Campanelle pasta is one of the most gorgeous types of pasta. Each piece has ruffled edges and a conic form, giving the pasta a floral look.

Campanelle refers to little bells or bellflowers in Italian. This pasta is known as Riccioli (curls) or Gigli (lilies) in Italian.

Campanelle pasta may be difficult to locate, but it can be substituted with other pasta kinds that retain sauce similarly, such as springy Fusilli, packed Fagottini, ruffled Cascatelli or Farfalle, or with a shallow core like Cavatelli and Orecchiette.

Campanelle Pasta Alternatives

• Cascatelli
• Cavatelli
• Fusilli
• Farfalle
• Fagottini
• Orecchiette

1. Cascatelli

Cascatelli pasta is shaped like a J and resembles a ruffled waterslide.

It was invented in New York by Dan Pashman, a food blogger and podcaster, in partnership with the Sfoglini pasta company. The pasta is called from the Italian word cascate, which means “fall.”

Pashman designed it with three aspects in mind: saucability (how readily the pasta absorbs the sauce), tooth sinkability (how comfortable it is to bite into), and forkability (how easy it is to scrape up with a fork).

Cascatelli complements heavy sauces, aromatic vegetables, and even meat. It’s a very new pasta variant that debuted in 2021 and is solely offered from Sfoglini.

2. Cavatelli

Cavatelli hails from the Italian provinces of Molise and Puglia. The form is similar to a little shell with ridges. It is often served with substantial sauces like as cream or bechamel.

It’s comprised of long strands of dough cut into 5cm lengths. The spaghetti is next pushed and rolled with two fingers, curving it and lengthening it. Smaller Cavatelli are constructed by pushing just one finger into each piece, whilst bigger ones may be formed by pressing up to three fingers into each piece.

This pasta is now available with grooves or ridges, making it even better for gathering sauce.

3. Fusilli

Fusilli is well-known for its spiraling spirals. Fusilli is derived from the word fuso, which means spindle. Originally, the pasta strips were spun using a spindle rod to create the distinctive spiral design.

Because it can catch and keep a lot of sauce, fusilli is commonly served with rich meat and heavy cream sauces. Fusilli’s spring-like shape makes it ideal for absorbing sauces ranging from simple tomato and cream to heavy meat or vegetable sauces.

You can also create pasta salad with it since it retains its chewiness and thoroughly absorbs the dressing even after cooling.

4. Farfalle

Because of its distinctive design, farfalle pasta is also known as butterfly pasta or bow tie pasta. Farfalle is an Italian word that meaning “butterflies.”

Farfalle first arose in Northern Italy in the 1500s, mostly in Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. Pinking shears are used to produce the pasta’s distinctive ruffled edges. Squeezing the center of each rectangle results in the butterfly.

It’s popular in cold dishes like pasta salads with feta and fresh ingredients like tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, pepper bells, and olives. It goes well with minced garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

5. Fagottini

Fagottini, which translates to “small bundles” in Italian, is a wonderful pasta.

Fagottini are pasta squares with all four sides folded into a single point, shaped like a pyramid or a handbag. They are around the size of ravioli.

Fillings for this pasta include meats, cheeses, and vegetables.

Italian Romano is the best cheese to use for this pasta filling. To increase the taste of the filling, add thyme and mushrooms.

Fettuccini is often served with sauces like cheesy Grana Padano and garlicky Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fagottini is also available in a variety of broths.

6. Orecchiette

Orecchiette literally means “small ears” in Italian. Because they are thinner in the center than on the sides, the pasta is soft in the center and somewhat chewier on the outside. The hollow middle is ideal for storing sauces.

This pasta is often eaten with a basic tomato sauce in Puglia, but it may also be paired with vegetables and goes well with thick sauces. Broccoli rabe is a traditional orecchiette sauce.

Homemade Campanelle Pasta

If you like Campanelle and refuse to settle for anything less, why not try creating your own Campanelle pasta?

You’ll need flour and eggs to produce pasta dough. After kneading the dough, spread it out and cut it into long thin ribbons using a rolling pin. The ribbons are then cut into squares and folded into the form of a budding flower.

Check out this video of an experienced pasta maker showing how to create Campanelle pasta if you’re interested.

Why Do Pasta Shapes Matter?

There are almost 600 different sorts of pasta, and each form affects the taste of the dish. Some sauces adhere to some pasta shapes better than others.

Pasta was the vehicle for fresh vegetables, sauces, and herbs on Italian dishes in the early years of Italian cuisine because it was adaptable and satisfying. As pasta became more popular across the globe, it started to appear on our plates in a variety of shapes and sizes, each serving a specific function.

Light oil-based sauces, for example, go nicely with spaghetti or angel hair pasta. Tortiglioni, a denser pasta, complements meaty, rich sauces nicely. Round pasta should never be served without its marinara sauce, but flat pasta, such as fettuccine, is great for creamy white sauces.

Conclusion

You now have access to the best Campanelle replacements.

Curved Cascatelli, filled Fagottini, shell-like Cavatelli, round and hollow Orecchiette, spirally Fusilli, and butterfly-shaped Farfalle all have texture and sauce-capturing properties comparable to Campanelle.