Compare high protein pastas by serving
All rows use a 2 oz dry serving (56–57 g), before cooking, sauce or toppings. Rows are grouped by pasta type.
| Pasta and portion | Protein | Calories | Carbs | Fiber | Protein / 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular pasta2 oz dry (57 g)USDA | Protein7.4 g | Calories211 kcal | Carbs42.6 g | Fiber1.8 g | Protein / 100 kcal3.5 g |
| Whole-wheat pasta2 oz dry (57 g)USDA | Protein7.9 g | Calories201 kcal | Carbs41.8 g | Fiber5.2 g | Protein / 100 kcal3.9 g |
| GOODLES Lucky Penne2 oz dry (57 g)Official label | Protein11 g | Calories180 kcal | Carbs37 g | Fiber7 g | Protein / 100 kcal6.1 g |
| Barilla Protein+ Penne2 oz (56g)USDA branded record | Protein10 g | Calories190 kcal | Carbs38 g | Fiber5 g | Protein / 100 kcal5.3 g |
| Banza Chickpea Penne2 oz dry (56 g)USDA branded record | Protein13 g | Calories190 kcal | Carbs32 g | Fiber5 g | Protein / 100 kcal6.8 g |
| Barilla Chickpea Penne56 gUSDA branded record | Protein12 g | Calories190 kcal | Carbs34 g | Fiber8 g | Protein / 100 kcal6.3 g |
| Tolerant Organic Chickpea Penne2 oz (56 g)USDA branded record | Protein11 g | Calories210 kcal | Carbs34 g | Fiber6 g | Protein / 100 kcal5.2 g |
| ZENB Yellow Pea Spaghetti2 oz (56 g)USDA branded record | Protein12 g | Calories200 kcal | Carbs36 g | Fiber7 g | Protein / 100 kcal6.0 g |
| GOODLES Gluten Free Lucky Penne2 oz dry (57 g)Official label | Protein8 g | Calories210 kcal | Carbs41 g | Fiber3 g | Protein / 100 kcal3.8 g |
| Explore Cuisine Edamame Spaghetti2 oz (56 g)USDA branded record | Protein24 g | Calories180 kcal | Carbs20 g | Fiber13 g | Protein / 100 kcal13.3 g |
| Explore Cuisine Black Bean Spaghetti2 oz (56 g)USDA branded record | Protein25 g | Calories180 kcal | Carbs19 g | Fiber11 g | Protein / 100 kcal13.9 g |
Protein per 100 kcal = protein ÷ calories × 100, using unrounded values. This table includes only verified source records and labels; it is neither a ranking nor a complete market survey.
Calculate the protein in your bowl
Choose a pasta from the comparison table, enter the portion and add your ingredients. The result includes the calories, protein, carbs and fat from the whole bowl.
Calculated nutrition for your bowl
390 kcal
39.7 g protein
44.6 g carbs
5.1 g fat
10.2 g protein / 100 kcal
- Regular pasta (cooked) (124 g): 196 kcal; 7.2 g protein; 38.3 g carbs; 1.2 g fat.
- roasted skinless chicken breast (cooked weight) (100 g): 165 kcal; 31 g protein; 0 g carbs; 3.6 g fat.
- no-salt-added tomato sauce (120 g): 29 kcal; 1.4 g protein; 6.4 g carbs; 0.4 g fat.
Calculated by adding every listed ingredient before rounding. Dry oz follow each source’s 56–57 g serving; USDA cups use cooked pasta weights. USDA branded choices allow only dry oz and dry grams. No dry-to-cooked yield is assumed. Include any additional oil or toppings separately. Ingredient brands and actual portions change the estimate.
What about protein noodles?
The edamame spaghetti and black soybean spaghetti in the table are examples of soybean noodles. Their USDA branded records provide 24 g and 25 g protein, respectively, with 180 calories each per 56 g dry serving.
Protein noodles can also be made from wheat or blends, so the name does not specify the nutrition. Use the pasta comparison and check your package’s serving and allergen information.
The sauce and toppings change the meal
Pasta is only one ingredient. Chicken, ground beef, shrimp, tofu, cottage cheese or a Greek yogurt dressing can add protein. Oil, cheese and the amount of pasta also change the calories. Our seven pasta recipes with calculated macros show each ingredient and its contribution. For a creamy sauce, see the cottage cheese pasta recipe and variations.
For a daily protein planning framework alongside resistance training, see our protein and body recomposition guide. Its cited ISSN diets and body composition position stand discusses energy balance and fat loss; a pasta label alone cannot establish a weight-loss outcome.
Common questions about protein pasta
Is pasta high in protein?
