As a vegan, you will know how hard it can be to avoid animal ingredients and foods wherever you go. You’ll be surprised how many things that you would think are vegan are actually not 100% vegan friendly.
The majority of the time, most packaged pasta will be vegan friendly. However, you have to be careful as some fresh pasta and other pasta brands can contain egg as an ingredient.
While most pasta is actually plant based, there can be some hidden or unexpected animal derived ingredients to look out for.
So, in this guide, we’ll go over which brands are vegan, which non vegan ingredients you need to keep an eye on, and how to tell if your pasta is 100% vegan friendly!
In short, not all pasta is vegan. To help you check quickly, as a general rule we would say that most dried pasta is 100% vegan, whereas most fresh pasta is not 100% vegan.
This is largely due to the fact that dried pasta needs a longer shelf life, so ingredients such as egg or dairy products would not be shelf stable, and are therefore not included.
In contrast, fresh pasta isn’t shelf stable, so this type of pasta may contain milk, eggs or other dairy products, but you can find vegan fresh pasta.
It can be hard to differentiate between vegan pasta and non vegan pasta, as sometimes the non vegan ingredients are hidden far down the list, or the font is very small to decipher.
In order to find out if your pasta brand is 100% vegan, you have to read the label and ingredients list.
The thing is, you may not be sure what some ingredients included are, and if they are vegan or not. So, check out our lists below for more clarification!
The most common vegan friendly ingredients you will see on the back of your pasta packaging are:
Durum Wheat Flour
Semolina (Wheat)
Folic Acid
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Ferrous Sulfate (Iron)
Ingredients That May Be Vegan
There are a couple of ingredients in pasta that may sometimes be vegan, as it depends on where these ingredients come from. These are mono and diglycerides and calcium phosphate.
Pasta Brands That Are Vegan
If you are unsure if the pasta brands in your local grocery store are vegan, then a quick hack is to head to their company website and check if any products are listed as vegan, or check the nutritional guidelines and allergen information.
Some sites will list this information in their frequently asked question guides also. If you’re still unsure, there will likely be an option to email or contact the manufacturer directly for clarification.
In this section, we will go over the common pasta brands you’ll find in stores, and whether they are vegan or not.
Barilla
Barilla boxed dry pasta is all completely vegan, except the Barilla Protein +, which contains eggs, and the Barilla Oven Ready Lasagne as this also contains eggs.
In addition, the filled pasta such as tortellini from Barilla are not vegan friendly.
Muller’s
The majority of Muller’s pasta varieties are 100% vegan, except from the Egg Noodles, the Whole Grain Ribbons, and the Yolk Free Ribbons as these contain egg whites instead of the yolks.
Ronzoni
Ronzoni pasta is vegan, aside from the Ronzoni Small Egg Bows (for obvious reasons!), the Ronzoni Smart Taste and Ronzoni Homestyle pastas.
Skinner
All of the pasta products from Skinner are vegan, except one- the Egg Noodles.
San Giorgio
San Giorgio is a mixed bag. The San Giorgio Homestyle Pasta is not vegan, nor is the Oven Ready Lasagne, or Egg Fettuccine.
The Pot Pie versions are also not vegan. However, the thick and heart range from San Giorgio is in fact vegan.
Buitoni
No Buitoni pasta products are vegan friendly.
Creamette
Much like Skinner, Creamette pasta products are all vegan except the Egg Noodles and the Homestyle range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pasta Normally Made With Eggs?
While fresh pasta is almost always made with eggs, most dried pasta is not made with eggs as it is a pantry product that needs a long shelf life.
However, dried egg noodle pasta can also contain eggs. Be sure to check the ingredients list on any pasta products you purchase.
Is Pasta Plant Based?
Pasta is typically naturally plant based, as it is made mostly from grain, but you can make pasta out of veggies and beans such as chickpeas or lentils.
Summary
To summarize, the majority of all dried pasta is vegan friendly, while most fresh pasta is not vegan friendly as it will contain eggs or milk.
With this guide, you now know which brands are vegan, and sell vegan pasta, and which ones you should avoid.
If you are ever unsure if your pasta is vegan, then the best thing to do is check the ingredients list on the back.
If you’re still in need of some clarification, then head to the brand’s company website and check out the allergen and nutritional information.
Failing that, you can always reach out to the company directly to see if the pasta contains any non vegan ingredients.
Hi, I’m Eve Mason and I’ve been a vegan since almost five years now.I can honestly say that veganism has changed my life for the better.The past few years I’ve been on a quest to find affordable vegan friendly food.Fortunately, meat-free alternatives have now become available in most supermarkets, which has made my life a lot easier.
I love cooking at home, but for those who don’t like cooking at all, there are more and more restaurants that offer vegan options as well nowadays.
I hope you enjoy my website and have fun preparing your own homemade vegan meals.
