Navigating the pasta aisle can be overwhelming, with countless shapes, styles, and sizes vying for your attention. This guide serves as your comprehensive resource to identify the perfect pasta for your next culinary creation.
Understanding Pasta Categories
Pasta is broadly categorized into three main groups based on their shape and size:
1. Small Pastas:
These versatile shapes, often referred to as “macaroni,” range in size from 1 to 2 inches. They excel in thick, chunky sauces, creamy casseroles, and pasta salads. Their sturdy structure also holds its own in soups, particularly the smaller varieties.
- Farfalle: Bowtie-shaped pieces, named after the Italian word for “butterfly.”
- Orecchiette: Concave, flattened shells originating from Southern Italy, their name meaning “small ear.”
- Rotini: Tight corkscrews ideal for capturing thick sauces. Also labeled as “fusilli.”
- Orzo: Small, rice-shaped noodles commonly added to salads and soups.
- Ditalini: Tiny tube-like shapes, often used in pasta e fagioli. Their name translates to “small thimbles” in Italian.
- Stelline: Miniature star-shaped noodles, perfect for soups due to their tendency to get lost in heavier dishes.
2. Ribbon-Cut Pastas:
These long, ribbon-like noodles often fall under the “spaghetti” category, but variations abound. They pair beautifully with pesto, fresh tomato sauces, and wine- or butter-based sauces.
- Spaghetti: The classic and most popular long noodle with a medium density.
- Capellini: Ultra-thin strands (0.85-0.92 mm), delicate and prone to overcooking. Also known as “angel hair” pasta.
- Vermicelli: Traditional pasta, slightly thicker than spaghetti. Its name translates to “little worms” in Italian.
- Linguine: Rounded-edge strands, wider than spaghetti.
- Tagliatelle: Often made with egg-enriched dough, this medium-wide and toothsome noodle complements meaty sauces.
- Fettuccine: Flat, thick noodles, their name meaning “little ribbons” in Italian.
- Pappardelle: Large, broad, flat noodles, wider than fettuccine. Often made with egg-enriched dough.
- Bucatini: Rounded strands resembling spaghetti, but with a long hole running through the center. Also called perciatelli.
- Lasagna: Sheets of pasta rolled out to medium thickness, typically layered with sauce, cheese, vegetables, and/or meats, then baked into a classic Italian American casserole or simmered in soup.
3. Tube-Shaped Pastas:
Also known as “extruded pasta,” these shapes are created by forcing dough through a die. Artisan pasta-making traditions often use bronze dies for a coarser texture.
- Penne: Cylinder-shaped pieces with pointed ends, named after the Italian word for “pen.”
- Rigatoni: Slightly curved, tube-shaped pastas, usually larger than penne. Their name derives from the Italian word “rigato,” meaning “ridged” or “lined.”
- Macaroni: Technically, “macaroni” is a general term for small and medium dried-pasta shapes. In America, it has become synonymous with elbow macaroni, the small curved tubes used in mac and cheese and pasta salads.
- Cannelloni: Smooth tubes, typically covered in sauce and baked after stuffing.
- Manicotti: Large tubes, similar to cannelloni but with ridges. This shape originated in Italian American cuisine and is also baked after stuffing.
- Ziti: Hollow, straw-shaped noodles, smaller and narrower than rigatoni. Frequently baked into saucy, cheesy casseroles.
4. Stuffed Pastas:
These shapes are specifically designed to hold fillings like cheese, meat, and vegetables. They are best served in butter, cream, or tomato sauces to allow the flavorful filling to shine.
- Ravioli: Two flat sheets of pasta forming a dumpling-like structure for filling (most commonly cheese).
- Tortellini: Little rings filled with cheese, meat, or other ingredients. Tortelloni is similar but about twice the size.
- Cappelletti: Small, filled pasta, folded diagonally to resemble a hat.
- Agnolotti: Small, crimped pillows, with fillings similar to ravioli.
- Fagottini: Little bundles of pasta, usually filled with vegetables and ricotta cheese.
- Mezzelune: Crimped semicircles stuffed with cheese and sometimes veggies or meat.
Choosing the Right Pasta for Your Dish
Now that you’re familiar with the different pasta categories, let’s explore how to select the perfect pasta for your culinary creation:
- Sauce Consistency: Thick, chunky sauces pair well with small pastas like orecchiette or penne, while thin, light sauces complement ribbon-cut pastas like spaghetti or fettuccine.
- Cooking Method: Baked dishes often call for tube-shaped pastas like ziti or rigatoni, while soups benefit from smaller shapes like ditalini or stelline.
- Personal Preference: Ultimately, your personal preference plays a significant role. Experiment with different shapes and sizes to discover your favorites.
With this comprehensive guide to pasta types, you’re now equipped to navigate the pasta aisle with confidence. Choose the perfect shape and size for your next dish, and enjoy the endless possibilities that pasta offers!
Spaghetti Alla Chitarra (Spaghettini)
This square spaghetti is called after the chitarra, a kitchen tool in the shape of a guitar. Spaghetti alla Chitarra is a distinctive thick cut pasta with an enticing al dente bite. It goes well with a variety of sauces, from heart meat sauces like the classic Abruzzese Lamb Ragù to simple tomato sauces.
