The 8 Best Pasta Types and How Best to Prepare Them
As any pasta lover knows, there are many types of pasta, and the beloved carb comes in all shapes and sizes. Some pasta have long, stringy shapes, and some are short spirals. Some have distinct shapes resembling shells or bow ties, while some have shapes very similar to seeds or grains.
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Depending on its shape, certain varieties of pasta are better paired with certain sauces and dishes. Vermicelli, a thin spaghetti-like pasta sometimes broken into short pieces, is ideal for soups or noodle salads. Manicotti, short, wide pasta tubes, are meant to be stuffed with meat, cheese, and vegetables. And ruote's wagon-wheel shape goes well with many types of dishes, but its spokes are especially great for catching chunks of meat and vegetables in thick sauces.
It's easy to get stuck in a pasta rut and continuously fall back on a pasta shape you know and love. But knowing which pasta shapes go best with different sauces and dishes might encourage you to get out of that routine and try new pasta combinations.
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This guide to pasta varieties can help you branch out of your one-shape habit and experiment with all sorts of pasta dishes.
Spaghetti
One of the most popular pasta types, spaghetti is traditionally served with thin sauces such as olive oil or tomato sauce, but goes well with nearly any sauce and can also be used in casseroles or stir-fries. Variations of spaghetti include spaghettini, which has thinner strands, and spaghettoni, which has slightly thicker ones.
Orzo
The smallest of the pasta shapes, orzo resembles grains or seeds and can be served as a side dish or a main course. It's a great addition to soups, salads, and pilafs, and even stuffed into vegetables. Orzo pairs well with olive oil, vinaigrettes, and heavy sauces.
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Ravioli, Agnolotti, Pansotti
Filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables, these pastas are traditionally dressed with butter or cream. All have ruffled edges, but each varies in shape: ravioli can be square or circular, agnolotti can be rectangles or half-moons, and pansotti are triangular.
Tortellini, Tortelloni, Tortelli
Listed from smallest to largest, these pasta shapes, resembling little hats or bellybuttons, can be filled with meat or cheese or vegetables. They are great topped with light sauces or put in broth-heavy soups.
Ziti
A medium-sized, tubular pasta, ziti goes best with chunky sauces and meat dishes, and can be used in salads, baked dishes, and stir-fry meals.
Penne
This tubular pasta, which is cut into an angle to resemble quills, can be paired with any sauce and can be added to salads, baked in casseroles, and used in stir-fry dishes.
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Macaroni
Macaroni is one of the most versatile pasta shapes, as it can be topped with any sauce, baked, and added to soups, salads, and stir-fry dishes. However, macaroni is generally mixed with butter and cheese to make the classic macaroni and cheese dish.
Linguine
Linguine, meaning "little tongues," has a flat and long shape that's narrower than fettuccine and goes well with most sauces. But it's best paired with seafood, pesto, and tomato sauces, or is also great tossed in salads and stir-fry dishes.
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-Haley Willard, The Daily Meal
