9 Frozen Pastas, Ranked Worst To Best

In my house, we eat a lot of pasta. From classic baked mac and cheese to my partner's favorite chicken Parmesan with spaghetti, I make my family at least two (and sometimes three) pasta dishes every week — and this is something they've come to expect. But, good pasta dishes take time to make, and some weeks are just so hectic it's hard to find the time to craft them. It's on these weeks I turn to frozen pastas, which I can make in a fraction of the time. Unfortunately, I've often found that frozen pastas don't live up to my expectations, and instead of making my life easier, they leave my family feeling vastly underwhelmed. But which frozen pastas fall into this negative experience category, and which can actually make my busy nights simpler?

I was provided an opportunity to answer this pressing question for not only myself, but also for you. After trying nine unique frozen pasta types and brands, I reported my findings here and ranked them from worst to best, drawing on my food industry background and other relevant experiences. Taste, texture, and smell were the most significant factors determining ranking. You can find my full methodology at the end of this article. Now, ready to discover which frozen pastas should be gracing your freezer for your most hectic nights? Let's get into it.

This package contains a single serving of Stouffer's Lasagna With Meat and Sauce. Each box provides 360 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, and 44% of your daily sodium intake. You'll also receive 3 grams of dietary fiber, 20% of your daily calcium, 10% of your daily iron, and 15% of your daily potassium. There are allergen warnings for wheat, milk, and soy.

If you were looking for a solid microwavable lasagna option, you're out of luck. When the instructions on the box were followed exactly, this came out super hard and burnt in some spots, while other areas remained lukewarm. Unfortunately, this was only my first problem with the meal. The lasagna noodles were really thick and somewhat rubbery, with a slimy coating, which I didn't find appealing. The sauce itself was okay, despite needing seasoning, but I couldn't taste the meat at all — it was as though the meat were only a texture thing rather than a contribution to the flavor profile.

Skip this at all costs. Opt for a higher ranking option if you're looking for a quick pasta for supper, or make homemade classic lasagna if you're trying to satisfy a craving.

This package of Kidfresh Buttered Pasta contains a single serving that provides 310 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of sugar, and 15% of your daily sodium intake. It also provides you with 2 grams of dietary fiber, 4% of your daily calcium, 6% of your daily iron, and 4% of your daily potassium. There are allergen warnings for milk and wheat, as well as cross-contamination warnings for eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and sesame.

The box highlighted that there were hidden vegetables in the pasta or sauce, including sweet potatoes and fava beans. I did like this concept because it offered a way to get my children to eat some more veggies without complaint, but the execution was lacking. To be fair, I didn't taste the vegetables, but the butter sauce had an odd flavor — it was like a heavily artificial grease had been paired with a mildly chunky butter. Texturally, the pasta was a little too chewy, but at least it cooked evenly based on the package's instructions.

I won't be buying this again, nor could I be tempted to eat it again if offered to me by someone else. My recommendation would be to skip this. Buttered pasta isn't hard to make at home in just a handful of minutes if that's what you want to eat.

You'll receive one serving per box of Marie Callender's Slow Simmered Rigatoni Bolognese Bowl. Each of those full-box servings provides 450 calories, 12 grams of fat, 9 grams of sugar, and 49% of your daily sodium intake — meaning this isn't a good choice for anyone needing to restrict salt. But, a box also provides 4 grams of fiber, 10% of your daily calcium, 20% of your daily iron, and 15% of your daily potassium needs. There are allergen warnings for milk and wheat.

This pasta dish wasn't nearly as horrible as our bottom two options, but I wouldn't call it good, either. On the bright side, the pasta texture wasn't awful, although it did have that slimy sheen to it that so many microwavable pastas seem to have. I wonder if that sliminess isn't because microwavable options sit in their sauces for so long, or maybe because they're partially cooked and reheated. The sauce had a small kick of heat to it, but was too acidic to the point I had acid reflux pretty bad throughout the evening after eating this. Also, while the smell was the saucy pasta I expected, the meat looked weird and unappetizing.

