Garganelli vs Penne
Garganelli is egg-pasta square rolled on a comb into a ridged quill. Penne is medium tube cut on the diagonal, ridged (rigate) or smooth (lisce).
Side by side, to scale
10 mmGarganelli: 40 to 50 mm by 10 to 13 mm
Penne: 45 to 55 mm by 9 to 11 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Tubes | Tubes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Emilia-Romagna | Liguria |
| Section | Egg-pasta square rolled on a comb into a ridged quill | Medium tube cut on the diagonal, ridged (rigate) or smooth (lisce) |
| Length | 40 to 50 mm | 45 to 55 mm |
| Width or diameter | 10 to 13 mm | 9 to 11 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 0.8 to 1 mm | 1 to 1.3 mm |
| Surface | Ridged | Ridged |
| Hollow | Yes | Yes |
| Dough | Egg pasta | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 3 to 5 min | 10 to 12 min |
| Brands with a page | La Molisana | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Mancini, Barilla, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | La Molisana no. 225 | De Cecco no. 41, Rummo no. 66, Garofalo no. 70, La Molisana no. 20 |
| Cook time across brands | 7 min | 8 to 15 min |
| Brand dimensions | not measured | Rummo: 48 mm long, 8.2 mm across; Mancini: 50 mm long, 10.2 mm across |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 288 kcal (fresh pasta) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 11.3 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | not measured | 1244 |
| Pairs with | Cream sauce, Ragu alla bolognese, Meat ragu, Butter and sage | Arrabbiata, Vodka sauce, Pomodoro, Cream sauce, Norma, Tuna and tomato, Baked (al forno), Pasta salad |
Garganelli
Egg dough, ridges, and a bore, so they absorb and hold a rich sauce: ragu, cream with peas and ham, a butter and prosciutto dressing. The classic cream sauce of Romagna was made for them.
Penne
The bore carries sauce inside and the ridges hold it outside, so penne takes any sauce with body: arrabbiata, vodka sauce, a vegetable ragu, cream with peas and ham, and the oven. The pointed ends spear rather than scoop, so very chunky sauces sit better in rigatoni.
Can you swap them?
Penne for garganelli: yes, the dried extruded quill.
Both take Cream sauce.
Only garganelli: Ragu alla bolognese, Meat ragu, Butter and sage.
Only penne: Arrabbiata, Vodka sauce, Pomodoro, Norma, Tuna and tomato, Baked (al forno), 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.