Taste Test: Gluten-Free, Vegan-Friendly Shirataki Noodles
"If you're going to eat these, prepare them in a stir-fry."
Three blobby bags of tofu shirataki noodles sat in my refrigerator. Water-packed tofu-yam noodles for dinner? This would either be surprisingly tasty or a disaster. I just hoped they weren't so bad I ended up using them as cooling packs. I had a fair amount of trepidation toward noodles that were a mere 40 calories per eight-ounce serving. (What does nothing taste like?, I wondered.)
What exactly are tofu shirataki noodles? The main ingredients: tofu and tonnyaku (aka konjac, a high-fiber variety of yam). Their powers combined, you now have tofu shirataki. Offered in spaghetti, fettucine, or angel-hair varieties, I chose to test the former two since I always feel like I'm choking whenever I try angel hair.
Low in carbs, calories, and free of gluten, wheat, and dairy, tofu shirataki noodles are instantly attractive to weight-conscious, gluten-free, and vegan folk. Made famous by Hungry Girl (her endorsement and recipes grace every package from House Foods, the most prominent brand), I've always been curious about noodles seemingly devoid of everything that makes a noodle a noodle.
Preparation
The instructions on the back of the bag direct you to:
Drain excess water from the noodles and rinse thoroughly. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes or microwave for 1 minute to reduce the authentic aroma. Dry very well and use as you would regular cooked noodles.
You may ask yourself, "Authentic aroma?" Yes, there's a certain... unusual aroma, to say the least. After rinsing the noodles and even after cooking them, they still smell very "authentic." Said "authenticity" is best described as slightly fishy with hints of ammonia. Even though I was warned about the smell, I was still a bit alarmed. I tried both the boiling and microwave methods and recommend the latter; it's about ten times easier and there's no discernible difference in texture.
The Method
With three different preparations, there were three big chances for these noodles to prove themselves worthy of a repeat purchase. I decided on a basic tomato sauce, a cream-based sauce, and a stir-fry.
Tomato Sauce with Shrimp
I used the spaghetti variety in the first sauce I made, but surprisingly, they weren't very spaghetti-like at all. In fact, they seemed more ramen-shaped than anything else with the wavy perm they had going on. Either way, my first bite was definitely a strange experience. It's like I bit into a strand and chewed...and kept chewing. The gelatinous texture combined with an absolute lack of flavor from the noodles themselves left us with a bowl of shirataki cherry-picked of shrimp.
Garlic Cream Sauce with Mushrooms and Thyme
The second attempt called for fettucine in a creamy sauce. If anything, this dish was equally bad. There was a pronounced sliminess to the noodles and it was clear that little to no sauce was being absorbed by the fettucine. The dish just emphasized the lack of harmony between the sauce and the noodles. Granted, this isn't meant to be fine cuisine, but I'd like there to be some love between noodle and saucy goodness when I eat. This makes sense since the noodles mainly consist of fiber and so the sauce shouldn't naturally soak up sauce like normal pasta does. However, some cooks do recommend soaking the noodles in the sauce overnight and then eating.
Asian Stir-Fry
The last ditch attempt at tastiness proved to be the most successful preparation of the three. Here, the integration of sauce and noodle wasn't nearly as crucial. Use bold flavors here because there really is no flavor in these noodles. An added bonus of shirataki noodles are that they really never get mushy, so cook away!
Final Notes
Don't take tofu shirataki noodles as a valid substitute for pasta; they're a completely different entity and should be treated as such. For those with celiac disease or other allergies, I imagine this provides some relief when you're just really craving something, anything, like pasta. For the rest of us, if you're going to eat these, prepare them in a stir-fry. This method downplays the negative elements (i.e., sliminess) while highlighting the never-mushy texture.
Tofu shirataki noodles are available through online order, at select Whole Foods locations, and, in New York City, through FreshDirect.
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37 Comments:
This stuff is vile, as are most of the Gluten-free "pastas" I've tried. I have tried for an "al dente" outcome with the exact pasta Michael Chiarello used the other night on Top Chef Masters, but to no avail (I'd love to know how he got an "al dente" texture to his...). Every gluten-free "pasta" I've tried (and I've tried a lot!) is limp, gummy, or mushy. As an Italian, I have to tell you, having no pasta at all is better than even a small plate of the stuff.
As a celiac, I have craved a good pasta product. This stuff was not it. Yuck. Totally yuck.
Brownie at 10:26AM on 08/11/09
i have been curious about these for a while, but figured they were nothing like noodles .. they looked too much like gelatin something or anothers. i might break down and buy some just to try it, but its going to take more convincing. i think when i am in the mood for something with spaghetti sauce, but dont feel like eating noodles, i will just stick to spaghetti squash ... mmm (also not like noodles at all, but still very tasty with a good tomato sauce)
:D
Deeberry at 10:29AM on 08/11/09
I've never tried shirataki, but if you're primarily interested in gluten free noodles (as opposed to noodles that are also very low-cal, like shirataki), you might want to try Bionaturae's gluten free line of pastas. I found them at Whole Foods and thought they made a very acceptable substitute for wheat pasta...you just have to be careful not to cook them too long, as they cook pretty quickly.
