Why You May Want To Avoid Buying Canned Pasta

Pasta ... in a can? When you think of it that way, it puts into perspective the kind of sacrilege we had on our hands as kiddos. I was far more familiar with pasta from Chef Boyardee than the authentic stuff, so these cans became nostalgic emblems of carefree times. Now, pasta is on the list of canned foods to avoid at all costs. 

One of the biggest downsides of canned pasta is what happens during the canning process. Unlike freshly cooked pasta that retains some bite and structure, canned pasta sits in a sealed container filled with sauce for months — sometimes years — before it reaches your plate. To ensure it stays shelf-stable, manufacturers pre-cook the pasta, then submerge it in sauce before sealing and heating the can to high temperatures in order to kill bacteria. While this makes it safe to eat for long periods, it also means the pasta continues to absorb liquid and break down over time.

The sauce doesn't fare much better. Since canned pasta is processed at high temperatures, the flavors in the sauce become muted and overly sweet, often relying on preservatives and excessive salt to make up for what's lost. Unlike a slow-simmered homemade sauce that develops depth over time, canned pasta sauce tends to taste one-dimensional and even metallic due to long storage in the can. While some consider pasta one of the best items to eat straight from the can, there's really no such thing as "restaurant-quality" when it comes to pasta a la can.

There's also the issue of the lack of nutrientsin canned pasta. That high-heat canning process doesn't just zap freshness; it also wipes out a good deal of the vitamins and minerals you'd get from fresh or even frozen pasta. So you're getting some carbs and a whole lot of sauce, but you're also missing out on anything that actually makes a meal balanced. 

Another strike against canned pasta is that you don't get a ton of variety. You're stuck with the manufacturer's flavor and texture. No extra garlic, no fresh herbs ... you can tweak the flavor to some degree, but if you're going to have to put it in a pot and simmer it and do all that just to get it halfway palatable, you might as well have cooked it from scratch, no? And while we're on the subject of things you can't control, there's also the element of food safety risk. Botulism isn't super common, but improperly canned food can be a real hazard. 

At the end of the day, is canned pasta a viable entrée? I guess, but frozen pasta options taste way better, hold their texture, and are more customizable. Even boxed pasta with a quick homemade sauce is miles ahead in terms of quality. If you're going for convenience, there are many other ways to do better than a soggy can of spaghetti.