The difference

Macaroni vs Ziti

Both are smooth tubes, but macaroni is small and curved into an elbow while ziti is a longer, wider straight tube. Macaroni is for stovetop mac and cheese, ziti is for baking into a casserole, the classic ziti al forno.

Gouache illustration of Macaroni

Macaroni

Family: Tubes
Size: 15 mm long
Surface: Smooth
Cook: 5 to 10 min

Wants: Cheese sauce, Tomato sauce, Bean and legume soups

Gouache illustration of Ziti

Ziti

Family: Tubes
Size: 40 to 50 mm long
Surface: Smooth
Cook: 8 to 12 min

Wants: Neapolitan ragu, Genovese, Besciamella

Keep exploring

See the full profiles for Macaroni and Ziti, or compare more shapes.

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From the Almanac

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