Pasta Tubes Category

For more information about selecting, cooking, and storing pasta in general, click here.

Tubes with grooves on the exterior, denoted by the Italian adjective "rigati" or "rigate" after the pasta's name, do a better job of holding sauces. Smooth-walled pasta is called "lisci" or "lisce."

calamaretti

These look like rings of squid ("calamari" in Italian). They're great with sauces.

Learn more

cannelloni

Cannelloni ("big reeds" in Italian) are large pasta tubes that are usually stuffed with a meat or cheese filling, covered in sauce, and baked. The name is also used for the finished casserole.

Learn more

canneroni

Canneroni ("big reeds" in Italian) are small, short tubes of pasta.

Learn more

cannolicchi

These are short, grooved tubes of pasta.

Learn more

cavatappi

This is a type of Italian pasta shaped like a short, slender corkscrew.

Learn more

elicoidali

This Italian pasta consists of medium-sized, flat-cut tubes with spiraling ridges on the outside (elicoidali is Italian for "helix").

Learn more

garganelli

With its quill shapes, this type of Italian egg pasta resembles penne. It's often served with a simple meat sauce.

Learn more

macaroni

This tubular Italian pasta used to be made by wrapping pasta dough around knitting needles. The term now refers to any small tubular pasta, all of which go well with chunky sauces or in pasta salads. Elbow macaroni is curved, and is traditionally used to make macaroni and cheese.

Learn more

maccheroncelli

This is a long, tubular pasta. It's good with heavy sauces or in casseroles.

Learn more

magliette

This is a short, tubular variety of pasta.

Learn more

manicotti

Manicotti means "little sleeves" in Italian. These large, ridged tubes of Italian pasta are usually stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach and then baked.

Learn more

mezzani

This is a type of tubular Italian pasta that's short and curved.

Learn more

mostaccioli

These "little mustaches" are tubes of Italian pasta cut on the diagonal.

Learn more

paccheri

These large pasta tubes are about an inch in diameter. They collapse after they're cooked, trapping sauces within.

Learn more

pasta al ceppo

This means "pasta on a stick" in Italian, and this tubular pasta was originally made by wrapping dough around knitting needles.

Learn more

Pasta Tubes

With their thick walls, tubular pasta like penne and macaroni are ideal for pasta salads, thick sauces, and casseroles. Long tubes like perciatelli are often served with sauces, or they're broken up and used in soups. Large, wide tubes like cannelloni and manicotti are stuffed and baked. Tubes with grooves on the exterior, denoted by the Italian adjective "rigati" or "rigate" after the pasta's name, do a better job of holding sauces. Smooth-walled pasta is called "lisci" or "lisce."

Learn more

penne

This Italian pasta consists of short tubes cut on the diagonal, the better to scoop sauces inside. It's very versatile, and works well mixed with a sauce, or in a casserole, soup, or pasta salad. Penne rigate has ridges, the better to hold sauces. Penne lisce has smooth walls.

Learn more

pennette

This is a smaller version of penne, a popular Italian pasta shape.

Learn more

perciatelli

These are hollow pasta rods that are thicker than spaghetti. They're usually served in casseroles or with hearty meat sauces, or they're broken up and served in minestrone soup.

Learn more

reginelle

These pasta tubes are similar to penne, though a bit longer and thinner. The name reginelle is also sometimes used for reginette pasta, which are wide ribbons with ruffled edges.

Learn more

rigatoni

These are big pasta tubes with ridges. They're normally served with chunky sauces or baked in casseroles.

Learn more

tortiglioni

This is a tubular Italian pasta that's often served with chunky sauces or in casseroles.

Learn more

tufoli

This large, tubular pasta is often stuffed and baked. It also goes well with hearty sauces.

Learn more

ziti

These come either as long, hollow rods or as short tubes, called cut ziti. They're often baked in casseroles.

Learn more