What to use instead of cascatelli

The closest swap: creste di gallo

Every swap for cascatelli, 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
   

   Creste di gallo

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   A curved ruffled shape (chosen)

2. 2
   

   Radiatori

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   A finned shape (chosen)

3. 3
   

   Campanelle

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   A ruffled cone (chosen)

4. 4
   

   Conchiglie

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   Same family, also solid, also ridged, shares 4 sauces

5. 5
   

   Conchiglioni

   Short shapes · All of Italy

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

6. 6
   

   Gnocchetti sardi

   Short shapes · Sardinia

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

7. 7
   

   Strozzapreti

   Short shapes · Emilia-Romagna

   Same family, also solid, shares 3 sauces

8. 8
   

   Trottole

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   Same family, also solid, shares 3 sauces

Match the sauce, not the look

Cascatelli is listed against 5 sauces. Pick the swap that holds the one you are cooking.

• Best pasta for meat ragu: Any slow meat sauce with solids in it. It wants a shape with a cavity: a wide tube, a cup, or a broad ribbon.
• Best pasta for cream sauce: Panna with cheese, mushrooms, ham, or peas. Heavy and clinging. Ridges and cups keep it on the pasta.
• Best pasta for mac and cheese: A cheddar or American cheese sauce, often baked. Elbows are traditional. Shells and cavatappi hold more sauce.
• Best pasta for vegetable ragu: Diced vegetables cooked slowly in tomato or oil. Zucchini, peppers, eggplant. Short shapes with folds.
• Best pasta for sausage ragu: Crumbled sausage, often with fennel, cooked in tomato or white wine. Orecchiette in Puglia, rigatoni everywhere else.

Side by side

The measured difference between cascatelli and each swap.