Junie at 10:34AM on 08/11/09
While not the greatest product in the world, I ate a LOT of these when I was losing my baby weight after my son. While not fantastic, they're not bad in some dashi/miso with a little scallion for breakfast. I've never used them as a pasta substitute simply because I feared the outcome above. The only thing I've ever used them in is soup base.
meleyna at 10:37AM on 08/11/09
Great piece, Grace. It's also worth noting that after you drain it, an 8-oz. bag of shirataki noodles comes to about one cup of actual food. If you're lucky, it's on sale for $1.50, but otherwise, you're shelling out $2 for a small bowl of sub-par "pasta."
Kristen Swensson at 10:57AM on 08/11/09
They are indeed horrible as a pasta substitute. I would never use them for that. They work much better in Asian dishes. But I don't really use the tofu-shirataki much. I much prefer regular shirataki noodles. I make Japanese and Korean style dishes with them and they always come out great.
SqueezeBottle at 10:58AM on 08/11/09
I've never tried the tofu-fortified version, but I love regular shirataki. You are supposed to cook with umami- packed broth like sukiyaki broth with other ingredients (like meat! sorry vegans), so that shirataki can absorb all the goodies. I love shirataki in all soy sauce-based braised foods.
Also very yummy stir-fried with cod roe and sake.
I've seen people use shirataki for japchae to reduce calories too.
hmw0029 at 11:02AM on 08/11/09
re: the smell -- to me, it is IDENTICAL to that of Gak, that Nickelodeon-branded goop that was sold in the early '90s. that said, while I've never attempted to eat these with anything non-stirfry-esque, they're a pretty good low-cal noodle substitute for Asian dishes.
courtguerra at 11:17AM on 08/11/09
I am not a fan, but I would eat these over those raw kelp noodles. They squeak when you eat them.
KarynMC at 12:15PM on 08/11/09
Definitely do not use them as a replacement for pasta with tomato sauce...the texture is completely different from pasta. Very chewy. I would only use them in asian noodle dishes. Nothing can replace real pasta for me.
lollie at 12:32PM on 08/11/09
I use them for asian noodle dishes as well, both the tofu kind and the regular shirataki noodles. If you have strong flavors in your dish, it is absorbed by the noodles and tastes pretty good. For those concerned about prices, try finding them at Japanese markets. They usually are about $1 at my Japanese markets.
kirbie at 12:46PM on 08/11/09
can't do it - it's like chewing rubberbands.
juliebean at 12:54PM on 08/11/09
@courtguerra - My god! They DO smell exactly like Gak! I'd been trying to put my finger on that scent for months!
gildeddawn at 1:05PM on 08/11/09
@courtguerra -- I couldn't put my finger on it -- Gak! Exactly.
@lollie -- "Nothing can replace real pasta for me." Amen to that!
Brownie at 1:16PM on 08/11/09
Okay, these are pretty bad and I wouldn't recommend eating them over actual pasta, but they are markedly better if you pat them dry with a paper towel before AND after microwaving them. Still though, there are gluten free pastas out there that taste pretty similar to the real deal...or at least closer than shirataki.
cycorider at 1:25PM on 08/11/09
@Brownie: Have you tried Tinkyada's brown rice pasta? I find the product to be very good, and I'm picky about my pasta. The thing is you don't pay attention to the directions on the package. You're bound to get mushy pasta if you boil it according to the directions. You cook it until it is done (whenever that is) and then rinse in water because there's way too much starch on the pasta (which is the reason you probably say it's gummy). While my favorite pasta is Trader Joe's (don't laugh, it came in first in a nymag pasta test), Tinkyada is not bad for a gluten-free product IF you know how to prepare it correctly.
P.S. And I think Chiarello said he picked apart the strands of his quinoa pasta one by one because it all clumped together in the beginning.
BooRadley at 1:27PM on 08/11/09
I just came across this product in the grocery store the other day! I didn't buy it but I was very intrigued. Thanks for this review!
Chew on That at 3:04PM on 08/11/09
They're also available at Stew Leonard's stores in New York and Connecticut. Out of curiosity, I bought a bag once, but it languished in my refrigerator until it expired and got thrown away unused. I think I'm glad I never bothered - would've wound up wasting any other ingredients I added to it...
DrGaellon at 3:50PM on 08/11/09
If you cook them well, they weaken so they aren't rubbery.
I like to do a simple tomato sauce with chili, garlic and oil, cooking the "pasta" with the sauce. The catch is, when they start to soften they often break, so you may loose the nice long strands.
peekpoke at 4:23PM on 08/11/09
If you rinse thoroughly (VERY thoroughly), and use a strongly flavored sauce, they're fine, if chewy. The off taste comes from not rinsing enough, you really gotta keep it moving through running water for at least a few minutes. And yeah, cream sauces are way too delicate, and you're used to pasta that soaks it up. Puttanesca or arribbiata, strong red sauces, work better if you're trying to duplicate more traditional "pasta" dishes.
