Conchiglie vs Farfalle
Conchiglie is cupped shell with ridges on the outside. Farfalle is rectangle of pasta pinched in the middle into a bow, with crimped edges.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmConchiglie: 25 to 35 mm by 15 to 22 mm
Farfalle: 30 to 40 mm by 20 to 28 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Short shapes | Short shapes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | All of Italy | Lombardy |
| Section | Cupped shell with ridges on the outside | Rectangle of pasta pinched in the middle into a bow, with crimped edges |
| Length | 25 to 35 mm | 30 to 40 mm |
| Width or diameter | 15 to 22 mm | 20 to 28 mm |
| Surface | Ridged | Smooth |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina, or egg when fresh |
| Cook time | 10 to 13 min | 10 to 12 min |
| Brands with a page | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Barilla, La Molisana | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Barilla, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | De Cecco no. 50, De Cecco no. 52, Rummo no. 42, Garofalo no. 84, La Molisana no. 25, La Molisana no. 56, La Molisana no. 57, La Molisana no. 313 | De Cecco no. 93, Rummo no. 85, Garofalo no. 78, La Molisana no. 66 |
| Cook time across brands | 7 to 15 min | 8 to 14 min |
| Brand dimensions | Rummo: | Rummo: 33 mm long, 24 mm across |
| 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 | 37 | 137 |
| Pairs with | Mac and cheese, Sausage ragu, Cream sauce, Vegetable ragu, Tuna and tomato, Pomodoro, Pasta salad | Cream sauce, Pesto alla genovese, Pasta salad, Tuna and tomato, Pomodoro, Lemon and butter |
Conchiglie
A cup fills with whatever is in the pan: cheese sauce, cream with peas, a sausage crumble, a chunky tomato. Medium shells are a mac-and-cheese upgrade. Ridges hold sauce on the outside too.
Farfalle
The wings are flat and the pinch is dense, so farfalle does best with sauces that coat rather than fill: cream with peas and salmon, a light tomato, pesto, a cold dressing. Chunky sauces fall off the wings.
Can you swap them?
Conchiglie for farfalle: yes, a cup that coats the same way.
Both take Cream sauce, Tuna and tomato, Pomodoro, Pasta salad.
Only conchiglie: Mac and cheese, Sausage ragu, Vegetable ragu.
Only farfalle: Pesto alla genovese, Lemon and butter.
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.