What to use instead of mostaccioli

The closest swap: penne lisce

Every swap for mostaccioli, 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
   

   Penne lisce

   Tubes · Liguria

   The same shape under its Italian name (chosen)

2. 2
   

   Penne

   Tubes · Liguria

   Ridged, more grip (chosen)

3. 3
   

   Ziti

   Tubes · Campania

   Straight-cut smooth tube (chosen)

4. 4
   

   Candele

   Tubes · Campania

   Same family, also hollow, also smooth, shares 3 sauces

5. 5
   

   Sedani

   Tubes · All of Italy

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

6. 6
   

   Tortiglioni

   Tubes · Campania

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

7. 7
   

   Cannelloni

   Tubes · Campania

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

8. 8
   

   Paccheri

   Tubes · Campania

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

Match the sauce, not the look

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

• 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.
• 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 pomodoro: Tomato, olive oil, garlic or onion, basil. Smooth and light. Almost any shape works; the classic is spaghetti or penne.
• Best pasta for vodka sauce: Tomato, cream, a splash of vodka, parmesan. Pink and smooth. Penne and rigatoni; the cream needs ridges to hold.

Side by side

The measured difference between mostaccioli and each swap.