Learn how to make fresh homemade gluten free pasta with the simplest gf pantry ingredients, without a pasta maker or any special equipment (unless you want to use it!). Serve it with all your favorite pasta dishes!
Making gluten free homemade pasta is a labor of love. But it's a simple process. All it takes is the right recipe—and a little time. Find out exactly how to do it! I promise you it's worth the effort.
Why bother making gluten free pasta? What makes it so special?
It is, indeed, a fair question. Why would anyone make fresh pasta when dried pasta can be had at every grocery store—even when you're gluten free?
Fresh pasta is just really, really special. There are a couple varieties of fresh gluten free pasta that you can buy, mostly at Whole Foods. I admit, I'm sometimes tempted to try just one package.
But at over $15 for 9 ounces, it just isn't happening.
The first time I shared a recipe for homemade gluten free pasta here on the blog was in 2009. I was concerned that I was creating unrealistic expectations for my children.
It was one of the first times that my son made the connection between scratch cooking and, well, cooking not-from-scratch. He was 5 at the time.
My kids see me boiling store-bought dried pasta all the time. No biggie. But when they first saw me make fresh pasta, my son started thinking. When he finished his dinner of homemade ravioli, he asked, “Hey, Mom, wouldn't it be cool if you made your own water?”
My son, now full grown, doesn't wonder if I'll be making my own water next. Or water into wine.
Instead, he asks, “why would you do that, when you can just buy it?” Ah, the blessings of having children… Oh, and if you love the idea of making fresh pasta but just can't swing it right now, here are 8 excellent brands of gluten free dried pasta to try.
Is pasta gluten free?
Generally, no. Pasta is not gluten free unless it's specifically made to be so, using exclusively gluten free ingredients, like this recipe.
What's the best gluten free flour for pasta?
For this recipe you need a high quality all purpose gluten free flour blend. My choice of gluten free flour is Better Batter for this particular recipe, as it has the right blend of finely ground rice flour and starches. Cup4Cup is another good alternative. Or you can make your own all purpose gf flour mix with my easy guide.
Do you need a pasta machine to make gluten free pasta?
You don't need a pasta machine to make this gluten free pasta recipe, although I do have one.
Sometimes, I use it, and sometimes I don't. But with the holidays approaching, if you're feeling ambitious, you should know how to make it.
You don't need any sort of crank pasta machine to make this fresh gf pasta. You can run it through a hand crank machine, and I can show you how in our recipe for gluten free egg noodles pasta.
It's super easy, if you have the machine, but please don't run out and get one just because you think you must have it to make fresh pasta.
Oh, in case you've ever wondered how to take that pasta and shape it into fresh gluten free tortellini…
Tips for the making homemade gluten free pasta
Gluten free pasta recipes don't have to be daunting or difficult. You can whip up a batch of gluten free pasta dough in no time. It's not difficult. But I do have few tips for you that'll help make your own pasta better than regular pasta every time.
What if gluten free dough is too wet?
If you've followed the recipe closely, the pasta dough shouldn't be too wet. But if it is, you need to work in a little more gluten free flour, just a sprinkle at a time, until the dough is firm enough to work.
Can you make gluten free pasta vegan?
To get the real, authentic gluten free pasta taste and texture, I really do think you need eggs. Having said that, I've seen folks have success with a flax egg or a chia egg, but the pasta won't look quite so pretty, and I think the texture may change a little, too. Other egg substitutes for vegan gluten free fresh pasta include aquafaba and non-dairy yogurt.
How do you store fresh gluten free pasta?
You can store the dough, wrapped tightly, in the refrigerator for up to three days before you roll and cook it. You can also freeze it for up to three months.
It's also possible to dry the raw pasta by running it through your pasta roller or rolling and cutting it into fairly thin noodles, forming it into loose “nests”, and setting it in your dehydrator on a low temperature for 12 to 24 hours. Then store the dried nests in an airtight container.
Do I have to use xanthan gum?
Yes, for this recipe, you do need to use xanthan gum in your gluten free pasta dough. Xanthan gum helps with binding and texture. It mimics gluten without causing sensitivity in most people. However, if you need to avoid it, you can try using an equal amount of konjac powder instead, like I did in this recipe for gluten free biscuits without xanthan gum.
I can't guarantee it'll work here, though, as I've only used xanthan gum. So if you try it, let me know if it works!
FAQs
Can you freeze gluten free pasta?
Yes, you can freeze raw pasta dough, even if you're on a gluten free diet. Wrap the unshaped dough tightly in a freezer-safe wrap like Glad Press n Seal, and freeze for up to three months. Let it thaw fully before you try to roll it.
Can you flavor gluten free pasta?
Yes, absolutely! This recipe already has a little salt in the dough, and you can add other flavorings if you want, but the easiest and best way to create flavorful pasta is to make beautiful, colorful pasta dishes.
Why does my gluten free pasta break?
When you're making pasta, whether you're using gf flour or conventional flour, and the dough forms but breaks, it could be for a few different reasons.
The most likely is that you haven't conditioned your dough enough. Pasta dough needs to be kneaded, rolled, and folded multiple times before it's ready to be rolled thin and cut.
It can also happen if the dough isn't hydrated enough. Perhaps the eggs you used were a little smaller than normal, for example (hence I recommend weighing the eggs out of their shells).
How long does gluten free pasta last?
Once cooked and refrigerated, gluten free pasta lasts up to three days. The dough, if tightly wrapped, can also last three to five days in the fridge.
What happens if you overcook gluten free pasta?
Don't! You'll ruin all your hard work! Cooking time is crucial for gluten free pasta. If you overcook it, even by a minute or two, it'll go gummy, sticky, or mushy. You cook this pasta for only a couple of minutes, until it's al dente.
How to make homemade fresh gluten free pasta, step by step
Homemade Gluten Free Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor, fitted with the steel blade
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I like Better Batter here; click through for details) plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 5 tablespoons (45 g) Expandex modified tapioca starch (or replace with an equal amount of tapioca starch/flour) (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 2 (50 g) egg yolks at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (2.67 fluid ounces) warm water plus more, as necessary
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, Expandex (or tapioca starch/flour), salt, olive oil, eggs and egg yolks, and pulse until combined.
- If not using a food processor, whisk together the dry ingredients before adding the oil, eggs and egg yolks, and mix to combine well. Add 1/3 cup water, and process (or mix) until moistened.
- With the food processor on, remove the hopper and add more water very slowly until the dough clumps to one side of the food processor.
- In a bowl, add water about 1 teaspoonful at a time, mixing constantly until the dough holds together well. If the dough feels stiff, add more water until pliable.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 parts. Work with one part at a time and cover the others with plastic wrap to maintain moisture.
- Knead the dough until smooth and roll into a rectangle. Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.
- Trim the edges, dust the rolled-out dough lightly, and feed each piece through a pasta machine if using.
- I don’t like to roll the dough any thinner than the “5” setting on my machine, or it begins to tear. Otherwise, simply roll each piece as close to 1/8-inch thick as possible, as evenly as possible.
- Cut into shapes using the pasta machine or a sharp knife.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Place the fresh pasta in the water and cook, stirring to prevent the dough from clumping, for about 2 minutes or until it reaches an al-dente texture.
- Toss with sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Homemade Gluten Free Pasta Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor, fitted with the steel blade
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I like Better Batter here; click through for details) plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 5 tablespoons (45 g) Expandex modified tapioca starch (or replace with an equal amount of tapioca starch/flour) (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 2 (50 g) egg yolks at room temperature, beaten
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (2.67 fluid ounces) warm water plus more, as necessary
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, Expandex (or tapioca starch/flour), salt, olive oil, eggs and egg yolks, and pulse until combined.
- If not using a food processor, whisk together the dry ingredients before adding the oil, eggs and egg yolks, and mix to combine well. Add 1/3 cup water, and process (or mix) until moistened.
- With the food processor on, remove the hopper and add more water very slowly until the dough clumps to one side of the food processor.
- In a bowl, add water about 1 teaspoonful at a time, mixing constantly until the dough holds together well. If the dough feels stiff, add more water until pliable.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 parts. Work with one part at a time and cover the others with plastic wrap to maintain moisture.
- Knead the dough until smooth and roll into a rectangle. Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.
- Trim the edges, dust the rolled-out dough lightly, and feed each piece through a pasta machine if using.
- I don’t like to roll the dough any thinner than the “5” setting on my machine, or it begins to tear. Otherwise, simply roll each piece as close to 1/8-inch thick as possible, as evenly as possible.
- Cut into shapes using the pasta machine or a sharp knife.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Place the fresh pasta in the water and cook, stirring to prevent the dough from clumping, for about 2 minutes or until it reaches an al-dente texture.
- Toss with sauce and serve immediately.
Dona says
My daughter-in-law and I made this recipe following Nicole’s recommendations using Ultratex 3; it turned out fantastic. We used a pasta machine to roll the dough for ravioli and were easily able to reroll scrap pieces a second and third time with great results. What a gift to be able to make this with a family member who has celiac; she hasn’t had ravioli in a very long time. thank you Nicole.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m thrilled that you and your daughter in law had that experience together. Thank you for sharing that, Dona!
Paul Pennza says
Hello Nicole:
I have a pasta attachment for my Kitchen Aid, and an old Ronco pasta maker. These require the mix to form small pea sized crumbles, no kneading, then extrude the dough mix.
Any recommendations or adjustments to your recipe? I’m thinking of using just enough liquid to bring the dough to the pea sized crumbles, and not the full amount of liquids.
Thanks,
Paul Pennza
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that sounds like it would require a different recipe, created specifically for that purpose, Paul. I don’t have any experience with that, so I wouldn’t want to hazard a guess!
Tina says
Can I leave this dough in sheets and use it to make manicotti?
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, you sure can, Tina.