How to Cook Gluten Free Spaghetti

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 25, 2021 References

Gluten-free spaghetti is a great alternative for those that have a gluten allergy. Just like pasta with gluten in it, gluten-free spaghetti is boiled on the stovetop. Unlike traditional pasta, however, gluten-free pasta is stickier and requires constant stirring. If you follow the right steps you can make perfectly cooked gluten-free spaghetti.

Ingredients

Cooking the Noodles

1.2 ounces (34 g) of salt
4 US quarts (3.8 l) of water
1 pound (450 g) of gluten-free pasta

Gluten Free Meat Sauce

1 pound (450 g) of ground meat (beef, veal, turkey, or chicken)
1 can or jar of marinara sauce
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Garlic and Red Pepper Sauce

3 cloves garlic, minced
¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) olive oil
1/3 cup (10 g) parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes

Makes 4-8 servings.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Cooking the Noodles

1
Fill a large pot with 4 US quarts (3.8 l) of water. Use a large pot that can hold a minimum of 6 US quarts (5.7 l) of water so that it doesn't overflow when you add the pasta. Place the pot on top of your stovetop after you fill it.^{[1]
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2
Add 1.2 ounces (34 g) of salt to the water. You can use kosher or coarse salt. Adding salt to the water before you cook the pasta will help season it and will also raise the boiling point of the water, which will contribute to it cooking quickly without it getting mushy.^{[2]
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3
Bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn your stovetop to high and wait 5-10 minutes for the water to come to a rolling boil. You’ll know it’s ready when bubbles are breaking vigorously on the top of the water’s surface.^{[3]
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- If your water is boiling over, reduce the heat slightly.
4
Place the spaghetti in the pot carefully to avoid splashing. Fully submerge the pasta into the boiling water. If your pot is too small to fit all the spaghetti, submerge one end of the spaghetti into the water with the other end of the pasta sticking out of the pot. Once half of it gets soft, push the remaining pasta under the water with a spoon or fork.^{[4]
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5
Wait for the water to come to a boil again, then reduce the heat. The water should continue to boil as you cook the pasta, but your stove doesn’t have to be on the highest setting. Wait a couple of seconds for the water to come back to a boil, then reduce to medium-high so that the water doesn't boil over.^{[5]
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6
Stir the spaghetti every 2 minutes. Gluten free pasta’s high starch levels cause the noodles to stick together. Stirring the spaghetti with a spoon or fork will prevent your pasta from balling up and sticking together.^{[6]
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- You do not have to add oil or fat to the pasta as long as you stir it.
7
Cook the spaghetti for 5-12 minutes. Keep the spaghetti in the boiling water, uncovered. Continue to monitor the pot and stir the pasta so that it doesn’t stick together. Taste test a piece of spaghetti around 5 minutes in to see whether it’s cooked to your tasting. If it needs more time, continue boiling and stirring the pot until the spaghetti is soft enough.^{[7]
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- If you are making Spaghetti and Red Garlic
- If you like al dente, or firmer pasta, cook it for a shorter amount of time.
8
Remove the pot from the stove and turn it off. Use oven mitts to prevent yourself from being burned. Take the spaghetti pot and place it on a cool burner. Turn off the burners on your stove for safety.
9
Drain the pasta over the sink. Place a strainer in your sink and carefully pour the pasta into the strainer. Do it slowly to prevent splashback from the hot water.^{[8]
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- You shouldn’t rinse the pasta because it will remove the starch.^{[9]
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10
Pour the spaghetti back into the pot. Don’t leave the spaghetti in the strainer or it will stick together. Instead, transport it back into the pot that you cooked it in as soon as possible and give it another stir.^{[10]
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11
Add the sauce to the pasta as soon as possible. Adding the sauce quickly to the pasta will prevent it from sticking together. Gluten-free spaghetti can taste drier than traditional spaghetti, so you may need to use more sauce than usual to keep it moist.^{[11]
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- Look on the label of the sauce that you want to use to make sure that it’s also gluten-free.^{[12]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Making Gluten Free Meat Sauce

1
Put 1 pound (450 g) of meat into a hot pan. Turn the burner on your stovetop to medium-high and place the meat into the pan. Break up the ground beef with a wooden spoon.^{[13]
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- You can use ground turkey, chicken, beef, or veal to create your meat sauce.
2
Add diced onion, garlic, and seasoning to the meat. Add the vegetables to the pan and stir the meat and the vegetables together to incorporate them. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and basil for taste.^{[14]
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- You can also add additional vegetables like diced green or red pepper and carrots to the sauce if you want.
3
Cook the meat till it’s browned and the vegetables are soft. Stir the meat in the pan for 5-7 minutes, or until the meat is brown and no longer red in the center. The vegetables should also be soft.^{[15]
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4
Drain the grease into a container. Move the meat over to one side of the pan with a spatula or fork. Slowly and carefully tip the pan and pour the grease into a container or glass.^{[16]
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5
Add the sauce to the pan and cook it for another 10 minutes. Slowly pour your favorite jar of marinara sauce into the pan. As you continue cooking, the meat and vegetables should absorb the sauce and the sauce should thicken up.^{[17]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Making Garlic and Red Pepper Sauce

1
Heat ¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) of extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Place the pan on the stovetop and turn it to medium-high heat. Carefully pour the olive oil into the pan and let it heat up for 3-5 minutes.^{[18]
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- Don’t overheat the oil till it smokes or it will affect the flavor of your sauce.
2
Sauté red pepper flakes, garlic, and parsley for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and carefully place the ingredients into the pan with oil. The garlic should immediately start to sizzle and cook. Continue to stir the ingredients until they become aromatic.^{[19]
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3
Add 1.5 cups (350 ml) of pasta water to the sauce. Use a soup spoon and measure out 1.5 cups (350 ml) of the seasoned pasta water. Add it to the olive oil sauce. Once the sauce is done, quickly pour the sauce over your gluten-free pasta before it starts to stick together.
4
Finished.

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