Penne Pasta (traditional and whole wheat)

Test date: August 2010

Tester: Michele

Products for this test purchased at Fred Meyer, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's.

MICHELE'S OPINION: With the traditional pastas, you can't really go wrong; there are no brands that I would tell you to specifically stay away from, since the flavor differences are so subtle. I personally like a heartier pasta, so I would choose from the list below those that are the densest and chewiest. The whole wheat versions were, frankly, terrible. I'm all for adding in whole grains to my diet, but not when it sacrifices that much taste. Read on for more details...

Price Comparison for 16oz of pasta (store first, then brand)

$5.05 Whole Foods Jovial Inkhorn
$3.49 Whole Foods DeCecco Whole Wheat
$2.49 Whole Foods DeCecco 
$1.99 Whole Foods Italian Macaroni Product Organic
$1.89 Fred Meyer Ronzini Penne Rigate
$1.25 Fred Meyer Barilla
$1.25 Fred Meyer Barilla Whole Grain
$1.10 Fred Meyer Ronzini Smart Taste Penne Rigate
$0.99 Trader Joe's

Note: All pastas were cooked according to package directions, with a pinch of salt.

1. Jovial Inkorn Penne Rigate (Purchased at Whole Foods; per Jovial website, products from this brand may also be available at Thriftway, Red Apple, and Matthew's): This pasta is darker in color than the non-whole wheat options. This pasta smells strongly like whole wheat even before you taste it. It is a relatively large penne that tastes exactly like a rich whole wheat bread, with the graininess and all. It does not taste like pasta.

2. Whole Foods Italian Macaroni Product Organic Penne Rigate (Only available at Whole Foods): This is a very dense pasta that is chewy enough to stick to your teeth. The flavor is mild, not intense.

3. DeCecco Penne Rigate (Purchased at Whole Foods and available on Amazon Fresh; DeCecco website does not list other locations for purchase): This is a relatively thick cut pasta with a mild flavor.

4. DeCecco Whole Wheat Penne Rigate (Purchased at Whole Foods and available on Amazon Fresh; DeCecco website does not list other locations for purchase): This product has a medium density and a light whole wheat bread flavor. It is not chewy like the traditional pastas, and instead has a bit of a chalky consistency.

5. Trader Joe's Italian Penne Rigate (Only available at Trader Joe's): This is a medium density pasta with a rich wheat flavor. It is also relatively chewy.

6. Barilla Penne (Purchased at Fred Meyer and available on Amazon Fresh; per the Barilla website, this product is widely available for purchase in Washington State): This product has a relatively rich flavor with a nutty wheaty taste.

7. Barilla Whole Grain Penne (Purchased at Fred Meyer and available on Amazon Fresh; per Barilla website, this product is also available at QFC, Albertsons, and Safeway): This has a mild whole wheat smell and is the lightest in color of the three whole wheat products. The penne is also relatively small. It tastes like a mild whole wheat bread and is not smooth or chewy like traditional pasta, but instead has a slightly chalky taste like the other whole wheat options.

8. Ronzoni Penne Rigate (Purchased at Fred Meyer; per Ronzoni website, this product is also available at Safeway): This product has a pretty mild pasta flavor, and is a thinner, lighter pasta than the others.

9. Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate (Purchased at Fred Meyer and available on Amazon Fresh; per Ronzoni website, this product is also available at QFC and Albertsons): This pasta is much thinner than the others, with a lighter taste because of that. It has a mild pasta flavor and no additional tastes to it even though it is enriched with calcium, Vitamin D, and fiber.

NUTRITIONAL NOTES: (serving size is 1/2 cup or 56 grams) A majority of these products have 200-210 calories per serving, with only the Ronzoni Smart Taste and DeCecco Whole Wheat coming in a bit lower at 180. Fat grams range from 0.5 to 1.5, with actually the three whole wheat options at the high end of 1.5 grams per serving, while only Ronzoni Smart Taste has 0.5 grams per serving. None of the products have any crazy processed ingredients. The whole wheat options don't even have the standard riboflavin and folic acid that the traditional pastas include. The only product with any salt at all (and still negligible) is the Ronzoni Smart Taste,with 5mg per serving.

TASTE WINNER: Go with Barilla or Trader Joe's traditional pastas which had a nice chewiness along with the richest taste. I personally would not choose a whole wheat pasta.