Rotelle
Also known as: ruote, wagon wheels, wheel pasta, wheels, wheel-shaped pasta
Short pasta in the shape of a wheel: spokes joined to a ridged rim, like a cog wheel.
Rotelle (“cog wheels”), also sold as wagon wheels, are a short pasta with a round shape: according to De Cecco, spokes joined to a ridged rim. De Cecco explains that from the early twentieth century many pasta shapes were inspired by mechanics and the automotive industry, such as radiatori (radiators) and lancette (clock hands), and that rotelle are a result of this tradition.
De Cecco's Rotelle n.54 come in 500 g packs and cook in 12 minutes (10 for al dente). De Cecco recommends them with tomato sauce, with or without meat, in broth and minestrone soups, and in pasta salads.
Barilla sells a similar wheel-shaped pasta under another name, Racing Wheels (formerly Mini Wheels), which cooks in 7–8 minutes; Barilla suggests simple sauces and pasta salad.
Facts
| Raw material | Durum wheat semolina |
|---|---|
| Duration | 12 min (De Cecco n.54) |
| Main use | Tomato sauce, broth and minestrone, pasta salads |
How it connects to Pasta
Rotelle → kind of → Dry durum wheat pasta → kind of → 🍝 Pasta
Links
- What it contains
- Semolina, 🌾 Durum wheat
- Part of
- Dry durum wheat pasta
- Similar and different
- Gentile Pappa & Pomodoro, Colavita Classic Cuts, La Fabbrica della Pasta Gli Aromatizzati
Frequently asked questions
Why are rotelle sometimes called wagon wheels?
Because the short round pasta has spokes joined to a ridged rim, like a cartwheel; rotelle means “cog wheels”.
Is it true that rotelle only go with tomato sauce?
No. They are also recommended in broth and minestrone soups and in pasta salads, and tomato sauce works with or without meat.
What is wheel pasta called on the pack?
Often Wheels or Rotelle: Ronzoni sells Rotelle, Banza sells Chickpea Wheels, and Barilla has Racing Wheels.
Why do some pasta shapes look like machine parts?
From the early twentieth century many shapes were inspired by mechanics and the car industry, such as radiatori and lancette, and rotelle belong to that tradition.
What is the difference between rotelle and ruote?
Nothing important: ruote is the Italian word for wheels, a common alternative name for the same shape.
What to read next
- Semolina — Coarse, yellowish meal ground from durum wheat: the main raw material of dry pasta.
- Gentile Pappa & Pomodoro — Pastificio Gentile's children's line from Gragnano: small organic pasta shapes – letters, pipe rigate, wheels, pennette and fusilli.
- 🌾 Durum wheat — A wheat species with very hard grain and strong gluten, milled into semolina for dry pasta and couscous.
- Colavita Classic Cuts — Colavita's core dry pasta range from Molise, made from durum wheat and mountain spring water: about 30 traditional shapes.
- La Fabbrica della Pasta Gli Aromatizzati — Flavoured dry pasta by La Fabbrica della Pasta: with chilli, spinach or Sorrento lemon juice, and tricolour shapes.
Similar
Acini di pepe · Fregula · Gemelli · Radiatori · Campanelle · Manicotti
What it includes
- Afeltra Antiche Ruote
- Garofalo Ruote n.31
- La Fabbrica della Pasta Ruote IGP
- Liguori Ruote
- Barilla Gran Ruote
- Barilla Piccolini Mini Ruote
- Benedetto Cavalieri Rotelle n.31
- Benedetto Cavalieri Ruote Medie n.32
All (20) →
- Afeltra Antiche Ruote
- Banza Chickpea Wheels
- Barilla Gran Ruote
- Barilla Piccolini Mini Ruote
- Benedetto Cavalieri Rotelle n.31
- Benedetto Cavalieri Ruote Medie n.32
- Colavita Wagon Wheels
- De Cecco Rotelle n.54
- De Cecco Rotelline n.55
- Delverde Rotelle n.47
- Divella Rotelle n.43
- Garofalo Ruote n.31
- Gentile Le Ruote
- Granoro Dedicato Rotelle n.93
- La Fabbrica della Pasta Ruote IGP
- La Molisana Rotelle n.71
- Liguori Ruote
- Ronzoni Rotelle
- Rustichella d'Abruzzo Ruote di Carro
- Setaro Ruote