The Best Gluten-Free Pasta Recipe, According to a Chef (2024)

Pasta

Chef Ashley Eddie of New York City restaurant, Santina, has perfected this formula.

by: Erin Alexander

May28,2019

14Comments

14Comments

If there's one thing I could eat for the rest of my life, it would probably be a simple bowl of pappardelle pasta tossed in butter, pepper, and a little bit of the starchy-salty water it's been cooking in (plus a small mountain of Parmigiano Reggiano). You see, I eat pasta at least two or three times a week, every which way: spaghetti á la Marcella Hazan, gnocchi in a lemony kale pesto, fettuccine with this creamy mushroom situation, and so many more.

It is my favorite food. I love it, and it loves me. One could even say I am a pasta-ficionado.

Which means I am very discerning when it comes to the stuff, especially fresh pasta. I've always been a fan of the classic version with just flour and eggs, and frankly, a little skeptical of any variations on that formula.

Salad Pizza With Gluten-Free Dough
Our Test Kitchen's Favorite Way to Make Fresh Pasta Is Also the Easiest

So when I discovered that the entire menu—including the fresh pastas—at New York City restaurant, Santina, was entirely gluten-free, I was surprised to find that I could hardly taste the difference. In fact, between the handful of pastas I ordered, I couldn't taste the difference at all.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:

“I converted the measurements to American standards and taped the recipe onto a gallon zip lock bag:1 and 1/4 cups Tapioca Starch1 and 1/4 cups Glutenious Rice Flour2 and 1/2 cups Rice FlourI whip up egg yolks, add the flour mixture until the dough is slightly stiff. Then I turn it out on a well floured counter and use a dough scraper to fold over until the dough its much firmer. I roll it out and use a pizza wheel to cut noodles. After I cook the noodles I place the unused flour from the counter into a fine mesh sieve and shake it back into the zip lock bag. ”

— DiamondOrchard

Comment

What was the secret to these delicate, toothsome noodles? I talked to Santina's executive chef, Ashley Eddie (who started as a line cook at the restaurant in 2015 before working her way up to the kitchen's top spot in 2018) to find out.

Eddie's most important tip: When it comes to gluten-free anything, practice makes perfect. "Our house-made recipes are practiced and perfected over time and are some of our biggest sellers." Which is to say, this pasta recipe took more than a few tries to nail down. Her other key piece of advice: "Have patience. Making pasta is a delicate process in general and even more so if it's gluten-free."

Keep these in mind the next time you try making her gluten-free fresh pasta recipe, which she's shared below, and if you happen to swing by Santina the next time you're in N.Y.C.'s Meatpacking District, take my recommendation: Order the spicy lobster fettuccine; it's my favorite.

From Our Shop

Solid Wooden Pasta Roller $52–$54 More Options Shop Now

Ashley Eddie's Gluten-Free PastaRecipe

Ingredients

  • 62.5 grams tapioca starch
  • 125 grams rice flour
  • 62.5 grams glutinous rice flour
  • 300 grams egg yolks

Directions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, rice flour, and glutinous rice flour until well combined.
  2. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the egg yolks. Using a fork, whisk together the egg yolks until just combined and slowly mix the flour into the egg until a dough forms.
  3. Cut the dough into four equal-size pieces. Dust the counter with rice flour and, working with one piece of dough at a time, knead for a few minutes until smooth. When you're not kneading the other pieces of dough, wrap them in cling film to prevent them from drying out.
  4. Roll out the dough using a pasta roller or rolling pin as soon as possible (you can also use the rice flour for dusting here too), as the dough should not sit for long.
  5. Note: This recipe works best on shaped stuffed pasta, like tortellini, or wide flat pasta, like pappardelle; it's delicate, so it won't hold a spaghetti shape very well. Once the pasta has been rolled out and cut into your desired shape, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes (taste test a noodle or two as the pasta cooks to make sure it's just how you like it).

