Cavatappi Pasta Recipes: 7 Ways to Serve Cavatappi Pasta

“Cavatappi” is the Italian word for “corkscrew” and a type of pasta. Fittingly, this pasta—made of just water and fine ground semolina—is long with a spring coil-like shape comparable to fusilli or cellentani. Like many kinds of pasta, including rigatoni, rotini, and penne, cavatappi often has ridges that give sauces a surface to cling to (which means more flavor in every bite). Cavatappi is a great stand-in for any of these pasta shapes, adding more pasta surface area and a satisfying chew to any dish.

Here are some pasta recipe ideas using cavatappi. Switch in gluten-free pasta for any of these preparations.

1. 1. Cavatappi and cheese: This comforting casserole has even more texture than the usual elbow pasta, thanks to cavatappi’s extra volume. Try Wolfgang Puck’s macaroni and cheese recipe, featuring a mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend.
2. 2. Cavatappi ragù: Combine hot cavatappi with hot ragù or Bolognese sauce. The meat will get tangled up in the cavatappi’s coils, making each bite intensely flavorful and richly textured. For a meatless version, try vegan Bolognese.
3. 3. Creamy cavatappi: Pour a creamy sauce like Alfredo cheese sauce over cavatappi and combine with sliced chicken breast, plenty of cracked black pepper, and fresh herbs. Learn how to make Alfredo sauce.
4. 4. Italian classics: Substitute cavatappi for spaghetti to add a new textural dimension to cacio e pepe, carbonara, or your favorite Italian pasta dish. Check out some of the best pasta recipes for inspiration.
5. 5. Pasta salad: A good pasta salad can be the star side dish of any potluck or picnic. Add cooked and cooled cavatappi to a large bowl with sliced cherry tomatoes, plenty of torn fresh basil, and small balls or chunks of mozzarella. Top with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.
6. 6. Pantry pasta: Toss the cavatappi with whatever you have on hand—a tin of sardines or tuna, a hearty pinch of red pepper flakes, and any leftover herbs. Top with breadcrumbs toasted in butter until golden and crispy for a comforting pantry pasta.
7. 7. Pesto pasta: Toss cavatappi with pesto sauce and peas for a quick weeknight dinner packed with greens. Try Chef Massimo Bottura’s basil mint pesto for a refreshing take on the classic.

Keep your pasta at a rolling boil and stir it occasionally to keep your cavatappi from sticking together. Here’s what else to know:

1. 1. Salt the pasta water. Dried cavatappi doesn’t contain salt, so seasoning your pasta water is essential. Properly salted pasta water should taste like the ocean.
2. 2. Watch the cooking time. If you’re transferring the pasta into a saucepan to combine with other ingredients, drain the pasta just before it reaches al dente. This way, the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce, and you won’t risk it getting mushy. Always check the package directions, as some brands of cavatappi cook faster than others.
3. 3. Save some water. Before draining the pasta, scoop out a mugful of the cooking water. That cooking liquid is a gold mine of flavor from the salted water and starchiness from the pasta. Adding a generous splash of pasta water to your pasta dish leads to a silkier, smoother sauce that won’t dry out.