Perciatelli (Bucatini) Pasta: How to Cook It and What to Serve It With
If you’ve never cooked with perciatelli pasta before, you’re in for a fun surprise. This unique pasta looks like a thick spaghetti—until you notice the hollow center running straight through like a drinking straw.
That’s right, perciatelli (also called bucatini) isn’t just cool-looking, it’s a total sauce magnet. That tunnel inside pulls in flavor, giving you a bite that’s rich, saucy, and super satisfying every time.
Perciatelli brings a great chew and structure to the plate, which means it holds up well to bold sauces—think hearty tomato, carbonara, or amatriciana. It’s a pasta with presence. Whether you’re tossing it with crispy pancetta or layering it into a creamy garlic butter sauce, it delivers a full-flavored punch in each bite.
In this post, I’ll show you why perciatelli deserves a spot in your pasta rotation, how to cook it just right, and the best sauces and toppings to pair it with. You’ll also learn a bit about where this pasta comes from and why Italian cooks have loved it for generations.
So grab a pot, salt that water, and let’s talk about this amazing noodle that brings both shape and soul to the table.
Sauces That Pair Well with Perciatelli
Sauce | Description | Why It Works |
| Amatriciana | A Roman tomato-based sauce with pancetta, onion, and pecorino. | The hollow center fills with the sauce, and the pasta’s thickness holds the bold flavors. |
| Bolognese (Light) | A slightly thinner meat sauce compared to traditional Bolognese. | The sauce fills the tubes and sticks to the pasta’s surface without weighing it down. |
| Cacio e Pepe | Simple but intense mix of pecorino cheese and black pepper. | The sauce clings to the ridges and hollow core, delivering flavor in every bite. |
| Carbonara | Creamy egg-based sauce with pecorino and pancetta. | The tube-like shape captures the silky sauce while supporting the rich, cheesy flavor. |
| Garlic & Olive Oil (Aglio e Olio) | Sautéed garlic in olive oil with chili flakes. | The simple sauce coats the pasta evenly and seeps inside the hollow center. |
| Puttanesca | Bold sauce with tomatoes, olives, capers, and anchovies. | The pasta holds up to the strong, salty flavors and traps bits of sauce inside. |
| Seafood Marinara | Tomato-based sauce with mixed seafood like clams, mussels, or shrimp. | The thick pasta balances well with delicate seafood while holding onto the sauce. |
How to Cook Perciatelli Pasta
Cooking perciatelli pasta is simple, but a few small tips make a big difference. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a rolling boil—at least 4 quarts per pound of pasta. Add a generous amount of salt (about 1 tablespoon per 4 quarts) to season the pasta as it cooks.
Perciatelli, with its thick, straw-like shape, takes a bit longer than regular spaghetti—usually around 10 to 12 minutes, but always check the package and taste for doneness.
Give the pasta a gentle stir right after adding it to the pot to prevent clumping. Because Perciatelli is hollow, you want to make sure it cooks evenly inside and out. Stir occasionally throughout the cooking process to prevent the mixture from sticking together.
Once it’s al dente—firm but cooked through—drain it, but save a cup of pasta water. That starchy liquid can help thin or bind sauces beautifully. Toss the pasta immediately with your chosen sauce to keep it from drying out or clumping.
Whether you’re serving it with a robust amatriciana, creamy carbonara, or just a simple butter and cheese combo, perciatelli is best when it’s hot, fresh, and coated in something delicious. And don’t be surprised if someone tries to sip through it like a straw.
Check out my Pasta Tips page for some helpful hints. And for a listing of some of my favorite pasta recipes, check out my Pasta Recipes page.
My First Experience
I thought I knew most pasta types, but perciatelli caught me off guard. I’m still not sure how it ended up in our pantry—probably grabbed it by mistake while stocking up on spaghetti.
We served it as a simple side dish, and I gave it to the girls for dinner with butter, peas, and freshly grated Parmesan. As they twirled it onto their forks and slurped up the ends, they suddenly noticed something strange: a hole running through the center of each strand.
When they told me the pasta had a hole in it, I played along. “Yeah, right,” I said. “Why don’t you try using it like a straw and sip your milk?” And of course, they did—successfully.
Sure enough, the pasta really does have a tiny tunnel running straight through. Perciatelli—pronounced “pear-chuh-TELL-lee” and sometimes called bucatini—looks like thick spaghetti but with a secret hollow center.
It’s perfect for hearty sauces like Bolognese, thanks to its chewy texture, but it also works beautifully in soups like Minestrone. That said, it’s just as good with butter and cheese. Just be warned: your kids will probably play with it. And honestly, you might too.
Perciatelli Pasta
Perciatelli, also known as bucatini, stands out among Italian pastas for its thick, tubular shape and hollow center.
It looks like a fat spaghetti but works like a sauce-capturing machine, making it perfect for bold, flavorful dishes. That tiny tunnel running through each strand isn’t just a novelty—it’s the reason this pasta delivers such satisfying bites.
The name “perciatelli” comes from the Italian word perciato, meaning “pierced,” a nod to its hollow structure. Made from durum wheat semolina, perciatelli cooks up with a firm, chewy texture that holds up to hearty sauces without going limp.
Roman cuisine especially loves this pasta. In Bucatini all’Amatriciana, perciatelli soaks up a rich blend of guanciale, tomatoes, Pecorino Romano, and a little chili heat. The hollow center traps flavor, turning every mouthful into something special. In Bucatini alla Carbonara, it grabs onto the creamy mix of egg, cheese, pancetta, and pepper both inside and out.
But this pasta isn’t just for traditional recipes. It shines in everything from garlicky olive oil sauces to seafood or vegetable-packed creations. Thanks to its shape and texture, perciatelli turns simple ingredients into deeply flavorful, comforting meals—no fancy technique required.
