How Long Does It Take To Cook Gluten Free Pasta

pasta farfalle with roasted meat and tomatoes in a frying pan

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Fact: Gluten-free pastas have a bad reputation, and a lot of that has to do with their history. Way back when they first landed on plates, many gluten-free pastas had a definite cardboard vibe going on. Luckily, especially for people with Celiac's disease or a gluten intolerance, things have changed.

"Gluten-free pastas have gotten much better over the past 10 years, which is to be expected," says Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. There's a reason why gluten-free pastas have been so tricky to get right, though. "Products like pasta have been perfected over tens of thousands of years and eliminating gluten removes the key structural protein from the product," Keatley says. "Finding and testing replacements that give the same texture, flavor, and mouth-feel is very much trial and error."

Now, many GF pastas don't ~just~ remove the gluten—some even ramp up the fiber and protein content of the noodles, too. There are also "so many more options, including quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth, plus a variety of legume pasta choices," says Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet.

Many gluten-free pastas are now legitimately tasty, and that's crucial—especially if you're slowly making your way into GF life. "If you are eliminating gluten out of your diet for health reasons, it is important to still be able to enjoy the type of foods you love, such as pasta and bread, simply for your own sanity," Gans says.

These days, if you're gluten-free, you have a ton of options to choose from. But given how many different types of gluten-free pastas are out there, it's kinda hard to know where to start. After all, you weren't born knowing how to pick out the perfect gluten-free pasta.

With that in mind, these are some of the best gluten-free pastas out there.

1 Le Veneziane Italian Gluten Free Corn Pasta

Keatley is a fan of this gluten-free corn pasta. "It's widely available and cooks like standard semolina pasta," he says. It's also a hit with Amazon reviewers. "If I don't tell anyone that the pasta they are eating is made from corn, they can not tell the difference between this and traditional pasta," one wrote.

Per serving: 200 cal, 0.5 g fat, 45 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

2 Barilla Gluten Free Spaghetti Pasta, 12 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)

Barilla amazon.com

$14.78

Gans calls this pasta—which is made with corn and rice—"the closest thing" to regular pasta. Amazon reviewers agree. "The appearance is almost identical to wheat pasta," one wrote. "It tastes like it is supposed [to] and has the correct texture, not the mushy rice stuff," another said.

Per serving: 200 cal, 1 g fat, 44 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

3 Jovial Capellini Gluten-Free Pasta

Jovial is one of the top-rated pastas on Amazon. It's made with 100 percent organic brown rice flour, so it's basically like eating rice—just in a different shape. "This is by far the best gluten-free pasta we've tried. All of their pastas are great," one reviewer wrote. Another said the pasta is "chewy but not mushy" and "cooks very quickly."

Per serving: 210 cal, 2 g fat, 44 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

4 Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettuccine

EXPLORE CUISINE amazon.com

$27.99

Made from a mix of edamame and mung bean, this fettuccine has the same texture as pasta that contains gluten. It also has a whopping 24 grams of protein. "The consistency of the noodles is almost identical to wheat pasta, but this is much more filling," a reviewer said.

Per serving: 180 cal, 4 g fat, 20 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 14 g fiber, 24 g protein

5 Banza Chickpea Pasta, Variety Pack (2 Penne/2 Rotini/2 Shells)

Crafted from chickpeas, Banza is pretty high in protein and low in carbs. It comes in a range of different shapes, including penne, rotini, and shells. One reviewer calls this pasta "the real deal," adding, "With a great taste and stacked nutrition facts, Banza pairs nicely with traditional pasta dish ingredients without sentencing me to the hours-long food coma that I had grown accustomed to from regular pasta."

Per serving: 190 cal, 0 g fat, 32 g carbs, 45 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 13 g protein

6 The Only Bean Organic Edamame Fettuccine Pasta (6 Pack)

The Only Bean amazon.com

$24.95

The Only Bean pasta is made from one ingredient: edamame beans. That's it! It's packed with protein and fiber. "I haven't tasted any other convincing pasta substitute with these kind of macros," one keto follower wrote in an Amazon review. Another raved about the protein content, calling it "out of this world."

Per serving: 190 cal, 3.5 g fat, 35 g carbs, 45 mg sodium, 19 g fiber, 44 g protein

7 Bentilia Gluten Free Black Bean Penne Pasta (6-Pack)

Bentilia amazon.com

Crafted from black beans, this penne pasta is high in fiber and protein. People rave about its texture and how filling it is. "Much more filling than regular pasta and tastes great—much better than brown rice or even a whole wheat blend with more vitamins, protein, and no mystery ingredients," one reviewer wrote.

Per serving: 281 cal, 1.3 g fat, 42 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 13 g fiber, 19 g protein

8 Modern Table Lentil Pasta Variety Pack (6 Count)

Modern Table amazon.com

$21.85

Modern Table's pasta uses lentils for a base. This six-pack contains a little of everything—penne, rotini, and elbows. One reviewer called it "delicious" and "fantastic," adding, "there's so much protein in the pasta, that it doesn't even need protein added."

Per serving: 190 cal, 0 g fat, 37 g carbs, 0 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 11 g protein

9 Tinkyada Gluten Free Organic Brown Rice Pasta Spirals (Pack of 6)

Tinkyada amazon.com

$27.29

Tinkyada's pasta is made from brown rice flour, and unlike some other GF pastas, it doesn't get mushy when you cook it. "Tinkyada is the best gluten-free rice pasta. If you cook it like the package says it turns out perfect," one reviewer said. "The texture is spot on and so is the flavor," another wrote.

Per serving: 300 cal, 2.5 g fat, 63 g carbs, 5 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein

Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, Glamour, and more.

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