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                    U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                                  FORM 10-K/A
 
  /X/    ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES
         EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
         FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JULY 31, 1998

         OR
 
  / /    TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
                            ------------------------

                          Commission File No. 33-99834

                            ------------------------
 
                          DAKOTA GROWERS PASTA COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
                NORTH DAKOTA                           45-0423511
          (State of incorporation)          (IRS Employer Identification No.)
 
            ONE PASTA AVENUE, P.O. BOX 21, CARRINGTON, ND 58421-0021
          (Address of principal executive offices including zip code)
 
                                 (701) 652-2855
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
 
          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
                                      NONE
 
          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
                                      NONE

                            ------------------------
 
    Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months, and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes /X/  No / /
 
    Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. /X/
 
    There is no established public market for the Registrant's voting stock 
or equity stock. Although there is a limited, private market for shares of 
the Registrant's equity stock, the Registrant does not obtain information 
regarding the transfer price in transactions between its members and therefore
is unable to estimate the aggregate market value of the Registrant's shares held
by non-affiliates. As of October 28, 1998, the number of shares outstanding of
the Registrant's voting stock, par value $125.00, was 1,101 shares, and its
equity stock, par value $2.50, was 7,356,059 shares.
 
                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
    None.
 
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                                   SIGNATURES
 
    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
                                DAKOTA GROWERS PASTA COMPANY
 
                                By:             /s/ TIMOTHY J. DODD
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                  Timothy J. Dodd,
                                           PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER,
                                          AND PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
Dated: November 4, 1998
 
    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          SIGNATURE                       TITLE                    DATE
------------------------------  --------------------------  -------------------
 
<C>                             <S>                         <C>
     /s/ TIMOTHY J. DODD        General Manager
------------------------------    (Principal Executive       November 4, 1998
       Timothy J. Dodd            Officer)
 
    /s/ THOMAS P. FRIEZEN       Vice President--Finance
------------------------------    (Principal Financial and   November 4, 1998
      Thomas P. Friezen           Accounting Officer)
 
  /s/ JOHN S. DALRYMPLE III
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
    John S. Dalrymple III
 
    /s/ JOHN D. RICE, JR.
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
      John D. Rice, Jr.
 
     /s/ CURT R. TRULSON
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
       Curt R. Trulson
 
      /s/ ALLYN K. HART
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
        Allyn K. Hart
</TABLE>
 
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          SIGNATURE                       TITLE                    DATE
------------------------------  --------------------------  -------------------
 
<C>                             <S>                         <C>
     /s/ ROGER A. KENNER
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
       Roger A. Kenner
 
      /s/ JAMES F. LINK
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
        James F. Link
 
    /s/ EUGENE J. NICHOLAS
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
      Eugene J. Nicholas
 
     /s/ JEFFREY O. TOPP
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
       Jeffrey O. Topp
 
    /s/ MICHAEL E. WARNER
------------------------------  Director                     November 4, 1998
      Michael E. Warner
</TABLE>