I wouldn't eat this again, even if someone offered it to me, and I definitely wouldn't buy it again. Leave this on the grocery store shelf and choose one of the top three or four options on this list instead.

One package of Lean Cuisine Classic Cheese Ravioli With Tomato Sauce is considered one serving. If you eat the whole serving, you'll consume 210 calories, 3 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, and 24% of your day's sodium intake. Plus, you'll get 2 grams of fiber and 10% each of your daily calcium, iron, and potassium. This does contain some major allergens, including egg, wheat, and milk.

I'm a big fan of ravioli and often purchase frozen options. However, I usually buy the plain frozen bagged varieties and make my own homemade tomato sauce rather than get those with the sauce already included. This taste test didn't change how I'll do that moving forward, as the sauce was watery with a weird, half-lumpy texture I didn't enjoy. Texturally, the ravioli itself was fine, although the taste fell a little flat — a little Italian seasoning could have vastly improved on the mediocre, starchy, and mild cheesy flavor profile.

I wouldn't purchase this again moving forward, and it's doubtful that I could be tempted to try it again if someone else offered it to me. If you're looking specifically for ravioli, our next option is a slightly better choice.

One bag of Bertolli Cheese and Spinach Ravioli contains a single serving, although I think you could get two servings out of it due to how filling it is. Each serving includes 660 calories, 27 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, and 51% of your daily sodium. It also includes 3 grams of fiber, 30% of your daily iron, 15% of your daily calcium, and 6% of your daily potassium. Allergen warnings include egg, milk, and wheat.

This cheese and spinach ravioli marks the part of this ranking where we go from "bad" options to the "good" ones — although we're not quite in "great" territory yet. My experience with this pasta started out on a bad note when I opened the bag to be greeted by the weird smell of fake butter and chemicals. Although this scent did bring the ranking down a bit, I'm happy to report it wasn't overall indicative of the taste, which was very buttery and earthy with distinct starchy notes. The texture was very soft on the outside, with an almost fluffy filling.

Although I wouldn't buy this again, I would definitely eat it if someone else offered it to me. If you're looking for a frozen ravioli specifically, this is your best choice. But, if you have an open mind on types of frozen pasta, I suggest opting for a higher-ranking option.

The Rao's Made for Home Penne Alla Vodka comes in a single-serving container that has 420 calories, 20 grams of fat, 9 grams of sugar, and 25% of your daily sodium. It also offers 4 grams of fiber, 15% of your daily calcium, 10% of your daily potassium, 8% of your daily iron, and 2% of your daily vitamin D. There are allergen warnings for milk and wheat.

I've enjoyed quite a few Rao's products before, including a few variations of the brand's pasta sauce. I'm happy to report that the tomato vodka sauce in this frozen pasta was the creamy, rich, mildly sweet option I've enjoyed in their jars before. This was paired with a slightly al dente pasta in my favorite penne shape, which held the sauce really well. Faint earthy notes were strewn throughout, providing some complexity that elevated this dish. My only complaint here was that there was the faintest sliminess that frozen pasta so frequently has, and I did need to adjust the cooking time for this to be fully done.

Despite my complaints, this is a good option overall, and I might be tempted to buy it again if I wanted to switch up my weekday lunches. However, I think choosing Rao's jarred sauces with your favorite pasta is a better option if you have the time to make it.

This Udi's Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese is a single-serving container, and the only gluten-free option on this list. Each serving has 420 calories, 24 grams of fat, 4 grams of sugar, and 17% of your daily sodium. Eating a serving will also provide you with 2 grams of fiber, 20% of your daily calcium, 6% of your daily vitamin D, 4% of your daily potassium, and 2% of your daily iron. Although this is Celiac-friendly, it does contain allergen warnings for egg and milk.

If you have to eat a gluten-free diet, I have great news for you — this is the best gluten-free mac and cheese I've ever had. While this doesn't top some of the standard pasta options on this list, the taste and texture were almost identical to standard mac and cheese. Texturally, the noodles were firm and devoid of that sliminess dominating the bottom of the list. A bold, cheesy flavor profile slightly overwhelmed the starchiness of the pasta, but it worked out well here. My only real complaints were that this isn't enough for a full meal, and it could use a little extra seasoning. I added a sprinkle of salt and pepper after my initial taste test, which worked wonders.

I'll definitely buy this again, although I'll probably purchase the top-ranked frozen pasta more frequently. I suggest pairing this mac and cheese with grilled chicken and broccoli for a filling meal.

Here we have another single-serving package, with each portion of Lean Cuisine Classic Five Cheese Rigatoni providing 360 calories, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of sugar, and 30% of your daily sodium intake. That serving will also offer 4 grams of fiber, 15% of your daily calcium, 10% of your daily iron, and 8% of your daily potassium needs. There are allergen warnings for wheat and milk.

I remember eating my mom's Lean Cuisine meals growing up, and I always thought they were awful. So, I was happily surprised when this option actually turned out pretty good. The noodles were a perfect texture — not too soft, not too hard, and with no notable sliminess. The sauce was a robustly sweet tomato with faint notes of earthiness, all seasoned appropriately, so I didn't have to add anything to make it edible. This primary flavor profile is paired with a creamy cheese and counterbalancing starchiness. I actually don't have anything bad to say about this five cheese rigatoni, and the only reason it ranked lower was personal preference. I prefer the larger portion and the addition of meat in the top-ranking option.

I'll definitely buy this again. In fact, I'll probably keep one of these in my weekday lunch rotation moving forward. If you're looking for a tomato sauce pasta, this is your best option.

This Bird's Eye Voila! Skillet Meals Three Cheese Chicken is the only multi-portioned option in our ranking that contains approximately three servings per container. Each of those portions includes 200 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of sugar, and 35% of your daily sodium intake. Per serving, you'll also receive 3 grams of fiber, and 8% each of your daily calcium, iron, and potassium needs. Allergen warnings include wheat, milk, and soy.

This wasn't the first Bird's Eye Voila! Skillet Meal I've tried, but it is my favorite one so far. The shape of the noodles holds the cheesy sauce really well, ensuring there's a little bit in each bite. Texturally, the chicken is moist, the noodles are cooked perfectly, and the vegetables are just hard enough to offer a little crunch without providing any real chewing resistance. A rich cheesiness dominates the flavor profile, balanced nicely by starchy, earthy, savory, and sweet notes. But my favorite part is that this bag offers three servings instead of one, making it a better choice for family meals.

I'll be keeping one of these bags in my freezer at all times moving forward, so I have a home-cooked meal option for those nights I don't feel like cooking but can't wait for takeout. I highly recommend grabbing a bag for yourself so you can see why this ranked as our top frozen pasta.

From the numerous options available to me at my local Shoprite in Vineland, New Jersey, I selected a wide range of frozen pasta types and brands for inclusion in this ranking. By selecting such a diverse assortment, I believed I would be best able to create a comprehensive assessment of available options. Each frozen pasta was judged based on its taste, texture, and smell when eaten as-is, without alterations or additional seasonings. If there were any other noteworthy aspects that played into a pasta's spot on this list, it's noted in the slides above.

I primarily used more than 15 years of food industry background to make my judgments, during which time I regularly made various pasta types. Prior consumption of frozen pastas, extensive experience cooking these dishes at home, and prior work creating articles for Daily Meal also contributed. This includes similar pasta-based articles, like this one ranking Walmart's frozen pastas and this one providing a professional explanation on why pasta tastes better at restaurants. Although personal preference played a role in this ranking, I aimed to be as unbiased about product quality as possible.