Cavatappi and cellentani are tubular, ridged Italian pastas shaped like a corkscrew. Often substituted for each other in the kitchen, are there any differences between the two?
The main difference is that cellentani has more ridges than cavatappi, which gives it more texture.
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What Is Cavatappi?
Cavatappi originated in Campania in southern Italy and got its name from the Italian for a corkscrew. It's a relatively smooth tubular pasta that is popular globally.
Many cooks use it in their recipes because its fun shape is excellent for holding sauces.
What Is Cellentani?
Cellentani gets its name from the Italian word for whorl. It's almost identical to cavatappi but has more ridges.
Many pasta brands use the names interchangeably. For example, Barilla uses cellentani to honor an Italian pop star from the 1960s.
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How To Use Cavatappi and Cellentani
They're often used in the same recipes and are ideal with any pasta sauce, although they hold a thick sauce better.
Their corkscrew shape is perfect for the finely chopped vegetables, dressing, and other toppings in pasta salad.
Both cavatappi and cellentani retain their shape longer than other pastas, making them perfect for pot lucks and catering.
They're also ideal for macaroni and cheese, as the cheese soaks into the tube and is held by the shape.
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Both cavatappi and cellentani pasta are excellent bases for your favorite pasta sauce. But if you prefer less texture, choose cavatappi.
