Cavatelli vs Gnocchetti sardi
Cavatelli is small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers. Gnocchetti sardi is small ridged dried shell, the commercial malloreddus.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmCavatelli: 20 to 30 mm by 8 to 12 mm
Gnocchetti sardi: 15 to 20 mm by 8 to 10 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Hand-formed | Short shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Puglia | Sardinia |
| Section | Small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers | Small ridged dried shell, the commercial malloreddus |
| Length | 20 to 30 mm | 15 to 20 mm |
| Width or diameter | 8 to 12 mm | 8 to 10 mm |
| Surface | Rough | Ridged |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 8 to 12 min | 10 to 13 min |
| Brands with a page | not measured | De Cecco, Rummo, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | not measured | De Cecco no. 46, Rummo no. 63, La Molisana no. 26, La Molisana no. 27 |
| Cook time across brands | not measured | 2 to 11 min |
| Brand dimensions | not measured | Rummo: 21 mm long |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 14 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Broccoli and anchovy, Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Cime di rapa, Pomodoro | Sausage ragu, Pomodoro, Pesto alla genovese, Meat ragu, Pasta salad |
Cavatelli
A dense chewy shell with a hollow, so it carries a ragu, broccoli or greens with garlic, a sausage sauce, and beans. The rough face holds oil and cheese.
Gnocchetti sardi
Ridged shells hold sausage, tomato, pesto, and cheese. They also hold up cold.
Can you swap them?
Gnocchetti sardi for cavatelli: yes, the dried ridged shell.
Cavatelli for gnocchetti sardi: yes, a smooth hand shell.
Both take Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Pomodoro.
Only cavatelli: Broccoli and anchovy, Cime di rapa.
Only gnocchetti sardi: Pesto alla genovese, Pasta salad.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.