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Its unique taste and texture make pasta hard to resist, but regular high-carb pasta has the potential to make blood sugar management very complicated when you live with diabetes.
That’s why I am happy that low-carb pasta options are now widely available.
As more and more people start to focus on their carb intake, new low-carb products have come to market, and it was surprisingly easy for me to find 11 brands of low-carb pasta.
And even more surprisingly, many of the products I tried were, in my opinion, just as good as the high-carb pasta brands I grew up with.
Table of Contents
- How low-carb pasta is made
- How I ranked the different brands
- Miracle Noodles
- Palmini Low Carb Linguine
- Explore Edamame Spaghetti
- Great Low Carb Bread Company Fettuccine Pasta
- ThinSlim Foods Impastable Low Carb Pasta
- Explore Black Bean Spaghetti
- Pastabilities Lower Calorie Pasta (Penne)
- CARBE DIEM Spaghetti
- Fiber Gourmet Healthy Pasta (Spaghetti)
- Al Dente Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine
- Banza
How low-carb pasta is made
Low-carb pasta is typically made of alternative flour sources such as beans or chickpeas, yam (Shirataki), or vegetables that are very high in dietary fiber (which are indigestible and only affect blood sugars minimally).
This means that some types of low-carb pasta are high in protein rather than in carbs. Because protein and carbs have the same amount of calories per gram (4 calories per gram), most low-carb pasta has similar or only slightly fewer calories than regular pasta.
Because many low-carb pasta brands use high-fiber ingredients and alternative flours (such as beans), consuming large amounts can lead to gastric discomfort. Start with a small serving and see how your body reacts.
I usually eat only half a serving (1 oz. dry low-carb pasta) because it’s an appropriate amount for main meals, and I have no gastric issues with low-carb pasta.
How I ranked the different brands
Regular full-carb pasta generally has 43 grams of carbs per serving (2 oz) and rarely has any fiber of significance unless you choose a high-fiber brand.
The low-carb brands included in this review all have less than 25 grams of net carbs per serving.
Net carbs are calculated as the total carb amount minus the total fiber content. We look at net carbs, not total carbs, since fiber won’t be converted into glucose and therefore doesn’t affect blood sugar.
I have given each brand a score from 1-5 based on:
- Does it feel and look like pasta?
- Does it taste like pasta?
- Is the serving size reasonable?
- How does it impact my blood sugar? (This can differ from person to person)
These are, of course, subjective measures, but I hope this review will still give you a good idea of which brands are good and which have room for improvement.
I have listed the brands by net carbs per serving, from lowest to highest.
Miracle Noodles
Net carbs: 1 g
Review score: 3.5 stars
The Miracle Noodle brand is available in many formats, such as Fettuccini, Penne, Pasta, and Noodles (they also offer a low-carb rice). If you’re hardcore about cutting all the carbs out of your diet, this pasta may be the best option for you.
Don’t let the smell when you open the package scare you. After they are rinsed, the odor disappears, and they don’t taste bad. In fact, they barely have any taste at all.
This can make it a bit of a weird food experience, which is why I would not recommend eating these without a sauce.
Miracle Noodles have no carbs and hardly any calories because they are made from konjac yams. They are 97% water, 3% fiber, and have traces of protein, fat, and calcium, so the nutritional value is low but not completely insignificant.
Since noodles are primarily water, most people won’t see a blood sugar impact, and they work for diets trying to eliminate gluten, dairy, and eggs.
Palmini Low Carb Linguine
Net carbs: 2 g
Review score: 3 stars
This was not a bad product, but it’s not really pasta; it’s spiraled vegetables.
You technically don’t even have to cook this, since it’s pre-cooked, but I opted to cook the Palmini for 5 minutes since it seemed very salty right out of the bag. Once cooked, it had a pleasant texture and did not affect my blood sugar. It doesn’t taste like pasta, though; it tastes like hearts of palm, which is what it is.
Since this product is 100% vegetables, it’s suitable for all diets, even low-sodium diets, as long as the linguine is rinsed well.
Explore Edamame Spaghetti
Net carbs: 6 g
Review score: 5 stars
This has been my go-to low-carb pasta for quite a while now. It tastes great and has the look and feel of pasta. The only real giveaway that it’s not a flour-based pasta is the green color from the edamame.
The spaghetti cooks in 3-5 minutes, and the finished product is long, soft spaghetti noodles. They don’t have much bite, so if you prefer your pasta very al dente, this might not be the right choice for you.
The pasta is made of edamame beans, but I don’t think they taste anything like edamame.
Since the pasta is made with edamame bean flour (soybeans), it is high in protein (24 grams per serving) and very mild on blood sugar. I never see a blood sugar spike after eating this pasta and have to dose insulin very carefully, or I’ll end up with low blood sugar.
