Bucatini is a long, thick pasta with a hollow centre, like a drinking straw made of dough. It looks like thick spaghetti, but the hole running through it lets sauce get inside as well as coat the outside. Bucatini is strongly associated with Rome and the Lazio region, and it is the classic partner for bucatini all’amatriciana. This guide covers the name and origin, how to cook it without breaking or splattering, the best sauces, and what to use if you cannot find it.
What bucatini is
- Shape: long, round, thick strands with a narrow hole through the centre
- Made from: durum wheat semolina and water
- Bite: chewier and more substantial than spaghetti
- Region: Rome and Lazio, although it is eaten across central and southern Italy
The name comes from buco, “hole”. A very similar pasta, perciatelli, is common in Naples and the south, and in practice the two names are often used interchangeably.
How it is made
Bucatini is extruded: dough is forced through a die with a small pin in the centre, which creates the hole, and then cut to length and dried. Bronze dies leave a rougher surface that grips sauce, and smooth dies give a sleeker strand. See our guide to bronze-cut and Teflon pasta. Because of the machinery, bucatini is not a pasta that home cooks usually make from scratch. A hand-rolled hollow pasta does exist, but it is a different shape.
Best sauces
Bucatini all’amatriciana
The classic. Crisp guanciale, then add tomato, a little chilli and Pecorino Romano. The sauce is thick enough to cling and thin enough to seep into the tube. See the four classic Roman pastas.
Carbonara and cacio e pepe
Both are served with bucatini in Rome as well as with spaghetti. The creamy emulsion coats the outside while a little gets inside. See our cacio e pepe recipe.
Pasta con le sarde
The Sicilian dish of sardines, wild fennel, raisins and pine nuts is traditionally made with bucatini. See our pasta con le sarde recipe.
Meat ragù
Slow-cooked pork or beef ragù suits the sturdy strand.
Lighter sauces
Lemon, olive oil, garlic and parsley work, as do a loose pesto or a ricotta toss. Heavy sauces suit the shape better, but bucatini is versatile.
How to cook bucatini
- Use a wide pot with plenty of water, salted once it boils (roughly 10 g per litre).
- Fan the strands out around the pot. After 30 to 45 seconds the submerged ends soften, and you can ease the rest under with tongs or a gentle twist, which avoids snapping the dry strands.
- Stir during the first minute.
- Cook for about 9 to 11 minutes, but taste a minute or two before the packet time. The hole means the centre can cook slightly differently, so check by biting.
- Save a cup of the starchy cooking water, drain, and finish the pasta in the sauce for a minute with a splash of the water.
- Take the pan off the heat before adding Pecorino or Parmesan so it melts smoothly.
See pasta cooking, pasta water and mantecatura for the reasoning. Do not break the strands before cooking. The length helps distribute the sauce evenly.
Eating bucatini
Bucatini is thick and springy, so it can flick sauce as you twirl it. Use a wide, shallow bowl, take only a few strands at a time, and twirl against the side of the bowl or a spoon. A short rest for a minute or so off the heat also lets the sauce settle.
Bucatini compared with other long pasta
| Pasta | Shape | Region | Best with |
| Bucatini | Thick, round and hollow | Lazio (Rome) | Amatriciana, carbonara, ragù |
| Spaghetti | Round and solid | Across Italy | Tomato, garlic and oil, clams |
| Perciatelli | Similar to bucatini, often slightly wider | Naples and the south | Thick tomato and meat sauces |
| Linguine | Flat and narrow | Liguria | Pesto, seafood |
Substitutes
- Perciatelli: the closest equivalent.
- Thick spaghetti (spaghettoni): matches the chew, but without the hole.
- Fusilli col buco: a hollow, corkscrew-shaped long pasta.
- Short ridged tubes such as rigatoni work for amatriciana in a pinch.
Wine and serving
Sangiovese or another medium red suits amatriciana. A crisp Vermentino or similar white suits lemon and seafood versions. Serve in warm, wide bowls and finish with black pepper and grated Pecorino Romano. For other matches see our pasta pairing guide.
Common questions
Is bucatini the same as spaghetti?
No. Bucatini is thicker and hollow, with a chewier bite.
Why does bucatini have a hole?
It lets sauce get inside, and it helps the thick strand cook more evenly.
How long does bucatini take to cook?
Usually 9 to 11 minutes. Start tasting early.
Is bucatini good for carbonara?
Yes. It is a common choice in Rome, though spaghetti and rigatoni are used too.
Why is it sometimes hard to find?
It is a more specialised shape, so some shops stock only a few brands. Italian delis and larger supermarkets are the best places to look.
Can I bake bucatini?
Yes, in baked pasta with thick sauce and cheese, though it is less common than short shapes.
Can I use it for pasta salad?
You can, but short shapes are easier to eat cold.
Is bucatini vegan?
Dried bucatini is typically only semolina and water. Check the label.
Keep exploring
For another long, thick pasta, see our guide to casarecce for short twists or bigoli for thick strands. For background, see the Wikipedia entry on bucatini and The Pasta Project.
Related guides: find close swaps in the pasta substitution chart, check typical times in the cooking time chart, or browse the pasta shapes A to Z.
Syed Yasar Arafat is the founder of PastaLoverz.com and a food research enthusiast with a focused interest in pasta varieties, traditional Italian cuisine, and balanced eating. Through PastaLoverz.com, he publishes well-researched articles that explain pasta types, cooking methods, and nutritional considerations in clear, practical terms to help readers make informed food choices.