Every 100 kcal of whole wheat pasta brings 4 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 17th of the 111 grains in this database and 519th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 5.99 g per 100 g ranks 76th in its group.
Around 16% of the calories in whole wheat pasta come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Weight for weight, whole wheat pasta has 3.5 g of protein for each gram of fat (5.99 g against 1.71 g per 100 g).
Set against wild rice, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (wild rice has 6.5 g per 1 cup cooked).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving quoted here is measured by volume at 117 g, and it covers about 14% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of whole wheat pasta
Protein and calories in Whole wheat pasta for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
5.99 g
149 kcal
1 cup cooked (serving used here)
117 g
7 g
174 kcal
1 cup spaghetti packed
151 g
9 g
225 kcal
1 cup penne
97 g
5.8 g
145 kcal
1 cup shells
105 g
6.3 g
156 kcal
1 cup lasagne
116 g
6.9 g
173 kcal
1 cup rotini
107 g
6.4 g
159 kcal
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
Essential amino acids in whole wheat pasta
The nine essential amino acids in Whole wheat pasta, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
0.409 g
0.48 g
68
lysine
0.133 g
0.16 g
22
valine
0.259 g
0.3 g
43
isoleucine
0.232 g
0.27 g
39
threonine
0.161 g
0.19 g
27
phenylalanine
0.298 g
0.35 g
50
methionine
0.097 g
0.11 g
16
histidine
0.14 g
0.16 g
23
tryptophan
0.077 g
0.09 g
13
Per-100 g values are the amino acid analysis on the USDA record. The serving and per-gram-of-protein columns are arithmetic on those values; they are not a protein quality score.
SampleWhat goal trends look like after a week
109 g
Average per logged day
4 of 7
Days goal met
71%
Complete-protein share
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Sample figures for one made-up week against a 110 g goal, not your data. Red bars met the goal. Your own log fills this in with Premium.
How much protein is in 100 g of whole wheat pasta?
5.99 g. The 1 cup cooked serving used on this page weighs 117 g and so carries 7 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of whole wheat pasta?
4 g. That figure divides its 5.99 g of protein per 100 g by its 149 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in whole wheat pasta complete?
No. On its own, the protein in whole wheat pasta is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of whole wheat pasta?
About 14%. One 1 cup cooked serving has 7 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #168910 (Pasta, whole-wheat, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.