Cavatelli vs Malloreddus
Cavatelli is small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers. Malloreddus is small ridged shell, rolled over a basket or a ridged board, often saffron-yellow.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmCavatelli: 20 to 30 mm by 8 to 12 mm
Malloreddus: 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 | Hand-formed |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Puglia | Sardinia |
| Section | Small dumpling with a hollow, rolled under two fingers | Small ridged shell, rolled over a basket or a ridged board, often saffron-yellow |
| 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 |
| 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, Meat ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta |
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.
Malloreddus
A ridged chewy shell, so it holds a sausage and tomato sauce, a meat ragu, or a pecorino dressing. The ridges hold the cheese.
Can you swap them?
Malloreddus for cavatelli: yes, the ridged Sardinian version.
Cavatelli for malloreddus: yes, the mainland hand shell.
Both take Sausage ragu, Meat ragu, Pomodoro.
Only cavatelli: Broccoli and anchovy, Cime di rapa.
Only malloreddus: Ricotta.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- 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.