Barilla's New Gluten-Free Pasta Has Just One Ingredient

America's top-selling pasta brand is expanding its gluten-free portfolio with a tasty new plant-based product designed with legume lovers in mind. Barilla announced the debut of a new variety of gluten-free pasta in a press release, made with just one ingredient: chickpeas. The Chickpea Penne, which will be joining the brand's existing line of legume-based pasta, recreates a classic pasta shape using certified gluten-free chickpea flour and no other additional fillers or gums.

Barilla, which was founded in Parma, Italy in 1877, has recently embraced the booming alternative pasta trend, offering chickpea- and red lentil-based spaghetti, rotini, and more. In recent years, the popularity of chickpea pasta has been on the rise as increasing amounts of consumers have sought out healthful alternatives to traditional kinds of pasta.

"As a leader in pasta, we understand just how much penne is adored around the globe so we're excited to give all pasta aficionados the opportunity to enjoy penne in a variety of ways," said Jean-Pierre Comte, President of Barilla Americas, in a press release. In addition to being completely wheat- and additive-free, the Chickpea Penne also contains 19 grams of plant protein per serving (via Barilla). While the chickpea pasta is undeniably nutritious, the most important question for pasta lovers remains: Does the taste of the legume-based pasta come close to the real deal?

Reviews of Barilla's past chickpea offerings have been positive, racking up a 4+-star rating on review site Influenster for the company's chickpea rotini and 4.3 stars on Amazon for the brand's chickpea spaghetti – a positive sign for the pasta company's latest wheat-free product. One reviewer wrote that the chickpea rotini was the "best pasta alternative ever," praising it as a "healthier option that isn't tasteless [with] a cardboard texture." Another noted that while the chickpea pasta "does not taste the same as pasta ... it is the best substitute for pasta that [they] have yet to find."

Barilla notes in the press release that the ridged, tube-shaped pasta is "ideal for retaining sauces ... like a mushroom cream sauce, tomato sauces, or spicy sauces." Customers can find the company's latest chickpea offering at major retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $3.49. While there's no guaranteeing that the legume-based pasta will offer the same taste and texture as traditional pasta, it just might be perfect for feasting on big bowls of this creamy penne pasta recipe.