Until zoodles crashed the party, we were conditioned to think pasta was unhealthy. But those spaghetti-fied veggies wormed their way into America's hearts — not because they're delicious (can we all agree they're meh at best?), but because they're not total diet killers. Then some evil geniuses tinkered with the formula and created legume-based noodles — like chickpea rigatoni and lentil fettuccine — and the pasta imposter game was severely improved.
And, listen, all chickpea pastas are pretty great. We have our favorites, sure, but we don't discriminate. That said, the latest brand to hop on the bandwagon is one that's got us pretty excited.
BUY NOW Barilla Chickpea Rotini, $36 for 10 boxes, amazon.com
Barilla — yes, the 140-year-old company responsible for your favorite classic noodles — is getting into the alternative pasta game. Today, the brand launched chickpea and red lentil pastas. The chickpea variety comes in two shapes — casarecce and rotini — and the lentil comes in two, as well — penne and rotini.
Now, wanna know what's so cool about them? For starters, they're an easy pick for gluten-free eaters. Each box of pasta is made with just one ingredient: either chickpea flour or red lentil flour. They're also certified as non-GMO. And there are some sneaky health benefits. One 2-ounce serving packs 6 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein, which is a major plus for vegetarian eaters who aren't topping the stuff with meat sauces.
BUY NOW Barilla Red Lentil Penne, $36 for 10 boxes, amazon.com
Each box is selling for $2.99 on Amazon, and they'll be rolling out to select retailers nationwide. Are you in ... or are you in?
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