Listen up, pasta people. We’ve taste-tested our way through enough noodles to fill one of those huge, AI-generated luxury bathtubs, and we’re ready to dish on the best pasta options at the grocery store, whether you’re looking for the best dried pasta, refrigerated fresh pasta, or the best frozen pasta. From classic spaghetti to gluten-free alternatives, we’ve slurped, twirled, and stuffed our way to finding the absolute best pastas for your next carb-loaded feast. (Except if you’re on the keto diet, obviously—but don’t worry, we found the best pasta brand for you carb-cutters, too.) Whether you’re crafting your own pasta salad or just trying to avoid boiling another pot of bland penne, here are our top picks for the best pasta to make every pasta night a winner. Buon appetito, you noodle nerds.
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- La Molisana Bronze Die Spaghetti Quadrato Chitarra No. 1
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We’ve all suspected that Italian companies make the best pasta. And while there’s no definitive way to prove that theory, we’ll say this: Italian brand La Molisana totally blew us away with their authentic, rough-cut spaghetti that tastes (and looks) like homemade pasta straight from nonna’s kitchen. Thanks to the slower, more expensive process of using bronze dyes to cut the pasta, this spaghetti has a coarser texture and light chewiness that sets it apart from the more familiar American brands. Your pasta sauce will cling to the noodles like a drowning man and his lifeboat at sea. If you want a taste of Italy, La Molisana is one of the best pasta brands you can buy.
Read our ranking of the best spaghetti
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- De Cecco Penne
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Most penne pasta brands taste pretty similar, but De Cecco stands out in a couple of big ways. Like La Molisana’s spaghetti, De Cecco uses bronze dies to cut their penne, meaning the texture is slightly coarser. The flavor of wheat flour comes through, which makes the pasta taste like it’s freshly made. We can’t say it tastes drastically different from other brands of penne, but if you’re prepping for a fancy pasta night and want every element to feel special, De Cecco is the way to go. (And don’t forget to grab our favorite alfredo sauce, either.)
Read our ranking of the best penne pasta
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- Garofalo Casarecce
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Garofalo makes some of the best pastas for GF shoppers. Besides a hint of sweetness that you probably wouldn’t notice if no one pointed it out, their casarecce pasta is a gluten-free dupe for wheat flour pasta even though it’s made with corn, rice, and quinoa. The twisted, tubular shape is extremely satisfying. Your favorite meat sauce can really latch onto this pasta. We liked a few other Garofalo gluten-free pasta shapes, too, but this one really steals the show.
Read our ranking of the best gluten free pasta
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- Brami Curly Macaroni
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Brami’s low carb macaroni is made with lupini beans, which adds a little extra protein to the pasta and gives it an earthy flavor that we really liked (but, admittedly, may not appeal to those expecting the flavor of traditional wheat flour). We liked their curly macaroni the best, since it’s satisfying and versatile. You could use this to make keto-friendly mac and cheese, macaroni salad, or any number of pasta dishes—including plain buttered noodles, if that’s your jam. Don’t let anyone stop you from your low-carb carbonara goals, capiche?
Read our ranking of the best keto pasta
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- Celentano Cheese Ravioli
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Ravioli (or pasta calzones, as I like to call them) is some of the best frozen pasta at the grocery store. (Lasagna is a close second.) Calentano’s cheese ravioli—which are round rather than square—are creamy, cheesy, herby, and big. With the appropriate amount of butter or olive oil, they can really remind you of ravioli meals from hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants. You don’t even need sauce to make these good, but do I daydream about tossing them in some vodka sauce and an absurd amount of parmesan cheese? Yes, yes I do.
Read our ranking of the best cheese ravioli
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- Celentano Beef Ravioli
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Cleary, Celentano just has the ravioli mojo. Contributing writer Jessica Block describes them as the “beef-filled love children of pierogi and UFOs,” and that might be the most accurate description I’ve read of anything, ever. The noodle itself is thicker, flavorful, and pleasantly chewy. Still, the best part is the cheesy, savory, tender ravioli filling, which is beautifully seasoned with oregano, parsley, and garlic. Celentano is the best pasta brand for ravioli, hands down.
Read our review of the best meat ravioli
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Best Spaghetti
Best Penne
Best Gluten Free
Best Keto Pasta
Best Cheese Ravioli
Best Beef Ravioli
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!