When I don’t feel like cooking, pasta is my go-to meal. It doesn’t really feel like a heavy lift — just boil water, let it cook, toss it with my go-to jarred sauce, and I’m done. Plus, one study has even shown that eating pasta makes you happier, so who am I to argue with that?
I cook my pasta al dente and want it to actually have some chew, and Pasta Rummo (Stanley Tucci’s favorite brand) does just that. Turns out, Stanley and I are on the same page. I ranked Pasta Rummo as my top choice in The Kitchn’s recent pasta taste test, without even knowing it was included.
Last month, I was invited to a dinner to celebrate Pasta Rummo’s newest launch, and the speed with which I RSVPed yes was … impressive. Just like its traditional pastas, the protein Maxima line was everything I dreamed of and more. Here’s why.
Credit: Alexandra Foster
What You Should Know About Pasta Rummo Maxima
Pasta Rummo’s traditional pasta-making methods go back six generations. The family-owned company was founded in 1846 in Benevento, Italy, and prides itself on making high-quality pasta with “the perfect al dente texture.” Protein seems to be at the top of everyone’s minds lately, so I wasn’t all that surprised to hear that the brand launched its Maxima pasta last month.
Made with just two ingredients — organic durum wheat semolina and yellow peas, extracted via dry milling and air-sifting — the pastas have 21 grams of protein per serving (one serving is 100 grams or about one cup). The pasta is organic, non-GMO, and has no other additives to boost the protein content.
Credit: Alexandra Foster
Pasta Rummo Maxima comes in six classic shapes (Spaghetti, Rigatoni, Penne Rigate, Elbows, Fusilli, and Linguine), and every one is made using the same decades-old slow techniques. The shapes and strands are cut with traditional bronze dies so the sauce clings to the pasta. It’s available at Sprouts Farmers Market, starting at $4.99 per bag, and will roll out across retailers nationwide later this year.
Credit: Alexandra Foster
My Honest Review of Pasta Rummo Maxima
As someone always looking for ways to sneak in a little extra protein, I’ve tried plenty of high-protein pastas. Many clearly taste like the chickpeas, lentils, and such that they’re made from, while others fall apart and don’t hold their shape. Pasta Rummo Maxima does none of that.
Credit: Alexandra Foster
At the launch dinner, I first tried two Maxima pasta dishes: cacio e pepe (made with rigatoni) and spaghetti fra diavolo. Both were absolutely delicious and wildly exceeded my expectations. Both the short- and long-cut pastas held up beautifully and had that signature al dente chew that I’ve come to expect from Pasta Rummo. There wasn’t any additional lingering flavor from the yellow peas, either.
Credit: Alexandra Foster
I made a quick and easy dinner for myself the other night with Pasta Rummo Maxima’s penne with sun-dried tomato pesto and a few sprigs of fresh basil, and it was hearty, flavorful, and satisfying. It’s become my new must-have pasta from Stanley’s and my favorite pasta brand.
Find it in stores: Pasta Rummo Maxima
Have you tried Pasta Rummo’s Maxima pasta? Let us know in the comments.
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