This recipe has been scaled down from restaurant proportions; feel free to scale it down further at home.

What's your all-time favorite pasta recipe? Tell us in the comments below!

Tags:

  • What to Cook
  • Gluten-Free

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Garrette

  • DiamondOrchard

  • Luisa DiMarcantonio

  • Shanna Clay

  • Kim

Written by: Erin Alexander

Erin Alexander is the Managing Editor of Food52.

Popular on Food52

14 Comments

Garrette December 28, 2021

What technique do you do to keep the shape of the rigatoni? Mine falls flat.

DiamondOrchard July 31, 2020

I joined Food 52 just so I could leave a comment...
This is the best gluten free pasta recipe ever! Amazing! I converted the measurements to American standards and taped the recipe onto a gallon zip lock bag:
1 and 1/4 cups Tapioca Starch
1 and 1/4 cups Glutenious Rice Flour
2 and 1/2 cups Rice Flour

I whip up egg yolks, add the flour mixture until the dough is slightly stiff. Then I turn it out on a well floured counter and use a dough scraper to fold over until the dough its much firmer. I roll it out and use a pizza wheel to cut noodles. After I cook the noodles I place the unused flour from the counter into a fine mesh sieve and shake it back into the zip lock bag.

Luisa D. March 18, 2020

I get sick with tapioca. Can I substitute with more sweet rice flour?

Shanna C. October 14, 2019

Any suggestions for adapting this GF recipe to also be Vegan? I've just learned of some food intolerances and am learning to make or adapt recipes from scratch. GF, Vegan homemade pasta seems like a huge ask! :)

Kim June 2, 2019

Any idea how many servings this would make?

Robbie L. May 31, 2019

Any chance this could be dried and then stored for future use?

Erin A. June 2, 2019

Hi Robbie! This recipe is best when it's made fresh.

Carol June 2, 2019

Any chance ?

Robbie L. June 2, 2019

Thank you, Erin!

Erin D. May 28, 2019

Hello!

Is 300 grams egg yolks really correct? I just want to be sure as 17 yolks is a whole lot (not that I know anything about pasta making).

Thanks!

Erin A. May 28, 2019

Hi Erin! Yes it is :) We've already scaled it down from the restaurant proportion a bit, but feel free to scale it down even more since 16 or 17 yolks is quite a lot!

Erin D. May 28, 2019

Thanks for the quick reply! I was kind of hoping that the last ingredient hadn't been scaled down properly. ;) So many yolks but I'm sure it's worth it!

Bcpj May 29, 2019

Can you convert this to a family size meal using standard measures found in most kitchens? As is, it’s kinda useless.

BeckinBigD June 2, 2019

Having a kitchen scale is really a must, but here's a quick conversion: 62.5 g = 2.2 oz, 125 g = 4.4 oz, 300 g = 10.5 oz As written, this recipe should make a little over a pound (19.3 oz) of pasta. Perfect for a family meal. There are metric conversion sites on the web, but a scale is your best bet.

The Best Gluten-Free Pasta Recipe, According to a Chef (2024)

FAQs

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

Our Top Tips:
  • Cook pasta in an extra-large saucepan, for best results use 1lt of salted water per 100g pasta.
  • Allow the pasta to boil uncovered while it cooks.
  • There is no need to add oil to the cooking water.
  • Boil for 5 minutes then carefully taste the pasta every minute until it is 'al dente'

Which gluten-free pasta tastes the most like real pasta? ›

When looking for a delicious and high-quality gluten-free spaghetti substitute, Nutra Helix is a standout brand among the many available. Nutra Helix is well-known for its dedication to creating gluten-free goods that satisfy dietary requirements while maintaining the flavor of real pasta.

Do you cook gluten-free pasta differently? ›

It's hard to cook.

