Your Cooking Method For gluten-free Pasta

[researchmomma]

Do you have a good way to cook gluten-free noodles so they aren't mushy or under cooked? I have had both of these things happen to me.

Also, with gluten pasta, I could cook some up on Sunday and stick it in a ziploc and use it during the week for kid's lunches. Is that possible with gluten-free noodles or do they not last long after cooked? I could just try it but it is expensive to waste good food, ya know?

We are going to a family gathering and they are cooking baked ziti and chicken tetrazini. I am making a gluten-free pasta for the 2 gluten intolerants, so I would love to bring up already cooked spaghetti noodles and toss them in with veggies and chicken (daughters fav). Can I make them ahead or do I need to cook them onsite?

Thanks in advance.

[Katrala]

We make all of our own pasta other than macaroni (which we hope to make soon.)

We started doing this after we found most brands of gluten-free pasta to not hold up well the next day (and some weren't even good the first day.)

Here is the recipe that we started with: Open Original Shared Link

My husband has modified it some here and there depending on what type of pasta we need. This was the first recipe we found that could be used in a pasta roller.

It cooks well (and quickly.) Make sure the water is boiling before you put the pasta in and it's done in 3-4 minutes. It will float when done, but it will also float before it's done so make sure to check.

[pricklypear1971]

Have you tried running them under hot water to refresh them? I think Ancient Harvest corn/quinoa tastes better reheated than Jovial brown rice. But the reverse is true freshly cooked.

I've found a lot of variation between brands, even if the ingredients are the same.

I've had to cook some longer, some shorter. Most are better al dente.

[Mizzo]

My opinion:

Corn pasta: cooks well and will reheat ok if dipped quickly in hot water to refresh it other wise it solidifies. The cheapest in cost

Quinoa pasta: cooks well, keep an eye on it as can over cook easy. I no longer use quinoa pasta as I don't find it tasty enough to offset the cost. Most expensive

Brown rice pasta : must catch it at the exact moment between Al Dente and mush, but is my goto pasta for lasagna/ bakes as I bake it Al -Dente that way. Middle cost

[IrishHeart]

Hi kiddo. Fun to see you on the boards and not just in PMs

I agree with Mizzo (above).

BiAglut corn pasta--cooks true to what they say on the package.

If it's 5 minutes, they mean 5. If it says 7--7 on the button. Perfect each time. I like corn pasta the best IMHO

Tinkyada brown rice pasta packages SAY 15-18 minutes, but my cousin turned me onto this...13 minutes. That's it. Just right.

The rice ones are more inclined to be mushy if overcooked. blech

I like my pasta al-dente.

As for pre-cooking, yes, you can refresh the noodles with hot water and strain.

But, I have pre-made many pasta casseroles and they reheat fine in the micro with a steam cover on it.

Does J. like alfredo sauce? You could do a chicken/veg/alfredo sauce at home and bring that. Cook up the corn noodles on site--5 minutes--and toss with the heated sauce maybe?

Cheers, IH

[researchmomma]

Thanks everyone this is very helpful.

J isn't an Alfredo fan. Funny she isn't in to rich foods because they make her stomach hurt. Once she has been gluten-free for 3 months, we agreed to try some of the foods that made her feel sick before. I think she will be pleasantly surprised! Good to see you too IH.

Thanks again and chime in if you have a good method or favorite pasta.

[love2travel]

My pasta is always homemade now, too, as I found a delectable recipe that truly tastes like gluten pasta. Anyway, it does not stick, nor does it clump at all, even when re-heating. I can add herbs, spinach, butternut squash, etc. to it. If anyone is interested in the recipe just let me know and I will type it up. Perfectly cooked in 3 minutes but if you overcook it nothing really happens! It is very forgiving, unlike rice and corn pastas.

A commercial brand I used to use is King Soba - I really enjoyed millet and purple sweet potato, buckwheat, etc. I find that they are more flavourful than others I've tried and have great texture. Also re-heat well. They are a bit more expensive but definitely worth it. These would be the only commercial ones I would use if I were not making my own.

All the best on your pasta cooking mission!

