GLUTEN-FREE PASTA & 15 FLOURS THAT MAKE THEM

The booming world of gluten-free pasta means that it increasingly comes in different shapes, sizes and styles. One of the most important factors in how a good gluten-free pasta performs for taste and consistency is the flour with which it is made. Here’s a look at some of the top-performing types of gluten-free flours:

 

Chickpea flour

Gluten-free pasta made with chickpea flour can be slightly chewy. It naturally often offers a hint of chickpea flavor. It is high in protein and fiber as well as other nutrients and helps reduce cholesterol and caloric intake.

 

Quinoa flour

Quinoa flour can generate a slightly nutty flavor with a mildly grainy texture. It is rich in nutrients, amino acids, and elements like magnesium, folate, copper, iron and phosphorus. Quinoa is one of the most popular gluten-free pasta ingredients because it doesn’t get soft when cooked. It is also frequently used in pancakes, muffins and pie crusts. Try our Quinoa flour today!

 

White Bean flour

White Bean flour is made by grinding white beans, fava beans or navy beans into a fine powder. White Bean flour is often used in baked goods. It is high in protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals. Gluten-free White Bean pasta offers a nutty or earthy flavor.

 

White Rice flour

White Rice flour is made with ground medium or long-grain white rice. It creates a largely tasteless gluten-free pasta that is high in carbs and calories but also high in healthy fiber.

 

Brown Rice flour

Gluten-free pasta made with Brown Rice flour tends to have a chewy texture and a mild but sweeter flavor than its White Rice counterpart. A good source of fiber, magnesium and antioxidants, Brown Rice flour has fewer calories than white rice and is often also used for cookies and cakes.

 

Amaranth flour

Amaranth is another protein-rich flour with earthy or nutty flavors in a fine texture. This ancient grain was a staple of the Aztec and Incan civilizations, and it was for a while banned by the Spanish government as they tried to bring Catholicism into Central and South America. Amaranth flour — and the gluten-free pasta made with it — is rich in protein, iron and fiber.

 

Chia flour

Chia flour is made from ground Chia seeds, packed with soluble fiber that may help lower cholesterol and slow digestion. It offers a mild nutty, savory taste in gluten-free pasta and is often also used in breads, cakes, rolls and muffins. Chia seeds are frequently added to smoothies and healthy shakes.

 

Kale flour

Kale flour is a ground from one of the world’s most nutrient-dense leafy vegetables. It is loaded with antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin C and often an ingredient in gluten-free fritters, breads and cakes. Kale-based gluten-free pasta has earthy tones.

 

Almond flour

Almond flour is a popular Keto diet product. Rich in vitamin E, antioxidants and magnesium, Almond flour produces a mild, sweet gluten-free pasta with dense texture.

 

Corn flour

Milled from dry kernels, Corn flour is a vegan staple, and the basis for the traditional masa harina used in many Mexican dishes. Corn flour produces a slightly grainy yellow gluten-free pasta, with a mellow, light corn taste.

 

Red Lentil flour

Red Lentil flour is rich in folate, copper, manganese and potassium. It’s also a great natural source of iron. Also used in baked foods, Red Lentil flour creates a firm gluten-free pasta with an earthy aftertaste.

 

Buckwheat flour

Buckwheat flour is high in fiber, protein and micronutrients like manganese and thiamine. Buckwheat flour is used to make gluten-free Soba noodles, which are often slightly chewy with a mild nutty taste.

 

Plantain flour

Plantain flour, which is rich in fiber, is a versatile flour that can substitute for regular flour in a number of gluten-free dishes, including pasta. Blanched plantain pulp is dried, then ground into flour. It has a largely neutral flavor — not at all like bananas — though it creates a darker yellow color than the average pasta.

 

Banana flour

Banana flour is a superfood flour that is gluten-free and paleo- and keto-friendly. It is filled with antioxidants, fiber and resistant starch and easily used as a regular flour substitute to create gluten-free spaghetti and bowtie pastas that have less fat than most regular pastas. While the raw flour has a slight banana taste, when cooked the flavor largely abates to create an earthy pasta with a light texture.

 

Cassava flour

Cassava is a root vegetable that, when ground, produces a high-carb flour that doesn’t contain any protein. Gluten-free pasta made with Cassava flour has a largely neutral flavor.

 

If you have Celiac disease or are prone to gluten-related illness or irritation, always be sure to carefully check food product labels to be sure you are buying gluten-free pasta or using gluten-free flours.