13 Best Types Of Gluten-Free Pasta

Whether you're just starting to cut gluten from your diet or have eaten gluten-free for years, some foods are hard not to miss. Among the most celebrated and revered wheat-based foods, pasta is especially difficult to give up, particularly if you're used to eating the pantry staple regularly. 

A few years ago, you could find only a few gluten-free options in the pasta aisle of grocery stores, and many of those left a lot to be desired. Times have changed, and now, the gluten-free among us have seemingly endless pasta options. It's true that many of them don't taste like your typical wheat pasta, but several come close. Others are delicious in their own right, even if you have to adjust your recipes to account for a slightly different taste and texture.

If you are trying to expand your gluten-free pasta horizons and want a better idea of what's out there, be on the lookout for these gluten-free pastas. Some are easy to find at your local grocery store regardless of where you live, while others may be easier to buy online. See something you never heard of? Don't be afraid to try something new and experiment!

If you're looking for something that doesn't feel quite as dense as chickpea pasta, you may want to try brown rice pasta. It's another gluten-free pasta commonly found in grocery stores, and we don't think the taste is too far off from the traditional wheat stuff. SF Gate says brown rice pasta is also nutritionally comparable to whole wheat pasta. For a healthy, filling source of carbs, brown rice pasta is a good option.

When you make brown rice pasta, expect a subtle nutty flavor that adds an extra layer of complexity to pasta dishes. While you can just replace wheat pasta with brown rice pasta without too many other concerns, keep in mind that brown rice pasta often takes longer to cook. Simply add a few minutes to your cook time (it's always best to follow the directions on the box) when making brown rice pasta a part of your meal.

When you first hear that soba noodles are made with buckwheat, you may immediately assume that you shouldn't touch them on a gluten-free diet. We have some good news for you: Despite the confusing name, soba noodles made exclusively with buckwheat are gluten-free, according to The Gluten-Free Brothers. But make sure you check the package before buying these noodles because some contain wheat and are not gluten-free.

If you haven't tried soba noodles yet, you should seek them out. They are a staple in Japanese cooking, and NPR went so far as to describe soba as the "humble jewel of Japanese cuisine." Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find traditional Japanese soba at many U.S. grocery stores. If you're struggling to find the varieties without wheat, make your way to the local Asian market. Once you get your hands on buckwheat soba noodles, look up Japanese recipes that utilize this delicious ingredient or try the noodles in your favorite dishes — they're surprisingly versatile. If you're like us, soba noodles will soon become a regular in your pantry.

If you ask us, one of the best gluten-free pastas out there is corn pasta. This stuff isn't for everyone, but if you love corn or corn tortillas, there's a good chance you'll enjoy how it tastes. Corn pasta looks much like traditional wheat pasta, though it tends to have a more intense yellow color. Most corn pasta is gluten-free, but you should still check the ingredient list to ensure the kind you're using doesn't include wheat flour.

There are a few things to keep in mind if you're going to be cooking with corn pasta. According to Delighted Cooking, corn pasta tends to fall apart easier than wheat pasta. Just think of what a corn tortilla does under the weight of a loaded taco, and you'll see why corn pasta does what it does. Therefore, you should keep a close eye on your corn pasta during the cooking process. If it stays in the water for a minute or two too long, you could end up with a mushy mess. For that same reason, you generally want to avoid including corn pasta in soup — within minutes, you may have to deal with congealed hunks of corn in your soup.

However, if you adjust recipes accordingly to deal with the slightly different texture of corn pasta, you may really come to enjoy what this ingredient has to offer.

Newer to the market and produced by ZENB, yellow pea pasta is actually surprisingly good. This pasta is made exclusively with yellow peas, so it's appropriate for a gluten-free diet. You'll first notice its intense yellow hue, which looks especially appetizing when paired with colorful veggies. It also boasts many health benefits: It's high in protein and fiber and contains fewer carbs than traditional pasta, according to ZENB. But our favorite part is probably the fact that it cooks so quickly. Some ZENB pastas will be ready to go in less than three minutes of cooking. When you're hungry and can't wait to get some pasta on your plate, that's a huge benefit.

The only downside to this pasta is the fact that it's still pretty expensive — you'll pay far more for ZENB than traditional pasta at the grocery store. However, yellow pea pasta has a lovely texture and light, neutral flavor that can be difficult to find in gluten-free pasta, so for some people, that extra cost might be worth it.

You may have recently heard of shirataki noodles. They're touted as a "zero-calorie" noodle that provide numerous health benefits. Also called konjac noodles and "skinny" or "miracle" noodles, they're made with a fiber called glucomannan that comes from the roots of a plant known as konjac. According to Healthline, they contain a lot of water, and studies have found that they may aid in weight loss and help lower cholesterol. However, some people find that these noodles also cause a number of digestive issues. If you're going to try shirataki noodles for yourself, you may want to eat a small serving before diving into a larger meal-sized portion.

While the health benefits may sound tempting, many agree that shirataki noodles have little to no flavor. Therefore, you may want to add them to a soup or another highly seasoned dish. That way, they can take on the flavor of the other ingredients. Also, before cooking, be sure to rinse the noodles very well with water to remove the fishy smell that they pick up in the package. Shirataki noodles can't be used as a replacement for every type of pasta, but they may be worth it if you want to try something new.

Almond flour pasta is a popular alternative to traditional wheat pasta for those who are looking for a healthier gluten-free option. Though it varies by brand, the labels typically include "low-carb" or "high-protein," and some simply call it keto pasta. According to Healthline, almond flour is one of the healthiest flours out there because it's packed with nutrients, including vitamin E, antioxidants, and magnesium. 

Snixy Kitchen notes that almond flour alone creates brittle pasta, so it's often combined with other gluten-free ingredients like coconut, sweet rice, or tapioca flours. While almond flour may be the main ingredient, if you read the ingredient lists, you'll notice that commercial pasta makers often include these starches as well. You can also make almond flour pasta at home if you're willing to put in the time and effort it takes to mix and shape the dough yourself.

Almond flour produces a mild but slightly sweet pasta with a denser texture than what you might be used to with traditional wheat pasta. It's not our favorite flavor or texture, but when you consider all of the health benefits of almond flour, it's not a bad gluten-free option.