7 Gluten-Free Trader Joe's Pastas, Ranked Worst To Best

Trader Joe's has a legendary pasta section; new and uniquely flavored pastas hit shelves on the regular. You may assume, though, that if you follow a gluten-free diet, there are only one or two options available — especially considering Trader Joe's limited number of SKUs compared to other grocery stores. However, that assumption is incorrect, because Trader Joe's offers a slew of different gluten-free pastas to choose from. With such a wide selection, you won't have to settle on just one flavor or shape.

But how do you know which gluten-free pastas at the popular grocery chain taste best? Obviously, we all have different tastes, but I tried several of the store's gluten-free pasta offerings to give you a better idea of which package you should pick up the next time you visit. I ranked these pastas based on both texture and flavor, and paid particular attention to whether the pasta could replace more traditional types in different recipes. Whether you're making a pasta salad or trying your hand at an underrated Italian pasta dish, these Trader Joe's gluten-free pasta options should ensure that nobody who follows a gluten-free diet has to miss out.

If you generally like pasta made from brown rice, then Trader Joe's organic brown rice penne pasta may be just what you're looking for. The penne shape is quite versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes, and the pasta cooks relatively quickly, ensuring that you're not standing over the stove for an extended period of time. However, I'm just not a fan of brown rice pasta in the first place, which is why it's the lowest-ranked pasta on the list. Like whole wheat pasta, brown rice pasta has a distinctive, bitter flavor that can overpower the other ingredients in a recipe. It doesn't have the same neutral flavor as a white wheat pasta. 

Of course, I don't mind a healthier-tasting pasta dish from time to time. But if I'm looking for pasta reminiscent of what you'd find at a good Italian restaurant, this brown rice pasta is not it. That being said, it's not any worse than any other brown rice pasta I've ever had, so it's not really Trader Joe's fault for providing another gluten-free alternative.

Since Trader Joe's organic brown rice and quinoa fusilli pasta is partially made with brown rice, it shouldn't surprise you that it snags the second-lowest spot on this list. However, I have to admit that this fusilli, which is also made with quinoa, is a bit more interesting than its brown rice-only sibling. There's an earthiness that you don't get from the brown rice alone, and although the resulting pasta is still significantly more bitter and less neutral-tasting than wheat-based pasta, that extra bit of flavor keeps me from hating on this product too much.

Another thing this pasta has going for it is its shape. The ridges on the fusilli help capture sauce, which covers up some of that unpleasant bitterness you might otherwise pick up on. Overall, it's not a product I'd ever choose of my own volition, but there are definitely worse gluten-free pastas in the world.

Chickpea pasta has gotten more and more popular over the past several years, with companies like Banza making a splash on the alternative pasta market. Because of all that chickpea pasta hype, you might be tempted to try Trader Joe's chickpea fusilli pasta. Compared to the brown rice-based pastas that you can find at the grocery chain, this stuff really isn't bad. That being said, it's far from being my favorite gluten-free pasta, and it doesn't even taste as good as other types of chickpea pastas I've tried.

First of all, there's the texture. This pasta has a strange sandiness to it, meaning it's not quite as smooth-tasting as most varieties of pasta. On the flavor front, it has a very pronounced, legume-like taste. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as the flavor isn't unpleasant, but it means that this pasta isn't ideal for recipes that need a more neutral-tasting base in order to highlight the other ingredients in the recipe. I won't buy this box of pasta again, considering that there are better-tasting options on this list.

Whether you're looking for a gluten-free alternative to traditional gnocchi, or you just want to make a pasta dish lighter, Trader Joe's gnocchi has you covered. This is the only pasta on this list that I didn't boil — I know from experience that this stuff doesn't taste too great after it's been hanging out in a pot of boiling water. Instead, I baked the gnocchi from frozen with the goal of achieving a nice, golden crispness to make things more texturally interesting.

The results were somewhat mixed. If you do bake these gnocchi, they have a really nice texture to them that's shockingly similar to that of traditional gnocchi. Despite being made with cauliflower, their denseness is similar to potato gnocchi's signature chewiness — though they aren't as heavy. However, when it comes to flavor, this pasta misses the mark. It absolutely tastes like cauliflower — not real gnocchi — which is why it's not ranked higher on this list.

This is a product I've purchased repeatedly, so I'd definitely recommend it to gluten-free pasta lovers and those who are looking for a lighter replacement for the classic. Just be warned that this gnocchi may be different from the kind you're used to eating.

Generally, I don't love it when gluten-free pasta has its own bold, pronounced flavor. After all, pasta is supposed to provide a neutral-tasting background for other ingredients, not deliver a ton of flavor itself. However, I made an exception when it comes to Trader Joe's organic red lentil sedanini. This stuff tastes like actual lentils, with that funky, almost spicy flavor announcing itself as soon as you take a bite. But as someone who loves lentils, I think that extra bit of flavor makes for a really delicious bowl of pasta — especially if you're working with really simple ingredients in your recipe.

This pasta isn't ranked higher on this list, though, because it lacks versatility. Since the pasta has such a pronounced flavor, you have to be careful about what other ingredients you serve it with, since it could easily overpower lighter, less bold flavors. Still, it's worth a try — as long as you're open to a very different pasta experience than what you might be used to.

It's uncommon for a grocery store to offer a variety of gluten-free pastas, but in most cases, those pastas are all dry. If, on the other hand, you're craving fresh pasta — much less fresh, filled pasta — you may be out of luck. But not at Trader Joe's. Head to the fresh pasta section, and you'll find gluten-free cheese ravioli. Sure, it may not be the most exciting flavor out there, but it's nice to at least have the option of fresh pasta.

And if you like cheese ravioli in the first place, you're almost guaranteed to like this product. The pasta itself honestly doesn't taste that different from wheat-based pasta. In fact, its flavor might even be a bit milder, which means you can really taste the flavor of the cheese more. Douse it in Trader Joe's pasta sauce or just drizzle it with some Trader Joe's olive oil or melted butter for a simple but delicious presentation.

Finally, we've made it to the most delicious Trader Joe's gluten-free pasta of them all. The tagliatelle is a must-try if you're looking for gluten-free pasta that tastes almost identical to wheat-based pasta. This pasta is made from both corn and rice, and it's a combo that really works well together. The result is a golden-colored pasta with a strikingly similar texture to wheat-based pasta. It's about as indistinguishable from wheat pasta as you can get. 

Not only does this pasta rank in the number one spot on this list because of its likeness to traditional pasta, but its lovely, ribbon-like shape is hard not to love. If you're looking for a gluten-free pasta replacement that can work in just about any recipe that calls for long pasta, this variety has you covered. It's worth a try whether you follow a gluten-free diet or not.

I chose these pastas based on the availability at my local Trader Joe's. With the exception of the cauliflower gnocchi, I boiled all of these pastas in salted water until they reached an al dente texture. Then, I rinsed them with water and taste-tested them plain — without any sauce, olive oil, or seasonings — to get a better sense of how each one tasted completely on its own. 

I baked the cauliflower gnocchi from frozen, since previous experience informed me that boiling this particular type of gnocchi yields a less-than-pleasant texture. I ranked these pastas according to both texture and flavor, and put the pastas that tasted most similar to traditional pasta at the top of the list.