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What Is Ditalini Pasta?

Ditalini pasta is a tiny tubular pasta that is sometimes called salad macaroni. The little hollow tubes are popular in Sicily and are most commonly used in soups; the pasta’s shape is ideal for scooping up with a spoon. You’ll also find it in pasta salads and the occasional plated pasta dish.

The Origin Of Ditalini Pasta And Its Brief History

Since ditalini is a hollow, short cut pasta, it is typically extruded through dies. While it’s difficult to pinpoint its exact origin, extruded pasta like ditalini became much more popular in Italy during the industrial age of the 19th and 20th centuries. Dies became more widely used, which made small, hollow pasta shapes infinitely easier to make. With pasta produced on a much larger scale in Puglia and the surrounding regions, pasta like ditalini grew in popularity.

How Is Ditalini Pasta Made And What Is It Made Of?

Ditalini is excessively difficult to make by hand, thanks to its diminutive size and hollow center. For this reason, almost all ditalini is extruded through dies. First, a dough of semolina flour and water is made. It is then forced through a die, producing a hollow tube. The shaped pasta is then cut into very short lengths. It is then sold fresh or, more commonly, is dried and packaged.

How To Cook Ditalini

Ditalini can be cooked a couple of different ways: in boiling water (like most pasta) or directly in soup. To cook the pasta in water, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season generously with salt. Add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook until al dente, according to the package instructions, about 8 to 9 minutes. Drain and toss with your favorite sauce.

If you’re adding ditalini to a soup like pasta fagioli, you can cook the pasta directly in the broth. Bring the soup to a simmer, add the pasta, and stir. Cook until al dente and turn off the heat. Be sure to add the pasta towards the end of cooking so that it does not overcook, and keep in mind that the pasta will absorb some of the broth.

The Best Ditalini Pasta - The DeLallo Difference

DeLallo ditalini pasta comes from the town where pasta was born, a region near Naples, at the beginning of the Amalfi Coast. The art of making our pasta begins with the very best quality wheat. We carefully choose wheat with the highest gluten index, gluten content and protein content. All of these characteristics affect how the pasta cooks, as well as its taste and texture. The durum wheat is milled into coarse ground semolina flour and then carefully kneaded with cold, fresh, mineral-rich mountain spring water. We dry our pasta slowly at low temperatures to reproduce the traditional way of making pasta. This method respects the ingredients, preserving the pasta’s color, texture and aroma.

Ditalini Pasta Recipes And Usage Ideas

Ditalini is perhaps most famous as the pasta featured in soups like minestrone and pasta fagioli, but its small open shape makes it a fun choice for a wide range of dishes. It’s at home in a variety of soups—try adding ditalini to vegetable soup, chicken soup, and more. Try this Beef and Spincach Tomato Soup or this Brothy Beans Beans Pasta with Pesto Drizzle. It’s often used in pasta salads, especially salads with other small ingredients that pair nicely with the pastina. Swap ditalini in your next macaroni salad for a change of pace.

Ditalini can also be made into classic pasta dishes, added to pasta bakes, and more. Use ditalini instead of macaroni for a fun spin on mac and cheese. Or pair with other small ingredients like peas to make a simple but delicious plate of pasta.

For more ideas on how to prepare ditalini, see our recipe collection here.

Ditalini Pasta Recipes And Usage Ideas

Ditalini is perhaps most famous as the pasta featured in soups like minestrone and pasta fagioli, but its small open shape makes it a fun choice for a wide range of dishes. It’s at home in a variety of soups—try adding ditalini to vegetable soup, chicken soup, and more. Try this Beef and Spinach Tomato Soup or this Brothy Beans Beans Pasta with Pesto Drizzle. It’s often used in pasta salads, especially salads with other small ingredients that pair nicely with the pastina. Swap ditalini in your next macaroni salad for a change of pace.

Ditalini can also be made into classic pasta dishes, added to pasta bakes, and more. Use ditalini instead of macaroni for a fun spin on mac and cheese. Or pair with other small ingredients like peas to make a simple but delicious plate of pasta.

For more ideas on how to prepare ditalini, see our recipe collection here.

The Best Sauces For Ditalini Pasta

While ditalini does cling to sauce nicely thanks to its hollow center, since it is an especially small pasta shape, so smoother sauces work best. Pesto is a popular choice, but creamy and cheesy sauces also work well. A simple tomato sauce is always a good idea, or try a simple olive oil or garlic sauce.

Ditalini Pasta Substitutes

If you’re new to ditalini, it’s worth seeking out for your next recipe. But if you’re in a pinch and need a quick substitute, you have options. Across the board, tubetti or tubettini are an excellent choice since they are similar in size and shape to ditalini. However, these tube pastas can be trickier to find than ditalini.

For soups, stick with another pastina, like orzo, or acini di pepe. Don’t forget to adjust the cook time according to the package instructions. For pasta salads, elbow macaroni and orzo are good options and will give you a very different look and slightly different experience. When swapping in a warm pasta dish, elbows are the best substitution.

DeLallo Ditalini Pasta: FAQ

How Do I Pronounce “Ditalini”?

Ditalini is pronounced “dit-ah-lee-nee.”

What Does “Ditalini” Mean?

The word ditalini means “little thimbles” in Italian. The pasta gets its name from its small, tubular shape.

What Is The Shape Of Ditalini?

Ditalini is a small pasta, or pastina, that is shaped like little tubes. Long, hollow tubes of pasta are cut into short lengths to make ditalini.

Can I Use Ditalini For Macaroni Salad?

Even though many people use elbow macaroni for macaroni salad, ditalini is a tasty alternative. It gives the pasta salad a slightly different look and texture that is a nice change of pace from the standard elbows. The next time you make macaroni salad, try swapping the pasta for ditalini.

Ditalini Vs Orzo - What Is The Difference?

Ditalini and orzo are both pastina, or types of small pasta that are often used in soups. And while you can substitute orzo for ditalini in many recipes and vice versa, they have a very different shape. Orzo are shaped like flattened grains of rice, while ditalini are short, hollow tubes.

Ditalini Vs Pastina - What Is The Difference?

Pastina is a class of pasta, encompassing small pasta that are sometimes called soup pasta like ditalini, orzo, and acini di pepe. Therefore, there is no difference—ditalini is a type of pastina.

Ditalini Vs Tubetti - What Is The Difference?

Tubetti is a very similar pasta shape to ditalini, making them a good swap for each other. Both pastas are small, short tubes. Tubetti tends to be slightly wider than ditalini. Both are good choices for soups, pasta salads, and more.

Where To Buy DeLallo Ditalini Pasta

Order DeLallo ditalini pasta online or find it at most major supermarkets across the country.