Different Pasta Types and How to Use Them (2024)

Editorial Staff

How many different types of pasta do you know? How many different types of pasta have you actually tasted?

There’s no definitive number when it comes to thedifferent pastatypes there are in the world, and with so many regional variations, historical shapes and differences of opinion, it’s probably not worth arguing over.

One thing is for sure, there are a lot of pasta shapesout there and many of them have very distinct styles and distinct uses.

This food infographic from Chasing DeliciousKitchen 101 takes an encyclopaedic look at pasta and tries to put the world of sizes, shapes and textures into some sort of order.

Types of Pasta

Tortelloni

Tortelloni are a popular ring-shapedstuffed pasta from the north of Italy, the bigger brother to tortellini. They are often found filled with spinach and ricottaand finished off in a pan with meltedbutterandsageleaves after boiling.

Try thisrecipe for tortelloni with ricotta and pumpkin filling, served with black truffle and butter.

Busiate

This special corkscrew shaped pasta hails from Trapaniin western Sicily. It is made of durum wheat flour and water, and is usually servedwith the famous pesto alla Trapanese sauce, as well as fish-based sauces.

Fusilli

_{Photo byBozhin KaraivanovonUnsplash}

This long, thick, corkscrew-shaped pasta originally hails from Southern Italy.Thanks to its spiral shape it isable to imprison delicious sauces, likea classic tomato sauce.

It can also hold its own in simple salads. Try this easy recipe forpasta salad with olives, tomatoes and walnuts.

Tagliatelle

_{Photo byHeather GillonUnsplash}

This popular long, flat, ribbon-like egg pasta hails from central and northern Italy, where it stars in ragù alla bolognese. It issaid to have been invented in 1487 in Bologna.

Try making this easy summer dish:tagliatelle with zucchini, peas and basil cream.

Orecchiette

Thisdistinctive pasta made with durum wheat, salt and water, hails from Puglia where itsparticular shaperesemblinghuman ears gives it its Italian name:'orecchia'(ear) and 'ette'(little).

Try this easy hearty vegetarian recipe for orecchiette with beans and rocket pesto.

The Encyclopaedia of different types of pasta

Click here to enlarge

Types of Pasta

Ribbon cut

• Lasagne
• Lasagnette
• Lasagne ricce
• Bavette
• Fettuccine
• Linguine
• Mafalde
• Pappardelle
• Pizzoccheri
• Spaghetti alla Chitarra
• Tagliatelle
• Tagliolini
• Trenette

Long pasta

• Vermicelli
• Spaghettini
• Spaghettoni
• Spaghetti
• Pici
• Fusilli
• Fusilli bucati
• Bucatini
• Bigoli
• Capelli d'angelo

Ribbon cut and long pasta are both perfect with creamy and tomato sauces, really just anything that isn’t too chunky. They are often the most traditional and can be traced back the furthest. Interestingly, two of the most famous long or ribbon pasta exports, spaghetti bolognese (UK) and fettucine alfredo (US) don’t really exist back in the old country.

Pasta with filling

• Agnolotti
• Caccavelle
• Cannelloni
• Caramelle
• Casoncelli
• Culurgiones
• Fagottini
• Lumache
• Mezzelune
• Pansotti
• Ravioli
• Tortelli
• Tortellini
• Tortelloni

Stuffed pasta filled with rich ingredients has an important place on the Italian dinner table and is often served at celebratory events such as Christmas Eve and New Year. Fillings vary from region to region and can include meat, fish, cheese and vegetarian options. It is generally the filling that takes centre stage, so stuffed pasta is usually best tossed in a light tomato sauce or melted butter with sage.

Short cut pasta

• Calamarata
• Cappelli da chef
• Casarecce
• Castellane
• Cavatelli
• Conchiglie
• Farfalle
• Fiori
• Fusilli
• Fusilli bucati
• Gnocchetti
• Gomiti
• Lumache
• Macaroni
• Maltagliati
• Malloreddus
• Mezze maniche
• Paccheri
• Penne
• Pennette
• Riccioli
• Rigatoni
• Strozzapreti
• Trofie
• Ziti

Short cut pasta is extremely popular and equally versatile. Often used for hearty sauces, in pasta salads or for baked pasta dishes, many also come in a grooved version to really hold on to all that delicious sauce. Their unique shapes are made with an extruder.

Specialty pasta

• Maltagliati
• Busiate
• Casarecci
• Cavatelli
• Garganelli
• Farfalle
• Orecchiette
• Strozzapreti

Traditionally hand made by Italian housewives, these shapes are some of the most interesting. Farfalle, or butterflies, originate in Lombardy and Emilia Romagna and are often used in cream-based dishes as well as to liven up kids’ meals! Orecchiette are shaped like little ears, orecchie in Italian, and originate from Puglia in Southern Italy, where they are traditionally served with cime di rape or turnip greens.

Minute pasta

• Anelli
• Ditali
• Farfalline
• Grattini
• Puntine
• Stelle
• Tripolini

These tiny pasta shapes are often used to add heartiness to soups such as minestrone or to salads.

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