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How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta to Avoid Mushy Pasta

By 45 Comments

I would be grateful if you shared this recipe :-)

Learn how to cook gluten free pasta so it is al dente every time! Avoid mushy pasta by following these simple tricks and you’ll see that learning how to eat gluten free doesn’t have to be difficult!

Do you hate mushy gluten free pasta? This hack will help you learn how to cook gluten free pasta to tender perfection. Try it with this simple gluten free marinara sauce recipe.

Gluten free al dente pasta with marinara sauce served on plates. A piece of cheese is sitting on a cheese grater next to the plates

If you want to learn how to cook gluten free pasta that isn’t mushy, keep reading to see this famous pasta hack!

Have you visited a restaurant and found that the staff went so far above and beyond to help you that it left you with a happy feeling inside?

I am constantly amazed at how kind and helpful restaurant employees can be.

Being gluten free for medical reasons, I rely heavily on the restaurant staff to make sure our family doesn’t get sick when dining out. From the wait person who helps us muddle through the menu trying to find out what items are safe to eat, to the chef who took a few minutes to leave his busy kitchen to answer my questions about cross contamination. I am forever grateful when it works and I don’t get sick.

Every once in awhile through these acts of kindness, I learn something new that improves how I cook in my own kitchen.

My husband and I wanted to try to a new Italian restaurant, Sorrelle Italian Bistro in Campbell, CA, that opened up just a few minutes from our house. When I called to ask if they had any gluten free options, the owner told me they didn’t have gluten free pasta dishes.

The owner then offered something wonderful. She told us that if we brought a bag of our own gluten free pasta, they would create something special for us.”

No restaurant has ever offered something like this and we were intrigued. We decided to give this new restaurant a try, so I packed a bag of gluten free pasta in my purse. When our pasta dishes came out, I couldn’t believe how delicious the pasta was. It was firm. It is the first gluten free pasta I could say was really al dente! When I cooked gluten free spaghetti and pasta, I usually ended up with something a little mushy.

Over the years my kids have been brainwashed to accept “mushy” gluten free pasta. After a while, they forgot what real firm pasta was even like.”

The restaurant used the same brand that I use and I couldn’t figure out what they could have done differently. I was so curious to know how they cooked the pasta. When I complimented the owner, I begged for her secret. She told me exactly how to cook gluten free pasta to al dente.

How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta to Al Dente

I am so excited to share this simple pasta hack with you!! It has put gluten free pasta back on the menu in our home.

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. If you drain your pasta in a colander, or drain it and leave it in the pot, the heat from the pasta continues cooking the pasta and you can end up with mush.

a bowl with ice cubes and water

How to make an ice bath:

To make an ice water bath, add ice and water to a medium-sized bowl.

pasta in a colander about to be dumped into an ice water bath

Hot gluten free pasta about to be added to the ice bath.

pasta cooling down in an ice water bath

Chill for 2-3 minutes until the pasta is cooled. If the ice didn’t melt all the way, remove any ice cubes that remain in the pot. Drain the pasta in a colander.

How to Make a Simple Marinara Pasta Sauce:

smashed garlic cloves on a cutting board

With a large knife, smash two garlic cloves with the flat part of the knife. Saute in a pan with olive oil. Heat a pan with olive oil and saute the garlic until it becomes golden. Add fresh basil.

homemade marinara sauce simmering in a pan

Add in organic tomato sauce and capers. Simmer for 10-15 minutes for flavors to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Tomato garlic and basil pasta sauce being combined with gluten free pasta with a wooden spoon.

Add the cold pasta and it warms up quickly with the sauce. Toss and serve hot. You can also try this easy pasta hack on this delicious pasta with meat sauce recipe.  You can use your al dente pasta to make this delicious Gluten Free Ziti Casserole too!

(*Please note this post has affiliate links. Ordering through my site will not change the price you pay. A tiny commission will come to Fearless Dining to help offset the cost of running this blog. I truly appreciate the support.)

Things You Need To Make This Recipe:

  1. A good metal colander. Don’t use a plastic colander for hot pasta. Most plastic is not safe when heated and it can release chemicals into your food.
  2. This large mixing bowl to do an ice bath.

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce and How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta

Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce and How to Cook Gluten Free Pasta

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Learn how to cook gluten free pasta to al dente perfection and then serve it with this delicious quick and easy marinara sauce.

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 can organic tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cooked gluten free pasta

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat.
  2. Add garlic and saute until golden.
  3. Add fresh basil and saute another 2 minutes.
  4. Add tomato sauce, capers, oregano, salt and pepper.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 15-20 minutes.
  6. Toss with cooked gluten free pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
  7. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 72 Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 0g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 505mg Carbohydrates: 12g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 3g Protein: 2g
Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
© Sandi Gaertner
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Meal Recipes
Now that you know how to cook gluten free pasta, you can use the method when you make your favorite gluten free pasta dishes.

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I would be grateful if you shared this recipe :-)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Brenda

    June 10, 2016 at 5:31 pm

    I’ve done this for years, but I find that rinsing with cold water from the tap works just fine. Ice bath might be necessary if it is slightly approaching overdone. Makes a huge difference though. I remember going to a gluten free conference and I could tell the chefs weren’t used to cooking gluten-free pasta because it was way overcooked. 🙂

    Reply

  11. Kat

    January 21, 2015 at 3:17 pm

    Thank you so much for this info and recipe. Tonight I am eating soggy gf pasta that I cooked last night (package claimed you can’t over cook their pasta, it was al dente when I drained it and put it into the sauce to heat up for few minutes-was soggy by time I ate it).
    Next time I make gf pasta I will definitely try your tips.
    Thank you and please thank that restaurant for me-by the way no restaurant has ever gone out of their way for me once they hear gluten free…
    Kat

    Reply

  14. Debra @ Bowl Me Over

    January 14, 2015 at 8:10 am

    What a wonderful fresh recipe – perfect for an easy week night meal, yum! And secondly, a really good reminder….if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no, right? Good for you to even think to ask and yay for us for you to share your knowledge. Thanks for the great tip!

    Reply

  15. Healing Tomato

    January 12, 2015 at 7:50 pm

    This is a such a wonderful recipe for pasta. I am a huge lover of pasta and I am always searching for great recipes like yours. I was at a steakhouse once and they didn’t have anything vegetarian on their menu except corn on the cob. The chef actually made me a wonderful sandwich and pasta dish. They didn’t have any pasta in their kitchen, so, he sent out a staff member to buy some pasta from a grocery store. He really went above and beyond.

    Reply

  19. Kim (Liv Life)

    January 12, 2015 at 11:31 am

    So… I’m calling that new restaurant a keeper!! And so is your tip. We occasionally have GF pasta, but my kids reject it due to the “mush”, so I just don’t do it all that often. I’m totally trying this!

    Reply

  20. Rachel Edington

    January 12, 2015 at 11:03 am

    what a great resource! I think this will help so many! I would love to add it to our resource page on Gluten Free Mama’s Gluten Free 101. Please Le me know if that is acceptable to you. Great job!

    Reply

        • Sandi Gaertner

          October 31, 2016 at 1:53 pm

          Hi Sarah, That is such a good question. How long do you need the pasta to stay hot? I use this method with butter, parmesan, and salt for a pasta dish and I put it in my kids’ thermos for lunch. They said the pasta doesn’t get mushy. If you can give me more of an idea how you are doing this for your party, maybe we can test it out. Aka, my kids love alfredo and they want to test it out for you :-). PS I have an amazing alfredo recipe on my blog if you need one.

          Reply

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