I Tried Stanley Tucci’s Favorite Pasta Brand, and Guess What? It’s Now My Favorite Too

As a vegetarian and a general lover of carbs, I eat a ton of pasta. And when it comes to noodle shapes, I don’t discriminate — whether the dish calls for spaghetti, penne, fettuccini, or farfalle, I’m game. My only preference is that the noodles be fully cooked. Or at least, it used to be. For a long time, I used to think “al dente” meant fully cooked, until I learned that it actually refers to a firmer noodle texture. Horrified, I couldn’t understand why anyone would voluntarily opt for that much chewing. Then, I went to an Italian dinner for which all the pasta dishes were cooked with noodles from the brand Rummo. If you’re unfamiliar, this company’s pasta is made in a way so that it’s always al dente, even after a long cook time. (It also happens to be Stanley Tucci’s go-to brand for at-home cooking.)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did I thoroughly enjoy my dinner that evening, but I also subsequently found myself craving the firmer noodles. Fortunately, Rummo Italian Pasta is available on Amazon, so despite the brand’s artisanal feel, it’s super easily accessible. Of the noodle shapes I tried, I especially liked the classic spaghetti. But my favorite was, by far, the rigatoni, which is conveniently available online in a pack of five.

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What is Rummo Italian Pasta?

Like I said, Rummo noodles will never feel completely cooked-through, and that’s by design. For the rigatoni, the listed cook time is 11 minutes, but I’ve boiled mine for up to 15 minutes, and they were still perfectly al dente afterward. This also means that your pasta will never turn out mushy or stuck-together. Your noodles will always keep their shape, ensuring a restaurant-quality meal at home every time. What’s more, Rummo uses a signature slow processing method when making the pasta, which gives it a “rougher” surface that grips and absorbs sauce better. And, it’s also just cool that Rummo was founded in Italy in 1846 and is still a family-run business to this day, so you really do get the authentic Italian experience when you cook with their products.

Why I Like Rummo Italian Pasta

When I cook at home, I’m usually multitasking, so I enjoy that I can cook the Rummo rigatoni for so long without having to worry about it turning limp and fragile. I’ll make a smoothie, brew coffee, wash dishes, and complete other tasks while it boils, and this creates a more laid-back experience because I don’t feel rushed to strain it after 10 minutes. I usually eat the spaghetti with basic marinara sauce, but the rigatoni is my favorite because I like how it tastes with pretty much every type of sauce, whether it’s vodka, pesto, or Alfredo. Plus, the short noodles have a ridged texture, which adds a nice component to an otherwise simple two-ingredient meal. And although I don’t usually skimp on sauce, I even like the rigatoni with just a small amount of sauce and some parmesan on top.

But the most important element of all is that my jaw doesn’t feel like it’s working overtime when I eat the slightly firm pasta. If anything, the texture makes my meals feel more substantial. So, if you’re looking to try an authentic Italian pasta brand but are hesitant to eat noodles with a tougher texture, give Rummo a try. I was initially skeptical, too, and now I’m a full al dente convert.

Buy: Rummo Italian Pasta Rigatoni, 5-Pack, $20.71 (normally $23.95)