Food Shopping & Storing Food Shopping & Storing We Tried 47 Pastas—These Are the 6 Best These are our favorite versions of your favorite carb. By Phoebe Fry Phoebe Fry Phoebe Fry is a graduate of Barnard College, where she studied English Language & Literature, and Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork, Ireland, where she completed a 12-week certificate course. Throughout her college years, she took advantage of her location in New York City and held various roles at companies in the food media space, from the James Beard Foundation to Real Simple, to a position as cookbook author Vallery Lomas' assistant. She has experience in marketing, foundation work, social media, recipe development, recipe testing, editorial, and more. Phoebe presently works as a line cook in New York City. She also writes a Substack newsletter, and contributes to Real Simple as a freelance food writer. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 26, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos If you haven't had it at least once a day during the quarantine, consider us awestruck. Pasta is, after all, a near-perfect food. Whether we're talking pre-pandemic or week whatever-we're-at of eating all our meals at home, we can always look to pasta when we need a dinner that's easy to prepare, affordable, and shelf-stable. But not all store bought noodles are created equal, which is why we boiled the water, poured in the pasta, and tasted 47 types. Here, the standouts you should stock up on. 01 of 06 Best Short: Barilla Collezione Penne Courtesy of manufacturer A little longer than usual, this tube surprised us with its deep, sauce-capturing ridges and artisanal-quality texture. To buy: $3 for 16 oz.; meijer.com. 02 of 06 Best Long: De Cecco Spaghetti No. 12 Courtesy of manufacturer Get ready to twirl. This long noodle has a mild flavor and perfect texture when cooked al dente. Pair with a batch of saucy meatballs. To buy: $2 for 16 oz.; target.com. 03 of 06 Best Gluten-Free: Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli Peter Ardito Gluten-free pastas can be tricky (that's a nice way of saying gloppy and chewy). But this rice-based option has a firm bite and mellow taste. To buy: $2 for 16 oz.; traderjoes.com for stores. 04 of 06 Best Whole-Wheat: Garofalo Whole Wheat Spaghetti Peter Ardito This nutty pick holds up well to bold flavors, like garlic, anchovies, and chiles. It also packs ample fiber and protein. To buy: $4 for 16 oz.; eataly.com. 05 of 06 Best Splurge: Faella Mezzi Paccheri Courtesy of manufacturer These elegant rings are dinner-party showstoppers—and worth every penny. Chunky sauces nestle in the hollows, adding flavor to each forkful. To buy: $11 for 1.1 lb.; gustiamo.com. 06 of 06 Best Stuffed: Giovanni Rana Cheese Lovers Tortelloni Peter Ardito Lots of stuffed pastas boast three cheeses, but this irresistible option has five, including creamy mascarpone. To buy: $6 for 18 oz.; walmart.com. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit