Pasta is often considered a cupboard staple - but is there really much difference in the taste of supermarket own-brands?
As the cost of living crisis continues to squeeze household budgets, it helps to know what pasta provides the best value - without compromising on taste.
Liverpool Echo reporters have scoured the supermarket shelves to give their verdict on where we should be heading to buy ours.
Ranging in price from just 35p to 69p, pasta is normally one of the cheapest items on our shopping lists.
Here is what happened when reporters Amy Browne, Jess Flaherty and Emily Sleight put supermarket value pasta from Asda, Aldi and Morrisons to the test.
Here is how they got on:
Morrisons Saver Penne Pasta
The Morrisons Saver Penne was the cheapest pasta they could find in store, priced at 45p for a 500g bag.
One reporter said: “The pasta itself is quite small in size and it didn't particularly bulk up much after cooking either. It was quite pale in colour and cooked evenly in around 10 minutes (for a slightly al dente texture).”
Despite its bog-standard value packaging, she “couldn't really fault the taste.”
“It's not got the flavour of fresh pasta of course, but I couldn't really tell it apart from the dried pasta I'd usually buy at a higher price.”
“If you're cooking a big batch for a pasta bake and smothering it in some sort of tasty sauce, this is definitely a good option at a low cost”, she added.
The Morrisons Saver Penner received a rating of 4/5 - a standard pasta that will no doubt get the job done, but perhaps won’t wow in terms of taste.
Asda Just Essentials Pasta Shapes
Priced at just 35p for a 500g bag, it’s no wonder the reporter trying this pasta was impressed by its value.
She said: “At 35p, it's excellent value for money. I'm not too keen on the garish yellow packaging wrapping all Just Essentials products, but who really cares about packaging? We all know it's the taste that's the most important factor of all.
“I am completely obsessed with pasta, it's the ultimate comfort food and I adore how versatile it is. I'm a big fan of conchiglie, classic spaghetti and ziti but I'll happily have pasta any way it comes.
“This pasta is, like most dried pasta, incredibly tasty, easy to prepare, and it works well with an array of recipes. I don't think there's a noticeable difference between this and the pricier supermarket alternatives.
“While it definitely doesn't taste as good as fresh pasta, it's still delicious, versatile and incredibly cheap.
“The only downside is the lack of options in the Just Essentials range, plus its popularity means it's regularly sold out, so quite tricky to get your hands on.
“If you're after penne pasta, I'd definitely recommend snapping up Asda's Just Essentials Pasta Shapes - it absolutely gets the job done and there's really no noticeable difference between this and more expensive dried pasta products.”
Asda’s Just Essentials Pasta Shapes also received a rating of 4/5, making it another great versatile pick that certainly won't break the bank.
Aldi Cucina Penne Pasta
Of the three, Aldi’s Cucina Penne Pasta was the most expensive, priced at 69p for a 500g bag - but it seems like the taste and quality has made up for the slightly higher cost.
Aldi does have a cheaper value product but Aldi's cheaper Every Day Essentials Penne priced at just 32p was out of stock on the day the reporter did their shop - so they went for a higher-priced alternative.
The reporter said: “I’m a huge fan of pasta, in fact, I’d say I have pasta almost every day as part of a salad or main meal.
"I’m always looking for cheaper alternatives to pasta and I’m never particularly fussy, as long as it’s some form of carb going in my belly I’m happy!
“I usually get Asda own brand pasta, but thought I’d switch it up this week and try Aldi Cucina pasta which is priced at 69p as opposed to the Asda pasta I usually get which costs me 85p.
“Although it’s only a saving of 16p, every little helps with everything going on at the moment. I boiled the Aldi pasta until it was nice and soft and mixed it in my salad.
“I was actually pleasantly surprised, the penne pasta was larger than usual in terms of size and was really nice and filling in my salad. It was light and fluffy and not too heavy like some pastas I’ve tried.
“In terms of taste, it was quite fresh, which isn’t always the case when it comes to dried pasta. It’s safe to say I was impressed, and will definitely be making the swap to Aldi pasta for a slightly cheaper alternative.”
With is larger than usual pasta shapes, ‘fresh’ taste and fluffy texture, Aldi’s Cucina Penne Pasta came out on top with a 5/5 rating.
