Paccheri vs Rigatoni
Paccheri is very wide smooth tube, collapses flat when cooked. Rigatoni is wide ridged tube cut straight across.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmPaccheri: 45 to 55 mm by 25 to 30 mm
Rigatoni: 45 to 60 mm by 14 to 17 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 | Lazio |
| Section | Very wide smooth tube, collapses flat when cooked | Wide ridged tube cut straight across |
| Length | 45 to 55 mm | 45 to 60 mm |
| Width or diameter | 25 to 30 mm | 14 to 17 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 1.2 to 1.5 mm | 1.1 to 1.3 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Ridged |
| Hollow | Yes | Yes |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 14 to 18 min | 12 to 14 min |
| Brands with a page | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Mancini, La Molisana | De Cecco, Rummo, Mancini, Barilla, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | De Cecco no. 125, De Cecco no. 225, Rummo no. 111, Rummo no. 150, Rummo no. 152, Rummo no. 168, Rummo no. 195, Garofalo no. 83, La Molisana no. 316, La Molisana no. 321 | De Cecco no. 24, De Cecco no. 124, Rummo no. 50, La Molisana no. 31 |
| Cook time across brands | 12 to 16 min | 11 to 14 min |
| Brand dimensions | Mancini: 30 mm long, 30 mm across | Rummo: 40 mm long, 14.5 mm across; Mancini: 45 mm long, 19.2 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 | 18 | 384 |
| Pairs with | Ragu napoletano, Frutti di mare, Baked (al forno), Norma, Meat ragu | Amatriciana, Meat ragu, Sausage ragu, Norma, Carbonara, Gricia, Baked (al forno), Vodka sauce |
Paccheri
The huge bore traps whole pieces of squid, sausage, or braised meat and the flattened tube carries sauce on both faces. It wants a sauce with big pieces: seafood ragu, ragu napoletano, or a filling and the oven. A thin sauce leaves it empty.
Rigatoni
The widest bore of the everyday tubes, so pieces of sausage, eggplant, or braised meat ride inside it. The ridges hold sauce and grated cheese on the outside. The square-cut ends scoop. It wants amatriciana, a slow ragu, sausage, and baked dishes. Thin oil sauces drain straight through.
Can you swap them?
Rigatoni for paccheri: yes, narrower and ridged.
Both take Baked (al forno), Norma, Meat ragu.
Only paccheri: Ragu napoletano, Frutti di mare.
Only rigatoni: Amatriciana, Sausage ragu, Carbonara, Gricia, Vodka sauce.
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.