October 17th is NATIONAL PASTA DAY. What a great day to be alive, and honor one of the greatest staples of all time. Let’s be real here--absolutely nothing beats a good quality, home cooked pasta. But sometimes you want to change it up get creative in the kitchen...that’s where Banza comes in.

As a leading and delicious alternative to traditional pasta, Banza has been shaking the markets for years now. It is pasta made from chickpeas, making it high protein, high fiber, and gluten free...aka great for those with or without dietary restrictions alike. Celebrities and dieticians not only rave, but highly approve, so what’s not to lose?

Oh, did I mention within the past year they have also realized chickpea RICE and a whole line of mac and cheese? Yeah. You heard right. MAC AND CHEESE. You can find their products using the store locator, but really can be found in the pasta section of just about any local grocery store--especially Whole Foods!

Needless to say, Banza has created products that allow for endless creativity. Luckily, Banza is just as easy to cook as any other pasta, rice, or mac and cheese on the market and leads the way in providing efficient, delicious recipes on their too.

I have created a roundup of some of my favorite pasta dishes and uses including a recipe of my own creating and a few recipes Banza has made available to make your #NationalPastaDay celebration unique and delicious!

Bowties with Pumpkin Alfredo

This recipe is PERFECT for fall, requires minimal ingredients, and is especially great for when you have opened a can of pumpkin already for another recipe and have no clue what to do with the rest. With Banza’s newly released shape, a personal favorite and a nation-wide favorite, bowties are great for this because of how well they can hold and distribute the sauce!

Angel Hair Caprese

Angel hair is definitely a superior pasta shape. It’s so fun and long and little and makes for a great alternative to a classic spaghetti or linguine. This recipe is perfect to capture your #masterchefvibes.

Baked Deluxe Mac and Cheese

Comfort food on LOCK fam. Banza has GOT you covered. This is the creamiest, most home-y and delicious take on Mac and Cheese. A crowd-pleaser and must make for sure! #Protip: Add in some broccoli to get those greens! 

Penne Alla Vodka

I couldn’t include a recipe roundup without including a true classic. However, this variation will leave you feeling better than the classic due to the extra fiber and dairy free alternatives offered.

Rigatoni Bolognese

Meat lovers, don’t think you aren’t welcome to the party! This recipe is for you. Added #bonus: rigatoni is yet another superior pasta shape. This pasta with Meatballs is great too, especially because it is a classic, made better by Banza. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Soup lovers rejoice! This is my favorite, minimal effort, classic soup recipe! I combine a bunch of veggies with banza and chicken to create a tasty rendition on this cozy recipe. Bonus: Banza has tons of fun shapes to kick this recipe up a notch--I opted for their wheel shape a few times and was not disappointed, but they have officially added an alphabet shape to their collection for #childhood memories

So there you have it.

Six recipes guaranteed to make your National Pasta Celebration far better than the rest! Banza is truly out there changing the game of pasta--I’ve successfully convinced my whole family to love their products and the company as a whole, so I hope I can persuade you too!