Regular dry pasta has 7.4 g protein per 2 oz (57 g); whole-wheat dry pasta has 7.9 g at the same weight. In this table, protein-enriched wheat pasta provides 10–11 g, chickpea and legume-based options 8–13 g, and soybean noodles 24–25 g per 56–57 g dry serving. Check the serving and protein per calorie for your product.
Is protein pasta high in carbs?
It can still contain substantial carbohydrate. The chickpea and yellow-pea USDA branded records in this table provide 32–36 g total carbs per 56 g dry serving, compared with 42.6 g in 57 g regular dry pasta. The soybean noodles provide 19–20 g, or about 20 g. The grain-and-legume blend has 41 g. Check your package and actual portion.
Is high protein pasta low carb?
Higher protein does not automatically mean low carbohydrate. The protein-enriched wheat options have 37–38 g total carbs per dry serving; the soybean noodles have 19–20 g. This table reports total carbohydrate without subtracting fiber to advertise a net-carb number.
Is high protein pasta gluten free?
Some products in the table are made from chickpeas, peas or soybeans; others include wheat or a grain-and-legume blend. Protein content and the base ingredient alone do not establish gluten-free status. Check the gluten-free certification and allergen information on your current package.
Is high protein pasta good for weight loss?
A higher protein number does not establish a weight-loss benefit. The product servings in this table provide 180–210 calories before sauce, oil or toppings. A sustained calorie deficit drives fat loss; your overall intake matters. This table does not test weight loss or predict an individual result. See the linked body recomposition guide and its cited diets position stand for context.
How should I compare protein pasta products?
Start with the same dry serving size, then compare protein, calories, total carbs and fiber. Regular dry pasta here has 3.5 g protein per 100 kcal. Product names alone do not tell you the nutrition; use the table and bowl calculator with your portion.
Sources and calculation notes
USDA SR Legacy records from the April 2018 dataset. Calculations use unrounded source values, with rounding only for display.
- GOODLES Lucky Penne: official US label, retrieved October 27, 2026. 2 oz dry (57 g). Wheat pasta with chickpea and wheat protein.
- Barilla Protein+ Penne: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2631738, published 2023-09-14; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz (56g). Wheat and legume pasta with pea protein.
- Banza Chickpea Penne: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2669985, published 2023-11-16; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz dry (56 g). Chickpea pasta.
- Barilla Chickpea Penne: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2598848, published 2023-07-13; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 56 g. Chickpea flour pasta.
- Tolerant Organic Chickpea Penne: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2628330, published 2023-08-31; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz (56 g). Organic chickpea flour pasta.
- ZENB Yellow Pea Spaghetti: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2671328, published 2023-11-16; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz (56 g). Whole yellow pea pasta.
- GOODLES Gluten Free Lucky Penne: official US label, retrieved October 27, 2026. 2 oz dry (57 g). Corn, brown rice, chickpeas and peas; gluten-free alternative.
- Explore Cuisine Edamame Spaghetti: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2609055, published 2023-07-13; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz (56 g). Organic edamame (green soybean) pasta.
- Explore Cuisine Black Bean Spaghetti: USDA FoodData Central Branded Foods, FDC ID 2609053, published 2023-07-13; data supplied by the brand owner or its data partner; packaging may have changed — check the label on your package. 2 oz (56 g). Organic black soybean pasta.
- USDA FoodData Central: original SR Legacy dataset. FDC 169736; FDC 169738; FDC 169737; FDC 168910.
- Regular cooked pasta and whole-wheat cooked pasta use the USDA cooked records for the calculator’s cup measures. The comparison table uses dry records 169736 and 169738.
- Calculator ingredients: roasted skinless chicken breast (cooked weight); Grilled shrimp (includes oil and seasoning); 93/7 lean ground beef (raw weight, before cooking); cottage cheese (4% milkfat); grated Parmesan; shelled edamame (cooked); no-salt-added tomato sauce; ready-to-serve pesto. USDA FNDDS 2021–2023 for grilled shrimp; SR Legacy for the other additions.
USDA branded record values retain USDA’s conversion precision before display rounding; they are not transcriptions of current packaging. The 56 g records are treated as dry pasta based on their ingredients, category and package size; only the chickpea penne record that says “dry” states this explicitly. One chickpea record gives only “56 g”; its serving text is preserved. No cooked yield is inferred.
Product labels can change; check your package. Product names are trademarks of their owners, with no affiliation or endorsement implied.
General nutrition information, not medical advice. This comparison has not been reviewed by a registered dietitian. If you follow a medically prescribed diet, discuss food choices and portions with your clinician or dietitian.