What to use instead of alphabet pasta

The closest swap: stelline

Every swap for alphabet pasta, ranked

A substitute must behave the same way with the sauce you are making. The ones marked as chosen are hand-picked. The rest score on family, cavity, surface, size, and shared sauces.

1. 1
   

   Stelline

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Stars (chosen)

2. 2
   

   Acini di pepe

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Beads (chosen)

3. 3
   

   Pastina

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Any tiny shape (chosen)

4. 4
   

   Farfalline

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Same family, also solid, also smooth, shares 2 sauces, close in size

5. 5
   

   Orzo

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Same family, also solid, also smooth, shares 2 sauces, close in size

6. 6
   

   Semi di melone

   Pastina · All of Italy

   Same family, also solid, also smooth, shares 2 sauces, close in size

7. 7
   

   Anelli

   Pastina · Sicily

   Same family, also solid, also smooth, shares 2 sauces

8. 8
   

   Ditalini

   Pastina · Campania

   Same family, also smooth, shares 2 sauces, close in size

Match the sauce, not the look

Alphabet pasta is listed against 2 sauces. Pick the swap that holds the one you are cooking.

• Best pasta for in brodo: A clear meat or chicken broth. Pastina or filled pasta, cooked and served in the liquid.
• Best pasta for minestrone: A thick vegetable soup with beans and a small pasta added at the end. Ditalini, conchigliette, or anellini.

Side by side

The measured difference between alphabet pasta and each swap.