What to use instead of lumache

The closest swap: pipe rigate

Every swap for lumache, 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
   

   Pipe rigate

   Tubes · All of Italy

   The same shape (chosen)

2. 2
   

   Conchiglie

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   Shells (chosen)

3. 3
   

   Conchiglioni

   Short shapes · All of Italy

   For the stuffed jumbo version (chosen)

4. 4
   

   Pennoni

   Tubes · All of Italy

   Same family, also hollow, also ridged, shares 3 sauces, close in size

5. 5
   

   Mezze maniche

   Tubes · All of Italy

   Same family, also hollow, also ridged, shares 2 sauces, close in size

6. 6
   

   Mezzi rigatoni

   Tubes · All of Italy

   Same family, also hollow, also ridged, shares 2 sauces, close in size

7. 7
   

   Occhi di lupo

   Tubes · Campania

   Same family, also hollow, also ridged, shares 2 sauces, close in size

8. 8
   

   Rigatoni

   Tubes · Lazio

   Same family, also hollow, also ridged, shares 2 sauces, close in size

Match the sauce, not the look

Lumache is listed against 4 sauces. Pick the swap that holds the one you are cooking.

• 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 sausage ragu: Crumbled sausage, often with fennel, cooked in tomato or white wine. Orecchiette in Puglia, rigatoni everywhere else.
• Best pasta for vegetable ragu: Diced vegetables cooked slowly in tomato or oil. Zucchini, peppers, eggplant. Short shapes with folds.
• Best pasta for baked (al forno): Pasta finished in the oven with sauce and cheese, or stuffed and baked. It needs a sturdy shape that survives twice cooking.

Side by side

The measured difference between lumache and each swap.