Pasta alternatives for coeliacs

Q: We eat a lot of pasta in our house for quick, easy meals. However, we’ve just found out my husband has coeliac disease. What are some alternatives to pasta that are gluten-free?

Sharon, Whangarei

A: In addition to gluten-free pasta, here are some other equally convenient and tasty meal bases I encourage you to experiment with:

Quinoa

This useful gluten-free grain takes very little cooking and it’s a great base for other ingredients. Try tossing quinoa with roasted veges, pesto and cooked chicken for a simple, delicious meal. Quinoa also makes good salads served cold – swap out pasta for quinoa in your favourite pasta salad recipe.

Rice pilafs

Use brown or white rice to make pilafs with veges, meat and seafood. Experiment with similar flavour combinations you use for your pastas.

Rice noodles

With only a few minutes soaking in boiling water, rice noodles are ready to toss with tasty Asian sauces and stir-fries. Make Pad Thai a regular dish.

Risotto

The flavours of risotto you can make are as varied as the ingredients in your fridge and pantry. It takes 20 minutes of hands-on stirring but you will have a delicious meal with some tasty leftovers.

Potatoes

Try slicing potatoes thinly, parboiling them, then layering in a baking dish with pasta sauce, veges and cheese. Bake until golden.