What's the difference between penne and rigatoni? (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between penne and rigatoni? ›

Penne is cut on the bias, or diagonal, giving it a pointed shape. Rigatoni is cut straight, giving it a cylindrical shape. 2. Rigatoni always has ridges around the outside.

Penne is essentially a smaller version of rigatoni. This makes it a good fit for lighter, tomato-based sauces such as vodka or marinara.

Elbow pasta and penne both fall under the macaroni category of pasta. Penne pasta is a ridged, straight, tube-shaped pasta, whereas elbow pasta is a smooth, curved, tubed-shaped pasta. Both penne and elbow pasta are great for saucy dishes.

So says Cathy Whims, the chef of Nostrana and Oven & Shaker in Portland, Oregon, and a six-time James Beard Foundation nominee for Best Chef Northwest.

Rigatoni pasta noodles are medium size tubes with ridges. In comparison, ziti noodles are a bit longer, skinnier, and don't have ridges down the side. They're similar, but we like to use rigatoni for its ability to hold onto the sauce! You can always swap out ziti for rigatoni but make sure you check the cooking times.

Gnocchi. Gnocchi is the most pillow-like of all the pillowy pastas. The soft and tender dumpling is made from boiled potato and flour, making it filling but so delicious. It can be used in soups, like this Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup, in cream sauces, like this cacio e pepe, or in any tomato or butter sauces.

Penne is a good choice for baked pasta dishes, it holds up well in the oven and is the perfectly sized mouthful. Try using this pasta in a carbonara pasta bake with meat and vegetables. Rigatoni is a large tube noodle that is wider than penne and cut short and straight.

The tube shape can come in two varieties: smooth or ridged. Either way, it's the perfect pasta for hearty sauces or baked pasta dishes. Penne is also a great noodle to use in place of rigatoni, ziti, or other pasta recipes that have a cylindrical shape.

Rigatoni are perfect for big chunkier sauces as their ridges and wide center help capture the sauce perfectly. This also helps them contain meats and large vegetables. Rigatoni also work well in baked pasta dishes as they can hold on to cheese well. Typically, rigatoni are associated with southern Italian cuisine.

Their ability to withstand cooking and their ease at holding sauces make them an ideal ingredient when preparing sumptuous, hearty recipes like casseroles or baked pasta. They go well with regional specialty sauces and are one of the pastas most often listed on the menus of trattorias.

Does rigatoni hold sauce well? ›

The ridges have a practical effect, helping to retain heavy sauces such as ragù Bolognese. Because the diameter of the pasta is larger than most other tubular pastas, rigatoni also holds sauce inside as well as outside, and, because the pasta is relatively thick, it holds up well to baking.

Well, generally, the ratio of dry to cooked pasta is approximately 1:1.5 to 1:2, as the dry pasta tends to expand upon boiling/cooking, and it can easily double in weight. And please don't worry about eating a few extra calories or achieving your ideal weight.

They will taste very much alike but they have different texture. Just as importantly, some hold thin sauces better, while other work better with chunkier ingredients. They DO taste the same, and the difference is the shape.

Yes, in a pinch you can substitute penne or rigatoni in any pasta dish that calls for either. The only thing to note is that if you use smooth penne it will have a different mouthfeel, and won't hold as much sauce as ridged penne or rigatoni.

Cavatappi (Italian: [kavaˈtappi]; lit. 'corkscrews') is macaroni formed in a helical tube shape. Certain areas of the US and Canada may also refer to it as "double elbows" or "scoobi doo" pasta, purportedly because of their resemblance to scoubidou.

The different types of pasta, taste different due to their thickness and texture, which affects the absorption of the sauce. Ribbed ones absorb the sauce better than the smooth ones. Each shape and texture has its own special purpose.

Rigatoni are perfect for big chunkier sauces as their ridges and wide center help capture the sauce perfectly. This also helps them contain meats and large vegetables. Rigatoni also work well in baked pasta dishes as they can hold on to cheese well. Typically, rigatoni are associated with southern Italian cuisine.