15 Types of Pasta: Order Like a Pro After Reading This Guide

For those who love Italian food, besides pizza, pasta is another dish that has captured the hearts of many food enthusiasts. With its diverse shapes, flavors, and cooking methods, pasta allows for endless creativity.

How many types of pasta noodles are there? Is it the same as spaghetti? Many people have asked these questions repeatedly. When you visit an Italian restaurant, you’re often presented with a wide variety of pasta options, which can be confusing when deciding which one to order. This article will introduce you to different types of pasta, including which shapes pair best with different sauces for the most delicious experience!

Different Types of Pasta Noodles: Get to Know These 15 Names and Never Be Confused Again When Ordering

1. Spaghetti: Classic Long, Round Noodles

Probably the most familiar name to everyone, spaghetti is a globally popular pasta. Its distinctive feature is its long, round shape with good elasticity. It’s delicious with any sauce, whether tomato sauce, meat sauce (Bolognese), or even cream sauce. It’s often served with meatballs, known as “spaghetti and meatballs.” Additionally, it can be simply prepared with garlic and olive oil to make Aglio e Olio.

2. Penne: Stylish Diagonal Tube Pasta

One of the most stylish pasta shapes, penne are short tubes cut diagonally, resembling pen nibs (hence the name “Penne,” which means “pen” in Italian). Being hollow, penne can hold sauce well, making it ideal for dishes with thick sauces like Arrabbiata or Vodka Sauce. It’s also popular in baked pasta dishes because its firm texture and shape allow cheese to adhere well. Cheese lovers shouldn’t miss this one!

3. Fusilli: Cute Spiral Noodles

With its spiral shape resembling a corkscrew, fusilli has more surface area than other pasta types, allowing sauce to cling exceptionally well. It’s perfect for cold pasta salads because it mixes thoroughly with vegetables and dressings, ensuring a full flavor in every bite. Pesto sauce pairs particularly well with fusilli, as the basil and butter in the sauce fit perfectly into the spiral grooves. Just thinking about it makes your mouth water!

4. Fettuccine: Wide, Flat Noodles for Those Who Like Full Bites

These flat and wide pasta noodles are moderately thick, making them ideal for creamy sauces. The most famous dish is Fettuccine Alfredo, pasta tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese cream sauce. It also pairs well with meat sauces and mushroom sauces, as the width of the noodles can support heavier, more textured sauces in each bite.

5. Linguine: Slender Flat Noodles for Seafood Lovers

Similar to spaghetti but slightly flatter, the name “Linguine” means “little tongues” in Italian. Its thin and slender nature makes it a popular choice for seafood dishes, especially Linguine alle Vongole or clam linguine, prepared with garlic, olive oil, and white wine. It’s often paired with pesto or light tomato sauces.

6. Farfalle: Bow-Tie Pasta with a Cute Appearance

Farfalle pasta is adorably shaped like tiny bows, perfect for pasta salads and children’s meals. It holds sauce well due to its center indentation, whether it’s cream sauce, tomato sauce, or even salad dressing. It can also be stir-fried with vegetables and small pieces of meat.

7. Ravioli: Stuffed Pasta for a Filling Meal

Ravioli consists of thin pasta sheets that sandwich a filling, which can be cheese, meat, vegetables, or seafood. It’s usually served with light sauces like butter sauce, tomato sauce, or olive oil to avoid overpowering the filling’s flavor. This is an excellent choice for those wanting a hearty, high-energy pasta dish!

8. Lasagna: Large Pasta Sheets for Baked Cheese Dishes

Another familiar name, lasagna, consists of wide, flat pasta sheets used in baked dishes. It typically consists of layers of lasagna sheets, meat sauce, bechamel sauce, and cheese baked until the cheese melts and turns golden brown. For anyone who thinks pasta dishes are light meals, lasagna proves otherwise—it’s a substantial, energy-rich dish perfect for a hearty meal.

9. Orecchiette: Ear-Shaped Pasta, Small but Mighty

This delicious pasta has a unique shape resembling ears (hence its Italian name, which means “little ears”). One side is concave, the other convex, allowing it to hold sauce and other ingredients well. It’s often used in stir-fried pasta dishes with green leafy vegetables like broccoli and lettuce, and Italian sausage. It’s especially delicious when paired with pesto sauce.

10. Bucatini: Hollow Spaghetti for Sauce Lovers

While all types of pasta noodles can hold sauce, bucatini might be the ultimate sauce-holding pasta! It’s similar to spaghetti but with a hole running through the center. It can handle even the most intense sauces, like in Bucatini all’Amatriciana, a popular dish with tomato sauce, bacon, and Pecorino cheese. It’s equally delicious with cream or meat sauces.

11. Rigatoni: Large Tube Pasta for Bold Flavors

These large cylindrical pasta tubes have ridges along their length to help sauce adhere. Their size and sturdiness make rigatoni ideal for hearty sauces with meat or vegetables. It’s popular in baked pasta dishes because it holds up well to various ingredients, especially in Rigatoni al Forno, baked with eggplant, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

12. Gnocchi: Potato Pasta, Soft and Melt-in-Your-Mouth

Slightly different from other types of pasta noodles, gnocchi is primarily made from potatoes (with some wheat flour). These small, soft dumplings are usually served with light sauces like butter or tomato sauce to not overpower their delicate texture and flavor. They’re also often grilled or pan-fried for a slightly crispy exterior with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth interior.

13. Cappellini: The Thinnest and Smallest of All Pasta

True to its nickname, “Angel Hair Pasta,” cappellini is the thinnest and smallest of all pasta types. Due to its delicate nature, it cooks very quickly, in just 2-3 minutes! It pairs well with light sauces like olive oil and garlic, or fresh tomato sauce. Seafood lovers can try cappellini as an alternative to linguine, as its thinness won’t overpower the delicate flavors of seafood.

14. Macaroni: Short Curved Pasta Familiar to Thais

If asked which types of pasta are most familiar to Thais, the answer would likely be macaroni. These short, curved tubes, mixed with rich cheese sauce, are popular in Mac and Cheese. They’re also great for pasta salads or soups, as their bite-sized shape and curved form make them easy to scoop. In Thailand, many people adapt macaroni into Thai dishes like stir-fried macaroni or macaroni soup.

15. Orzo: Rice-Shaped Pasta, Firm and Smooth

Resembling rice grains, orzo might look small and hard like uncooked rice, but it’s smooth and easy to chew like other types of pasta. It’s popular in soups and salads or as a substitute for rice in risotto. Its small size allows it to absorb flavors from sauces and broths well. Orzo is also suitable for cold pasta dishes as it doesn’t stick together when cooled.

After reading this far, you’re starting to crave various types of pasta, aren’t you? If you’re looking for restaurants in Chidlom, head over to Mercury Ville @ Chidlom. This place has many famous Italian and Italian fusion restaurants ready to serve you fresh pasta with authentic flavors. Whether it’s spaghetti carbonara coated in rich sauce, aromatic cheese-baked penne, or premium seafood linguine, we guarantee you’ll experience genuine Italian tastes that will make you fall in love with pasta like never before. Buon appetite!

Reference:

1. 27 Types of Pasta and Their Uses. Retrieved on 13 September 2024, from https://www.allrecipes.com/article/types-of-pasta/.