Pasta Myths

Simple is the name of the game. Our pasta is made with just two ingredients, enriched durum wheat semolina and water, for great taste without added fat, sugar or preservatives. A cup of enriched pasta contains important nutrients including iron (necessary for red blood cell production) and B-vitamins (a group of nutrients required to convert carbohydrates into energy) such as thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid. And that’s not all! Semolina pasta contains 3 grams of fiber per serving, while whole grain pasta provides 6 grams per serving.

With a few simple tips, cooking perfect pasta is a breeze! First, start with enough water – at least a quart of water for every quarter pound of pasta – and be sure to add a generous pinch of sea salt to enhance the pasta’s flavor. Skip adding oil to the cooking water – it doesn’t prevent pasta from sticking together. In fact, it actually prevents the sauce from clinging to the pasta.

As the world’s largest pasta producer and the #1 brand of pasta in Italy, we know not all kinds of pasta are interchangeable. Barilla uses only the highest quality non-GMO durum wheat for the best-tasting pasta in every box. Pasta shape matters, too! Get help selecting which of our different shapes of traditional semolina pasta is right for your dish with our Pick Your Pasta Shape Guide.

Occasionally people will lump nutritious grain foods like pasta with desserts and sweet treats, but not all refined grains are the same. Pasta contains no added fat or sugar, but provides protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber, resulting in a low glycemic index. Foods with a low glycemic index provide a slower release of energy, meaning you won’t get that post-meal “crash.”

If your typical pasta presentation is a bowl of pasta with the sauce poured over the top, think again. Any Italian will tell you the key to a perfect pasta dish is a sauce-to-pasta ratio that allows the pasta itself to shine, with an even coating of sauce on every bite. Prepare your sauce first and keep it warm while the pasta cooks, then gently toss your cooked pasta in the sauce to evenly coat. A general rule of thumb is 1½ cups of sauce for every pound of cooked pasta.

Boil. Drain. Rinse. Mix. Sound familiar? Then toss aside this pasta cooking routine. Since our Barilla pasta is crafted with high-quality durum wheat, it requires no rinsing. The natural starches released during the cooking process work as a natural binder that allows the sauce to perfectly adhere to the pasta. Less steps to a satisfying meal is no longer a myth.