Radiatore — Zelli Pasta

2026-03-21T12:34:58-07:00

Radiatore — named for the radiator, and it looks the part. Deep ridges and ruffled fins running the length of a short, squat tube. It's one of the most surface-area-rich shapes in pasta, which means it holds onto thick, chunky sauces better than almost anything else. Bolognese, sausage ragù, creamy vegetable sauces — this is the shape for when you want the sauce to go nowhere.

Zelli is a family-owned pasta maker in Springdale, Arkansas, founded by Mitchell Owen and Angelina Bowen. Their bronze dies are custom-made in Italy — the rough, porous surface they leave on the pasta is what makes sauce cling rather than slide off. Organic North American durum semolina, slow dried at low temperatures to preserve flavor and nutrition. Two ingredients: flour and water.

Radiatore — deeply ridged short shape, exceptional sauce retention