Lumache Rigate is a traditional snail-shaped ridged pasta from Piedmont, Italy.
This vegetarian recipe is quick and easy to make since we’ve used store bought dried Lumache pasta.
Toss al dente pasta in our homemade garlic butter sauce and the delicious dish will be on your table ready to eat in just minutes!
Your family will love forking through this cheesy Northern Italian pasta recipe featuring flavourful garlic, butter, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, red chili flakes, white wine and parmesan cheese.
Serve snail pasta on its own as a light lunch or as a side dish at your next Italian dinner party.
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What Is Lumache Rigate Pasta?
Lumache (pronounced loo-MAH-chay), also known as lumaconi, is a shell shaped ridged pasta, which translates to “snail.”
Historically, Italian chefs looked outside their kitchen for pasta inspiration, basing the unique handmade shapes they created on the plants, animals and apparently snails that lived in their community.
The classic Lumache Pasta shape features a pinched end, which helps trap sauce in the main part of the shell. It comes in sizes ranging from tiny to jumbo. The pasta has a slightly different shape but is similar to the conchiglie family of cuts.
The pasta is extruded through brass dyes and then dried for 24–36 hours. This longer drying period results in superior quality and texture.
Lumache Pasta is originally from the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The area borders France, so the love of snails is attributed to the nearby francophone influence.
As is the case with other pastas, a variety of types of wheat can be used to make lumache rigate. If you can, purchase pasta made with durum wheat, which is a hard variety of wheat that cooks to al dente perfection. Even when slightly overcooked, a durum wheat pasta will retain a chewy mouthfeel and hold its shape.
Lumache Rigate is best served in a chunky ragu as it does an excellent job at trapping sauces. It can be served hot out of the pot or in a casserole dish after baking in the oven to melt into a stringy cheese gratin.
Travel to Italy by Cooking Lumache Pasta at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey, France, Malta and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome and the Amalfi Coast.
Once back home from an Italian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for regional cuisine and can impress friends and family by making our traditional Lumache Pasta recipe!
Where To Eat Lumache Rigate Pasta
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves Lumache Rigate.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Lumache Pasta at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can also assess the ideal pasta to garlic butter ratio, amount of cheese to sprinkle on top and perfect side dishes to accompany the entree.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve Lumache pasta include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
Join Dobbernationloves founder Andrew Dobson in the kitchen by signing up for a fun virtual cooking class! Classes begin with a cocktail that you can sip while preparing 2-3 recipes that are curated around a unique culinary theme. Check out our current Cooking Class Schedule!
My Family Loves Cooking Lumache Pasta
I love cooking Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta for my family.
I first made this authentic Italian pasta dish on a warm summer evening at our family cottage in Muskoka. It was the peak of Ontario growing season and we had plenty of fresh parsley and garlic to pluck from the garden.
I knew my family would enjoy this simple Lumache Pasta recipe because they love plenty of carbs, garlic butter and mountains of cheese.
This vegetarian pasta dish is perfect for a last minute meal as the ingredients are simple, affordable and easy to find at the average grocery store.
Health Benefits
Our Lumache Pasta recipe is prepared with simple and affordable ingredients.
It is only recently that scientists have begun to identify the components responsible for garlic’s myriad health benefits. Rich in phytochemicals and potassium, garlic helps boost your immune system, fight cancer and protect your heart.
An excellent source of vitamin K, as well as vitamin C, folate, and iron, parsley helps keep your bones and blood healthy, and protects your skin from damage by free radicals.
Chili has been proven to help reduce the duration of sickness, prevent heart disease, and promote weight loss.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, lemons help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Whole wheat flour is rich in vitamins B-1, B-3, and B-5, along with riboflavin and folate. It also has more iron, calcium, protein, and other nutrients than white flour.
Pasta Cooking Tips
This Lumache Rigate recipe is quick and easy to make at home.
- Use a high quality nonstick skillet to prepare the garlic butter and toss the pasta.
- We suggest using a Piedmont white wine such as Cortese, Arneis, or Erbaluce.
- You can purchase Lumache pasta on Amazon or at a local Italian grocer.
- While this recipe is vegetarian you can serve it as a side dish with your favourite grilled seafood, beef, pork or chicken for additional protein.
- We’ve tossed the pasta in Parmigiano Reggiano but you can substitute for another aged cheese such as Gruyere, Manchego, Beemster XO or Mimolette.
What To Serve With Lumache Pasta
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a bowl of cheesy pasta.
If you’re hosting an Italian-themed dinner party we suggest serving Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta as part of a buffet featuring Burrata Bruschetta Crostini with Tomato Chutney, Fresh Fig Prosciutto Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto, Vegetarian Gorgonzola Risotto al Radicchio, Sartu Di Riso, Cheesy Polenta, Involtini di Pollo, Aperol Gin Cocktails, Amaretto Disaronno Sour and Italian Prosecco and Gin Cocktail.
For a light lunch or dinner, pair this Lumache Pasta recipe with fresh salads like Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad, Roasted Beetroot Salad, Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad, Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad, Scallion Dill Beetroot Salad with Yogurt, Toasted Pecan Parmesan Pear and Rocket Salad and Cambozola Currant Pear and Fennel Salad.
After dinner why not dazzle your guests with one of our popular desserts such as Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns , Gevulde Speculaas, Turmeric Pumpkin Spice Indian Cake, Oat Flour Cookies with Chocolate Chips, Dark Chocolate Lindt Lindor Cookies, Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes Recipe, Cinnamon Chocolate Babka, Fresh Fig Frangipane Pistachio Tartlets, Caribbean Coconut Rum Banana Bread Bundt Cake, and Blueberry Cream Cheese Earl Grey Ice Cream.
Other Pasta Recipes You May Enjoy...
- Maccheroni al Ferretto Pasta with Beef Ragu
- Easy Creamy Prime Rib Pasta
- Easy Caprese Gnocchi Cheese Bake Casserole
- Homemade Corzetti Pasta Recipe
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- Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu Recipe
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- Easy Ricotta Gnocchi Recipes
- Orecchiette with Sausage and Kale
- Garlic Boursin and Lemon Linguine with Grilled Chicken
- Creamy Mediterranean Hummus Pasta with Pesto Chicken
- Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese Recipe
How To Make Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta
Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta with Garlic Butter
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
- cheese grater
- Large Nonstick Pan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Large pot
Ingredients
- 7 oz Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta
- Kosher Salt and Pepper
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 6 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 cup Parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp Lemon Zest
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1/4 cup Dry White Wine
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded and divided
Instructions
- Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to reach a rolling boil.
- Cook the Lumache Rigate Snail Pasta according to package instructions. You want the pasta to be al dente so don't overcook!
- In a nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add the garlic and pinch of salt and fry for 1 minute. Add the parsley, chili flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice and dry white wine then stir over the heat for another minute, until you have a velvety sauce.
- When the pasta is al dente (cooked but still has a nice bite) drain the water, reserving a little pasta water for your sauce.
- Add the pasta to the sauce then add a tablespoon of reserved pasta water and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Season to taste and toss to combine. Serve hot with remaining grated parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
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