It's never great, but if you're worried about calories or other health concerns, they can be a valid stand-in when you're desperate. And the protein content is awesome!
lyricanjl at 4:25PM on 08/11/09
I tried cooking with them only once, and I wasn't sure whether I should try to build on that experience and cook them again. Thanks for the thorough suggestions and review!
Although it would raise the caloric content, I wonder what would happen if (after thorough microwaving, rinsing and drying) you tried pan-frying them, then putting on some pretty strongly flavored "Asian" type sauce.
ChloeA at 4:37PM on 08/11/09
if you do a bitman "more-sauce-less-pasta" recipe, shiritaki can be a good replacement. i.e., i'll do a very chunky primavera sauce and then use the linguine noodles. when i was on weight watchers these things were a godsend--now, i'd rather just eat less of the real stuff.
laurbelle2 at 5:53PM on 08/11/09
If you are looking at them as pasta you will be disappointed. They're not pasta. They're Japanese noodles.
I ate them extensively in Japan and if you cook them in Asian style dishes they are fabulous.
If you try to jerry rig them into other cuisines you will be unhappy.
Jennalynn at 8:51PM on 08/11/09
Yes, Jennalynn! You'll acheieve better results if you treat them as the Japanese do, and not as Italians might. In the hot summer months, Japanese treat them in a par boiled and chilled addition to salads or as chilled noodles in cold Soba broth from Bonito flakes, Soy Sauce, Mirin and a touch of grated ginger or a dab of Wasabi then an accent of rice wine vinegar! Delicious and refreshing with a smattering of chopped scallions. Try it -very low cal and intestinally friendly too.
Not Yukio at 4:19AM on 08/12/09
I once read a very, very graphic review of the effects of these--I don't like pasta anyway, but now I can't look at these....
HeartofGlass at 9:46AM on 08/12/09
@HeartofGlass - What do you mean by "the effects of these"?
SqueezeBottle at 1:14PM on 08/12/09
I really enjoy these! These are definitely great to use if you have a spicey sauce. It's also pretty low fat. A whole package is zero points according to Weight Watchers!!
SaSweetari at 2:35PM on 08/12/09
These didn't use to be vegan or vegetarian!! Good to know they've updated - these are okay in soup though.
jo_jo_ba at 5:12PM on 08/12/09
I think these noodles are great. I rinse them but do not dry them, they are fine. I make cold peanut noodles and alfredo noodles with them or just a regular marina sauce. You cannot beat the low calories, of course the price is high but most low calorie items are. I keep a few in my fridge at all times. Tastes better than whole wheat pasta and costs about the same as spaghetti squash does in NYC.
cesnyc at 5:23PM on 08/12/09
i love them in a coconut curry soup that i make .... i don't like them in italian recipes... at all....
pooch at 9:34PM on 08/12/09
I only use them for Asian-style recipes -- soups, curries, etc. Otherwise the texture is too offputting.
piccola at 10:09PM on 08/12/09
GRAPHIC TMI ALERT: It really helps to snip these with scissors, b/c they come out the same way the go in.
Yes, it truly helps to rinse them very well and use them only in asian type dishes. The chewy texture does not lend itself well to tomato or cream based dishes.
MNLisaB at 10:46PM on 08/12/09
Gluten free pasta is most certainly not wheat pasta but when you must follow a celiac diet they are an acceptable substitution. I will definitely NOT try tofu shirataki but do have success with rice noodles. Rizoptia and and other Canadian manufactured rice pasta, both white and brown, should be cooked in boiling water on the stove and as per instructions on packages boiled for 7-10 minutes. Test pasta often and remove from the heat when they test al dente and haven't become 'gummy'. Immediately drain while rinsing with cold water and pat dry well with a clean dish cloth. If combining with sauce, microwave with sauce very briefly in microwave to reheat, There is a resistant, firm quality to G.F. pasta but if cooked properly they are 'pasta salvation' to G.F. diners like me. Note that thin pasta like spaghettini, spaghettini and linguine are more like the 'real deal' than are shapes, e.g., ziti, large macaroni, penne, etc.
cienfuegos at 6:59AM on 08/13/09
Thank you for posting it before I had to, @MNLisaB. I had a very horrifying experience Monday morning, thanks to these "noodles."
mollykate678 at 6:35PM on 08/13/09
Don't you people chew your food?
SqueezeBottle at 1:05PM on 08/14/09
The 'comes out as it went in' is what I was talking about--@Squeeze--I've heard it mentioned on numerous occasions, and that is why I've never eaten these or could, frankly.
HeartofGlass at 8:54PM on 08/14/09
Sadly I have dieted so much that there are times when even these taste good.
jenise at 8:51PM on 09/13/09