Product: Millers Finest Gluten-Free Corn Pasta Rigatoni – $2.00
Sometimes finding gluten-free things at a discount store is awesome.
While out hitting up a 20% off everything sale at Big Lots a little while ago, my roommate and I spotted these corn noodles, labeled gluten-free, from Millers Finest. They were being sold for $2.00, plus the discount…so, we figured we could at least give them a fair shake. While there are lots of corn pasta noodles out on the market, I never quite ventured that way since going gluten-free as I was afraid they would…taste like corn. And unless my pasta dish has a Mexican flair, that’s not what I’m looking for.
But, at $2.00, how could I not get it?
It sat in the pantry. And sat in the pantry. And then sat a little bit longer until I decided to bake up a pasta dish that the other day. While I have elbow noodles from my favorite gluten-free pasta company (Tinkyáda), I decided to pull out the Millers Finest Corn Pasta Rigatoni from the pantry and give it a go. Besides, these would be a larger noodle and a bit easier to use in a skillet bake. So, why not throw caution to the wind? It was a new recipe anyway, so might as well try something new in the process.
Cooking up the pasta couldn’t have been easier. Boil water, add noodles, allow cook in boiling water, giving a stir every few minutes or so, for about 13-14 minutes, or until a perfect al dente. I did just that, and then started the slicing and chopping up the vegetables for the skillet while it was going. By the time I had the vegetables sauteing away and added the vegan and gluten-free chorizo, the noodles were ready to be drained. Moment of truth time. I drained them and was so happy to see that they weren’t falling apart or turning to mush upon leaving the hot water. In fact, they held up beautifully. I had to let them sit for a moment, while I finished mixing in the chorizo, but once that was incorporated, in went the noodles and some cheese, blended that in, let it cook, and again, the noodles held up. They didn’t shred or fall apart. They weren’t logged with water and turning to mush. They were the perfect consistency for this pasta dish and I couldn’t have been happier to see that.
After a quick bake in the oven to melt the cheese on top, out came the pasta. I let it sit for five minutes to set and then dished up a serving of it for both my roommate and I. She was the first to try it and she was hooked. These noodles didn’t have a corny taste at all. In fact, they tasted and had the same great texture as regular pasta. I loved how sturdy they were and how the cheese, sauce, vegetables and vegan chorizo didn’t take away from the noodles nor overwhelm the consistency of them.
Even the following evening, with a nuking in the microwave for some leftovers, the noodles held up wonderfully. I couldn’t be happier with a chance purchase ever. I know Big Lots gets a lot of flack for being a “ghetto” store, but sometimes the deals and the products inside are worth checking out. I, for one, hope to find this pasta there again and try it out in other pasta dishes. I am absolutely sold on it. And now, I don’t think I’ll scoff as much at gluten-free corn pasta as I had in the past. If nothing else, this totally sold me on it.
Millers Finest may not be a brand name, but it sure is fantastic. If you find it, I urge you to give it a try on your next pasta night.
Bon Appétit!
The Celiathlete 
great pasta the best i have tryed
Great pasta…much better than others. Wish Big Lots had more.
It is sold under the name Sam Mills now and you can order it from amazon.com. It is about $2.50 a package plus shipping, but still less expensive than the quinoa pasta.