Eating enough protein has several benefits. It can make you feel full, promote wound healing, and support healthy muscle growth, among many other functions. Which pastas have the most protein to help you meet your protein needs?
Some of the highest protein pastas are:
- Edamame pasta
- Lentil pasta
- Almond flour pasta
- Chickpea pasta
- Protein-enriched pasta
- Whole wheat pasta
How much protein is in all of these pastas? Keep reading to find out!
Protein in pasta
The protein content of pasta varies a lot depending on what the pasta is made from. For instance, regular pasta is made from durum wheat and isn’t as high in protein as pasta made from legumes, which are naturally much higher in protein than wheat.
Some types of pasta have protein added, such as in the form of pea protein or soy protein isolate. It’s important to check the ingredients label for protein-enriched pasta since the ingredients will vary depending on the brand, so some ingredients might not be appropriate for special diets, food allergies, etc.
6 high-protein pastas
Edamame pasta – 24 grams per serving
What is edamame? It’s immature soybeans in the pod which resembles snap peas. Edamame is rich in fiber and protein and is the highest-fiber pasta we’ve found!
Another benefit of edamame pasta is that the fiber is all naturally occurring – no plant protein isolates here!
As protein-rich as edamame pasta is, it’s not suitable for Paleo diets since soybeans are a type of legume.
Lentil pasta – 14 grams per serving
Lentil pasta contains lentil flour which is naturally high in protein and fiber, similar to edamame pasta. Like edamame pasta, it’s not Paleo-friendly, nor is it suitable for very low-carb diets like keto.
Almond flour pasta – 12 grams per serving
This grain-free pasta alternative is very high in fat and calories compared to other types of pasta. It contains almond flour and tapioca starch – the latter being high enough in carbs to disqualify almond flour pasta as keto.
Almonds are naturally rich in protein, which is why almond flour pasta makes the list of high-protein pastas.
Chickpea pasta – 11 grams per serving
Chickpea pasta is similar to lentil pasta because chickpeas and lentils are both legumes, a type of protein-rich starchy vegetable. A popular brand of chickpea pasta is Banza, which includes pea starch in its formulation – but you can find chickpea pasta that only includes chickpea flour as well.
Protein-enriched pasta (Barilla Protein+) – 10 grams per serving
Protein-enriched pasta includes added protein – in the case of Barilla Protein + it’s pea protein.
Protein-enriched pasta might contain a mix of different flours. For the above example, the types of flour in the pasta are:
- Semolina
- Durum wheat
- Lentil flour
- Chickpea flour
- Barley flour
- Spelt flour
Whole wheat pasta – 8 grams per serving
Whole wheat pasta is slightly higher in protein than regular pasta (only by one gram), making it a good source of protein (to be considered a “good source” there needs to be at least five grams of protein per serving).
Whole wheat pasta is also much higher in fiber than regular pasta, which is one of the reasons it’s considered a healthier choice than regular pasta.
Nutritional comparison of high-protein pastas
| Pasta (2 oz. dry) | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs (fiber) | Protein |
| Edamame pasta | 180 | 3.5 g (0 g) | 20 g (13 g) | 24 g |
| Lentil pasta | 180 | 1.5 (0.5 g) | 34 g (11 g) | 13 g |
| Almond flour pasta | 360 | 20 g (2 g) | 39 g (3 g) | 12 g |
| Chickpea pasta | 190 | 3 g (0 g) | 35 g (5 g) | 11 g |
| Protein-enriched pasta (Barilla Protein+) | 190 | 1 g (0 g) | 38 g (5 g) | 10 g |
| Whole wheat pasta | 180 | 1.5 g (0 g) | 39 g (7 g) | 8 g |
FAQs:
Protein pasta can contain a variety of flours and added protein to make it higher in protein than regular pasta. Eating enough protein can help make you feel full and promote healthy muscle growth, so protein pasta can be a healthy part of a balanced diet.
Keep in mind that protein pasta might not be suitable for certain diets or allergies since there are other flours besides wheat flour.
Protein pasta isn’t low-carb and can contain as many grams of carbs as regular pasta. Some types of high-protein pasta might be suitable for a low-carb diet in moderation, such as edamame pasta which is lower in net carbs because of its high fiber content.
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