My husband likes to maintain a low-carb diet and I am gluten-free, so between the two of us, we have tried a LOT of the alternative noodle options out there for making pasta! With National Spaghetti Day coming up on January 4, I’ve decided to share some of our favorites we discovered along the way–organized by the effort required to create them! Some are high in protein, some are low-carb, and ALL are gluten-free.
Maximum effort (40+ minutes):
- Haha. Just no.
Moderate effort (20-30 minutes):
- Spaghetti squash – For this option, you simply use the inside of a baked squash for your “noodles.” Here are five ways to make it–we do the “baking whole” method!
- Spiralized veggies – Buy fresh veggies and make your own veggie noodles at home! These are SO GOOD fresh, and kids love to help with spiralizing. Our favorite vegetable to use are carrots and zucchini, but many others work! Here is a great tutorial.
Minimal effort (10-20 minutes):
- Pre-made veggie noodles – If you’re in a time crunch, consider buying pre-cut veggie noodles! Spiralized zucchini can usually be found near the salad section in most grocery stores. Green Giant also has a frozen variety (beets, squash, zucchini, and carrot) of plain vegetable noodles that you can simply cook and customize with different sauces and meats for your meal!
- Ready-to-boil pastas – There are SO MANY ready-to-boil pasta options, from rice noodles to veggie blends! There are too many varieties and brands to count, but our favorites are edamame, red lentil, and quinoa. We tend to stay away from the rice-based noodle blends because they are higher in carbs, but they are worth mentioning because they are a little more kid-friendly (at least in my house)! Barilla is our favorite brand for rice-blend noodles.
No effort (less than 10 minutes):
- Steamable veggie pasta with sauce – Birds Eye has a whole line of veggie-made pastas with sauce that are ready-to-serve right out of the steamed bag! I like to make these and serve them as a side, or I’ll even top them with some grilled chicken if I have time. (Careful: most are gluten-free, but not all.) My kids even like them!
- Zoodles from Noodles and Company – When you’re in the ultimate time crunch or on the road, try takeout zucchini noodles (“Zoodles”) from Noodles and Company! They’re delicious.
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