Did you know that there are more than 450 types of pasta? For this reason, it is understandable that people often get confused by the numerous options, whether they want to eat in a restaurant or prepare at home. A detailed discussion on rigatoni vs. penne, two of the most common types of pasta, will let you know what suits you.
Rigatoni is an Italian word for a ribbed tubular form of pasta with square-cut ends & slightly curved. In contrast, penne is pasta cut into short tubes with diagonal ends. The difference between the two is that rigatoni is larger. Rigatoni has a flat & while the penne has a 45-degree angle end.
Rigatoni and penne are the prevalent types of pasta and the most commonly confused with each other. They are also hard to differentiate. Read on to learn more about the two terms and what sets them apart.
Definitions Of Rigatoni And Penne
The primary difference between the hundreds of types of pasta is their shape; this also applies to rigatoni and penne. While most kinds of pasta have names of Italian origin, you can still find their names in English dictionaries. So, let’s look at the definitions of rigatoni and penne below:
Definition Of Rigatoni
Rigatoni is a short and ribbed tubular pasta. It is slightly covered, and its tubes are large-sized. An example sentence is, “Jane went to buy some rigatoni, sausage, and bread to prepare dinner for the guests.”
Rigatoni pasta features square cut ends, ridges on the sides, and some short hollow flute tubes. For example, in a sentence, “I love to eat my flute tubed rigatoni with beef sauce.”
Definition Of Penne
Penne is the Italian name for an extruded type of cylinder-shaped pasta with 45-degree angle cuts at the end. The term penne comes from the Latin word for quill or feather pen. In a sentence, “Penne is my mother’s favorite type of pasta.”
Penne is pasta in the form of short tubes with diagonally-cut ends. If you note this shape, recognizing it becomes effortless. In a sentence, “Mandy’s love preparing the diagonally cut penne with peas.”
How To Properly Use Rigatoni And Penne In A Sentence
Rigatoni and pasta are world-famous types of pasta, and despite their foreign origin, you can use these words anytime, in the right context. So, here are some guidelines to help you use these words correctly in sentences:
How To Use The Word Rigatoni
Use the word rigatoni as a noun when referring to a type of pasta that comes in the form of short tubular ribbed pieces. An example in a sentence is, “Rigatoni is my preferred type of pasta on this menu.”
The noun rigatoni can be countable or uncountable. So, in general and in common contexts, you can use its plural form, “rigatoni.” For example, “We bought several bags of rigatoni at the grocery store yesterday.”
On the other hand, in more specific contexts, use the plural form “rigatonis.” However, this plural word is not common, and most English dictionaries do not recognize it. For example, in a sentence, “We have come up with various types of rigatonis.”
How To Use The Word Penne
Use this word as a noun when referring to a type of short tubular pasta. In a sentence, “I love some penne pasta with meatballs.”
Penne is an uncountable noun. That means its plural form is also “penne.” For example, “I love to pair my penne pasta dish with white wine and fish.”
Rigatoni Vs. Penne: Differences Based On Grammar And Context
Besides the differences in their definitions, you can say these words apart depending on their grammar and application contexts. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the grammatical and contextual differences between rigatoni and penne:
Context
A context refers to the surroundings, environment, background, or setting in which you can use a word. It also refers to the text in which a word appears and ascertains its meaning. Therefore, the definitions of rigatoni and penne explain the contexts in which you can use these words. So, use rigatoni when referring to a tubular ribbed type of pasta and penne when referring to a short tubular pasta with diagonally cut ends.
History And Etymology
Rigatoni is an Italian word that came about in the 1930s. It comes from the Italian “rigatoni,” meaning “short, hollow, fluted pasta tubes.” The Italian plural for rigatoni is “rigato,” from “rigare,” meaning “to draw a line or make fluting.”
The word comes from the word “riga,” meaning “line or something cut out.” The term also has German roots. It is a derivative of the Proto-Germanic word “rigon.”
In contrast, the word penne comes from the Italian “penne,” introduced in 1875. It is an extended use of the Latin word “penna,” meaning “quill or feather pen.” The word also has roots in the Latin “penna.”
Syllables
The word penne has two syllables, “pen-ne.” On the other hand, the word rigatoni has four syllables, “rig-a-to-ni.”
Pronunciation
The correct pronunciation for rigatoni is “/rig-uh-toh-nee/.” In contrast, the correct pronunciation for penne is “/pen-ey/.” Both pronunciations have an Italian twist to them because they are Italian words.
List Of Examples Of Rigatoni And Penne In Sentences
The context above covers everything you should know about rigatoni and penne. So, now that you know this, let’s look at some examples of sentences featuring these words.
Example sentences of the word rigatoni
- I love to cook rigatoni in my free time.
- Linda’s rigatoni pasta is my favorite thing to eat in the world.
- My grandma’s rigatoni recipe is the best so far.
- Please bring me rigatoni, cheese, meat, and potatoes from the grocery store.
- My mum always prepares rigatoni when we have guests over.
Example sentences of the word penne
- Our dinner options include salad, penne, and vegetarian pizza.
- I always order the penne when I visit my favorite restaurant here in Georgia.
- I have an award-winning penne recipe that my grandma passed down to my mum, then me.
- I could not choose between risotto and penne for dinner.
- The only attractive thing I can see on this menu is the penne carbonara.
Rigatoni Vs. Penne: The Differences Between These Types Of Pasta
Rigatoni and penne have close shapes; they are both cylindrical and hollow. It is also worth mentioning that the same ingredients are used to make rigatoni and penne. However, this post would be incomplete if we did not discuss the differences between rigatoni and penne. So, here are the key differences between these two types of pasta:
- Size and shape: The critical variance between rigatoni and penne is that rigatoni has a more significant size. On the other hand, rigatoni pasta features a subtle curve, while penne is straight.
- Circumference: Rigatoni and penne are both tubular types of pasta. However, rigatoni showcases a larger circumference than penne.
- End cuts: Penne pasta has pointed and diagonally cut ends. In contrast, rigatoni has square cut ends that are either straight or slightly curved.
- Feel: Rigatoni pasta is usually smooth inside, with ridges on the outside. In contrast, penne can be smooth or with some ridges, depending on the type. Penne pasta comes in two primary alternates, penne lisce and penne rigate. Penne rigate is sturdier and has some ridges, while penne lisce is smoother.
Conclusion
Penne and rigatoni are two of the most popular Italian pizzas. They are often compared and confused because of their size and shape. However, they are not the same, as you can tell from the content in this article. We are confident that you can now use these words in your contexts without fear of making mistakes.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.