More gluten means more chew

Yes. Higher gluten content directly translates to more chewiness in spaghetti.

Gluten is the protein network that gives pasta its structure and elasticity. When you use high-protein flour (around 13–15% protein, like bread flour or semolina), that network is stronger and more elastic. The spaghetti firms up, resists turning mushy, and gives you that satisfying resistance when you bite through it – what people call “al dente.”

Low-protein flour (say 9–11%, like all-purpose or 00 flour) produces a tender, softer noodle. The gluten network is weaker, so the pasta breaks down more easily as it cooks. It can still be pleasant, but it won’t have that springy snap. If you’ve ever had homemade pasta that felt more like dumplings than spaghetti, that’s the low protein talking.

This is why serious pasta makers reach for durum wheat semolina (very high protein) or bread flour. The protein level is the biggest lever you can pull for chewiness, other than maybe kneading time or resting the dough.

If you want that al dente bite, don’t skimp on the protein.