This couldn't be further from the truth! Gluten free pasta can be cooked just as easily as wheat pasta. Thanks to our unique blend of corn and rice, there's no risk of mushy pasta. The only difference is that the whole grain rice pasta may take a bit longer to cook as the grain must be broken down.

How do you make gluten-free noodles taste better? ›

Salting pasta water is critical with wheat pasta too, but especially crucial with gluten-free. Unless made from chickpeas, gluten-free pasta can have a fairly basic taste. It's better to liven it up with some salt.

How do you make gluten-free pasta less mushy? ›

  1. Make sure the ratio of water to pasta is enough. You can have too little water but you really can't have too much.
  2. Make sure the water is really boiling before adding the pasta.
  3. Begin stirring the pasta as soon as it's all in the water. ...
  4. Once the water is back to a boil, let it alone for a while.
Dec 4, 2018

What to avoid when cooking gluten-free? ›

Grains not allowed
  • Wheat.
  • Barley.
  • Rye.
  • Triticale — a cross between wheat and rye.
  • Oats, in some cases.

What's the healthiest gluten-free pasta? ›

5 Gluten-Free Pasta Brands You'll Actually Love
  • Best Overall: Whole Foods 365 Gluten-Free Spaghetti, Made with Corn and Rice.
  • Best Fresh: Cappello's Almond Flour Spaghetti.
  • Best Dried: Jovial Cassava Pasta.
  • Best For Pasta Recipes: Banza Chickpea Shells.
  • Best Nutrition: Chickapea Chickpea and Lentil Linguine.

What are the best gluten-free pasta brands in Italy? ›

Brand
  • Barilla.
  • Garofalo.
  • Granoro.
  • Le Veneziane.
  • Rummo.
  • Sanniti.
  • Solenzi.

Can celiacs eat egg noodles? ›

Unfortunately, regular egg noodles are not gluten-free as they are made with flour. However, don't be too disappointed because we have five more amazing gluten-free noodle options below! Keep reading to find out.

Should you rinse gluten-free pasta before cooking? ›

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.

Why is my gluten-free pasta mushy? ›

Gluten-free pasta has a tendency to get gummy, mushy, or stick together if it's cooked for too long or too short. It's more finicky than regular pasta that way.

Does gluten-free pasta require more water? ›

Because gluten free pasta is so starchy, you may need to add a little moisture to keep the sauce from thickening too much. You can either add a little of the cooking water or just don't shake as much water out of the pasta when draining it.

How do you keep gluten-free pasta from clumping? ›

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.

How long do you cook gluten-free pasta for? ›

To cook the dried gluten free pasta, place it in boiling water, seasoned with a pinch of salt, for 6 - 10 minutes, depending on how well-cooked you like it.

Does gluten-free pasta take less time to cook? ›

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.

How long should you cook gluten-free pasta? ›

COOKING YOUR PASTA
  1. Bring 4 - 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add salt to taste.
  2. Add contents of package to boiling water. Stir gently.
  3. Return to a boil. For authentic "al dente" pasta, boil uncovered, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. ...
  4. Remove from heat. ...
  5. Serve immediately with your favorite Barilla sauce.

How do you thicken gluten-free pasta sauce? ›

If you want a gluten-free thickener, you can use cornstarch or constarch substitute and arrowroot powder to make a slurry (use equal parts cornstarch or arrowroot powder and water, whisked together).

How do you make gluten-free more moist? ›

Moisture – for some reason gluten-free cakes tend to get a little dry. Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Manual Maggio

Last Updated:

Views: 6423

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (69 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Manual Maggio

Birthday: 1998-01-20

Address: 359 Kelvin Stream, Lake Eldonview, MT 33517-1242

Phone: +577037762465

Job: Product Hospitality Supervisor

Hobby: Gardening, Web surfing, Video gaming, Amateur radio, Flag Football, Reading, Table tennis

Introduction: My name is Manual Maggio, I am a thankful, tender, adventurous, delightful, fantastic, proud, graceful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.