Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes: Vegan and Gluten-Free Meal Makers!

Confession: In my teenage years I cooked up quite a few boxed meals. Not the cheesy and creamy ones, but I highly doubt they were healthy, nonetheless. I was responsible for most of my own meals at that age, but hadn’t yet learned to cook beyond boiling noodles. Though my cooking repertoire has since expanded dramatically, I have to admit that the convenience and quality of Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes is a welcome break!

These two-serving Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes are definitely several steps up from the overly-processed mainstream pastas that they share shelf space with. Lundberg makes their boxed meal makers with whole-grain, gluten-free pasta. Along with real, organic spices and dehydrated vegetables, but without unwanted additives. Yes, with 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per serving, they’re also are downright nutritious! They are even certified organic, non-GMO verified, dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free for added versatility.

While I am judging this as a convenience food, rather than homemade, my household didn’t see these as sub par meals. However, I never prepared the pastas alone. At just 220 calories per serving, they are more of a meal base or side than a whole lunch or dinner. Rather I lightly steamed fresh vegetables as the noodles boiled and added leftover protein to round out the dinner.

We sampled the following Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes: Leek & Mushroom (pictured), Garlic & Olive Oil, Spinach & Rosemary, and Roasted Red Pepper. All were very similar with just the right amount of seasoning. Differing only in their flavor nuances as depicted on the package. In the instructions, there was an option for making a creamier sauce by using part milk alternative. We did like the creamy variation best! Unsweetened coconut milk beverage was our go-to for these. We found that unsweetened almond milk tended to overwhelm the flavors.

Two thumbs up to these Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes for an easy, tasty, and light meal starter. My only complaint is that some of the spirals tend to break apart as they cook. But I’ve found this to be a very common problem with brown rice noodles.

The Facts on Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes

Certifications: Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes are Certified Organic, Non-GMO Verified, Kosher Parve, and labeled as gluten-free and vegan, but do not show certifications for these.

Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Lundberg Organic Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan and vegetarian. Nonetheless, check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.

For More Product Information: Visit the Lundberg website at www.lundberg.com. The Brown Rice Pasta and Sauce Mixes are also available at a discount on Amazon.