🍝 Nutrition FactsDecember 7, 2025
Calories in Pasta: Complete Nutrition Guide
Pasta gets a bad reputation, but it can absolutely fit into a healthy diet. Here's everything you need to know about pasta calories.
Quick Answer (1 Cup Cooked)
220
Calories
43g
Carbs
8g
Protein
1.3g
Fat
Pasta Calories by Type (1 Cup Cooked)
| Pasta Type | Calories | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spaghetti (regular) | 220 cal | 43g | 8g |
| Penne | 220 cal | 43g | 8g |
| Fettuccine | 220 cal | 43g | 8g |
| Whole Wheat Pasta | 174 cal | 37g | 7g |
| Egg Noodles | 221 cal | 40g | 7g |
| Chickpea/Lentil Pasta | 190 cal | 32g | 14g |
| Zucchini Noodles | 20 cal | 4g | 1g |
| Shirataki Noodles | 10 cal | 3g | 0g |
Pasta + Sauce: Total Calories
The sauce is where most of the calories come from:
| Pasta Dish | Calories | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Pasta + Marinara | 290 cal | 220 + 70 sauce |
| Pasta + Meat Sauce | 420 cal | 220 + 200 sauce |
| Pasta + Alfredo | 520 cal | 220 + 300 sauce |
| Pasta + Pesto | 450 cal | 220 + 230 sauce |
| Pasta + Olive Oil & Garlic | 340 cal | 220 + 120 oil |
| Pasta Carbonara | 550 cal | Egg, cheese, bacon |
| Mac & Cheese | 500 cal | Per cup |
Cooked vs. Dry Pasta
Important: Pasta roughly doubles in weight when cooked:
- 2oz dry pasta = 1 cup cooked = 220 calories
- 100g dry pasta = 371 calories
- 100g cooked pasta = 131 calories
Pro tip: Weigh pasta dry for most accurate tracking, or weigh cooked and use 131 cal per 100g.
Restaurant Pasta Portions
Restaurant portions are typically 2-3x a standard serving:
| Restaurant | Typical Dish | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo | Dinner portion | 1,310 cal |
| Cheesecake Factory Pasta | Average dish | 1,500-2,000 cal |
How to Make Pasta Diet-Friendly
- Stick to 1 cup cooked (2oz dry) as your portion
- Choose marinara over cream sauces — saves 200+ calories
- Add vegetables for volume without many calories
- Use protein pasta (chickpea/lentil) for extra fullness
- Mix half pasta, half zucchini noodles to cut calories in half
- Measure your portions — eyeballing pasta is notoriously inaccurate
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