How many carbs are in pasta?
Pasta has 43.3 g of total carbs per 1 cup cooked (140 g) — about 40.8 g net carbs after 2.5 g of fiber. That's 30.9 g of carbs per 100 g, roughly 16% of the 275 g Daily Value.
USDA FoodData Central · enriched, cooked · FDC 169737
Carbs by portion
| Portion | Total carbs | Net carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup cooked (140 g) | 43.3 g | 40.8 g | 2.5 g | 0.8 g | 221 |
| 100 g | 30.9 g | 29.1 g | 1.8 g | 0.6 g | 158 |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 8.8 g | 8.3 g | 0.5 g | 0.2 g | 45 |
Net carbs = total carbs − fiber (the carbs that raise blood sugar, used in keto/low-carb tracking). Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 169737, SR Legacy). enriched, cooked.
A standard cooked cup of pasta is mostly starch on a plate: about 43.3 g of total carbs in a 1-cup serving (140 g), which is 30.9 g per 100 g. Almost nothing else is competing for the calories — under 1 g of fat and only about 8 g of protein per cup — so when people ask “how many carbs in pasta,” the honest answer is “nearly all of it.” It’s a refined-wheat staple, and it behaves like one: fast, digestible energy with very little to slow it down.
Why net carbs barely move the number
The figure that matters for keto, low-carb, and diabetes tracking is net carbs — total carbs minus fiber. With high-fiber foods, fiber takes a real bite out of that total. Not refined pasta: a cup carries only about 2.5 g of fiber, so the net carbs land at roughly 40.8 g, just a hair under the total. That missing fiber is exactly why pasta digests quickly and pushes blood sugar up — there’s little to buffer the starch. Pasta edges out white rice slightly on fiber, but the total carbohydrate is in the same high range, and the net stays close to the total either way.
How a cup fits a daily budget
In practical terms, one cup of pasta is a lot of carbohydrate, and restaurant plates routinely run two to three cups — which doubles or triples the carbs without changing the math in your favor. On a strict keto plan (20–50 g net carbs a day), a single cup can use the entire budget. On a moderate or diabetic-friendly plan, treat pasta as a portion-controlled carb: a measured cup alongside protein and vegetables behaves very differently from a heaping bowl. The single highest-leverage change is the swap — chickpea or lentil pasta (Banza is the best-known) is milled from legumes, so it brings several times the fiber and meaningfully lower net carbs for the same plate.
If you want the protein side of the picture, see protein in pasta — and for any packaged pasta you’re tracking, always read the label’s own carb and fiber lines.
Packaged grains options, graded
Prefer something off the shelf? Here are the best-graded grains in our catalog — each scored on our transparent Labelgrade. Check the carb line on each label for your goal.
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Labelgrade 91/100 · 32 g carbs · 13 g protein
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbs are in a cup of cooked pasta?
About 43.3 g of total carbohydrate in a standard 1-cup cooked serving (140 g), which is 30.9 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 169737). Pasta carries only about 2.5 g of fiber per cup, so the net carbs land close behind at roughly 40.8 g. An ounce of cooked pasta is only about 8.8 g of carbs — the cup is where it adds up.
What are the net carbs in pasta?
Roughly 40.8 g net carbs per cooked cup — total carbs (43.3 g) minus the 2.5 g of fiber. Because refined wheat pasta is low in fiber, net carbs sit just under the total, so almost every gram counts toward a keto or low-carb budget and toward blood sugar.
Is pasta keto or low-carb?
No. One cup at about 41 g net carbs would use up, or blow past, a typical 20–50 g daily keto budget on its own. Regular pasta is a high-carb, refined-grain staple — fine as fuel, but not a low-carb food. Chickpea or lentil pasta (Banza is the best-known) is the usual lower-net-carb swap.
Does pasta spike blood sugar?
It can, relatively quickly. Pasta is mostly starch with little fiber to slow digestion, so a full plate carries a meaningful glycemic load. Cooking it al dente, keeping the portion to a measured cup, and pairing it with protein, olive oil, or vegetables all blunt the rise — portion size matters most.
Does pasta have more carbs than rice?
Per cup, pasta is a little higher: about 43 g of carbs in a cup of cooked pasta versus about 45 g in a cup of cooked white rice — close, and both are high-carb staples. Pasta carries slightly more fiber (about 2.5 g per cup vs under 1 g for white rice), so its net carbs run a touch lower for the same bowl.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 169737 (Pasta, cooked, enriched, without added salt; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises the entry.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). See our methodology and the macro calculator to turn this into a daily target.