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I don't cook pasta very often so I allow myself to use regular "white" pasta. I really don't like the taste of any of the various brands of whole wheat that I've tried.

I think it depends on the shape of the pasta as well. I bought a name brand (can't remember the brand) box of whole wheat penne and the mealy texture was very pronounced. The same brand's spaghetti was ok though. I've also tried brown rice penne that was quite nice, but the brown rice spaghetti was a total gummy, slimy mess.

to enjoy whole wheat pasta (or any non-traditional pasta like farro) you just need to serve it with the right condiment. i make a delicious whole wheat penne with bacon, spinach and chickpeas. super simple but really good.
rustichella whole wheat pasta is great - they just came out with an organic one too.

I tried whole wheat pasta twice, but I've given up on it. The gumminess isn't so bad, but the mealyness is really unpleasant to me. I try to fit whole grains into my diet as much as possible, but in other places.

I like DeCecco for both white and wheat. It doesn't seem to have that grainy texture. Things I actually prefer with whole wheat are hearty greens like broccoli rabe or kale, usually paired with white beans. I had whole wheat ribbon pasta at a restaurant once (now out of biz) served with cabbage and roasted garlic. It was great! (And it was winter.) But I don't like pesto w/whole wheat, nor oil & garlic, nor light fresh tomato sauces (heavier ones, esp w/eggplant, are good).

I don't eat meat, but I figure strong flavors like sausage probably work a whole lot better than, say, seafood.

I like whole wheat pasta, although it took me a while to be willing to try it. Barilla Plus is good. Also, Trader Joe's organic whole wheat rotini is good, too. I think the sauce does make a difference. It works well in mac and cheese, at least in the mac and cheese I make! Have never tried w/w lasagne, but would like to see how that goes.

CMCinnyc, I'm no vegetarian so I can confirm your assumption.

Whole wheat spaghetti works much better with a bolognese sauce than it does with pesto or Olive oil and Parmesan.

I've never been successful with the heartier pastas like penne or farfalle... they're just too chewy.

As an Italian American who grew up in NY, I never thought I'd say this, but I like Whole Wheat Pasta more than I like white pasta now. Ronzoni makes a good WWP, as does a local upscale gorcery chain here in Texas called Central Market (their line is Organic WWP).

My husband and I eat whole-wheat pasta exclusively - that same Ronzoni brand mentioned above - and we rather enjoy it. But then, we use whole-wheat flour in all our baking too, so maybe we're just used to the taste.

~Q

If you have trouble with WW pasta, try Gia Russa... it's the only thing besides cat litter and TP that I go to a regular grocery store for. The capellini is divine, and I get the spaghetti too.

I am all Italian and macaroni (pasta) has been in my diet at least once a week since I could eat, when we made the switch to whole wheat last year, I didn't even notice really.

I eat pretty exclusively whole wheat pasta. I agree the ronzini brand is good (and inexpensive). I also like bionaturae. The whole wheat pastas don't come in as many shapes and varieties as the more processed kind, and part of the reason I like bionaturae is that they come in gobbetti and chiocciole and other shapes.

I often cook with whole wheat, but find it's availability inconsistent in grocery stores in my area, so not always. It does taste different, to be sure - I find mostly that it's far more filling than regular pasta. I don't think tasting 'the same' is the point and I'm always skeptical of advertizing claims or taste tests that say that two different kinds of food taste 'the same'. 'As good' is another matter, though.

We switched to WW pasta a few years ago and I barely notice the difference anymore. It is a little grainier, but I don't mind it. A hearty sauce and well salted water make a big difference.

I also like Bionaturae. They also have great tomato products and jams.

I like whole wheat pasta, but my husband is not so keen on it. We compromise - when we eat pasta (rarely), we make half-and-half together. It actually makes a nice contrast in the meal.

For light sauces, I use a pasta made with jeruselum artichokes. I don't remember the name offhand, it comes in a yellow box and whole foods carries it; so does stop n shop in the organic aisle. It has a very mild, slight nutty taste and the texture of white pasta. I highly recommend it!!

I like spelt pasta in my soups - similar texture to whole wheat.

I exclusively eat whole wheat pasta and do not really notice a difference when it is spaghetti, fettuccine or angel hair. I can tell more of a difference with penne and fusilli but I still like it. Maybe I am just used to it now.

We like to make our own pasta, and we only use white flour. The end result is light and tender and almost melts in your mouth. Mmm. If this cold, damp Pacific Northwest "summer" continues, we may just make a batch soon...

We switched to ww pasta years ago, when it wasn't as good. Now we are so used to it that white pasta doesn't taste right. I generally buy the Trader Joe's organic whole wheat pasta, but sometimes I buy something on sale at the regular grocery store. A couple months ago I bought some ww Archer Farms lasagna noodles on clearance at Target and they turned out pretty good--now I wish I had bought more.

TJ's whole wheat rotini is pretty good, but summer cries out for angel hair, which I haven't found as whole wheat yet (possibly because I haven't been looking). The rotini is fantastic with hearty sauces.

i love cooking with multi-grain and whole wheat pastas, depending on the recipe. the quality, texture, and taste vary widely from brand to brand. i'm partial to the ronzoni varieties. i make a peanut butter noodle dish that i think works better with a whole grain/whole wheat pasta.

No way. I don't eat it that often and refuse to compromise on the taste.

I eat pasta about once a week (2.5 ounces) and refuse to switch to whole wheat. It doesn't taste right, and I'd rather eat my paltry amount and enjoy it.
Besides, there's an article about duram wheat pasta and how it's actually quite good for you:

http://www.culinate.com/articles/opinion/pasta_myth

"The second myth surrounding white pasta is that it has almost no nutritional value. Actually, a cup of cooked pasta — which contains only around 200 calories — provides your body with the same amount of dietary fiber as a slice of whole-grain bread, as well as more than 15 different health-promoting vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, potassium, thiamin, and niacin. Durum wheat is also one of the most protein-rich of all grains, and a cup of cooked pasta contains more than 8 grams of protein."

I grew up eating whole wheat pasta, so I really don't notice a difference. It also means that, on the rare occasions I eat white pasta, I think it's overcooked and squishy.

Call me crazy but I actually like the taste of whole wheat and grain pastas better than white pasta. Sure, it takes a little longer to cook, but it adds a nice dimension to the dish. But sometimes when i do cook white pasta I forget and end up cooking it too long.