The Gluten-Free Pasta You Can Buy To Replace Ronzini Pastina

Earlier this year, we learned that pasta brand Ronzini had decided to discontinue its pastina product — a decision that left the internet devastated. The brand announced its decision on Instagram, citing a supplier who would no longer be making the product. While the brand reportedly had looked for a new supplier to make the beloved, tiny, star-shaped pasta, it came up empty. Commenters on the Instagram post were hardly shy about their feelings, saying things like, "I'm putting my last box in a glass case and framing it in my living room," and, "You're telling me you aren't rich enough to hire some people to figure out how to make more tiny little delicious stars of sunshine?"

For those who have not had the pleasure of eating pastina, the tiny pasta, which literally gets its name from the Italian phrase for "little pasta," is a favorite with children. It's easy to eat and fun to eat, too, usually coming in cute shapes like, in Ronzini's case, stars (via the National Pasta Association). It's particularly a favorite addition to soup, for a bit of an Italian take on the classic chicken noodle. Sounds great, right? Well, luckily, even though Ronzini has abandoned its pastina, you can still find a similar offering on store shelves thanks to a newcomer on the pastina scene — and this new option is gluten-free.

Shortly after Ronzini announced it would be discontinuing its pastina, brand Jovial Foods announced it would be adding a pastina-esque pasta to its lineup (via Food Business News). While Jovial Foods calls its pastina, "stelline pasta," it's basically the same thing: tiny, star-shaped pasta that's an adorable addition to your favorite soup. When announcing the new product, Jovial Foods said the pasta shape had been in the works for months — but the timing was certainly beneficial.

Jovial Foods will begin selling stelline pasta online in May 2023 and at Whole Foods in June 2023, with the product rolling out to more retailers by 2024. Like all Jovial Foods, the pasta will be gluten-free and organic. If you just can't wait a few more months to get your pastina fix, though, you can find other brands offering their versions of the pasta currently — they're just not gluten-free. Barilla makes pastina, as does Target's house brand, Good & Gather.