The only ingredient in this pasta is edamame bean flour, so it’s suitable for people wanting to eat a plant-based diet. It’s also suitable for people wishing to avoid or reduce gluten, grains, dairy, and eggs.
Great Low Carb Bread Company Fettuccine Pasta
Net carbs: 7 g
Review score: 3 stars
This pasta looks good and came out al dente after 10 minutes, but it’s pretty dry. You need an abundance of sauce to make it part of an enjoyable meal.
The ingredients in this pasta are pea protein, oat fibers, wheat fibers, and egg whites, which is why it’s a high-fiber, high-protein, and low-carb food.
This also means it has minimal impact on blood sugar.
Given the ingredients, it’s not a good option for those trying to reduce or eliminate gluten or eggs.
ThinSlim Foods Impastable Low Carb Pasta
Net carbs: 8 g
Review score: 4.5 stars
This pasta was a pleasant surprise. It’s both low-carb and low-calorie (55 calories per serving) because it’s almost pure fiber (36 g per serving). This means it’s very mild on blood sugar levels but could, for some people, lead to gastric distress.
The cooking instructions say to cook it for 5-7 minutes, but I ended up cooking it for 15 minutes to reach a consistency I enjoy (I don’t like it too al dente).
Once cooked, the pasta has the look, feel, and taste of traditional flour pasta. It did fall apart a little after cooking, but that could be due to the 15-minute cook time.
The main ingredients are oat fiber, wheat fiber, and eggs, so it’s not appropriate for anyone who wants to eliminate gluten or eggs from their diet.
Explore Black Bean Spaghetti
Net carbs: 8 g
Review score: 5 stars
This is a great product that looks, smells, and tastes like pasta. The spaghetti cooks in only 4-6 minutes, and the finished product is long, soft spaghetti noodles.
They don’t have much bite, so if you prefer your pasta very al dente, this might not be the right choice for you.
The pasta is made with black beans and has a dark grey, almost purple hue when cooked, but it doesn’t taste like beans. I would say that, in direct comparison to the other “Explore” brand (the edamame pasta), this spaghetti has a slightly earthier taste, which I don’t mind.
The pasta is high in protein (25 grams per serving) and very mild on your blood sugars.
This is an excellent product if you’re eating a plant-based diet or trying to reduce gluten or grain intake. It’s also suitable for people trying to eliminate dairy and eggs.
Pastabilities Lower Calorie Pasta (Penne)
Net carbs: 12 g
Review score: 3 stars
This penne cooks very al dente at the 10-minute mark, and I strongly recommend cooking it longer unless you prefer a very firm noodle. The flavor is good once fully cooked, and the lower net carb count is appealing.
The downside for me was the digestive impact. Although it’s made from modified wheat starch and wheat flour, similar to some other low-carb brands, the high fiber content made me extremely bloated after eating it. The impact on blood sugar was moderate and manageable.
It’s a decent-tasting low-carb penne, but if you’re sensitive to high-fiber wheat products, this one may be hit or miss.
CARBE DIEM Spaghetti
Net carbs: 16 g
Review score: 4 stars
CARBE DIEM Spaghetti is extremely thin, almost delicate, but cooks into a surprisingly convincing pasta.
After cooking it for the recommended 17 minutes, it tasted very similar to regular spaghetti and had a pleasant texture. I enjoyed the flavor and would absolutely reach for this over standard full-carb pasta.
The ingredients are wheat starch and durum wheat, which contribute to its low net carb count but make it not gluten-free. The impact on blood sugar was mild for me, and it was easier to manage than traditional pasta.
CARBE DIEM also comes in other pasta shapes, which is a nice bonus if you prefer variety in your low-carb meals.
Fiber Gourmet Healthy Pasta (Spaghetti)
Net carbs: 17 g
Review score: 4 stars
This newer version of Fiber Gourmet’s spaghetti was a pleasant surprise. It’s a thicker-cut noodle that tastes and looks like traditional pasta, and I genuinely enjoyed eating it.
The texture holds up well after cooking, and I’d happily choose it over a full-carb spaghetti in most meals.
With 17 grams of net carbs, it’s not the lowest-carb option and will have a moderate blood sugar impact, but I found it predictable and easy to dose insulin for. It gave me a slight rise, nothing dramatic.
The pasta is made from enriched durum semolina, modified wheat starch, and wheat gluten, so it’s not suitable for gluten-free diets. But if you can tolerate gluten and want a very authentic pasta experience with fewer carbs, this is a great choice.
Although the product is made without eggs or dairy, the facility where it’s made processes egg products.
