Discontinued Pasta Shape Returns to New York; But is it the Same?

For two years one of the New York area's most cherished pasta shapes was abruptly discontinued but now, suddenly, it's back just in time for cold and flu season.

In January of 2023, a great darkness fell upon Italian families all over the New York area. Ronzoni announced that it was ceasing production of Pastina. At the time, the pasta maker said that it "wasn't a decision (they) wanted to make", but they were forced to discontinue the product after being unable to secure a supplier that would produce the small, star-shaped pasta.

As someone who was weaned on Pastina and butter, I was horrified. Sure, other brands make similarly shaped pasta, but none of them compares to Ronzoni's #155. Pastina was a staple in New York kitchens for generations. Without those little stars, homemade chicken soup would never be the same.

Ronzoni Pastina Makes a Surprise Return in New York

On Wednesday I was having a conversation about old home remedies and discussed how my mother would make Pastina with melted cream cheese when I had a cold. Feeling a bit nostalgic, I found myself browsing the pasta aisle later in the day at the supermarket when my jaw dropped.

There on the shelf was Ronzponi Pastina!

I wiped my eyes like a cartoon character viewing an oasis after being stranded in the desert for weeks. This was no mirage, Pastina was back.

Looking for confirmation that this was not some elaborate prank, I raced to the same  Ronzoni Instagram page that announced the discontinuation in 2023. A picture of Pastina with the simple message, "Hello old friend" had just been posted that day.

This was truly good news, but was there a catch?

Is the New Ronzoni Pastina the Same as it Was Before?

I found it strange that Ronzoni would just suddenly re-release Pastina without a little more fanfare. The pasta maker faced tons of backlash after taking the legendary pasta off the shelves in 2023. Why wouldn't they capitalize on bringing it back?

I wondered if the whole thing was just an elaborate marketing gimmick to hide the fact that they were changing the recipe. We've seen corporations do shady things like this before. Luckily, I've been saving a box of the original Pastina that was purchased before it was discontinued so I could compare each of their ingredients.

It turns out that they are identical. Both boxes have the exact same nutritional content and the ingredient list is a virtual carbon copy right down to the riboflavin.

So, if you've been mourning the loss of Ronzoni Pastina for the past two years like I have, rest assured that it's back and just the way you remember it.

Before you go racing out to the store, because new boxes of Pastina were just shipped this week it may be a few days before you find it in stock at some supermarkets. We can confirm, however, that local ShopRite in Poughkeepsie, New York already has it and it's currently on sale for just 99 cents with your card.