In Anchovy, we adore spaghetti alla chitarra.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
These long, flat ribbons of pasta, originating in Emilia-Romagna, are similar in size to fettuccine. Their ribbon-like shape, which is flat, is ideal for encasing thick, rich sauces. One of the most popular pasta shapes in Italy is tagliatelle, which is frequently served like the Italian-American dish “spaghetti and meatballs.” ”.
We adore fettuccine with goat cheese in Figgy Tagliatelle.
Taken from Naples, Italy, and served with ragùs and hearty, robust sauces, these twisted tubes are similar to rigatoni but with a twist! Although the word “tortiglioni” sounds funny, this pasta shape is excellent at capturing sauce, making it suitable for even the chunkiest sauces and cheesy baked pasta dishes.
We love Tortiglioni in Tortiglioni with Ham & Peas.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
These pasta rings, one of Italy’s most popular pasta shapes, are composed of a rich but delicate egg pasta that is filled with cheese, meat, or other delectable fillings. Although tortellini are typically served in broth-based soups, they can be prepared with a variety of sauces, including creamy picnic pasta dressings, light tomato sauces, and oil-based sauces.
We love Tortellini in Pasta Fagioli Tortellini Soup.
Check out our collection of 11 delicious recipes for your favorite stuffed pasta rings to get even more ideas.
Shop now! Available in Spinach and Three-Cheese.
This well-liked long cut, which is thinner than its more well-known sibling, goes best with lighter sauces that don’t overpower its delicate form. We enjoy spaghettini tossed in a light scampi butter sauce with shrimp and a Pomodoro sauce made with fresh tomatoes and herbs.
We adore the Thin Spaghetti in Garlicky Pancetta, Tomatoes, and Kale.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
This pasta hybrid, a cross between shell and elbow, has a ridged outside and a curved tube shape. It’s as much fun to say as it is to eat. This unusual pasta shape is prepared to absorb sauces and tiny ingredients. Try it with gourmet additions like pancetta, artichokes, peas, and mushrooms in gooey baked pasta dishes.
We adore Roasted Pepper Bruschetta Shellbows.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
The smooth, straight-cut tubes of this traditional Southern Italian pasta are ideal for holding sauces and other tiny ingredients. Famous for its use in classic Napolitano meat sauces and cheesy baked pasta dishes with tomato and ricotta cheese, bucatini is
We love Ziti in Cheesy Baked Ziti.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
Capellini (also known as angel hair)
Because of its long, thin shape, this pasta has been dubbed “angel hair” by many. Long-cut pasta called cappelletti is enhanced by light-textured and flavorful sauces and toppings, such as shrimp, scallops, lemon, olive oil, and fresh tomato. We adore using Capellini in lighter cream sauces and soups with broth.
We love Capellini in Capellini with Roasted Garlic & Spinach.
Originating in Southern Italy, this playful and elastic pasta resembles a twisted “corkscrew” with a hole in it. Cavatappi is a robust cut that can withstand thick sauces and substantial ingredients. This playful, adaptable shape is perfect for cold pasta salads with crisp vegetables or gooey baked pasta dishes with spicy sausage and peppers.
We adore Cavatappi with Peas and Pancetta.
Shop now! Available in Organic, Whole Wheat and Semolina.
Ditalini, also called pastina or soup cut, is a small, ridged tube. This little tube-shaped pasta is the highlight of hearty soups like Tuscan White Bean Soup or Minestrone, but don’t be afraid to try it in a light summertime pasta salad for a picnic.
We love in Macaroni Salad with Creamy Parm & Pesto.
Shop now! Available in Semolina.
Elbows, as their name suggests, are tiny, c-shaped tubes that are ideal for catching sauces and tiny ingredients. Apart from being a popular ingredient in creamy cold pasta salads and simple tomato and vegetable sauces, elbows also make a great short pasta for baked pasta dishes like macaroni and cheese.
We love it in Chicken, Sausage and Peppers Macaroni.
Shop now! Available in Whole Wheat and Semolina.
How to Cut Spaghetti Squash (without going to the hospital!)
FAQ
What is cut spaghetti called?
What are the different types of spaghetti?
What is twisted spaghetti called?
What is the name of the chunky spaghetti?
What is spaghetti pasta?
Spaghetti is the type of pasta that was created in Italy, and popularized in the entire world by the middle of 20th century. This long, thin, cylindrical pasta represents only one of the many pasta products that are today consumed on all four corners of the Earth. Here are some of the most popular spaghetti variations:
What does spaghetti mean in Italian?
Spaghetti translates to “little strings” in Italian. It’s perhaps the most famous and beloved pasta worldwide. Spaghetti. There are several variations of spaghetti, including spaghetti alla chitarra, spaghettini, and spaghettoni.
What type of pasta has a hole in the center?
Bucatini – Very thick spaghetti-looking pasta that has a hole in its center. Capellini – Very thin variation of spaghetti, often regarded as the thinnest type of pasta. Fusilli bucati – Shaped in the form of the coiled tubes, with hollow section in their middle. Fettuccine – Pasta type that was used since Roman times.