Different Types of Pasta
Know what you're buying!

Different types of Pasta, because pasta is not just pasta. Know what you're buying and how to choose a great quality brand. Lets face it, if you're going to spend a good amount of time making a really great sauce you have to serve it over a quality pasta.

If you're looking for a Pasta Shapes guide click here from the Different Types of Pasta page to find a large selection pasta shapes and photos!

This page is full of all the information you'll ever need to know about every different pasta brand, grain and type. Whether it's a egg pasta, a kamut pasta or your favorite wheat pasta brand. This is your go to site for everything pasta.

Different Types of Pasta Dyes:

The extruder is the mechanism that create the pasta shapes as the dough is being pushed through it during the pasta manufacturing process. Such as Penne, fettucini and spaghetti. Depending on what material that extruder is made with will greatly effect the texture and ultimately the quality of the pasta.

Bronze Dyes
Bronze dyes are more course in surface texture and will create a more porous and chalky texture to the pasta. This is considered the best texture for a pasta. The porous texture allows for the pasta sauce to adhere to the pasta and absorb the sauce.

Teflon Dyes
Teflon smooth, slick surface and thus creates a smooth, shiny texture to the pasta. Less likely for the pasta to absorb the sauce or adhere to it. Pasta made with a teflon dye also has a more prominent yellow color.

So why do manufactures use it? It's much easier to clean and it extrudes the dough more quickly thus producing more pasta in the same amount of time.

Tisk, tisk. There's no rushing a masterpiece.

Different Types of Pasta Grains:

Semolina Pasta:

Semolina is the type of flour that is used to make a pasta. More of a yellow grain then a standard all purpose flour. It comes from Durum wheat which is considered the best wheat to use when manufacturing pasta. Italy happens to have the best quality durum wheat in the world.

Whole Wheat Pasta:

Whole Wheat pasta is made just like a semolina pasta but the wheat is milled with the hulls, which gives the pasta a darker color and a rich wheat and nutty flavor. Although Wheat Pasta is slightly higher in protein it's the flavor you should be after when making your Italian pasta recipe and not the fiber.

Egg Noodles or Egg Pasta:

Egg pasta has a definite yellow appearance to it. Although most pasta recipes require egg, the egg pasta or egg noodle you only use the yolk. But that's not the only difference. This type of pasta is good for soups or kugel recipes.

Eggless Pasta:

It is possible to have a pasta without egg. Of course making it yourself fresh is the best way and if you do use a semolina flour. Semolina is a more durable course flour that will bind well where all purpose flour is fine and delicate.

Gluten Free Pastas:

Gluten is the key ingredient that creates the starch and the flavor of pasta so there is a lot of gluten in a regular pasta. For those of you on a gluten free diet pasta is typically OFF THE MENU. The primary ingredients in most gluten free pasta is brown rice, potato starch, corn, quinoa and others such as soy beans.

Rice Pasta:

Rice Pastas are naturally gluten free are also typically found in Asian cultures and cuisines. You can almost always find rice pasta in Asian specialty food markets. However, you can in fact find many pasta brands offering this type of pasta as a gluten free item and marketed as an Italian Pasta type or organic pasta.

Brown Rice Pasta:

Pasta made with brown rice is also gluten free, wheat free and in most cases naturally low in sodium. Unlike rice pasta you probably would not find this item in a Asian market. This type of pasta is marketed almost exclusively as a health food item or gluten free item.

Organic Pasta:

Most pasta that comes from Italy is organic. Preservatives aren't necessary in the process of making pasta however to be considered organic here in America it has to be certified organic which means it has to come from an organic farmer that adheres to certain criteria that make the farm and food organic.

Every organic brand of pasta I've had was great. Stick to this guide and judge the texture, read the ingredients and you should walk away with a really good tasting, organic pasta.

Alternative Grain Pastas:

There are several different types of pasta made with alternative grains, that have tried to take the seat of durum wheat, for instance, Kamut Pasta.

Others such as:

• Amaranth Pasta
• Spelt pasta
• Quinoa Pasta
• Millet Pasta

to name a few. Some considered gluten free and others are not and all giving a very unique texture, appearance and of course the most important feature, flavor.

These different types of pasta are completely a matter of taste, preference, and dietary need.

It's also great to switch it up when you feel you want to add a creative touch to your Italian pasta recipes.

Different Types of Pasta Brands:

A great Italian pasta recipe is a marriage between both pasta and sauce. So it's very important as in all Italian food recipes to use the best quality ingredients when preparing your meal. A great sauce will not cover up the taste of a bad pasta.

A good quality pasta will also cook better. Some just soak up the water and bloat up no matter how little you cook it. You can use my cooking pasta guide to make sure it's al dente every time.

There are probably more choices in America today for brands of pasta then there has ever been. The selection in your standard grocery store, depending on which store you shop, can be very impressive.

Some specialty grocery stores or specialty Italian shops carry the more exclusive pasta brands. Here you may even find some boutique pasta brands that produce homemade pasta locally.

Then there is the internet. Providing us the worlds bounty in the comfort of our living room. There's an abundance of websites that offer boutique brands of pasta products in addition to the different types of pasta they offer. Such as pasta maker machines, custom Italian wines and cheeses you may not find here easily.

In my local grocery chain stores I am likely to find Ronzoni, Barilla Pasta, Gia Russa, and De Cecco pasta brands of pasta. These are the brands I know will cost any where from one to four dollars.

A standard brand of pasta will cost about one dollar per pound or box. A higher quality brand will cost about double that and a select few gourmet brands will cost around four dollars or more. But consider the difference. We are talking about one or two dollars that will make the difference between a good meal and a great one!

I think I'm worth the extra few bucks and so are you!

So Mangia Bene my friends and remember. Pasta is fundamental and with all the different types of pasta out there, choose one that will make your taste buds sing.

Do you have an amazing Italian pasta recipe that you make with any of the different types of pasta listed above? An organic pasta recipe or a wheat pasta recipe that all your friends rave about? Submit it on the Easy Pasta Recipes Page!

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