Al Dente Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine
Net carbs: 24 g
Review score: 2.5 stars
This pasta tastes great and looks and feels like regular pasta. Unfortunately, it also had the same blood-sugar impact as regular pasta.
Just based on its aggressive impact on my blood sugar, I wouldn’t buy this product again.
Aside from the blood sugar impact, another weird thing was that when it was delivered, the bag looked like it had taken a beating, with all the fettuccine broken into smaller pieces. After reading other reviews on Amazon, I’ve realized that this is a common issue.
The pasta is made with semolina flour, a high-gluten flour often used in bread and baked goods, as well as couscous. Other ingredients are soy, wheat, and eggs.
The ingredient list means this pasta isn’t appropriate for anyone trying to reduce or avoid carbs, gluten, eggs, or soy, but it could be appropriate if you’re avoiding dairy.
Banza
Net carbs: 27 g
Review score: 2 stars
Banza pasta is widely available in most major grocery stores and online, which is the only reason I’ve included it here.
It has significantly more net carbs than most of the other low-carb pastas I have included in this review, with close to 30 net grams per serving.
Once cooked, the pasta comes out more al dente than I prefer. I tried cooking it for longer than the package recommends, but it still doesn’t seem to help. Overall, it tastes like whole-grain pasta.
Given the carb amount, this pasta will likely affect blood sugar for most people. However, I didn’t experience a spike, just a slow rise.
The main ingredients in Banza are chickpeas, tapioca, and pea protein, making it a great product for people wanting to avoid or reduce their intake of gluten, dairy, or eggs.
Let me know if you don’t see your favorite low-carb pasta on the list, and I’ll add it (after trying it myself). I love pasta, and I am always looking for great low-carb and diabetes-friendly products.
Before you leave to shop for low-carb pasta, you should also take a look at my low-carb bread review and low-carb yogurt review. I tested a lot of popular brands and found some great products!
Maria Maraki
I wonder why Dreamfields was not reviewed? It’s a slow carb design and it tastes precisely like regular pasta. I use it regularly and don’t get the “carb slump” for what that’s worth. I don’t know how it’s made but it is pretty widely available and affordable so it seems like an ideal product if it’s at least not causing a big spike.
Phil
Super article, very well written; I definitely plan to try some of these!
The reason I was looking for reviews like these was that I had tried the “Low Carb Thin Spaghetti Pasta” from lowcarbfoods.com — having previously tried and enjoyed their low carb bread — and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor, which was a bit bland but overall an inoffensive pasta-ish taste to my palette. I figured if one company had figured out how to make such good low-carb pasta then there must be others, and you proved it! The texture was a bit soft even after only 3 minutes (out of 3-5 recommended), but from your reviews I suspect you might find that a positive feature.
They claim 3g net carbs for a 1.76oz serving; being somewhat pessimistic I assume this is in part because they’d have to round up to 4g for a standard 2oz serving. The only ingredient listed is soybeans, which really surprised me. I think I’ll try their “Buttery” or “Egg” variety next, though I don’t expect anything but the shape to be noticeably different.
I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the brand, but I’d be very curious to see how you feel it stacks up against the others on this list.
Christel Oerum
Thank you, yes I was pleasantly surprised about the fairly decent amount of good, or as you say “non-offensive” 😉 options. Can you get that pasta in any stores or only online?
Phil
That’s a really good question; I have never seen “LC Foods” products in stores. It looks like small-time distributors re-sell the products on Amazon, but that’s not the same thing of course.
I hadn’t thought about it before you asked, but now that you do I’m not surprised since they seem to bake some of their products on demand and ship, depending on season, accordingly with instructions to refrigerate immediately upon receipt. This model seems to work pretty well for a small direct-ship operation but probably wouldn’t carry over to retail distribution.
Christel Oerum
OK, thank you for checking up on that
Shama
I’m trying to cut carbs to combat pcos symptoms and insulin resistance. This was super helpful, thanks!
Kristi Sharp
Good Morning,
I know this article goes back a few months, however, I ran across it while researching the ZENB pasta. Made of 100% yellow peas. Have you tried it, and how does it affect your blood surgar. Seems relatively high in carbs, however, it should be low on the glycemic index and therefore not cause huge spikes? Thoughts?
Christel Oerum
I haven’t tried that brand. A serving has 29 grams of net carbs, so regardless of it being low glycemic you will see a blood sugar imoact. But it could be good, please let me know if you try it
Lisa
Shirataki noodles are great. You have to ‘handle’ them though. Dry cooking then soaking them in a flavored liquid like soy sauce or any broth helps their taste and texture. They can soak overnight without hurting their texture. Also they are much cheaper from a local Asian market! And they keep well in their package. There’s lots of info in the internet about using them.
