When you think of pasta or noodles, you normally think of the ones made from wheat which, of course, have high contents of gluten. But there are lots of gluten-free versions available, usually made with rice, corn, millet and buckwheat. Stock your storecupboard with these and discover fantastic alternatives for spaghetti, penne, fusilli, noodles and many other shapes.
BUCKWHEAT PASTA
Buckwheat contains all 8 essential amino acids, including rutin, as well as great sources of magnesium and B-vitamins. Its good texture and delicious nutty taste, make it an excellent pasta. Often available as spaghetti, other shapes are also sold sometimes, and it is also a major constituent of soba noodles (although usually along with wheat). While this pasta holds its shape better than others, it is still important to use 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the water when cooking and to stir continuously.
related ingredients: buckwheat flour, buckwheat
CORN PASTA
Full of vitamins, especially Vitamin C and B-vitamins, and packed with fibre, this is a great alternative to wheat pasta. You can find a good variety of shapes – from spaghetti to penne and fusilli – and the taste and texture is excellent. It’s a good idea to add a tablespoon of olive oil into the boiling water when cooking, and it’s important to stir regularly, both of which will prevent the pasta sticking together. Sometimes the corn is combined with other ingredients such as vegetables, especially spinach, and rice.
related recipes: harry’s nut-free pesto pasta, christmas pudding, crayfish and asparagus pasta
KAMUT PASTA
Although kamut contains gluten, this non-hybridized grain can often be tolerated by wheat-intolerant people. High in selenium, it makes a good pasta due to its gluten content.
related ingredients: kamut flour, spelt wheat flour, spelt wheat
contains: gluten, wheat
MILLET PASTA
Fantastically alkalizing, millet is high in silicone, magnesium and potassium and also contains all eight essential amino acids. It is usually combined with rice for pasta, as the two tastes complement each other well. Again, stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil when cooking and stir gently to prevent the pasta sticking together.
related ingredients: millet flour, millet
QUINOA PASTA
A powerhouse of nutrients, quinoa contains very high levels of iron, zinc, calcium, B-vitamins and vitamin E, as well as all eight essential amino acids. It is usually combined with another ingredient for pasta, especially rice. Again, it is important to add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the boiling water when cooking and to stir gently, frequently.
related recipes: pesto pasta, harry’s nut-free pesto pasta, crayfish and asparagus pasta
related ingredients: quinoa flour, quinoa
RICE NOODLES
Rice makes excellent noodles. They are often available in large supermarkets and Asian shops, as well as the usual health food stores. You’ll find the vermicelli noodles very easy to buy – and these are great for Asian dishes such as noodle salads and Singapore noodles, for example. You can also buy larger-sized noodles, which work particularly well with Asian curries and stir-fries. And increasingly the ‘fresh’ rice noodles are becoming easier to find, especially in Asian food stores. These, too, are delicious with Asian curries and stir-fried noodles, as well as salads.
related ingredients: rice milk, rice
RICE PAPER SHEETS
Rice is also used to make rice paper sheets, which are great for rice paper rolls, as well as good alternatives for pancakes such as duck with pancakes. If the ingredients are heavy, such as duck or another meat, you may find that you need to use 2 rolls together instead of one. Just cook them separately in the same way as usual and then lay one on top of the other and roll as usual.
related ingredients: rice milk, rice noodles, rice
RICE PASTA
Brown rice is extremely high in B-vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc, as well as being a fantastic source of fibre. It is usually combined with other ingredients for pasta, as the rice constituent becomes rather soft when cooked and it doesn’t hold together as well. So you’ll often find it combined with corn, vegetables, millet and quinoa. Take care not to overcook this pasta, and use 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the boiling water, and stir gently throughout the cooking time.
related recipes: crayfish and asparagus pasta
related ingredients: rice milk, rice noodles, rice paper sheets, rice
SPELT PASTA
Similar to Kamut, in that it is an ancient, non-hybridized wheat, this also contains gluten and can often be tolerated by those sensitive to wheat. Again, this makes a good pasta and has a lovely nutty taste.
related ingredients: kamut pasta, kamut flour, spelt wheat flour, spelt wheat
contains: gluten, wheat