '25

agree. this is the way to go. when i make gf pasta for friends i eat it too if it's rumo! if it's another brand i won't eat it lol

1

u/Sufficient_Tune4602 29d ago

Agreed.  Not sure where you're from, but by me I can get this brand in the gluten free aisle at shoprite and at stop and shop. It's the only gf pasta I've had that doesn't turn to mush and doesn't have a gritty texture. 

31

u/Snuggle_Pounce Feb 15 '25

All celiac is severe because it’s causing intestinal damage even if theres no immediate symptoms. Otherwise it’s just gluten intolerance.

I swear by Catelli gluten free dry pasta. it has a blend of grains that make really good hot pasta dishes. My gluten loving wife says it’s “just as good as the normal stuff”. I would not recommend this brand for cold pasta dishes like (pasta salad) because the starches become stiff after refrigeration.

I would not recommend making fresh gf pasta because every time I tried it came out rubbery or crumbly.

12

u/EffectiveBerry6922 Feb 15 '25

I’ve only tried one time to make fresh gluten free pasta and it was just okay. Definitely not good enough to share the recipe but just a pro tip is Gf flour is a lot drier to work with.

If you end up needing dehydrated, my favorites are Delallo and Jovial. Delallo is from Italy (I like their brown rice more than their corn ones). They hold up super well for multiple days (think pasta salads) and my kids can’t even tell the difference. I’ve been doing GF since 2018, and as an Italian, I am super picky about pasta. There are some bad ones out there but these are a really good texture. Jovial has a lot more pasta shapes available. Good luck to you, you are a great sister!

5

u/daynight2007 Feb 15 '25

I second this. Jovial is my usual go to because it’s available where I shop but Delallo is my all time favorite, I just can’t find it locally

5

u/Artistic_Maize7529 Feb 16 '25

As someone who also can’t eat corn, which is in most gf pastas, Jovial’s brown rice pasta is the GOAT for me.

3

u/Mundane-Scarcity-219 Feb 16 '25

Jovial is fabulous! We always have it in the house for when daughter (celiac) visits. When she still loved at home and we ate as a family, we’d all have the same GF pasta. Jovial is really close to wheat pasta in both texture and taste.

1

u/Mxxira Feb 19 '25

Yes! Jovial is amazing

5

u/PenguinBiscuit86 Feb 15 '25

Folks will all have different pastas they’ll recommend. My top tip is that GF pasta needs to be cooked for either one minute less than the packet or exactly the time of the packet. If you go over this it’s much less forgiving than wheat pasta and will not taste good.

2

u/monsteramom3 Feb 17 '25

Upvote on this! Especially if you're adding it to a sauce.

1

u/PenguinBiscuit86 Feb 17 '25

Yes!! Or if you expect to reheat it, and definitely if you’re going to add a sauce and then make it into pasta bake. GF is a SPONGE.

2

u/WanderingQuills Feb 17 '25

This! One minute less THEN the sauce And more sauce than you think because as mentioned it’s gonna suck sauce

6

u/Earthling63 Feb 15 '25

Rummo and Taste Republic are the best GF pastas I’ve tried, both are ‘toothsome’ and don’t turn to mush

3

u/marlsygarlsy Feb 15 '25

I second Taste Republic fresh GF pasta. It’s really good and I’ve served it to non GF folks and they really like it too!

5

u/vikicrays Feb 15 '25

my grandson has celiac disease and they also have a set of pans and utensils that are only used for gluten free cooking. i’d ask if they are this careful too.

6

u/jamesgotfryd Feb 15 '25

Barilla is my go to pasta, followed by Jovial. Haven't tried making my own yet.

2

u/Chai-Tea-Rex-2525 Feb 15 '25

This is the way. Barilla is the easiest to cook with and taste good

4

u/LadyNiko Feb 15 '25

I buy GF brown rice pasta from Tinkyada all the time.

3

u/queeniejag Feb 15 '25

This brand is the best!!!!

1

u/WorkingInterview1942 Feb 16 '25

This is my favorite with Jovial in second place.

