Gluten Free Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe - from scratch! (2024)

FAQs

What's the trick to cooking gluten-free pasta? ›

The secret to firm pasta starts with an ice-water bath. This halts the cooking process immediately, so the pasta doesn't continue to cook in the colander. Trust me; this works on all brands of gluten free pasta.

Don't forget to salt the water.

On its own, gluten-free pasta is really pretty tasteless. It needs seasoning, in the form of salt, just like regular pasta. After the water comes to a boil, add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean (about 1/4 cup for a large pot of water), before adding the pasta.

Add a little olive oil to the pot.

Season the pot of water with two tablespoons Diamond kosher salt OR four teaspoons Morton's kosher salt per one gallon of water. Salty water is one of the keys to good pasta, gluten-free or not.

What is Gluten-Free Pasta? Coming in all the classic pasta shapes and sizes you love, gluten-free pasta noodles are those that have been made without wheat or any other gluten-containing ingredients by replacing them with corn, rice, and even potato flour.

Avoid "convenience" ingredients such as gravy mixes, soup mixes, bottled sauces, salad dressings, condiments, and seasoning mixes, since these may contain gluten-based ingredients. Check a list of gluten-free foods for safer ingredients.

Because of the starch, gluten-free pasta noodles tend to cling together. Add a glug of olive oil to the water and make sure to run a spoon through it to redistribute every 30 seconds during the first few minutes of cooking. Once the pasta has begun to plump you don't have to worry about it as much.

Semolina flour is good for pasta because it's a hard variety of wheat and has a high protein content. Both of these properties give more structure to pasta which provides that elusive 'al dente' quality to fresh pastas.

Chickpea Pasta

Chickpea pasta is a newer type of gluten-free pasta that has recently garnered a good deal of attention among health-conscious consumers. It's very similar to regular pasta but with a hint of chickpea flavor and a slightly more chewy texture.

A quality gluten-free pasta is almost identical to regular pasta. In fact, your family may not even notice! The primary difference is that gluten-free pasta tends to have a more grainy texture and may offer a slightly nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with creamy sauce.

Why does gluten-free pasta fall apart? ›

If cooked properly, it turns out perfectly al dente and is even good cold in a pasta salad. Gluten-free pasta in general is tricky and one minute overcooked will produce a mushy pasta that splits and falls apart.

Gluten free pasta tends to absorb more sauce than normal pasta. This means you might need to add more water to the sauce as you mix it through the pasta. Don't rinse your pasta.

Whereas corn and rice flour have long been staples of wheatless pasta, the past several years have seen the rise of products containing chickpeas, red lentils, egg whites, peas, quinoa, and a bunch of other ingredients that aren't standard wheat replacements.

Parmesan cheese is gluten-free. Provolone is gluten-free. Ricotta cheese is gluten-free. Swiss cheese is gluten-free.

Gluten-free pasta is interchangeable in all recipes. The biggest difference you will find when replacing wheat pasta for gluten-free pasta is a difference in texture. Cooking times also vary with gluten-free pasta in particular, so it is important not to overcook.

Gluten free pasta may take more or less time than regular pasta to cook, depending on the ingredients. Set a timer for 2 minutes less than the recommended cook time and taste test the pasta at that point. You want to drain it when it is al dente – tender but with a slight bite.