Gluten-Free Pasta Dishes

Look for lemons with thinner skins (smoother, shinier skins are often thinner); you'll get a nice citrus hit with each bite, but charring the slices softens the flavor so it's not overpowering. Serve right after tossing everything together, as the squash will start to wilt.

If you thought zoodles were good, wait until you give eggplant “noodles” a go. Swapping pappardelle pasta for long ribbons of eggplant makes for a stunning and flavor-packed, veggie-forward entree you’ll love to serve to guests. The key is to make sure you do not overcook the eggplant, as it should be tender, but still have some body to it. To do this, be sure to get the oil hot before adding your eggplant, and cook the eggplant undisturbed to promote browning. Turning the heat off when stirring in the pesto keeps the eggplant from burning. This dish is not ideal for reheating, so aim to eat what you make. However, on its own, the scrumptious pesto sauce is worth doubling to have leftovers you can use throughout the week.

A julienne peeler creates lovely "zoodles," but may we suggest a spiralizer? It works like a pencil sharpener, turning veggies into noodles (look for them at kitchen stores and amazon.com).

Spaghetti squash is a favorite ingredient for those seeking a lower-carb, gluten-free alternative to pasta. If you’ve cooked it before, you’ve likely cut it in half lengthwise to form two “boats.” And while that method works just fine, it disregards the way the strands grow inside the squash—in circles around the width of the squash. When you cut the squash lengthwise, you cut each strand in half, which makes for shorter, and often soggy, “spaghetti.” Try this instead: Cut the squash into rings to preserve the length of the strands. See our step-by-step guide below.

It may be rich, it may be cheesy, but this vibrant twist on a traditional pasta casserole is also packed with veggies. Beyond swapping out pasta for zucchini noodles—which, no worries, do hold up well in this creamy bake—the casserole boasts roasted butternut squash, savory mushrooms, and caramelized onions. The veggie blend in this dish is a great balance to spicy Italian sausage and the luscious béchamel sauce, which we infuse with robust fall flavor by first steeping garlic and herbs in the milk later used for to make the sauce. Although this recipe isn’t an ideal choice for a last-minute throw-together meal, it is an excellent make-ahead option. Every component of the dish can be prepped ahead of time for a quick and easy assembly, making this veggie-centric casserole a delicious and impressive go-to for entertaining. 

Draining the hot cooked pasta over the squash ribbons softens the vegetables just enough to keep their fresh texture yet combine well with the pasta. Adding the red onion to the pasta in the last 2 minutes of cooking removes its harsh bite.

Using a blend of spiralized summer squash and zucchini “noodles,” this light and bright summer entree is as refreshing as they come. We absolutely love the fresh flavors this simple green goddess dressing packs into the dish; any leftover dressing would be great for dipping veggies into for an easy snack. Taking advantage of already steamed shrimp from the seafood counter of your favorite grocery store keeps this vibrant dish entirely no-cook and incredibly speedy. And to save a few extra minutes, you can grab containers of pre-spiralized vegetables from the produce section. In order to prevent sogginess, wait until it’s time to eat before assembling the components of your zoodle bowl.  

Spaghetti squash is a great lower-calorie, lower-carb alternative to pasta. It's a neutral-tasting veggie that absorbs all the flavors of this simple dish. Eat with 1 orange or 2 clementines. Dairy-free option: Use 4 teaspoons toasted chopped walnuts instead of feta cheese.