Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Macaroni And Cheese Question


Kelleybean

Recommended Posts

Kelleybean Enthusiast

I have never tried to make gluten-free mac and cheese before and I have some questions. I want to use Tinkyada pasta. In the past, I would cook the mac and cheese al dente and then I put it in the oven to bake. Would I do the same with gluten-free pasta? Does it tend to get mushy if I do both the stovetop and the baking? How long do I boil the pasta?

Second question - how does gluten free pasta freeze? My son loves taking mac and cheese to school. I want to make some and then freeze it in individual containers for him. Will it work?

Sorry about the stupid questions. gluten-free pasta is so expensive that I hate to mess this up!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Lisa Mentor

I have never tried to make gluten-free mac and cheese before and I have some questions. I want to use Tinkyada pasta. In the past, I would cook the mac and cheese al dente and then I put it in the oven to bake. Would I do the same with gluten-free pasta? Does it tend to get mushy if I do both the stovetop and the baking? How long do I boil the pasta?

Second question - how does gluten free pasta freeze? My son loves taking mac and cheese to school. I want to make some and then freeze it in individual containers for him. Will it work?

Sorry about the stupid questions. gluten-free pasta is so expensive that I hate to mess this up!

No stupid questions allowed here!

Yes, gluten free pasta can get mushy when over cooked. If in a casserole, I would under cook and add EXTRA liquid. I'm not an expert at casseroles. I do tend to make them too dry. So add extra liquid.

And never liked it enough to freeze it. But, that's just me.

You can buy Kraft Mac & Cheese in the box, throw away the pasta and use the sauce mix. Kids might remember the taste more.

rosetapper23 Explorer

I love my gluten-free mac and cheese! I didn't need to change my recipe except to substitute gluten-free flour for the wheat flour. As for the Tinkiyada pasta, yes, you'll need to undercook it--al dente is fine, but that occurs several minutes earlier than the directions say....so you might test it. As for freezing, I've never tried freezing mac and cheese--heck, I love it so much, I manage to consume it within a couple of days.

The suggestion above is a good one, but there is also a boxed gluten-free mac and cheese sold by Trader Joe's that is identical to Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. The directions say to boil the pasta for 10-13 minutes, and it comes out best at 10 minutes. Also, I add butter just like with the Kraft Dinner.

Adalaide Mentor

I tried freezing mine once when I was still using Tinkyada pasta. It froze fine and baked up beautifully when I was ready to eat it. That happened to be about 2 days later and I no longer bother to lie to myself and say I'll freeze some and save it for later. I'll just polish off the whole pan in 2 to 3 days which is why I only make it once a month. I cook my pasta about 3 minutes less than I would normally and it seems to work out okay for me, but I use a brand I buy in bulk for about 1/3 of the cost. I just use rice flour for the sauce, it seems to take a bit longer to thicken than it did with wheat flour but it will thicken and taste as amazing as you remember it.

Takala Enthusiast

I would boil just a small amount of rice pasta first, and see what it does. Bring the water to a boil, (add salt and some oil) and then place it in and time it. Like the other people mentioned, the directions on the package currently (april 2012) seem to call for too long a boil time, at least for the spaghetti type noodles, and it takes fewer minutes to cook. My spouse suspects they changed the rice they use or the processing somehow, because it used to take longer to cook. You also need to throw it in the colander and rinse it off quickly to stop it cooking, once it reaches whatever stage you wish to have it at.

Be sure to put a little oil in the casserole dish before you put the rice pasta in there, because this stuff is sticky.

The easiest mac and cheese is you just take and grate cheese over the cooked pasta, then nuke it in the microwave for a short time, until the cheese melts. You can also melt some butter in a skillet and then toss that and the grated cheese and the pasta together.

lpellegr Collaborator

I made mac and cheese today with Tinkyada elbows. 12 minutes works fine, then drain them. If the sauce is ready, don't even bother rinsing them off, just dump them in the sauce. It freezes well in individual servings. I adapted the sauce recipe from a box of regular elbow macaroni:

Melt 3 T butter on low heat

Add 2 T cornstarch, 1 t powdered mustard, 1 t salt

Stir to get lumps out, don't let it brown.

Add 2 c milk, raise heat and stir constantly until it boils.

Add 8 oz shredded cheese, stir until melted.

Add cooked pasta.

Put into greased casserole dish. Top with gluten-free bread crumbs if you want.

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Kelleybean Enthusiast

Thanks, all! You are seriously awesome! I was doing Annie's and all of a sudden my son stopped eating it. I'm wondering if they changed something b/c it tasted less "cheesy" to me. I can't do Kraft b/c my son seems to have a weird reaction to food dyes (he's autistic, and the past couple times we let him have dyes he seemed to get really hyper and we saw an increase in his repetitive behaviors). I'm going to have to experiment here! I've had good luck with doing gluten-free pasta on the stovetop, it was the oven part that was giving me pause. Thanks!


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,251
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Janet Lima
    Newest Member
    Janet Lima
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Wheatwacked
      Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to rib pain. Chest pain stemming from the ribs ccould be costochondritis, which involves inflammation of the cartilage connecting the ribs to the breastbone. This pain can range from mild to severe, potentially mimicking heart attack symptoms, and is often worsened by breathing or movement. Other potential causes include muscle strain, rib fractures, or even referred pain from other conditions.  It will also help to chose vegetables low in omega 6.
    • Scott Adams
      Great question! Even if some individuals with celiac disease don’t experience immediate villi damage from occasional cross-contamination, it’s still strongly recommended to maintain strict avoidance of gluten. The immune response triggered by gluten can vary between individuals, and even small amounts may cause systemic inflammation or other symptoms, even if intestinal damage isn’t immediately detectable. Additionally, repeated exposure—even at low levels—could lead to cumulative harm over time. Strict avoidance of cross-contamination remains the safest approach to prevent long-term complications and ensure overall health. Everyone’s sensitivity differs, so working with a healthcare provider to tailor precautions is ideal.
    • Zuma888
    • knitty kitty
      You have one gene for Celiac.  You have a second autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is frequently found at a higher rate with Celiac.  HLA genes carry autoimmune disease genes like Celiac and Hashimoto's and diabetes and others.   You have Celiac symptoms of reacting after gluten.  You said "I am however still suffering from the effects of the gluten challenge (food sensitivities, slight brain fog, weird stool, fatigue, swollen thyroid, bodyaches)."  And your anti-thyroid antibodies increase after gluten exposure.  While tTg IgA does not directly attack the thyroid, gluten exposure does trigger the  immune system to produce antibodies against the thyroid in genetically predisposed individuals.  You did not eat sufficient gluten (10 grams of gluten per day for two weeks minimum) to raise the autoimmune antibodies to the point they can be measured in the blood, so your blood tests may well be inaccurate.  You could choose to continue the gluten challenge of 10 grams a day for at least two weeks and get retested.   At the very least, you know that gluten is harmful to your thyroid, and because you are genetically predisposed to Celiac disease, a strict gluten free diet would be beneficial for your overall health.  
    • Zuma888
      Thanks @Scott Adams! I guess my question now is: do the celiacs who can get away with regular contamination without villi damage as you mentioned have to be strict about cross-contamination ? 
×
×
  • Create New...