Where to Buy It
You can usually find perciatelli in the pasta aisle at well-stocked grocery stores, especially those with a good Italian or international section. Check places like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, or higher-end markets with specialty imports. Many Italian delis and local gourmet food shops also carry it, often under the name bucatini.
If you’re shopping at a larger chain like Kroger, Safeway, or Publix, look near the spaghetti and linguine—you might spot it tucked in with lesser-known pasta shapes. Don’t hesitate to ask a store employee if you don’t see it on the shelf.
If all else fails, head to Amazon. They offer a wide selection of perciatelli from different brands, including imported Italian options. You can often buy it in multi-packs or even bulk if you fall in love with it. Just check the reviews to make sure you’re getting the real deal.
20 Responses
I’m going to get my hands on some of this pasta. It’ll surely surprise my diners.
I had this at an Italian Eatery, The Spaghetti Tree, in Mt. Pleasant Michigan years ago. They used as straws and had this pasta available for purchase. I bought it for my kids and they loved it.
I ate perciatelli at the home of an Italian friend when I was a kid. It was delicious. I hope I can find some perciatelli in the little burgh I now call home. Thanks for taking this guy back to simpler times, and for giving a name to the spaghetti with the hole in it.
i bought some the other day and thought — this looks a lot like Bucatini! Turns out the are the same thing!!
That’s right. Just different names for the same type of pasta. If you can’t find either of them for this recipe, you can substitute spaghetti or linguine. Thanks for posting. – RG
They are not the same thing – Bucatini has edges on the perimeter, while perciatelli is round. Perciatelli Is best with a “wet, thinner” sauce (According to our matriarch Carmela circa 1950 🙂 It’s worked for us since then – enjoy!
Thanks for that update Bob.
We use this pasta in a dish we call Macaroni Cake. It can be eaten warm and it is great cold. Has great ingredients in also. This is an Italian Dish.
Pat,
I was looking for a substitute for the perciatelli I can’t find to make macaroni cake. Everyone I told about it thought I was making up the name. Thank you for confirming my sanity albeit 4 years after your post!
My friend was telling me about this long spagetti with a whole that runs in the center of the pasta. She uses this pasta for her Mid West Macaroni & Cheese. I have never heard of this pasta and I enjoy a challenge. So went to various grocery stores in the Houston Area—Whole Foods on Kirby Avenue has the pasta by DeCecco it is called Perciatelli No. 15. I even checked out Rao’s Restaurant of NYC website and they did not carry this variety of pasta. Now that you have the manufacturer I am certain your grocery store manager will obtain it for you.
Hi Mary, thanks for the info. There are many other brands out there,Rustichella comes to mind, who make Perciatelli but DeCecco is a good one. – RG
My mother in law has been making this pasta forever. She cooks it with broccoli and tops it with Locatelli romano cheese and olive oil. My kids love it and still ask for “grandma’s broccoli-pasta”. Yum!
Hi Maureen, thank you for your comments. Be sure to teach your kids how to make this when they are ready. – RG
I found Perciatelli by Severino @ Whole Foods last week. They had it displayed i a special basket of artisanal pastas near the cheese display, not in the pasta aisle. But what one Whole Foods carries, the next oe does not. Good luck and good eating ala Italiano.
Must have picked it up thinking it was
spaghetti . Had no idea what it was intil seeing your “blog”. I had heard about the pasta with a hole in it.
I just had this pasta with a lemoncello, butter sauce. It was so good and so much fun. The flavor of the light sauce went through the hole in the pasta and yes, it was really fun to eat. I was sucking the end of a strand into my mouth when I realized there was a hole in it. It’s on my grocery list. I was told that it was available at Stater Bros.
Heard of Bucatini on Food Network. Spent the better part of a year looking for it in my Seattle neighborhood, to no avail. Today I spotted something I’d not seen before, and with a little inspection I found it had a hole. I bought it, gleefully, as an alternative to the elusive bucatini. Now that I’ve researched it, I learn it IS IN FACT bucatini, by it’s alternative name – perciatelli. I’m thrilled to finally have it, and can’t wait to make a great sauce to pair with it.
We were served the thick pasta, and very good sauce made in the cafeteria when in High School. Very fond memories.
can I substitute trofie pasta as I can not locate perciatelli?
I guess you could, but you can also substitute regular spaghetti pasta too and that’s easy to find. – RG
My significant other tells the story if a restaurant he went to as a child. The drinking straws were pasta. I’m looking into bucatini, but need to know- is it safe to drink from? (I grew up being told “no raw pasta, no raw potatoes “… so I’m curious thanks so much in advance!
Great question Trish and fantastic story. I am not a food nutritionist so I cannot give you an answer about using bucatini as a straw.
Perciatelli is a staple in our Italian home and believe it or not we get the Colavita brand in our local Price Rite store for only 99 cents! I buy it every time I’m in the store even if I don’t need it because I don’t want them to drop it!
My mother-in-law taught me how to make a delicious hearty side dish or “primi” that everyone loves and that is easy and fast! While boiling the perciatelli, remove some of the hot water (I save about a cup) and set aside. When pasta is done “al dente” or “to the tooth” (NOT mushy!) drain, place back in pan and add about half a 32 ounce container of whole milk ricotta cheese. Add salt to taste and lots of fresh ground pepper, and to start, about half of the hot water. Mix well with a large fork and spoon, adding more water as needed so that the pasta looks “smooth.” If it dries out you can always add more hot water. This easy dish can be served as is or with marinara sauce- mangia!
I love this pasta! Living in a rural area it is impossible to find. I order it directly from Nutsdotcom.
Bon Appetit.