Gluten free pasta can share all the same taste and texture as wheat-based pasta, but only if you cook it correctly. The best way to cook gluten free pasta is to follow the simple steps set out below. These may be a little different to the way you’re used to cooking, but they’ll make all the difference to the finished dish.

Why Does Gluten Free Pasta Cook Differently?

Traditional pasta is made from wheat, which contains gluten. Gluten free pasta is made from other ingredients, such as rice flour and maize flour. These ingredients contain different levels of starch and so they cook in different ways.

If you try to cook gluten free pasta in the same way as traditional pasta, chances are it will come out with a mushy texture, with pieces stuck together, and it will have a rather bland taste. But with just a few tweaks to your technique, you can cook the perfect pasta every time.

How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta Perfectly

There are a few important steps when it comes to cooking the perfect gluten free pasta:

1. Use plenty of water – gluten free pasta produces more starch than traditional pasta, so you need to use more water and leave more space in the pot. A full 500g box of Glutafin gluten free pasta will serve 4-6 people, and needs around 5litres of water. Only fill the pot 2/3 full to allow space for foaming and avoid it boiling over.
2. Salt like the sea – gluten free pasta needs plenty of salt to enhance the flavour, so don’t hold back. You need to add 1-2 tablespoons to cook a full packet of pasta.
3. Stir straight away – because it is starchier, gluten free pasta is at risk of clumping so you need to stir as soon as you add it to the water and then every 30seconds for the first few minutes. Once it’s started to plump, you don’t need to stir as much.
4. Check it early – start checking your pasta early, a few minutes before the recommended cooking time to avoid overcooking. There is a very small window between al dente and overcooked, and you don’t want to miss it.
5. Drain but don’t rinse – it’s tempting to rinse starchy pasta, but in fact it’s the starch that helps your sauce stick. Rinsing pasta will cool it down and make it slippery. (If you’re making a cold pasta salad, you should rinse your pasta straight away in cold water to stop it cooking any further).
6. Add sauce straight away – gluten free pasta will firm up and start sticking together very quickly in your colander, so add your sauce as soon as possible. If this is not possible, toss it in a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking.

Why Choose Glutafin Gluten Free Pasta?

Glutafin gluten free pasta is specially formulated to give you great taste and texture, so you can continue to enjoy all your favourite Italian recipes while sticking to your gluten free diet. Glutafin pastas are wheat free and lactose free and are available in three popular varieties:

1. Glutafin gluten free pasta spirals (fusilli)
2. Glutafin gluten free pasta tubes (penne)
3. Glutafin gluten free spaghetti

Where Can I Get Gluten Free Pasta?

Glutafin gluten free pasta is available on prescription in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but not in England. A 500g box of pasta counts as 2 units of your prescription allowance.

If you can’t get gluten free pasta on prescription or you need to top up your cupboard, you can find our sister brand, Schar, in the free from aisle of your local supermarket. The Schar pasta range includes lasagne and gnocchi as well as all the traditional favourites.

Pasta Perfection

Try out your pasta cooking skills today by adding Glutafin gluten free pasta to your prescription, or register for your Glutafin taster box to try it for the first time for free.

With quality pasta from Glutafin, and a few careful tweaks to your cooking technique, there’s no reason why you can’t continue to enjoy tasty Italian recipes as part of your gluten free diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why is my gluten free pasta mushy?

A. Gluten free pasta will go mushy if it is overcooked. To avoid this, start testing it a few minutes before the recommended cooking time. Remember, it will continue to cook after draining, so err on the side of firm for al dente results.

Q. Does gluten free pasta need more salt to cook?

A. Yes. Gluten free pasta needs plenty of salt to bring out the flavour, so don’t hold back. Many cooking websites use phrases like salt like the sea, or the ocean, to emphasise the point. Use 1-2 tablespoons per 5-litre pot for the best results.

Q. How do I stop gluten free pasta from clumping?

A. Stir it early and often. Gluten free pasta produces more starch, which makes pasta pieces stick together, so stirring is essential from the start and every 30 seconds until the pasta starts to plump up.

Q. Should I rinse the starch off my gluten free pasta?

A. Absolutely not. The starch will help your sauce to stick to the pasta, coating it thickly and evenly for a great taste. Only rinse gluten free pasta if you are planning to use it cold in a pasta salad.

Share this now: