Have you ever wondered how many types of pasta exist? Let's take a closer look at all kinds of pasta varieties.
It's so much easier to order a meal or choose a recipe when we know what the pasta looks like.
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Learning the basic names and categories can be a big help.
There are so many different types of pasta that I couldn't even cover them all.
I hope that by the end of this article you will be an expert in these 30 types of pasta.
Types of Pasta
There are a few different categories that we can classify pasta into.
The categories are: long, cut or short, sheet, stuffing, dumpling, and specialty.
Each category has many different types and variations. They all have their own advantages too!
Some are great for layering, while others are pros for holding sauces.
Some pastes are meant to hold their shape very well, while others are just for fun.
It may seem like a ton of information, so don't let it overwhelm you. This is just pasta we're talking about after all.
You'll soon be a pasta genius!
1. Angel hair pasta
Angel hair pasta is long and thin. You know, like the hair of an angel.
It is similar to spaghetti but thinner. Angel hair works best with light oil-, butter-, or cream-based sauces.
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I love using it for shrimp scampi and it is delicious with chicken and a light garlic olive oil sauce.
2.Bucatini
At a glance, bucatini pasta looks like spaghetti. The difference is that the bucatini is hollow!
The hole in the middle helps the bucatini hold on to the extra sauce. It is also rounder and thicker than spaghetti.
I love using bucatini to make homemade carbonara. Every bite has some hidden sauce and the texture is fantastic!
3. Spaghetti pasta
Spaghetti is one of the most common types of long pasta. It is thicker than angel hair but thinner than bucatini.
In America, spaghetti is commonly paired with a tomato-based sauce such as marinara.
Spaghetti with meatballs is a very popular and easy dish.
This pasta is very versatile and can be used with almost any sauce.
It's popular enough to have its own holiday in the US, as January 4th is National Spaghetti Day!
4. Cannelloni
Cannelloni pasta is a soft, tube-shaped pasta. It is similar to manicotti, but the noodles themselves are soft like lasagna noodles.
Cannelloni start out as a sheet of pasta. It is then cut and rolled into tubes.
The shape of this pasta allows it to be filled, usually with cheese or meat-based sauces such as ragù or bolognese.
5. Noodles
Noodles are another long, thin pasta. It is usually even thinner than angel hair pasta.
There are two types of noodle pasta. Italian noodles are made with semolina and Asian noodles are rice noodles.
You can combine it with a light olive oil sauce or use it in a stir-fry with chicken and vegetables.
6.Pappardelle
Pappardelle pasta is like the cousin of fettuccine, the one that always works.
Pappardelle can seriously stand up to any hearty sauce.
This is a long, flat, extra-wide pasta that is delicious with meaty sauces like bolognese and ragù.
Although this pasta is great for hearty sauces, it also has a large surface area for creamy sauces to adhere to.
7. Linguine
Linguine is also a long, flat pasta. In Italian, linguini means "little languages".
This pasta is the thinnest of the flat pasta variations. Imagine flattened spaghetti and you have linguini.
Linguine is a great pasta for seafood dishes. It is ideal for wine sauces and smooth creamy sauces.
Linguine with clams is my absolute favorite linguine dish.
8. Fettuccine
Fettuccine is most famous for being the star of fettuccine Alfredo. It's another long, flat pasta.
The thickness falls somewhere between linguini and pappardelle.
Fettuccine pasta reminds me of beautiful ribbons.
In addition to your regular partner in crime on pasta, fettuccini are also a great choice for chucky meat sauces.
9.Capellini
Capellini is a long cylindrical pasta that is very similar to spaghetti and angel hair.
In fact, it is often confused with angel hair and can be swapped out for any recipe.
The difference between the two actually comes down to less than a millimeter.
Capellini is slightly larger than angel hair, only about 0,07 millimeters.
Since capellini is so thin, it is best served with very light sauces based on wine, butter, or oils.
10. meatballs
Gnocchi are not your standard pasta. It's actually made of potatoes.
It is basically a mashed potato paste with the addition of flour and egg.
This paste is shaped into a ball of dough and the result is a light and fluffy paste. It is fantastic with rich and flavorful sauces.
My favorite gnocchi dish is a simple butter and cheese sauce, but it's also delicious with tomato sauce.
11. Rigatoni
Rigatoni is a type of short tubular pasta. It is a much thinner and shorter tube than cannelloni.
The texture is ridged and the edges of this pasta are cut straight.
The rigatoni shape is perfect for holding delicious sauces. Rigatoni can stand up to a good hearty sauce.
Rigatoni is really good in baked pasta dishes with meat sauce and tons of cheese.
12. macaroni
Macaroni is also commonly called elbow pasta. It is a small, hollow tube that is curved in the shape of a semicircle or "elbow."
It holds onto sauce very well, especially sticky cheese sauce.
Macaroni is also a great option for soups and stews. It is easily loved by children and adults!
13. Lasagna
Lasagna noodles are a type of sheet pasta.
Large sheets of pasta are spread out like paper or cloth. They are then cut to specific sizes or rolled into shapes.
Lasagna is usually cut into long, narrow sheets with wavy or ruffled edges.
It's typically used for, well, lasagna. It is ideal for layering between sauces and cheese in a baked dish.
You can also break it up and add it to soups.
14. Ravioli
Ravioli are one of the most common stuffed or stuffed pasta. It can often be found at the grocery store in my varieties.
Ravioli are usually cut in a square shape, but can also be found in a circle shape.
It can be filled with anything from cheese to vegetables to meat sauce. They are usually filled with ricotta cheese.
15. Ditalini Pasta
Ditalini pasta is one of the smaller pasta varieties. It is a small, hollow cylinder shape.
Ditalini pasta is ideal for soups like minestrone or pasta and beans. It's also a fantastic noodle for some pasta salad recipes.
16. Ziti
Ziti is another tubular pasta. It looks like rigatoni but is narrower and the pasta is soft.
This is another pasta that holds sauces very well.
It can also withstand use in casseroles and baked pasta dishes.
Baked ziti is a delicious dish that is very popular in Italian restaurants.
17. barley
Orzo resembles rice, which is why it is often mistaken for a type of grain rather than pasta.
Barley is one of the smaller pasta cuts. It's perfect for soups and pasta salads, but it doesn't stick well to sauces.
Orzo is a great substitute for rice in chicken soup.
18. Fusilli
Fusilli is a spiral or corkscrew shaped pasta. All the little spaces and crevices hold the sauce very well.
Fusilli is perfect for thick sauces and pasta salads.
It also holds its shape when reheated, making it the perfect pasta for meal prep.
19. noodles
Tagliatelle is another type of long, flat pasta. Its width is somewhere between fettuccine and pappardelle.
Tagliatelle is an egg pasta instead of the more common durum wheat pasta.
Although, you can find durum wheat alternatives at the grocery store.
Traditionally, tagliatelle are rolled and cut by hand.
It is a strong pasta, so it is usually served with strong sauces such as ragù or bolognese.
20. Cavatelli
Cavatelli is a small paste that resembles buns or hot dog shells.
The pasta dough is made without eggs and requires only semolina flour, salt and water.
You can easily make cavatelli at home without any special equipment.
This pasta tastes great with almost any sauce, but it's usually served with garlic and broccoli.
21. Tortellini
Tortellini is another stuffed pasta. I think they look like pasta shaped fortune cookies or stuffed donuts.
They are typically filled with cheese or meat and have a higher filling-to-dough ratio than ravioli.
The shape of tortellini makes them a great stuffed pasta for soups.
22. butterflies
You probably know this pasta by its more common name: bow tie pasta.
However, its name actually comes from the Italian word farfalle, which means butterflies.
Farfalle pasta holds its shape well and is an excellent pasta for creamy sauces.
Kids love this pasta shape and it makes a cute and fun addition to salads.
23. Orecchiette
Orecchiette comes from the Italian word orejas, which means "little ears."
That being said, this paste is easy to spot due to its unique ear shape.
The concave shape of this pasta contains tons of sauce. Orecchiette is the perfect pasta if you like extra spicy dishes.
Orecchiette pasta goes very well with greens and vegetables.
24. Gemini
The cufflinks are a small and complicated pasta shape.
It is named after the Italian word for cufflinks because it looks like two ropes or strings twisted together.
However, it's just a pasta twisted in a visually deceptive way.
Either way, all the little folds are great for holding sauces.
Gemelli pasta is perfect for pasta salads, creamy sauces, tomato sauces, and more!
25. shells
Conchiglie is another word for shells. In fact, they come in a few different sizes and slightly different shapes.
Conchiglie or shell pasta is perfect to accompany hearty and meaty sauces.
The hollow interior makes it easy for sauce and meat to enter. But it's not that easy to get out.
The ridges on the back cling to any type of sauce!
26. manga
Manicotti are similar to cannelloni, but the ends are cut at an angle and have ridges on the outside.
You can stuff manicotti with so many delicious ingredients.
From cheese and creamy sauce to meat and vegetables, this pasta can take it all.
Try it stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with meat sauce and mozzarella!
27. Paccheri
Paccheri is a short, thick tubular pasta with an interesting origin.
Legend has it that the Prussian government once banned the garlic trade between Italy and Prussia.
Italian farmers invented paccheri to smuggle garlic into Prussia.
The result is a shorter tube shape than rigatoni but with a larger diameter.
It can catch all kinds of sauce and it's delicious!
28. Pens
Penne is a very popular type of short pasta. It is a narrow tube-shaped paste with ridges.
Penne is also cut at an angle, which distinguishes it from rigatoni.
Penne pasta holds its shape very well and is perfect for baked pasta dishes and casseroles.
It's easy to eat and loved by pasta fans of all ages.
My favorite pasta dish is penne alla vodka.
29. Wheels
Rotelle pasta has a very funny shape. It resembles little wheels, and ruedas actually means "little wheels" in Italian.
It is perfect for soups and salads.
This pasta is a bite-sized pasta that is about the size of a quarter.
I love it because all the little holes and "spokes" allow it to catch all kinds of sauce and ingredients.
30. Pastina
Pastina is the smallest type of pasta that exists. Any pasta that is smaller than a quarter inch falls into this category.
It can come in all sorts of shapes, but my favorite is little stars.
Pastina is often served to young children in Italy because it is so small.
This is an excellent paste for soups or mixed with butter and cheese.
