5 Best Dried Pasta Brands, According to Chefs
Pasta is one of the most delicious comfort foods that never disappoints. Whether you love it plain, topped with meatballs, drenched in marinara or Alfredo sauce, or simply tossed with butter, there’s no wrong way to eat pasta. Plus, it’s affordable and easy to make at home. The shelves are lined with options, but with so many choices, it’s hard to know which store-bought pasta to choose. To help identify the best dried pasta brands, Eat This, Not That! turned to Eva Filer, home chef, recipe developer, and food blogger at My Rad Kitchen, who named her top five picks.
De Cecco
De Cecco is a longtime Italian pasta brand with a wide selection of shapes and varieties available at many grocery stores. Its familiar packaging and broad lineup make it an easy brand to reach for when stocking the pantry. “De Cecco is a great everyday dried pasta when you want something a step above the standard grocery-store options,” says Filer. “Its firm texture holds up beautifully when cooked al dente, while the slightly rough surface helps sauces cling to the pasta rather than sliding right off.”
Rummo
Founded in Italy in the 19th century, Rummo has a long history of making pasta and remains a popular choice among cooks seeking Italian-made products. The brand offers a variety of traditional pasta shapes for everyday meals. “Rummo is known for producing pasta with an especially firm, satisfying bite that holds its texture well during cooking,” Filer explains. “It’s a great choice for everything from simple tomato sauces to hearty ragùs where you want the pasta itself to stand up to a substantial sauce.”
La Molisana
La Molisana has been making pasta in Italy for more than a century, with a focus on traditional ingredients and methods. Its extensive lineup includes everything from familiar spaghetti and penne to more specialized shapes. “My personal favorite, La Molisana produces pasta with a wonderfully textured surface and sturdy bite that makes even a simple pasta dinner feel a little more special,” Filer shares. “The rough exterior grabs onto sauces particularly well, making it a great option for recipes where the pasta and sauce really need to come together.”
Garofalo
Garofalo has a long history and a wide range of products. In addition to its traditional pasta, the brand offers specialty varieties, including gluten-free options, giving shoppers plenty of choices for different dietary needs and recipes. “Garofalo is a great choice when texture is a priority, with bronze-die pasta that has a rougher surface designed to hold onto sauce,” says Filer. “It cooks up with a pleasantly firm bite and comes in an impressive range of shapes, plus the brand has an excellent gluten-free line that delivers surprisingly similar texture and bite to traditional pasta.”
Barilla Al Bronzo
Barilla Al Bronzo offers a more premium option within Barilla’s extensive pasta lineup. The line is made in Italy and gives shoppers a way to try a different style of Barilla pasta while sticking with a familiar brand. “Barilla Al Bronzo is an easy-to-find upgrade from the brand’s classic blue box, made in Italy using a bronze-cut method that gives the pasta a noticeably rough, porous surface,” says Filer. “That extra texture gives sauces something to cling to while high-quality durum wheat helps the pasta maintain a satisfying al dente bite.”