Exploring Eight Protein-Enhanced Pastas: My Top Pick Features Cauliflower and Parsnips

With a wide array of protein-rich pasta options available, I decided to sample as many as I could find to determine a favorite.

Known for their variety of shapes, I opted for spiral noodles to avoid the common issues of breakage with penne and sogginess with spaghetti.

For consistency, I prepared 1 ½ ounces of each brand in boiling water for roughly seven minutes.

My initial taste tests were performed with the pasta plain and warm, followed by a second tasting after they had cooled. Lastly, I reheated them with tomato-and-basil sauce from Rao's Homemade for a final evaluation.

Starting with the Pioneer: Banza

With 11 grams of protein in each 2-ounce serving, Banza's rotini is crafted from chickpeas, tapioca, and xanthan gum.

The box revealed irregularly cut spirals with a glossy finish. Rinsing post-boiling was necessary to remove extra starchiness.

Despite their initially soggy look, they transformed into chewy, springy pasta upon cooking al dente, with a subtle sweet flavor that developed into a creamy chickpea taste.

Cooling added tackiness, but these held the sauce beautifully, making Banza notably neutral.

Barilla Protein+: A Non-Gluten-Free Choice

Packing 10 grams of protein, Barilla Protein+ includes gluten-heavy ingredients like semolina and durum wheat yet is supplemented by lentils, peas, and chickpeas.

These rough-textured spirals retained shape well and expanded significantly, initially presenting a pasta-like taste.

However, a hidden pea flavor grew prominent, though it mellowed considerably as the pasta cooled, allowing the sauce to mask it.

Chickpea Delight: Barilla's Rotini

Sporting 12 grams of protein, this Barilla pasta uniquely lists chickpeas as its sole ingredient.

The slightly curved noodles, once cooked, offered a sweet initial bite that ended in versatile creaminess, even when paired with tomato sauce.

Though slightly gritty, a quick fluff restored these dry-textured noodles back to a delightful consistency.

Ancient Harvest's Earthy Red-Lentil Rotini

Made from a blend of quinoa and red-lentil flour and containing 14 grams of protein, this pasta was thicker and denser, resembling radiatori.

Careful not to overcook, I observed it released a heavy starch, necessitating a rinse. The result was a pronounced earthy and slightly bitter lentil flavor.

With time, these noodles softened unwelcome for cold salads, so pairing with a robust tomato sauce was key to balancing the strong taste.

Simple Truth Organic's Lentil and Quinoa Mix

Offering 13 grams of protein, this pasta brings together red lentils and quinoa in rotini form, diverging from traditional fusilli.

Translucent at the start, cooking transformed them into stiff, powdery noodles. A cool rinse didn’t mitigate the sour, pungent lentil flavor.

Despite some sauce salvage, this was my least preferred due to its quick breakdown and grit.

Pasta Lensi's Italian Impress

Another red-lentil pasta, boasting 15 grams of protein, this one hailed from Italy.

Starchy yet not overwhelming, its flavor remained mild with a sweet undertone when cooled.

Its smooth, chewy texture paired beautifully with sauce, proving a great choice for light meals.

Target’s Good & Gather: A Budget Match

Mirroring Pasta Lensi’s 15 grams of protein red-lentil pasta in aesthetic and texture, Good & Gather offered similar imported Italian quality.

This slightly shorter-cut alternative delivered a similar creamy taste, with a notable, though not displeasing, beaniness.

Despite minimal powderiness, it was an excellent substitute for a cost-effective dupe.

Cybele's Veggie-Infused Green-Lentil Pasta

Standing alone among green-lentil selections, this 15-gram protein pasta features vegetable infusions of cauliflower and parsnips.

Though dense and raw, post-cooking they evolved into soft yet firm noodles, with a flavor gently masked by its vegetable additives.

On the whole, its pleasingly authentic pasta texture and mild taste, even with sauce, made it the definitive winner.

Champion of Texture and Taste

Cybele's unexpectedly took the crown, leaving me eager to explore their other combinations featuring ingredients like kale and spinach.

For creamy pasta lovers, Barilla chickpea prevails, while cost-conscious shoppers may appreciate the Good & Gather's affordable resemblance to Pasta Lensi.

However, Ancient Harvest is best suited to those craving distinctly bold, earthy flavors.