Product review: Barilla legume pasta

The well-known Italian pasta brand recently launched the Barilla legume pasta range. Similarly to other products in the market, their range is made with 100% legume flour, making it gluten-free and high fibre.

Barilla legume pasta

The range includes chickpea casarecce (rustic twisted shapes), red lentil penne (tubes) and red lentil rotini (spirals). I have only seen the first 2 in supermarkets so far. Side note: learn how to pronounce casarecce here.

Barilla legume pasta is made with 100% legume flour, making the final product higher in fibre, a little higher in protein and lower in carbs than regular pasta. They also have a low glycaemic index, making it a good alternative for people who have issues with blood sugar regulation. Most importantly, these products are gluten-free.

Ingredients

• Chickpea casarecce: 100% chickpea flour
• Red lentil penne/rotini: 100% red lentil flour

Nutrition information

The nutrition information listed on the website is exactly the same for the 3 products. Therefore, I have added the information for white wheat and wholemeal pasta as well, for comparison purposes.

Nutrient	Chickpea casarecce Per 100g	Red lentil penne Per 100g	White wheat pasta Per 100g	Wholemeal pasta Per 100g
Energy (kJ)	1456	1456	1458	1404
Protein (g)	13.0	13.0	12.7	12.5
Fat, total (g)	13.0	13.0	1.4	2.2
– Saturated (g)	0.5	0.5	0.2	0.3
Carbohydrates (g)	62.5	62.5	68.5	60.6
– Sugars (g)	3.5	3.5	0.0	0.0
Dietary fibre	10	10	3.2	9.9
Sodium (mg)	15	15	5	11

Taste test

Like their competitor brand San Remo, Barilla legume pasta is more similar in taste and texture to wholemeal pasta than to white or other gluten-free (e.g. rice) pasta. If you are a wholemeal pasta hater, be warned. I do happen to love the bite and nutiness of both wholemeal and legume pasta, and Barilla is no exception.

We had a few boxes of the red lentil penne in our Gluten-Free Expo showbags, and I bought a box of the chickpea casarecce to try it. We liked them both equally, and I enjoyed doing some research to find out which sauces would pair better with each shape. I will be posting some recipes in the upcoming weeks.

I know some people prefer Barilla to the aforementioned brand. Personally, I don’t find a huge difference and would probably choose whichever product is cheaper or suits my needs (i.e. pasta shape) best.

How to consume Barilla legume pasta

Substitute Barilla legume pasta in any dish you would normally use regular pasta, including casseroles and soups. Make sure you add vegetables to the dish or pair it with a nice salad.

More information

Head to Barilla’s website to learn more about their product ranges and to find recipes.

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