Is Pasta Vegan?
While some kinds of pasta are clearly not plant-based, it can sometimes be challenging to tell what pasta is vegan. Even though a brand might be seemingly plant-based, there’s always a chance that a hidden animal product was used.
So, is pasta vegan?
✅ Most varieties of dried pasta are vegan. But, always read the label and pay close attention to fresh pasta brands, which often contain animal products.
Is All Pasta Vegan?
No, all pasta is NOT vegan. But, two things are generally true: 1) Most dried pasta is vegan, and 2) Most fresh pasta is not vegan.
Most varieties of dried pasta, which are often boxed, are vegan because they need to be made with more shelf-stable ingredients. Because many animal products like eggs and milk are not shelf-stable, they are usually left out of these products.
On the other hand, fresh pasta does not need to be shelf-stable because it is often refrigerated. Fresh pasta tends to have animal products like milk and eggs, but there are some varieties of vegan fresh pasta.
How to Tell if Pasta Is Vegan Friendly
To tell which pasta is vegan, you just have to read the label and make sure that all of the ingredients are vegan-friendly.
This might be a simple task when it comes to fresh pasta because many of the non-vegan ingredients are obvious, such as eggs or milk.
But, is dried pasta vegan? Not always. Many brands of dried pasta have an ingredient list filled with unfamiliar words. So, I created a list of common dried pasta ingredients that are not vegan and vegan-friendly so you can compare them to your label.
✅ Common Ingredients that are Vegan-Friendly:
- semolina (wheat)
- durum wheat flour
- commonly added minerals:
- ferrous sulfate (iron)
- niacin (Vitamin B-3)
- Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin (B-2)
- Folic Acid
🚫 Non-Vegan Ingredients to Watch Out for:
- eggs or egg yolks (often found in dried egg noodles)
- whey protein
- egg whites
- milk or milk powder
❓Ingredients that are SOMETIMES Vegan:
Some of the ingredients in pasta are SOMETIMES vegan. These ingredients can be sourced from animals, plants, or created in a lab. When you come across one of these ingredients, you don’t have to rule out the pasta. You just have to do some more digging.
Go to the pasta brand’s website and search around to see if they label any of their products as vegan. While they might not do this for each individual product, you can sometimes find the answer in their FAQs or about pages. As a last resort, you can always contact the manufacturer.
But, I already did all of the research for you. ☺️ Look for your product in the Vegan Pasta Brands Guide Below.
Vegan Pasta Brands Guide
| Brand | Vegan Pasta Products |
| Barilla |
|
| Ronzoni |
|
| Muller’s |
|
| San Giorgio |
|
| Skinner |
|
| Buitoni |
|
| Creamette |
|
| No Yolks |
|
This Buying Guide for Vegan Pastas includes products that say “may contain milk,” as this means there is a possibility of cross-contamination. If you have a food allergy, do not use this guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barilla pasta vegan?
All Barilla boxed pasta is vegan, besides these varieties: Protein+, Oven-Ready Lasagne, and Filled pasta (bagged tortellini).
Is pasta made with eggs?
Fresh pasta is often made with eggs, as well as dried egg noodle pasta. If there are eggs in pasta, it should be clearly labeled on the package. However, sometimes egg whites will not be listed. Always check with a manufacturer to make sure.