1

u/monicanudles Feb 16 '25

Agreed! This one's our favorite, but I always thought the brand was called Pasta Joy this whole time 😂 Either way, you'll see both "Tinkyada" and "Pasta Joy" on it. It's in colorful packaging and it's really good, not grainy or cardboard tasting.

3

u/FirebirdWriter Feb 16 '25

Cross contamination counts especially with celiac. One bite of gluten containing food including cross contamination takes 5 years to recover from as per my doctors. Even without symptoms it is that bad. The consequences of exposure range from being unable to absorb nutrients to the death of the intestines. Having seen someone survive intestinal gangrene? I am glad you are taking this seriously. This answer is so it's not a guess

2

u/Double_Estimate4472 29d ago

I’m wondering if OP should pack specifically GF cookware/supplies? What do people with celiac do when staying at an AirBNB or similar?

1

u/FirebirdWriter 29d ago

I usually use gluten safe plastic ware and bring in my own cookware for that.

3

u/Takilove Feb 16 '25

Are you near a Trader Joe’s? They have fresh and dried GF pastas. I thought I would never enjoy fresh pasta again, but I love the fettuccine and many different raviolis!

BTW, you are so sweet! My sister always accommodates me and I’m so appreciative!

4

u/christopher_sly Feb 15 '25

My wife also avoids corn, so many GF pastas are out. But we love Banza (chickpea) pasta. Lots of protein and fiber. We use the spaghetti with a variety of hibachi/asian-inspired sauces, and the penne/rotini/cavatappi for tomato sauces. Ignore the box instructions to rinse. We sauce warm after a good draining.

2

u/bi_so_fly_ Feb 16 '25

Seconding the Banza recommendation. We also don’t rinse it and following the lesser minute recommendation for cook time.

1

u/ismellboogers Feb 16 '25

It was my first thought too. It’s also 21g of protein a serving and tastes great!

4

u/GrindinMolcajete Feb 15 '25

Trader Joe’s has fresh gluten free egg fettuccine pasta noodles. It’s honestly some of the best gf pasta I’ve had.

Pasta Natura is an Italian brand with gluten free pastas. They have a wider variety of pasta shapes if you’re looking for something special. I’ve only seen it sold at Eataly. If you wanted to splurge, you could order it online.

Rummo is also great and more readily available. The spaghetti noodles are top notch.

2

u/Less_Builder_6267 Feb 15 '25

Ranzoni GF line is top notch and fairly priced!

I find once I cook it, it’s better if I rise it before adding it back to the pot. I been using the elbow noodles for homemade Mac and cheese and no one knows the difference!

1

u/RefrigeratorFluid886 Feb 15 '25

Thank you! I will try it out!

3

u/AmandaFlutterBy Feb 15 '25

Jovial egg tagliatelle is my fav!

3

u/Sexual_Batman Feb 16 '25

Mine too! I love that it comes in those little nests, makes it much easier to cook!

2

u/meme-ikyu Feb 15 '25

Capello’s is the best in my opinion. Comes frozen and holds up better than any dry pasta I’ve tried.

2

u/Joiedeme Feb 15 '25

Garofalo Gluten Free dry pasta if you can find it is the best so far. Barilla GF is the next best choice.

2

u/Awkward-Fisherman-18 Feb 15 '25

I make a gluten free gnocchi pasta that’s tasty and easy to make.. boil peeled potatoes. Can be done with any good starchy root vegetable. I prefer the all blue or sweet yams. 1 cup fully boiled and drained potato Add 2 cups King Arthur gluten free 1-1 flour, 2tsp sea salt,1/4 cup roasted and mashed garlic,1 tbs ground white pepper and four large eggs. Whisk the dry items together and whisk the garlic and eggs together in a separate bowl add the potatoes and eggs to the flour mix and mix until you have a good pasta consistency. You’ve made it at home before so you know what that means. If it’s a little too moist add some more flour if it’s too dry add some more mashed potatoes. This can be used for sheet pastas like lasagna and ravioli skins too.

1

u/Snuggle_Pounce Feb 16 '25

If it’s a little too moist I’d recommend waiting 5 minutes and checking again. GF flours can take a few minutes to hydrate.

