Taste Test: Whole Wheat Pasta

It was once tough to love whole wheat pasta due to its crumbly texture and unpalatable density. Not anymore: New versions are both smoother and lighter. And with three times the fiber of white pasta, it's a healthy way to get whole grains into your diet. We tested 19 samples of cooked, dried whole wheat penne — the second most popular shape after spaghetti, but thicker and so tougher to get right. Our picks are worthy of Grandma's sauce.

Courtesy of Bella Terra

Bella Terra Whole Wheat Penne

100% Whole Wheat Winner: Tasters enjoyed Bella Terra Organic Whole Wheat Pasta ($3.60 for 10 oz.) for its mild flavor and smooth, "nicely al dente" texture, making it the "most similar to white pasta."

Courtesy of Bella Terra

Bella Terra Whole Grain Penne

Whole Wheat Blend Winner: Made up of whole grains such as buckwheat and barley in addition to whole wheat flour, Bella Terra Organic 8 Whole Grain Pasta with Milled Flaxseeds ($2.60 for 12 oz.) scored big points for its "slightly sweet" nuttiness.

Courtesy of 365

365 Whole Wheat Penne

Tasters loved 365's ($1.79/16 oz.) firm chewiness and mildly sweet nuttiness.

Courtesy of Barilla

Barilla Plus Whole Wheat Penne

Testers described Barilla Plus's ($2.49/14.5 oz.) texture as smooth and "like white pasta" with a complex, almost "rice"-like flavor.

Courtesy of Barilla

Barilla Whole Grain Penne

Barilla Whole Grain ($1.59/13.25 oz.) earned points for its deliciously chewy texture and mildly nutty flavor.

Courtesy of DeBoles

DeBoles Whole Wheat Penne

DeBoles ($2.49/8 oz.) scored high marks for its mild wheat flavor and "al dente" texture.

Courtesy of Ronzoni

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Penne

Tasters found Ronzoni Healthy Harvest's ($1.99/13.25 oz.) texture to be pleasantly chewy, yet slightly gritty.

Courtesy of Da Vinci

Da Vinci Whole Wheat Penne

Da Vinci ($2.39/12 oz.) did well with tasters who enjoyed its chewiness and mild, somewhat "unmemorable" flavor.

Courtesy of Racconto

Racconto Whole Wheat Penne

Racconto's ($2.59/16 oz.) enjoyably smooth texture was overshadowed by its bland sweetness.

Courtesy of Jovial

Jovial Whole Wheat Penne

In addition to its dark color, Jovial Einkorn's ($3.69/12 oz.) tough, "too wheaty" texture was off-putting to some tasters; however, some enjoyed its flavor, which was likened to "breakfast cereal."

Courtesy of De Cecco

De Cecco Whole Wheat Penne

Despite De Cecco Whole Wheat's ($3/16 oz.) "crumbly" texture, testers appreciated its "neutral," nutty flavor.

Courtesy of Jovial & Bionaturae

Bionaturae Whole Wheat Penne

Bionaturae's ($2.99/16 oz.) tough, "crumbly" texture was distracting to tasters who enjoyed its sweet nuttiness.

Courtesy of Archer Farms

Archer Farms Simply Balanced

The "mushy" texture of Archer Farms Simply Balanced ($2.99/16 oz.) wasn't a big hit with tasters, but its "subtle" wheat flavor did well with white pasta fans.

Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Giada De Laurentiis Whole Wheat

Giada De Laurentiis Whole Wheat ($2.79/16 oz.) had a too-soft texture that detracted from its satisfyingly sweet flavor.

Courtesy of DeLallo

Delallo Whole Wheat Penne

Volunteers commented on DeLallo's ($2.49/16 oz.) bitter, "too earthy" flavor and its overly soft texture.

Courtesy of Gia Russa

Gia Russa Whole Wheat Penne

Despite cooking Gia Russa ($3.29/16 oz.) exactly as the label directed, it still came out too firm and undercooked, although many tasters liked its robust grain flavor.

Courtesy of Hodgson Mill

Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Penne

Hodgson Mill 100% Whole Wheat's ($2.31/12 oz.) texture was "hard" and its flavor "super wheaty." One taster described it as tasting "too healthy."

Courtesy of Hodgson Mill

Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Penne with Milled Flax Seeds

Tasters found the texture of Hodgson Mill 100% Whole Wheat with Milled Flax Seeds ($3.06/12 oz.) gummy and its flavor nutty with a "slight bitterness."

Courtesy of Elizabeth Griffin / Hearst

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat ($1.39/16 oz.) had a gritty, "scratchy" texture which didn't help its bland, "flat" flavor.

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