[researchmomma]

My pasta is always homemade now, too, as I found a delectable recipe that truly tastes like gluten pasta. Anyway, it does not stick, nor does it clump at all, even when re-heating. I can add herbs, spinach, butternut squash, etc. to it. If anyone is interested in the recipe just let me know and I will type it up. Perfectly cooked in 3 minutes but if you overcook it nothing really happens! It is very forgiving, unlike rice and corn pastas.

A commercial brand I used to use is King Soba - I really enjoyed millet and purple sweet potato, buckwheat, etc. I find that they are more flavourful than others I've tried and have great texture. Also re-heat well. They are a bit more expensive but definitely worth it. These would be the only commercial ones I would use if I were not making my own.

All the best on your pasta cooking mission!

I have never made pasta before. I love to cook but making pasta seems so daunting and time consuming. However, I see it will be part of my future. I would love your recipe if you don't mind typing it.

I have a standing mixer and I thought I could also buy a pasta attachment. Is that true?

BTW, I love to travel too. I read that you loved the food in Croatia. I do too! I lived in Prague, CZ for two years and we were able to travel to some amazing places.

[love2travel]

I have never made pasta before. I love to cook but making pasta seems so daunting and time consuming. However, I see it will be part of my future. I would love your recipe if you don't mind typing it.

I have a standing mixer and I thought I could also buy a pasta attachment. Is that true?

BTW, I love to travel too. I read that you loved the food in Croatia. I do too! I lived in Prague, CZ for two years and we were able to travel to some amazing places.

You know what? The second time you make pasta it literally takes 30 minutes, start to finish. Honest. I make it once a week as it is so quick and delicious. What kind of stand mixer do you have? Mine is a KitchenAid and I do have the pasta attachments. They really do help. It can be done by hand if you roll the dough thinly. This is what I do for lasagna sheets. To me the attachments are worth it but they are sort of expensive so if you think you will be making a lot of pasta it pays off.

I will post my recipe. Am lying down at the moment for a bit but will post it later.

That is awesome that you love to travel and lived in Prague! What did you get to see when there? Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have been to. Man, we love it there. We really enjoyed Cesky Krumlov, Olomouc and the many castles as well as the Cesky Raj region. Oh, and lovely Telc! We also found Kutna Hora interesting.

Yes, I do love Croatia's food because it is so darned fresh! Our house is located only ten minutes from the sea so we can meet the early fish boats with their catch. We harvest our own wild herbs, fruits, nuts and hopefully mushrooms in the future. Most konoba owners grow their own veg and herbs, make their own olive oil and wines and perhaps raise their own poultry and livestock. It is incredible what is available. The climate is lovely, too!

Back to pasta - you can also add in a bit of chestnut puree OR even crush chestnuts and place them between two sheets of pasta and put that through the pasta roller attachment. Then you have chestnut pasta that is beautiful and delicious. And just think about all the ravioli and other types you can make. I do not have a ravioli cutter - I just roll out the sheets using my roller attachment and my ravioli wheel. Making homemade pasta somehow makes you want to make fabulous sauces to go with them as well. This could be a whole new world for you!

[researchmomma]

You know what? The second time you make pasta it literally takes 30 minutes, start to finish. Honest. I make it once a week as it is so quick and delicious. What kind of stand mixer do you have? Mine is a KitchenAid and I do have the pasta attachments. They really do help. It can be done by hand if you roll the dough thinly. This is what I do for lasagna sheets. To me the attachments are worth it but they are sort of expensive so if you think you will be making a lot of pasta it pays off.

I will post my recipe. Am lying down at the moment for a bit but will post it later.

That is awesome that you love to travel and lived in Prague! What did you get to see when there? Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have been to. Man, we love it there. We really enjoyed Cesky Krumlov, Olomouc and the many castles as well as the Cesky Raj region. Oh, and lovely Telc! We also found Kutna Hora interesting.

Yes, I do love Croatia's food because it is so darned fresh! Our house is located only ten minutes from the sea so we can meet the early fish boats with their catch. We harvest our own wild herbs, fruits, nuts and hopefully mushrooms in the future. Most konoba owners grow their own veg and herbs, make their own olive oil and wines and perhaps raise their own poultry and livestock. It is incredible what is available. The climate is lovely, too!

Back to pasta - you can also add in a bit of chestnut puree OR even crush chestnuts and place them between two sheets of pasta and put that through the pasta roller attachment. Then you have chestnut pasta that is beautiful and delicious. And just think about all the ravioli and other types you can make. I do not have a ravioli cutter - I just roll out the sheets using my roller attachment and my ravioli wheel. Making homemade pasta somehow makes you want to make fabulous sauces to go with them as well. This could be a whole new world for you!

Yes, I think pasta making is in my future! Sounds so yummy. This gluten-free thing has awakened the cook in me! I am still trying to get the hang of baking gluten free but I don't find baking as much fun as cooking.

I have a KitchenAid as well. I will look into the attachments. Have a good rest.

Cesky Krumlov is one of our favorites and Kutna Hora is really creepy yet beautiful all at the same time.

Do you live in Croatia? I also live near the sea but on the West Coast of the US. We love it and really missed the ocean while in Prague.

Our most interesting trip was to Egypt. However, a week in Tuscany and another trip to Slovenia and Croatia was truly amazing as well. So many countries and so little time and now we are back already!

[ciamarie]

I still haven't quite got the hang of the brown rice pasta, but my 'go-to' noodles are asian rice noodles, the ones I have are from Thailand. They would probably be perfect for a tetrazzini. I bring the water to a boil, put the noodles in and sort of squish them down into the water, and let the water come back to the boil. I then let them boil for 1-2 minutes, stir to make sure they're not sticking together -- shut off the heat and cover the pot for about 5-6 minutes. I like them a little softer (but they're not mush), so I go for the extra minute. If you're going to re-heat them do it for somewhat less time. Then remove the lid and stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom -- usually they're not. Drain, and they're ready to add sauce or whatever!

I tried that method with some brown rice spaghetti a few days ago, and it was under-cooked -- which might be o.k. if you're going to bake it in some sauce or something.

[researchmomma]

I still haven't quite got the hang of the brown rice pasta, but my 'go-to' noodles are asian rice noodles, the ones I have are from Thailand. They would probably be perfect for a tetrazzini. I bring the water to a boil, put the noodles in and sort of squish them down into the water, and let the water come back to the boil. I then let them boil for 1-2 minutes, stir to make sure they're not sticking together -- shut off the heat and cover the pot for about 5-6 minutes. I like them a little softer (but they're not mush), so I go for the extra minute. If you're going to re-heat them do it for somewhat less time. Then remove the lid and stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom -- usually they're not. Drain, and they're ready to add sauce or whatever!

I tried that method with some brown rice spaghetti a few days ago, and it was under-cooked -- which might be o.k. if you're going to bake it in some sauce or something.

hi Ciamarie. How are things? Yes, I cook with those noodles too but haven't used them for the glutenlike pastas that I want to make. Good idea.

[Monael]

I have been seeking the best pasta and so far I do not like the rice pastas, because they turned out so mushy. Corn pasta seems to hold up better and I have had good luck reheating it. I reheat it together with the sauce and it seemed fine to me. I found a lot of corn pasta at Big Lots so that is going to be my pasta for a while

[AVR1962]

Corn pasta doesn't mush down like the brown rice pasta does and I like the tatse better. Some of the Asian rice noodles are good but lack taste.

I make my own noodles and have found gluten-free Pizza crust flour works well to keep the dough from falling apart. I mix the dough part up and then I knead the dough in a rice flour, mutli flour or in gluten-free buckwheat. Buckwheat is a nice hardy flour. If you ahve problems with xanthan gum the pizza crust won't work but that is why it does so well for making noodles. You really need th xanthan gum to hold the dough together.

[Roda]

I let the hubby cook it. Seriously though, I let my hubby cook it because I've never been able to cook pasta right even pregluten free days. He watches it like a hawk and pulls it out to test it frequently. Even with the corn pasta he does this because he can't stand for it to overcook. We have been happy so far with Sam's Mill corn pasta. He has even started eating it too. All of us dislike rice based pastas.