Bucatini, a thick pasta with a delightful hollow center, has gained popularity among gourmet enthusiasts and home chefs alike for its perfect pairing with rich, hearty sauces. As this Italian favorite makes its way into kitchens around the world, knowing which brands offer the best quality can enhance your culinary creations. Top brands often combine traditional techniques with premium semolina durum wheat to maintain authentic textures and flavors. To explore the leading choices for bucatini that promise exceptional taste and quality, continue reading below.
Illustration of bucatini
Best brands of bucatini in 2025
De Cecco
De Cecco is renowned as one of the top producers of high-quality pasta, including bucatini, with a rich history spanning over 130 years. The brand has seen significant growth, such as a 13.7% year-on-year increase in sales in the first four months of 2019, and it has emerged as Italy's favorite pasta brand, with around 10.9 million families purchasing its products. De Cecco's commitment to traditional methods, including low-temperature slow drying, ensures the highest quality and nutritional properties of its durum wheat semolina pasta. The company has also expanded its product line to include wholemeal, gluten-free, and multigrain pasta, catering to diverse consumer preferences. De Cecco's global presence is strong, with exports growing by 6% in volume in 2017, particularly in markets like Germany, France, and the United States.
Barilla
Barilla, founded in 1877, is a leading global pasta maker, holding 24.5% of the Italian market and 38.4% of the global pasta market. The company produces over 160 shapes and sizes of pasta, including bucatini, and is recognized for its high quality and innovative packaging solutions. In 2022, Barilla reported a net revenue of EUR4.726 billion, showcasing its strong market presence. With production sites in 15 countries, Barilla ensures widespread distribution of its products. The company's commitment to quality and sustainability has solidified its position as a preferred choice among consumers. For more information, visit their official website.
Rustichella d'Abruzzo
Rustichella d'Abruzzo is renowned for producing high-quality, artisanal pasta, particularly their bucatini, which is made from the finest durum wheat semolina and pure Apennine mountain spring water. Founded in 1924 by Gaetano Sergiacomo and revived in 1981 by Nicolina Peduzzi, the company maintains traditional pasta-making techniques, including extrusion through bronze dies and slow air-drying, a process that takes 40-60 hours to preserve nutritional value and flavor. This method gives the pasta a rustic texture that absorbs sauces beautifully. The Peduzzi family's commitment to quality is evident in every product, making Rustichella d'Abruzzo one of the most respected artisanal pasta brands in Italy. Their bucatini, with its hearty, tube-shaped design, is a favorite among pasta enthusiasts. To explore more about their bucatini, visit the Rustichella d'Abruzzo Bucatini page.
Rummo
Rummo, founded in 1846 by Antonio Rummo, is a renowned producer of high-quality pasta, including bucatini, known for its patented slow processing method that ensures exceptional cooking resilience and taste. The company offers a wide range of pasta products, including traditional, gluten-free, and organic options, and has received several awards, such as the Leonardo Qualita Italia award in 2011 and the Environment Friendly Innovation award for reducing CO2 emissions by 30%. Rummo is sold in over 60 countries and has seen significant growth, particularly in the U.S. market, where it was the fastest-growing pasta brand in the 52-week period ending April 2023. The company closed 2022 with a turnover of over 170 million euros, a 26.5% increase from 2021. Rummo's commitment to quality and innovation has made it a leading player in the premium pasta segment.
La Molisana
La Molisana is a renowned Italian pasta brand, particularly celebrated for its high-quality bucatini, which is part of its traditional Le Classiche line made from 100% Italian wheat and bronze drawn. Founded in 1912 by the Carlone family in Molise, the company has a rich history of over a century, with a significant expansion under the Ferro family since 2011, resulting in a six-fold increase in revenue and exports to 80 countries worldwide. La Molisana's bucatini, also known as bigoli or pici, is distinguished by its central hole that enhances the collection of seasoning. The company's commitment to quality and authenticity has earned it the status of the fifth-largest pasta brand in Italy, with a focus on high protein content and traditional stone processing methods. La Molisana's products, including its bucatini, reflect a dedication to nutritional value and consumer health, such as its wholemeal pasta with 7.5% fiber content.