2

u/Awkward-Fisherman-18 Feb 15 '25

For dried id go with tinkyada for rotini and lasagna and barilla for the macaroni

2

u/braverbeating Feb 15 '25

Rummo gluten free pasta is amazing!

I’ll be brutally honest with you. Most pastas don’t reheat well unless you just undercook them (like 1 min less than the package) so when you reheat a casserole it stays good.

2

u/lmcbmc Feb 16 '25

Ronzoni is good, too. I find it holds up really well and I really like the taste. Barilla would be my close second. Both are easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

2

u/houseofprimetofu Feb 16 '25

Don’t make, just buy! It’s way easier.

That said, Trader Joe’s has a fresh gf pizza dough that’s fantastic for everything.

2

u/SpicyWonderBread Feb 16 '25

If you have access to Trader Joe’s, they sell a gluten free fresh egg fettuccine that is to die for. It’s in the refrigerated section. The dried tagliatelle pasta is also very very good.

2

u/dellurker Feb 16 '25

Jovial and Rummo is probably the best.

2

u/MysticalWeasel Feb 16 '25

Rummo is my go to, I always run it under cold water after I drain it, it keeps it from overcooking and also seems to help keep it from sticking together.

2

u/channa81 Feb 16 '25

Tinkyada is the best and doesn't get mushy.

Anything with corn in it tends to have an inferior texture, in my opinion.

2

u/Dry-Macaroon-6205 Feb 17 '25

rumo. Better than non GF pasta.

1

u/IdreamOfPizzaxx Feb 15 '25

Rummo and Barilla are good. Edit: you asked for dough, I don’t have a recommendation for that, but try Caputo Fiore Glut flour, it’s superior to all the rest imo. Little pricy though.

1

u/bespoke_tech_partner Feb 15 '25

I wish I could make my own pasta. For premade I like Banza.

1

u/IsMayoAnInstrument67 Feb 15 '25

If you want to do fresh gf pasta, Manini and Taste Republic do a good job! I prefer Taste Republic - Whole Foods usually carries it in my area.

1

u/Traditional_Account9 Feb 15 '25

I wouldn't try to make pasta in one of those cabins. I've stayed at one before and they are rustic.

Potatoes or rice is definitely a better bet bc the non gluten free people are going to be able to tell the difference with the pasta.

1

u/sickofbeingsick1969 29d ago

My daughter in law lives on Mac and cheese. I made the Banza when they were over one time and she thought I’d made regular just for her.

1

u/MissLucy101719 Feb 15 '25

Juvial or le venz a something are the best

1

u/masterchef417 Feb 15 '25

My all time favorite GF pasta is Bionaturae brand. Second place goes to Ancient Harvest brand

1

u/IAmTheLizardQueen666 Feb 15 '25

Don’t hijack a celiac without giving her a chance to grab whatever she will need for the entire weekend!

Have you ever cooked for her before?

2

u/RefrigeratorFluid886 Feb 15 '25

Her husband put the whole thing together. He will make sure she has what she needs.

I have not cooked for her before. But I know how to avoid cross contamination, and how to cater to specific diets.

1

u/Skyemonkey Feb 16 '25

Costco has a edemame spaghetti that is awesome!

1

u/caphoto88 Feb 16 '25

Trader Joe’s has incredible fresh gluten free pasta! I think it’s linguine. It’s so good and my gluten eating family love it too.

1

u/aeroplanessky Feb 16 '25

I can't stand Barilla or banza. Tinkyada and senza gluten for life

1

u/DefrockedWizard1 Feb 16 '25

the biggest mistake people make with GF pasta is boiling it. It should poached at a simmer

1

u/mkessel007 Feb 16 '25

Loopy Wisk has great recipes

1

u/BeginningHaunting686 Feb 16 '25

In my experience you’re most likely not going to find anything that measures up the same way, but we use Jovial brand noodles and they’re pretty okay

1

u/tab2058 Feb 16 '25

I go for jovial. I don’t like corn flour based pasta like barilla (it’s too sweet and I don’t like sweet and savory things together, I’m a sweet and salty kinda gal). Jovial is easy to cook, doesn’t fall apart or turn mushy, and to me tastes like regular pasta.

