Banza's New Brown Rice Pasta Tastes Surprisingly Close to the Real Thing

I remember when Banza first launched its now-ubiquitous chickpea pasta a decade ago. I was working as a food editor, and frankly, was suspicious of gluten-free pasta and didn’t believe that it could actually be good. But when I gave the OG Banza pasta a try, I was surprised by how much I liked it — and still do — which is why I was thrilled to try their new line of gluten-free brown rice pasta that just dropped on July 29. Here’s what you need to know about the new offering.

What does Banza's brown rice pasta taste like?

In terms of taste, the brown rice pasta comes extremely close to regular pasta. It’s slightly less flavorful than traditional pasta, but when I mixed it with tomato sauce I didn’t even notice a difference. While Banza’s chickpea pasta has a slight aftertaste, the brown rice pasta had none.

What is the texture of Banza's brown rice pasta?

Banza is totally within their rights to say that it’s very similar to regular pasta. Unlike the chickpea pasta that’s slightly gritty and crumbles if cooked too much, the brown rice pasta has the same “chew” as traditional pasta. One slight difference is that it remained al dente even after I tried cooking it for 13 minutes (a minute longer than the upper range of what’s in the directions), and it does have a little bit of gumminess to it, a bit like a rice noodle. Overall, I thought the texture was impressive, and the pasta itself mixed well with both a tomato sauce and a cream sauce.

The brown rice pasta is cooked just like regular pasta: by bringing salted water to a boil, adding the pasta, reducing to a simmer and then cooking for 10-12 minutes with occasional stirring. (Their chickpea pasta, on the other hand, only needs to simmer for 6-8 minutes, and I know from experience that cooking it for too long leads to the pasta shapes breaking apart).

Banza also says that the brown rice pasta can be reheated in the microwave, which is a huge plus if you think you’ll have leftovers or if you’re meal prepping. Unfortunately, the chickpea pasta gets mushy in the microwave, so it’s best eaten immediately.

How does the protein count compare to classic chickpea and regular pasta?

One of the big selling points of Banza’s chickpea pasta is that it delivers 11 grams of protein per serving. The brown rice pasta, on the other hand, has 6 grams of protein per serving, and a serving of regular pasta (like Barilla) has about 7 grams. Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the basic nutrition information for all three types:

The chickpea penne has fewer carbs, more protein and more fiber, while the brown rice and regular wheat penne are pretty comparable on all fronts. (The brown rice penne has 1 gram more fiber and 1 gram less protein, but those are small differences).

Like Banza’s chickpea pasta, the brown rice pasta is gluten-free, vegan, kosher and free of the top nine allergens, which is good news for anyone with dietary needs, certain allergies or religious beliefs.

Banza also likes to highlight that all of its products are third-party tested for over 400 pesticides and confirmed to have no detectable amounts of any of these. As a dietitian, I think it’s great that the company holds itself to high standards and is transparent about things like this. But it’s also important to recognize that pesticide use is heavily regulated for all crops and kept below safe levels in food, so there’s no need to check pesticide levels in every food you eat.

Is Banza’s brown rice pasta a good choice?

As a dietitian, I tell my clients all the time that any type of pasta can absolutely be part of a healthy overall diet. It’s so easy to pair with other foods, like protein (meat, beans or meat substitutes) and vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli or tomato sauce).

If you’re looking for a high-protein option, the Banza chickpea pasta remains your best choice. But remember that you could always increase the amount of protein in a pasta dish by adding meat, fish or another protein source.

If you’re looking for a gluten-free option that’s similar in texture to the regular stuff, the brown rice penne is probably your best bet. Nutritionally speaking, it’s virtually identical to regular pasta, and that’s fine.

When can I try Banza’s new brown rice pasta, and what shapes does it come in?

Banza’s brown rice pasta is now available at all Whole Foods locations and for online order on Amazon at $3.99 per box. It comes in four shapes: penne, rotini, elbows and spaghetti.