Ditali vs Macaroni
Ditali is short straight tube, as long as it is wide. Macaroni is short narrow smooth tube, straight or curved into an elbow.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmDitali: 8 to 12 mm by 6 to 8 mm
Macaroni: 20 to 35 mm by 5 to 7 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Tubes | Tubes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Campania | Campania |
| Section | Short straight tube, as long as it is wide | Short narrow smooth tube, straight or curved into an elbow |
| Length | 8 to 12 mm | 20 to 35 mm |
| Width or diameter | 6 to 8 mm | 5 to 7 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 0.9 to 1.1 mm | 0.9 to 1.1 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | Yes | Yes |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 8 to 11 min | 7 to 10 min |
| Brands with a page | La Molisana | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Mancini, Barilla, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | La Molisana no. 45, La Molisana no. 47 | De Cecco no. 33, De Cecco no. 81, Rummo no. 66, Garofalo no. 197, La Molisana no. 37 |
| Cook time across brands | 8 min | 5 to 13 min |
| Brand dimensions | not measured | Mancini: 40 mm long, 10.2 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 | 4 | 9 |
| Pairs with | Pasta e fagioli, Pasta e ceci, Minestrone, Pomodoro, Pasta salad | Mac and cheese, Pasta salad, Minestrone, Pomodoro, Four cheese |
Ditali
Short and open at both ends, so they fill with soup and hold beans and vegetables. They also work in a thick tomato sauce for children and in a cold salad. Too small for a ragu.
Macaroni
A small smooth tube with a curve, so it holds a cheese sauce inside and a dressing in the bend. Mac and cheese, pasta salad, minestrone. It has no ridges, so a thin oil sauce slides off.
Can you swap them?
Macaroni for ditali: yes, elbows, a touch longer.
Ditali for macaroni: yes, a short straight tube.
Both take Minestrone, Pomodoro, Pasta salad.
Only ditali: Pasta e fagioli, Pasta e ceci.
Only macaroni: Mac and cheese, Four cheese.
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.