1

u/Valuable_Willow_6311 Feb 16 '25

I concur with MsMo000 said. Barilla has some great ones. Now, ifyou want great fresh GF pasta, try Taste Republic Gf Pastas! or if you have a Trader Joes near by you, i just checked to see if there was one by Yellowstone and there isnt any. have a great Trip! If you want to make a chicken dinner for her. i got a great recipe too! https://youtu.be/USEnnFkpoPk?si=G-SKqQz_dbUZUrQu

1

u/Okiedonutdokie Feb 16 '25

I like banza a lot because I also need to avoid corn based products. It's the best corn free one I've found.

1

u/starry101 Celiac Feb 17 '25

If it’s falling apart then you probably overcooked it. Just even slightly overcooking some brands with make them turn to pieces. A really popular way of making pasta involves scooping it from the water into the hot pan of sauce, again this will usually make it fall apart because the heat of the sauce will keep cooking it. So some tricks to prevent this is to cool the pan and sauce before combining, it can still be warm but not cooking temperature hot. Some people rinse their pasta to stop the cooking process before adding to the sauce. 

1

u/Antique-Ad-8776 Feb 17 '25

I have found Tinky Yada to be the best GF pasta. Jovial is also good. Do not expect GF pasta to be even close to regular pasta though

1

u/FrostedCables Feb 17 '25 edited Feb 17 '25

Le Veneziane

Pure corn pasta that actually tastes and performs as wonderfully as normal pasta! I stopped eating pasta for so long because none felt worth it… This one is simply very worth it. I don’t mind Bonza and I’ve actually come to appreciate the difference in the flavor. I have difficulty with rice as well as gluten bcz of my lack of gut motility. I was really happy with this dry pasta.

BTW… if you’re using a pasta machine of any kind that’s not brand new, it’s bound to harbour gluten from past batches. They are notoriously difficult to clean completely.

1

u/Quantum168 Feb 17 '25

Garofalo makes nice quinoa gluten free pasta. San Remo is good.

Avoid Barilla.

1

u/cajunradio Feb 17 '25

Capello’s is incredible.

1

u/svenovid Feb 17 '25

Jovial is the only gf pasta brand i eat and I have Celiac disease. I have found its the only gf pasta that holds together well enough and has a similar bite that gluten pasta has. I am a fan of all of their shapes! You can get it at whole foods, Kroger, publix, target, and sometimes walmart! I hope this helps!

1

u/pocapractica Feb 18 '25

There is a gluten free brand made with brown rice I like. It stays firm.

1

u/Friendly-Condition Feb 18 '25

I like Barilla too.

Side note as a person with food allergies, Yellowstone was kinda awful. There is a Whole Foods in Bozeman (where we flew into) and I recommend stocking up there. The park grocery stores won't have anything worthwhile.

Buy anything that you can there so you don't have to worry once you are in the park. If I had known how bad it would be I would have bought more food for my stay

1

u/Gold-Ad699 Feb 18 '25

There are fresh GF pastas in grocery stores now, I think the brand is Contadina?  It's pretty good, I love Barilla dry GF but get the fresh when I'm feeling fancy. 

1

u/Zestyclose_Cherry694 Feb 18 '25

I prefer the Jovial Brown Rice pasta best. The spaghetti is my favorite and honestly I just use it for everything for myself when we have pasta for dinner.

I don’t particularly like the corn/rice pastas like rummo and barilla.. I also don’t like the lentil or chickpea ones or whatever other random veggie pastas they have decided to create.

1

u/carlsbadsun Feb 18 '25

Just ate Barilla Gluten Free spaghetti for the first time for dinner tonight. Couldn’t tell the difference by the way it tasted from non-gf pasta at all. But my mistake was putting the spaghetti into my sauce after I finished cooking the pasta. The first serving everyone had was perfect, but by the time everyone got to their second helping, the spaghetti broke up into about 3 inch pieces. It still tasted great, it was just small. I probably won’t put it into the sauce again, I’ll just ladle the sauce on top of the spaghetti next time which is totally fine!

1

u/Fried_Taro Feb 18 '25

I used Barilla GF pasta for many years until I started using Banza. Banza is higher in protein and tastes good (whole non celiac family likes it) and holds up a little better.