Lin
Thanks for checking these out! My favorite brand is Fiber Gourmet Rotini as well as their elbows. For some reason, my husband and I agree that the spaghetti they make does not taste as good as the rotini and elbows, so we stopped buying it. It’s strange because the ingredients are exactly the same. The elbows are great for Mac and cheese!
Now that I have read your reviews, I will try out the Explore brand, and the Thin Slim and see if I like them as much as Fiber Gourmet. I would love to find a brand that tastes as good as Fiber Gourmet but with half the net carbs.
kazy
Hi Christel,
I have a question. Did you test your blood sugar 1 to 3 hours after you ate any of the real pastas like Thin Slim, Great Low Carb Bread Company and Fiber Gourmet pastas? Was it still relatively low? Or did it spike later on? Pasta is very deceptive when testing blood sugar because it is low on the Glycemic Index, meaning it’s slow to digest, so if you take a reading right after you eat your blood sugar can be low, even without fiber. That’s why you need to take it at the 1 hr, 2hr and then 3 hr. mark. That’s when it spikes. But if it doesn’t, then you know you got a winner there!
Christel Oerum
I wear a Continous Glucose Monitor (CGM) so I keep an eye on my blood sugars before, during, and the hours after meals, including these tests. They are obviously not a “clinical setting” test and we all react differently to different foods, so you might see slightly different results
kazy
I would recommend going to Fiber Gourmet’s website rather than Amazon. It’s way cheaper than what Amazon sells it for. And there’s way more pasta choices. I don’t think Amazon sells all their pasta. But I could be wrong. Regardless, their website sells them for way less.
https://fibergourmet.com/collections/pasta
Meghan
Any idea why the carba-nada impacted your blood sugar so much more than the Fiber Gourmet even though they have the same net carbs?
Christel Oerum
I found it really weird, so tried it a few nights in a row and kept getting the same results. I’d think it’s the ingredients, and that some of those ingredients they subtract as fibers, for me had a significant blood sugar impact. Another option is that they’re not completely truthful or use a different formula for calculating their carbs…
kazy
I think that a lot of these companies that make products that are naturally high in carbs, like pastas and breads and “sweets” but want to appeal to those who want and need low carbs won’t do their due diligence in the ingredients that make them truly low carb. Like maybe testing people on their blood glucose level before they make the claim it’s low carb. They also might say they included “x” amount of fiber or fat or protein (ingredients that can slow carb digestion down and reduce your glucose numbers when eating carbs), but maybe not. Or maybe it’s not the kind of fiber that slows down carb digestion or the same fiber that Fiber Gourmet uses. (By the way I love Fiber Gourmet. It is my go-to pasta.)
And I don’t think those manufacturers that make these pastas or breads that spike blood glucose actually test for that, and because the Food lobby is so strong and influential in Congress, the FDA guidelines play fast and loose when it comes to actual nutrition fact labels on food.
I can’t tell you how many You Tube videos I’ve seen of people who test their blood sugar level with these so-called low carb breads, like net 4-grams of carbs and it ends up spiking their glucose. So I’m thinking, unfortunately, because I used to eat Aldente all the time because their label said low carb and low calories, that the quantity or even the existence of the ingredients on their food label is not accurate since there was such a discrepancy between the spike in glucose between Aldente and Fiber Gourmet with supposedly same ingredients. In other words, many food labels are false advertisement and I’m not saying it’s intentional and deliberate but it’s really up to the consumer to keep them honest. And, also, not for nothing, everyone is different when it comes to having their blood spike.
BTW I love this post. It is so helpful. Thank you.
Janine Miller
Have you ever tried Dreamfields pasta? Someone told me it only has 5 g of digestible carbs per serving.
Christel Oerum
I have not tried that one, that will go on my list
Meghan
I’ve heard of Dreamfields so I looked it up for the exact numbers. I’m seeing 37 net carbs/serving on the penne. It has 5g fiber. Maybe that’s what they were thinking of?
Deb
I have I use to like it but seems they must have changed something the noodles come out very sticky now
I don’t buy them anymore
kazy
Dreamfields, I believe had a lawsuit, (not sure, can’t swear to it) against them for false claims about their pasta. This was a few years ago. A consumer discovered that what was on the label was just not true and she started a petition which gave them a lot of bad publicity so the company had to change the label. Hence, the change in ingredients and nutrition facts.
Jen
You’re correct-they were sued for false claims and had to remove all statements on its pasta boxes that claim the product has a lower glycemic index than traditional pastas, that it can reduce spikes in blood sugar levels, and that it only has five grams of digestible carbohydrates.