I'd Sworn Off Protein Pasta. Then I Tried Brami.

I’m no stranger to the world of protein pasta. In pursuit of a nutrient boost without cooking any meat (and dirtying an extra pan), I’ve tried it all: the red lentil stuff, pasta made from chickpeas, even noodles that use mung beans and edamame instead of traditional flour. But what looks good in the box often doesn’t hold up when sauced. Much to my disappointment, these alt-pastas lack the chew, bite, and integrity you get from a product made with wheat flour, and they instead fall into one of two camps—strangely firm or on the verge of disintegrating into mush. I was resigned to the idea that you can’t have it all, that opting for protein pasta had to mean compromise. Until I tried Brami.

Brami is the pack leader in what I think of as a “second generation” of protein pasta, a category that started gaining shelf space over a decade ago. While the first generation replaced all wheat flour with beans or legumes (making them gluten-free as well as high-protein), Brami mixes lupini beans with Italian semolina durum wheat. This allows the pasta to pack in 21 grams of protein per serving while maintaining the taste and texture of “regular” noodles. It’s also bronze-cut in Italy, a technique that gives each noodle a rough, porous surface that’s easier for sauce to cling to.

Brami

Variety 8-Pack

Brami

If you’ve ever tried, say, chickpea pasta, you know that most protein pasta has a distinctly beany taste that’s hard to get past, even if you smother it with top-tier tomato sauce. Not so with Brami. The wheat flour helps the pasta taste shockingly similar to the traditional stuff while still affording you all the benefits that lupini beans have to offer. The ancient legume is sustainable to grow because it requires very little water, easy to digest, and rich in both protein and fiber—so it’s no wonder it’s been a favorite snack in the Mediterranean for millennia.

Brami also gets points in my book for its wide (and ever-growing) variety of shapes. The brand launched its pasta line in 2022 with radiatori, penne, fusilli, and curly mac, but has since added spaghetti and, just this month, a square-sided ditalini-like shape called cubetti. After making my way through countless boxes of numerous varieties over the past few months, here are some favorite ways I’ve used my three go-to Brami shapes.

Cubetti

Best for: Soups and pasta salads

Brami

Cubetti 10-Pack

Brami

Brami’s brand-new launch already has my heart. The hollow center, sharp corners, and ridged sides do an excellent job of grabbing on to sauce, dressing, or broth, making this an ideal choice for hearty minestrone soup or pasta salad. But my favorite way to eat cubetti is simple: tossed with plenty of parm, butter, and black pepper, plus some peas and lemon if I’m feeling fancy.

Radiatori

Best for: A thick tomato sauce

Brami

Radiatori 10-Pack

Brami

Radiatori’s deep grooves are begging to be doused in a chunky tomato sauce. I like to add chopped kale or spinach and pieces of sausage, which I cut to a similar size as the pasta.

I love the way a chunky tomato sauce fills each little groove in Brami’s radiatori.

Penne

Best for: Creamy sauces

Brami

Penne 10-Pack

Brami

Penne loves a creamy tomato-based sauce (alla vodka is a classic for a reason), so my typical move is mixing the cooked pasta with a smooth tomato sauce (Rao’s is unmatched) and swirling fresh ricotta directly into the pot before serving. I add a dollop of the cheese on top for good measure.

Swirling ricotta into jarred marinara makes for a creamy sauce that coats each piece of penne beautifully.

Craving more?

• These are the best high-protein snacks
• Gluten-free pastas that actually taste good
• Our favorite new snacks