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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Rigatoni

Rigatoni is a type of short, ridged tubular pasta of Italian origin.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

Rigatoni is a short, ridged tubular pasta from Italy. Its grooves and hollow shape make it ideal for holding hearty sauces.

What it is

Rigatoni is a short, wide pasta made as hollow tubes with ridges on the outside. It is larger than penne and ziti, with square-cut ends cut perpendicular to the tube. The name comes from Italian words meaning ‘ridged’ or ‘lined’, reflecting its characteristic surface.

Why it matters

The ridges and hollow centre help sauce, cheese, and ingredients cling to the pasta effectively. Rigatoni is commonly used with rich meat ragù and in baked pasta dishes. It is especially associated with Rome and central-southern Italian cuisine, including Sicily.

Key details

Unlike penne, which has diagonal cuts, rigatoni ends are straight. The pasta is sometimes slightly curved. In Canada, rigatoni is widely available in grocery stores and restaurants as part of standard Italian and Italian-Canadian cooking.

In short

  • Ridged exterior helps sauce cling
  • Larger than penne with straight-cut ends
  • Popular in Roman and southern Italian cuisine
  • Often used in baked dishes and with ragù
Canadian angle

Rigatoni is commonly available in Canadian grocery stores and restaurants as part of standard Italian and Italian-Canadian cuisine.

Quick questions

What is rigatoni?
Rigatoni is a short, wide, ridged tubular pasta from Italy.
How is rigatoni different from penne?
Rigatoni is larger and has straight-cut ends, while penne is cut diagonally.
What kinds of dishes use rigatoni?
It is often used with rich sauces, meat ragù, and baked pasta dishes.

Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rigatoni
    Supports: Definition as short wide fluted tubes of pasta.
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigatoni
    Supports: Shape details, size relative to penne and ziti, and straight-cut ends.
  3. Dictionary.com — https://www.dictionary.com/browse/rigatoni
    Supports: Definition, origin in Italy, and association with Rome and central-southern Italy.
  4. Cambridge Dictionary — https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/rigatoni
    Supports: Definition as tubes with lines on the outside.
  5. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/rigatoni
    Supports: Italian origin, ridged mold production, and association with Rome and central and southern Italy.
  6. Oxford Learner's Dictionaries — https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/rigatoni
    Supports: Definition as short hollow tubes with raised lines.
  7. La Cucina Italiana — https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/glossary/rigatoni-pasta
    Supports: Common usage, ridged exterior, sauce-holding function.