Garofalo
Pasta Garofalo, established in 1789, is renowned for its high-quality bucatini, made from the best durum wheat semolina sourced from various geographical areas, including Italy, Arizona, and Australia. The company's commitment to excellence is evident in its PGI-certified Pasta di Gragnano, which ensures a unique taste experience. In 2022, Garofalo invested significantly in energy efficiency and sustainability, with 64% of its energy coming from a cogeneration plant and 1% from photovoltaic systems. The brand exports its products to over 60 countries, with 57% of its production destined for international markets. Garofalo's dedication to innovation and tradition has made it one of the leading pasta manufacturers in Italy. To discover more about their diverse pasta offerings, visit their official website.
Benedetto Cavalieri
Benedetto Cavalieri is a renowned Italian pasta producer, particularly celebrated for its high-quality bucatini, made from 100% Italian durum wheat with high protein and gluten content. The company, founded in 1918 by Benedetto Cavalieri, has maintained a tradition of innovation and quality, using the "delicate method" involving long kneading, slow pressing, and low-temperature drying to preserve the nutritional values of the durum wheat. This method ensures the pasta retains its natural flavor and texture. The company has been recognized as a Learning Centre of Slow Food University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo since 2005 and has received prestigious awards, including two Oscars at the "Fancy Food Show" in New York. Now in its fourth generation, the family continues to uphold the highest standards in pasta production. To learn more about Benedetto Cavalieri's traditions and products, visit their profile.
Afeltra
Afeltra, a renowned producer of high-quality pasta, stands out for its meticulous production process, particularly for its bucatini and other shapes like Penna Rigata. Using 100% Italian wheat from the Tavoliere delle Puglie, Afeltra ensures the best organoleptic properties. The pasta is made with water from the Lattari Mountains, a tradition dating back over 400 years. Afeltra's pasta is dried in static cells at low temperatures (up to 50°C) for 24 to 60 hours, preserving the quality and texture. This slow drying process distinguishes Afeltra from industrial producers, maintaining the aesthetic and organoleptic characteristics of the pasta. For more details about their Penna Rigata, visit Afeltra's pasta page.
Pasta Mancini
Pasta Mancini is renowned for producing high-quality bucatini, leveraging their unique field-to-fork approach where they grow and harvest their own durum wheat in the Marche region of Italy. This process, which includes following Good Agricultural Practices and using circular bronze dies, ensures a rough and porous surface that enhances sauce adhesion. The bucatini, with a length of 260 mm, a diameter of 2.9 mm, and a central hole of 0.8 mm, cooks in 5-7 minutes. Pasta Mancini's commitment to traditional methods, such as slow drying at temperatures below 55degC for 44-46 hours, sets their product apart from industrial producers. Their pasta is available globally, including in the US and UK, and is praised for its superior texture and flavor. Learn more about their bucatini on their website: Pasta Mancini Bucatini.
Martelli
Martelli is a renowned brand in Italy, particularly celebrated for its high-quality bucatini production. As one of the leading pasta manufacturers, Martelli stands out for its traditional methods and use of durum wheat semolina, which aligns with consumer preferences for authentic Italian products. In the pasta production industry, which had a market size of EUR9.7 billion in Italy in 2024, Martelli competes with major brands like Barilla and De Cecco, though it is not listed among the top three companies in terms of market share. The industry's growth, with a CAGR of 2.1% between 2019 and 2024, reflects the enduring demand for premium pasta products like those produced by Martelli. The brand's commitment to traditional techniques and quality ingredients has helped it maintain a strong presence in the Italian pasta market. For more about Martelli's products, visit their official website.
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