Pasta has emerged as a go-to meal choice for many people, be it for a quick weeknight dinner or gourmet weekend meals. While closer home there are fewer people who make the entire pasta dish from scratch, most opt for dining at restaraunt. Several restaraunt menus often flaunt a variety of dishes made using ‘artisanal pasta’. One question then pops up: What exactly is artisanal pasta, and how does it differ from regular pasta? While they may look similar, the two vary significantly in terms of ingredients, production methods, texture and even nutrition.
The biggest difference lies in the way pasta is produced. Regular pasta is mass-produced in factories using industrial machines that knead, shape and dry the dough at high temperatures. This quick process ensures uniformity and a longer shelf life, making it affordable and easily available.
Artisanal pasta, on the other hand, is made in small batches using traditional methods. Many producers rely on slow kneading and extrusion through bronze dies — a technique that gives the pasta a rough, porous surface. It is also dried slowly at low temperatures, sometimes over several days, which helps preserve the natural flavour of the wheat. In short, if a restaurant is offering artisanal pasta, they have probably prepared the pasta also in-house, along with the sauce.
Since the preparation drastically varies, it is natural that there is a taste difference between the two. If you have ever noticed that some pasta seems to “hold” sauce better, that’s where artisanal pasta shines. The rough surface created by bronze dies allows sauces to cling beautifully, resulting in a richer, more balanced bite. Regular pasta, with its smoother surface, often lets sauces slide off more easily.
Artisanal pasta also has a firmer bite and maintains its shape better when cooked al dente, whereas regular pasta can turn soft or mushy if slightly overcooked.
