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Spaghetti vs Bucatini

Compare solid spaghetti with hollow, thicker bucatini and choose the right long pasta for oil, tomato and cured-pork sauces.

Short answer

Spaghetti is a solid round strand. Bucatini is thicker and hollow, giving more chew and carrying robust sauces such as Amatriciana.

Spaghetti

Solid round strand

Versatile and widely available

Suits smooth oil, egg and tomato sauces

Bucatini

Thick hollow strand

More substantial bite

Suits robust tomato and cured-pork sauces

Which should you choose?

  • Use spaghetti where a flexible light strand helps an emulsion.
  • Use bucatini when the sauce can handle its weight and lively fork behaviour.
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