Leave that penne in your pantry! Instead, check out our most popular gemelli recipes. This unusual spiral pasta has a good chew and holds sauce beautifully in its grooves.
8 Recipes to Make with Gemelli Pasta
Updated on Jun. 03, 2024
I love pasta. I don’t discriminate—I’ll eat any and all pasta shapes—though I have to admit I’m partial to the more unusual ones. I like ear-shaped orecchiette tossed with pesto and fresh Parmesan, ruffled campanelle with homemade marinara and flat, wide pappardelle with mushroom ragu. I also keep a box of twisty gemelli in the pantry for chewy cacio e pepe.
This underused spiral deserves more recognition, so I compiled a list of gemelli pasta recipes to share our best ideas. You’ll want to keep a box of gemelli in your pantry, too!
1
/
8
Chicken Pesto Pasta
When my garden basil goes nuts, I make pesto and keep it frozen in small containers for the right opportunity, like this saucy one-pot chicken pesto pasta recipe. —Kimberly Fenwick, Hobart, Indiana
2
/
8
Creamy Pasta Primavera
This pasta dish is a wonderful blend of crisp, colorful vegetables and a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
3
/
8
Lemony Shrimp & Snow Pea Pasta
This pretty pasta is a family favorite —the kids love the light lemony flavor, and I love that they devour the fresh veggies. You can use other types of pasta for variety, like bow ties or corkscrews. —Jennifer Fisher, Austin, Texas
4
/
8
Chorizo Pumpkin Pasta
I’m a busy student, and this spicy-sweet gemelli pasta recipe makes a perfect quick dinner. Even better, it works on a bigger scale to feed a bunch of friends. —Christine Yang, Syracuse, New York
5
/
8
Avocado & Artichoke Pasta Salad
A squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of cilantro and a little avocado make this a creamy and zingy pasta salad. —Carrie Farias, Oak Ridge, New Jersey
6
/
8
Italian Sausage with Artichokes and Feta
To impress the guests, we serve Italian sausage and artichoke hearts with pasta. It tastes like a gourmet masterpiece and also works with rice or potatoes. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho
7
/
8
Strawberry-Chicken Pasta Salad
When I figured out how to re-create this restaurant dish at home, my family was so excited. For a different spin, use raspberries or peaches instead of strawberries. —Jane Ozment, Purcell, Oklahoma
8
/
8
Mexican Chicken Alfredo
One family member likes Italian; another likes Mexican. They’ll never complain when this gemelli pasta dish is on the menu. —Tia Woodley, Stockbridge, GeorgiaGemelli Pasta FAQ
What is gemelli pasta?
It’s a shape similar to fusilli or cavatappi, but with a hearty chew when cooked al dente.
The word gemelli is Italian for “twins,” but this type of pasta is only one strand of dough twisted into a spiral. The shape holds sauces well and has some bite, so every forkful of mac and cheese will be chewy, cheesy goodness.
How do you pronounce gemelli?
Pronounce this type of pasta like JEM-elli.
What is gemelli pasta good for?
The grooves in gemelli make it an excellent fit for almost any type of pasta sauce, but we particularly love a homemade pesto. The grooves catch all the flecks of basil and Parmesan.
