Barilla Protein Plus Cellentani

Barilla Protein Plus Cellentani is a boxed, protein-focused dry pasta that you’ll find on the supermarket pasta aisle, shelved alongside other dry pastas and near specialty high-protein or legume-based pastas. It sits between familiar wheat semolina classics and newer specialty lines — close to other Barilla varieties and packaged alternatives aimed at health-conscious shoppers. Shoppers reach for it on weeknight grocery runs when they want a quick-but-healthy base for dinner, on meal-prep Sundays to portion out family lunches for the week, or after workouts when they’re seeking extra protein with their carbs. The brand positions itself as a trustworthy, family-friendly Italian pasta maker moving into performance and wellness territory: “Protein Plus” labeling, clear ingredient callouts (lentil, chickpea, pea protein), and vitamin/iron enrichment create a health-halo that appeals to active adults, parents and flexitarians. The packaging is a familiar rectangular cardboard box with a window or imagery of the distinctive cellentani corkscrew shape; there’s little in the way of kid-focused characters or organic certification — it’s not labeled organic, but it does highlight added protein and fortification. In plain terms this is an industrially produced extruded pasta made from wheat semolina and added legume flours and pea protein, then dried and packaged. Sensory notes: the spiral cellentani traps sauces, offers a pleasantly firm, slightly chewy al dente bite when cooked, and has a subtly beany background flavor from lentil and chickpea flours. Typical ritual: boil for the recommended time, drain, toss with sauce or olive oil, and portion into bowls for family dinners, packed lunches, or recovery meals.