Banza has partnered with inventor Dan Pashman for a chickpea version of cascatelli, his revolutionary pasta shape. This protein-packed, gluten-free variety will be available online and in Whole Foods stores starting in March 2022.

Cascatelli, which roughly translates to “little waterfalls” in Italian, is a short pasta with a flat trough in the middle and ruffled sides, maximized to catch sauce. When Pashman set out to create the ideal pasta, he looked for three qualities in the design: sauceability, forkability and toothsinkability.

Pashman, host of the culinary podcast “The Sporkful” started with the controversial premise that spaghetti is terrible. He chronicled the three-year development of cascatelli in the “Mission ImPASTAble” podcast series. After deep research and many ups and downs, Pashman’s invention found success in the eyes of chefs and connoisseurs alike, making Time magazine’s list of the 100 top inventions of 2021.

“I just love the way it captured the sauce and snuggled it,” says famed cookbook author Dorie Greenspan.

Banza uses chickpea flour instead of wheat flour to create healthier, gluten-free versions of pasta, pizza and mac and cheese. Compared to the average pasta, banza’s pasta has is 50% more fiber, three times the protein and 25% few net carbs.

Read more about cascatelli and how to choose the best pasta shape for whatever dish you make.