Barilla Is Launching a Brand-New Pasta Shape — and It's Way More Intricate Than You Think

Barilla is looking to make your next plate of pasta a little more cheerful for the holiday season. On Tuesday, the pasta maker announced it's launching a brand-new pasta shape, Barilla Snowfall. 

“Barilla has a long and proud history of bringing people together over shared meals, especially during the most wonderful time of the year,” Angie Cotter, the U.S. pasta category marketing director at Barilla, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine. “Since the 1960s, we’ve been at the forefront of developing unique pasta shapes, notably the beloved Valentine’s Day shape, Barilla Love, in a market where only 0.3% of new pasta product launches are seasonal launches. It’s been magical watching Barilla Snowfall come to life, and we hope that it inspires moments of togetherness, helping to create new memories with loved ones. We look forward to continuing to bring joy to the pasta-eating experience with many more fun shapes to come.”

And really, this is all just an answer to consumer demand. In early 2024, the company commissioned a survey that showed that 45% of American consumers were "on the lookout for fun shapes of pasta to try," with 54% reporting their interest in new shapes increased during the holiday season.

So, it created this very box to "capture the joy that snow brings to us each winter."

And while at first glance, the shape appears to be a simple snowflake, it's actually much more detailed than that. It also has poinsettia-inspired ridges and a heart in the center, which Barilla says is a homage to its tagline, "A Sign of Love."

Barilla noted that the shape is ideal for all kinds of pasta dishes as it cooks to the "perfect al dente texture every time. Whether used in traditional pasta recipes or new cozy culinary creations, the intricate detail in each unique snowflake creates flavorful and satisfying bites every time." 

The boxes will become available exclusively at Walmart stores and on Walmart.com in December. However, like the holidays, this shape won't last forever, so get a second box while you can to savor the joy just a little bit longer.