Key Takeaways
Dried pasta is a popular, long-lasting pantry staple in American kitchens, enjoyed weekly by the majority of the population.According to Chef Philip Guardione, the best dried pastas are made with just two ingredients: durum wheat semolina and water—no additives needed.For the best results, salt your water generously and add pasta only once it’s at a rolling boil to ensure proper texture and flavor.
Though pasta is most often associated with Italy, it’s now one of the most popular foods in American cuisine. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a restaurant menu without at least one pasta dish on the menu, and it’s frequently made in home kitchens as well. In fact, according to a recent survey from the National Pasta Association, an estimated 86% of Americans eat pasta at least once a week, with 33% of the population consuming it up to three times a week.
And while nothing beats fresh pasta, most Americans aren’t making their own noodles at home (or buying fresh) on a weekly basis, and instead typically rely on boxed, dried pasta. Unlike fresh pasta, dried pasta can last for years, and technically doesn’t expire even though its quality may decline over time. This makes it a stellar pantry staple, especially because it cooks in minutes and doesn’t need much more than olive oil (or butter) and a sprinkle of high-quality Parmesan cheese.
But with so many dried pastas to choose from at the supermarket, how do you know you’re buying the best one? According to Sicilian-born chef Philip Guardione, chef and owner of the Piccola Cucina restaurant group in New York, the difference between a mediocre dried pasta and a great one, comes down to the ingredients, specifically the flour. “Flour is the most important element of great pasta,” Guardione declares. “When choosing which pasta to buy, always make sure to read the ingredients: it’s the quality of the semolina that makes the difference in cooking, flavor, and texture.”
So, what are the exact ingredients you should look for when purchasing dried pasta? “High-quality pasta, in my opinion, should contain only durum wheat semolina and water,” Guardione says. In other words, if you spot lengthy ingredients you can’t pronounce, put that box back and keep browsing the pasta aisle.
Easy-to-find pasta brands with Guardione’s approved ingredients list include Sfoglini and Rao’s Homemade. In addition to being made with quality, chef-approved ingredients, both brands get bonus points for selling fun shapes with plenty of cracks and crevices for your favorite pasta sauce.
Once you’ve purchased your chef-approved pasta, help ensure you make the most of your meal by cooking it the “right” way. “The water needs to be abundantly salted (like the sea!), and add the pasta only when the water is at a rolling boil,” Guardione shares. “This ensures the pasta will be cooked thoroughly, and helps it to not get stuck to the bottom of the pot.”
Dining and Cooking