Sunflower Protein Pasta vs Chickpea Pasta: An Honest Comparison
In short: Protelle sunflower pasta delivers considerably more protein and noticeably fewer carbohydrates, while chickpea pasta delivers more fibre. Both are plant-based, and the choice comes down to which of those matters more to you.
Per 100 g of dry product
| Measure | Protelle (sunflower protein) | Chickpea pasta (Barilla) |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 33 g | 21.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g | 60.7 g |
| Fibre | 12 g | 14.3 g |
| Fat | 2.2 g | — |
Where Protelle wins
- Protein: 33 g against 21.4 g. That is 54% more — the largest gap in this comparison.
- Carbohydrates: 40 g against 60.7 g. A third lower.
- Taste. Sunflower protein is neutral; chickpea is not. Chickpea pasta carries a pronounced legume note that comes through under most sauces. That is not a fault in the product, but it is a taste you have to like.
- Texture and cooking. Chickpea pasta overcooks easily and can break up. Protelle cooks like ordinary pasta, in 8–10 minutes.
Where chickpea pasta wins
Fibre: 14.3 g against Protelle's 12 g. Chickpea pasta is objectively ahead here and we are not going to talk around it. If fibre is your main criterion, chickpea pasta gives you more of it. Some lentil products give more still.
Both products are nonetheless high in fibre under EU rules: the threshold is 6 g per 100 g, and Protelle's 12 g is double it.
Which to choose
- You want maximum protein and the fewest carbohydrates — Protelle.
- You want maximum fibre — chickpea.
- You want pasta that tastes like pasta — Protelle.
- You have a legume allergy — Protelle. Coeliac disease or gluten intolerance — chickpea: Protelle contains wheat protein and wheat flour.
An important caveat about these numbers
Legume pasta figures vary a great deal between manufacturers: across USDA entries, chickpea products range from 11.8 to 24.6 g of protein per 100 g. The figures here describe one specific product (Barilla Chickpea), not the category. Always read the panel on the pack in front of you.
Read next
- What protein pasta is
- Sunflower vs lentil pasta
- Protein vs regular pasta
- Protelle protein pasta, 300 g
Sources
- Protelle — manufacturer’s own specification, per 100 g of dry product.
- Durum wheat pasta — USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, entry 168927 “Pasta, dry, unenriched”.
- Barilla Protein+ — manufacturer’s declared panel (10 g protein, 5 g fibre, 38 g carbohydrate per 56 g serving) converted to 100 g; matches USDA Branded entries 2773461, 2773993 and 2774322.
- Red lentil pasta (Barilla) — USDA FoodData Central, Branded, entry 2598839.
- Chickpea pasta (Barilla) — USDA FoodData Central, Branded, entry 2581178.
Legume pasta figures vary widely between manufacturers, so a specific product is named throughout rather than the category.