Trottole vs Vesuvio
Trottole is spinning top, a ribbon wound around a central pin. Vesuvio is tight spiral cone, like the volcano.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmTrottole: 25 to 35 mm by 15 to 20 mm
Vesuvio: 25 to 35 mm by 15 to 20 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 | Campania |
| Section | Spinning top, a ribbon wound around a central pin | Tight spiral cone, like the volcano |
| Length | 25 to 35 mm | 25 to 35 mm |
| Width or diameter | 15 to 20 mm | 15 to 20 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 10 to 12 min | 11 to 14 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 | 8 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Cream sauce, Sausage ragu, Vegetable ragu, Pomodoro, Pasta salad | Ragu napoletano, Sausage ragu, Pomodoro, Ricotta |
Trottole
A coiled ribbon takes cream and chunky sauces: sausage, mushrooms, a thick tomato, a vegetable ragu. It also works cold.
Vesuvio
A dense spiral with pockets between the turns, so it carries a Neapolitan ragu, a sausage sauce, or a thick tomato with ricotta.
Can you swap them?
Trottole for vesuvio: yes, a coiled ribbon.
Both take Sausage ragu, Pomodoro.
Only trottole: Cream sauce, Vegetable ragu, Pasta salad.
Only vesuvio: Ragu napoletano, 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.