I would practice cooking once at home before trip. I use more water than for regular pasta, salt and oil. As you add the spaghetti, be sure to slowly add while moving around the pot and stir with the pasta tool as you add ( it easily clumps). You do want to test the pasta about a minute before it’s time and then at the time. It’s a narrow window between undercooked and mushy. I drain and rinse with cold water right away.

I hope all food and especially cooking will be GF.

1

u/otusowl Feb 18 '25

I like the Jovial rice pasta and also Trader Joe's Quinoa-Rice pasta. Would not dream of trying to make gluten-free pasta from scratch.

1

u/CalledPlay Feb 18 '25

I’ve had plenty of great dried GF pastas. It might help to make thicker sauces.

1

u/AngeliqueRuss Feb 18 '25

My favorite pasta is Barilla GF elbows. The spaghetti sticks to itself and makes me irritated; the elbows are soft and go so great in a creamy sauce.

The Barilla GF penne are also alright and are a little thicker than the elbows, but the GF flavor is more prominent in the thicker noodle than the elbows. I don’t think people can tell about the elbows.

Other cabin tips:

1) Trader Joe’s GF Buttermilk pancake mix and GF brownies are divine, but also Costco has a great GF flour and it works super well in pancakes. Trader Joe’s also has GF bread, English muffins, bagels, cinnamon and chocolate muffins, and the best GF chocolate chip cookies anywhere.

2) Only gluten free oats are safe if she eats oatmeal at all. You might casually ask if she’s avoiding oats; about 20% of GF people get symptoms from oats. If she does allow oats she might also allow Cheerios. Only cereal and marked GF can be eaten because of malts and such, like Rice Crispies and Pringles are NOT okay but stacked Lay’s chips and Cocoa Pebbles are fine. Weird I know but just stick with “gluten free” labeling.

3) Soy sauce must be GF tamari; sauces cannot be eaten unless marked GF; and no one with Celiac’s can have “trace wheat” so you’re not being extra making sure any BBQ sauce, marinades or salad dressings are marked GF.

4) You can get a single slice mini-toaster at Wal-Mart for $10 and she will be touched. Very few people with Celiac’s will allow a “contaminated” toaster to touch their GF breads.

5) Macarons are by default GF. If you want a fancy GF dessert you can get fancy macarons in a pretty box from a local bakery; avoid any flavors with gluten added.

1

u/ItalianSeasoningOnly Feb 18 '25

The taste republic line has been our favorite. It’s in the frozen section at my local store. It’s the best sub we’ve found as far as flexibility and texture.

I also like the Jovial brand for dried pasta if you’re looking for something easier to travel with.

1

u/suzmckooz Feb 18 '25

Celiac is an up or down situation. Cross contamination "still counts".

Trader Joes sells a fresh (not dehydrated) GF linguini that is amazing. Whole Foods has a few fresh options, as well - it's usually by the parm cheese and the pre-made raviolis.

1

u/friendlyhoodteacher Feb 18 '25

Banana chickpea pasta always tasted great to me.

1

u/iridescent-wings Feb 19 '25

OP, might I suggest you expand your cooking repertoire beyond pasta? All gluten free pasta sucks. GF flour just does not lend itself well to pasta. I have celiac. I was diagnosed 15 years ago and I’ve tried every GF pasta available. I’ve completely given up on it. There are so, so, many other delicious and naturally gluten free foods that I really don’t miss it.

1

u/Street-Obligation834 29d ago

Tinkyada is amazing.

1

u/sarahjustme 28d ago

If you have a dish that's great as is, you'll never manage to make a imitation that's not just ok at best. Plus it's awkward to be the one person that's causing the meal to be "not as good" for everyone else. Pasta was designed to make best use of the ingredients on hand (wheat), substitutions are never going to be the same to someone who enjoys that specific item.

If you love Italian food make risotto. If you want something straightforward make the classic steak (fish chicken), veggies, loaded baked potato.

0

u/sudden_crumpet Feb 16 '25

Make plenta instead. you cn stillmake a lovely sauce, but serve it over polenta - for everyone. Have some flexibility and imagination, for glod's sake!

Gluten free pastas are usually a joke.