Bucatini pasta can only be described as the most deliciously upgraded version of traditional spaghetti. Learn how to make bucatini noodles, where to buy bucatini pasta, and find out which sauces pair beautifully with this hollow pasta shape.
How do you describe bucatini pasta? Initially, I can think of one word: delicious. Bucatini is a traditional Italian pasta that originated in Rome, where it is still served in all types of gorgeous pasta recipes today.
Let’s learn how to make it!
When I first started making pasta at home (find all the details by clicking through), I was admittedly a little intimidated. Once I understood that it was truly such an easy process and so worthwhile for the incredible upgrade in both flavor and texture, our dinners changed for the better.
I love sharing all of our favorite homemade pasta recipes with you. It’s a comfort food like no other! I’ve shown you so many of our favorites, like how to make homemade egg noodles, arugula pasta, or everyone’s favorite one pot carbonara.
Recently I shared an incredibly savory bucatini with Amatriciana Sauce, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to go more in depth about the bucatini noodle itself. Let’s dive in!
What is Bucatini Pasta?
It’s quite simply a long round tube style of noodle that resembles a thick spaghetti. However, whereas spaghetti is a skinny tube of pasta, bucatini has a hollow center.
That hollow center is a truly beautiful thing, because it means that the sauce goes both on the outside of every noodle, and the inside. Coating both surfaces creates a textural explosion of flavor!
FUN FACT: The name ‘bucatini’ comes from the Italian ‘buco’ which actually translates very simply to hole in Italian!
Why Does It Have a Hole?
You might think of bucatini as a longer and more flexible macaroni, with the hole running through the center. The hole actually allows this thicker pasta to cook more easily, which is perfection when it comes to getting a quick pasta dinner on the table.
The hollow center is also ideal for giving every bite even more sauce, which is also ideal for a variety of pasta dishes.
Bucatini and Spaghetti are very similar in shape, with the significant difference being the hole in the center of the thicker bucatini.
Spaghetti is very slender and one dimensional. The hole in the center of bucatini creates a secondary surface for all of your sauces, and it makes it so much more fun to eat!
Bucatini Pasta Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour – I generally use all purpose because that’s what we’re always likely to have on hand. However, you’re welcome to experiment with whole wheat, durum wheat flour or equal parts semolina flour and all purpose flour.
- Eggs – These are a requirement for binding the flour into your dough.
- Water – The right amount of water will make or break your pasta dough. As you’ll see in the notes below, you’ll add water slowly to prevent it from being too dry or too sticky.
QUICK TIP: Durum wheat flour is made of hard wheat, which means it has a higher protein content than other flours. This helps the noodles hold their shape and gives a little added texture, which is why it’s been used for pasta for centuries.
You’ll need a pasta maker attachment for your Kitchenaid mixer, to begin.
How to Make Easy Bucatini Noodles
- Make Dough – Combine flour, eggs and water with your paddle attachment. You don’t want the dough to be crumbly or sticky…just doughy! Add an additional tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency on speed 4.
- Knead – Using your dough hook, knead for 2 minutes on speed 4.
- Make Bucatini Noodles – With the pasta maker attachment fitted with the bucatini press, Feed the dough through, catching the noodles with your other hand and immediately place into your pot of boiling water. *You have to gauge your dough…if it is too sticky, add a little flour to your hands and recreate dough ball. If it appears to be too dry and not smooth enough, add a touch of water to your hands and recreate dough ball.
- Boil – Boil noodles in your pasta water for just three minutes, until al dente, and drain.
Tips
Learn How to Cook Pasta right here, with all my favorite tips and tricks, and How to Reheat Pasta here.
How to Store Fresh Pasta
- Dry – After the pasta is cut or pressed, hang over a drying rack or lay out on the counter with plenty of space between each noodle and let air dry. (30 minutes at a minimum but can take up to 12-24 hours.) Turn the noodles periodically to keep them from sticking to the surface they are on. You can also cover them with a towel to keep any dust from settling on them while they dry. Store in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Place fresh noodles on a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Dust with flour and loosely fold them into nests. Allow them to dry another 30 minutes. Place in an airtight container and store refrigerated 2-3 days.
- Freeze – Store in an airtight container. Keeps well up to 3 months. To Use: Add frozen pasta to a pot of salty boiling water and prepare al dente.
Sauces to Pair With
In my eyes, there’s no better combination of rich tomato flavor and texture than bucatini all’amatriciana. However, pasta sauces of all kinds can pair beautifully with this thick, textural noodle!
You can eat this delicious homemade pasta with something as simple as a little olive oil, romano cheese and a crack of black pepper or Cacio e Pepe.
You can try any of your favorite pasta sauces with your homemade bucatini – in fact, anything that you would serve with a spaghetti noodle works well with homemade bucatini.
While many pasta recipes will call for a particular kind of pasta, it’s fun to mix things up and try new things! Consider the following recipe options to find your new favorite pasta sauce:
Where to Buy Bucatini Pasta
I get it, homemade pasta isn’t for everyone! With that in mind, please know that you can enjoy a traditional bucatini pasta dish with store bought bucatini!
If that’s the case, learning where to buy bucatini pasta might be just as important as making it yourself.
It’s more easily available as a dried pasta in American stores. You can often find it for purchase in a more fresh, handmade format at any of your local Italian delis or pasta makers.
This pairs incredibly well with my favorite Italian Salad! It’s a match made in heaven.
What do you think? Did you learn anything new today? Are you already familiar (and obsessed) with bucatini like we are, or is this a whole new world for you?
More Sauce + Pasta
Bucatini Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
- water 2 tablespoons at a time
Instructions
- Combine flour, eggs and water with your paddle attachment. You don't want the dough to be crumbly or sticky…just doughy! Add an additional tablespoon of water until you reach the desired consistency, mixing on speed 4.
- Using your dough hook, knead for 2 minutes on speed 4.
- Switch to your bucatini attachment. Feed the dough through, catching the noodles with your other hand and immediately place into your pot of boiling water.
- Boil noodles for three minutes and drain.
Tips
How to Store Fresh Pasta
- Dry – After the pasta is cut or pressed, hang over a drying rack or lay out on the counter with plenty of space between each noodle and let air dry. (30 minutes at a minimum but can take up to 12-24 hours.) Turn the noodles periodically to keep them from sticking to the surface they are on. You can also cover them with a towel to keep any dust from settling on them while they dry. Store in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate – Place fresh noodles on a baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Dust with flour and loosely fold them into nests. Allow them to dry another 30 minutes. Place in an airtight container and store refrigerated 2-3 days.
- Freeze – Store in an airtight container. Keeps well up to 3 months. To Use: Add frozen pasta to a pot of salty boiling water and prepare al dente.
Pair With
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
I just ordered that attachment for my KitchenAid so I can’t wait to make this! I’ve been wanting to try for forever but always felt too intimidated to actually get it right. Thank you so much for breaking the process down.
I’d never had this before but dang it is good! love it!
Yummy! This was my first time making pasta. Can you believe I’ve owned my Kitchenaid pasta maker but never used it before. Thanks to this intro on making it myself! LOVE it. And excited to try your many more homemade pasta recipes. So easy. Who would have guessed?!
So glad you enjoyed it! Sometimes simple is simply the best.
Oh, I love learning how to make my own pasta! Thank you so much 🙂
Homemade pasta is so tasty! I use a similar recipe for the noodles in my chicken noodle soup, but I have to roll them by hand. I need to get a pasta attachment, it would be much easier!