Does homemade pasta actually taste better than store bought?

Lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, bacon carbonara, ravioli – when it comes to pasta deliciousness there’s no shortage of options. We know it’s said that convenience is king, but when it comes to pasta, we beg to differ.

Before we explore the benefits of cooking with fresh pasta and why it trumps the boxed, store-bought variety every time, we need to make one other important differentiation.

Fresh vs Dry Pasta

Generally, when home cooks refer to fresh or dry pasta they automatically associate fresh with homemade and dry with store-bought types. However, this is not completely correct. Homemade pasta can be soft and fresh, still slightly damp, and take only minutes to cook. It can also be dried, stored, and used later. Store-bought pasta, on the other hand, is always dry, and will likely take even longer to cook than dried homemade pasta.

So keep in mind, that if you still want the benefits of homemade pasta but don’t have the time to make a fresh batch every time, you can make it in advance, dry it, and use it up to a month later if properly dried and stored. You can also freeze homemade pasta for convenience.

Drier pasta is firmer and great with thick, saucy meals such as bolognese and lasagne. Fresh pasta, on the other hand, is softer and lighter, pairing well with creamy and oil-based sauces.

Benefits of Making Your Own Pasta

Making your own pasta may sound daunting if you’ve never done it before, but even for a novice, it can be done in just a few minutes. With only three ingredients (flour, eggs, and water) and minimal equipment necessary, it’s probably one of the simplest things you can make, and most delicious too! Some recipes require the dough to rest which will take a little more time.

When making homemade pasta, you are using fresher and healthier ingredients without preservatives. This offers better nourishment, and it reflects in the texture and taste. In addition, you can completely tailor your pasta to your dietary needs with gluten-free flour, seasonings of your choice, low-sodium, and organic products.

Fresh pasta cooks much faster than store-bought pasta, so if you’re still hung up about the extra few minutes it’s going to take to mix your pasta dough, remember that you’ll only need to cook it for 90 seconds to 4 minutes.

Many store-bought boxed pasta types eliminate the addition of eggs to make it more shelf-stable. Although you can make eggless pasta at home as well, using the traditional method with eggs adds good protein content to your meal, making it much more nutritious, flavorful, and richer in color.

Do I Need a Pasta Roller to Make Pasta?

If you’re new to pasta making, you may wonder if it’s worth it to get a pasta roller. We highly recommend it. Using a pasta roller when whipping up a quick batch of pasta can make the process even more effortless. It allows you to get the perfect thickness and also makes it easy to create different shapes and stuff them with your favorite fillings.

Final Thoughts

So, the verdict is in. Taste, texture, versatility, fun factor, and nutritional content – homemade pasta wins on all grounds!