Trader Joe's Best Gluten-Free Pasta Tastes Just Like The Real Thing

Gluten-free diets are becoming more and more common, and bread and pasta producers are eager to accommodate these restrictions. Trader Joe's is one such grocery brand that offers multiple gluten-free pastas with different shapes and compositions. So, we ranked 7 gluten-free Trader Joe's pastas according to taste, texture, and how well each resembled conventional wheat pasta. Trader Joe's gluten-free tagliatelle won our top ranking because it tastes just like the real thing.

Where other gluten-free ingredients like garbanzos, lentils, quinoa, or brown rice alone contributed a foreign flavor, gritty or gummy texture, and deep brown or red hues, the tagliatelle was indistinguishable from regular wheat pasta. Made of a combination of corn and rice flour, Trader Joe's tagliatelle was earthy, savory, and mellow. It even had the same golden hue as its wheat counterpart.

The tagliatelle also comes in dried nests, resembling the traditional storage method. These portioned nests are also convenient for making single-serving meals, and they also prevent the delicately long, ribbon-like shape of tagliatelle from sticking while they cook. We love the al dente chew of this pasta that is fun to twirl around a fork and stands up to even the heartiest types of pasta sauces, from Bolognese to this easy, creamy Alfredo sauce.

Trader Joe's customers were as impressed with the gluten-free tagliatelle as we were. One YouTube reviewer was impressed with the taste and texture of Trader Joe's gluten-free tagliatelle, stating that "usually gluten-free pasta can just fall apart after boiling, but this held up really well. The flavor was great, and it had a good chew." An additional Reddit review took the praise even further. "The TJ's gluten-free tagliatelle is everything to [me,]" the reviewer explained. "It has the texture of almost a handmade pasta with a good amount of [springiness] to it." Plus, since it's packaged in individually portioned nests, you can make a different pasta dish for lunches and dinners throughout the week.

Trader Joe's has dozens of pasta sauces to choose from, and we've ranked 17 of them. Toss the tagliatelle with Trader Joe's organic vodka sauce and top it with gluten-free meatballs, another one of the brand's best chicken products. You could even convert our favorite Trader Joe's dip, garlic spread dip, into a pasta sauce with the help of starchy pasta water and a hearty sprinkling of parmesan cheese. While many red sauces and pesto sauces are naturally gluten-free, cream sauces might be roux-based; even certain Alfredo sauces can use flour as a thickener. We've also sampled and ranked gluten-free Alfredo sauces for your next gluten-free pasta Alfredo dinner.