36 Different Types of Pasta (with Pictures)

What Are All the Different Types of Pasta — And Which Sauce Goes With Each One?

There are hundreds of pasta varieties, but the most common types fall into a few broad categories: long strands (spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine), short tubes (penne, rigatoni, ziti), stuffed pastas (ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni), and fun shapes (farfalle, rotini, orecchiette). The shape determines the best sauce — tubes and ridged pastas catch thick sauces, while thin strands pair best with light, oil-based ones.

Whether you’re a pasta weeknight regular or just starting to venture beyond spaghetti and lasagna, knowing your shapes makes all the difference in how a dish turns out. Here’s a complete guide to 35 pasta types and how to use each one.

Why Pasta Shape Actually Matters

Surface area determines sauce adhesion — Ridged, hollow, or ruffled pastas grip thick sauces; smooth, thin strands suit lighter preparations.
Texture affects the eating experience — Dense shapes like fusilli hold up in chunky dishes; delicate strands like angel hair need gentle sauces that don’t overpower them.
Many shapes are plant-based friendly by default — Traditional dried pasta is made from durum wheat and water, with no eggs or dairy involved. (See our full guide on whether pasta is vegan.)
Whole-grain options are widely available — Most classic shapes — spaghetti, penne, rotini, and more — can now be found in whole-wheat form for added fiber and nutrition.

35 Different Types of Pasta

Angel Hair

Known in Italy as capelli d’angelo, angel hair is a thinner version of capellini — itself a thinner version of spaghetti. Often sold wound into nest shapes, it’s best with light sauces, in soups, or paired with seafood dishes. Heavy sauces will overwhelm these ultra-delicate strands.

Bucatini

At first glance, bucatini looks like a thicker spaghetti — but look closer and you’ll notice a hollow channel running through the center of each strand. That tunnel allows the noodle to absorb sauce rather than just be coated by it, making every bite more intensely flavored. Excellent with tomato sauces and olive oil preparations.

Campanelle

The name means “bell flower” in Italian, which perfectly captures the ruffled, cone-like shape of this less common pasta. A hybrid of shell and macaroni with an extra twist, campanelle’s many nooks and crannies make it ideal for thick sauces like ragu or plant-based alfredo.

Cannelloni

Technically considered a type of lasagna despite looking nothing like it, cannelloni are oversized smooth tubes cut flat at both ends. They’re built for stuffing — fill them with vegetables and plant-based cheese, top with sauce, and bake. Unlike the American manicotti, Italian cannelloni are smooth-sided and flat-cut.

Casarecce

The name means “homemade” in Italian, which hints at this pasta’s humble, hand-crafted origins. Casarecce noodles look like little rolled scrolls — made by cutting dough into squares and rolling each piece around a wooden pin. They pair beautifully with Sicilian pesto and other chunky vegetable sauces.

Cavatappi

“Corkscrew” in Italian, cavatappi features one to three full spiraling turns — any fewer and it’s just a twisted elbow. One of the most fun pasta shapes to eat, it’s most commonly served with tomato sauces and is a great alternative noodle for plant-based mac and cheese.

Cavatelli

A short, hot-dog-bun-shaped noodle made from semolina or similar flours, cavatelli is surprisingly easy to make at home. It provides a great base for simple preparations — oil, garlic, and broccoli, or a straightforward plant-based cheese sauce.

Conchiglie

Better known as shell pasta, conchiglie comes in three sizes. Conchigliette (smallest) works well in soups and mac and cheese. Conchiglioni (largest) is ideal for stuffing and baking. Medium conchiglie is best paired with a thick sauce that settles into the shell’s natural cup.

Ditalini

Short, stumpy tubes commonly used in soups and salads — which is why this pasta is also called “salad pasta.” Originally from Sicily and now mass-produced worldwide, ditalini is one of the most recognizable small pasta shapes and works beautifully in minestrone and pasta e fagioli.

Farfalle

“Butterfly” in Italian, though most people know these as bow tie pasta. Farfalle comes in multiple sizes, all featuring ruffled edges and a pinched center. These noodles go with virtually any sauce but are especially at home with tomato-based and creamy preparations — and they work wonderfully in cold pasta salads.

Fettuccine

A wide, thick, well-known pasta made from wheat and egg, fettuccine is a staple of Roman and Tuscan cuisine. In Italy it’s most often served with various ragu sauces; in America it’s most associated with alfredo. The flat, wide surface holds creamy sauces exceptionally well.

Fideo

Translated simply as “noodle,” fideo is used most often to describe a shorter, thinner version of vermicelli. Highly versatile but best suited to thin sauces or soups where its delicate texture shines without becoming overwhelmed.

Fusilli

Often confused with rotini, fusilli is made by twisting a round strand of pasta into a spring-like shape — making it denser than rotini with a slightly different texture. It’s best enjoyed with thick cream sauces that can fill the spirals and cling to each coil.

Gemelli

Italian for “twins,” gemelli looks like two noodles twisted together — though each piece is actually made from a single strand folded in half and rolled into a helical shape. A versatile pasta that works well in salads and with both light and medium-weight sauces.

Gnocchi

Technically classified as dumplings in Italy rather than pasta, gnocchi are made with potato, semolina, cheese, and cornmeal — quite different from traditional pasta’s durum wheat base. Soft and pillowy, they’re most often served with butter-based or light tomato sauces and work well in a surprising variety of baked and stovetop dishes.

Lasagna

One of the oldest pasta types in Italy, lasagna noodles date back to the 14th century when they were enjoyed simply with cheese and spices. The layered casserole dish most people picture today came much later. Wide and flat, these sheets are equally suited to classic baked preparations and plant-based versions with roasted vegetables.

Linguine

Meaning “little tongue” in Italian, linguine is spaghetti’s flat cousin — roughly the same width but pressed slightly elliptical rather than round. Thinner than fettuccine, it’s best with lighter tomato sauces, pesto, and simple olive oil preparations that don’t overpower its delicate structure.

Macaroni

While Americans use macaroni as synonymous with elbow pasta, the term technically refers to any hollow, tube-shaped pasta — straight, curved, or spiral. Elbow macaroni is just the most popular variation. The hollow interior makes any form of macaroni excellent for catching sauce throughout rather than just on the surface.

Mafaldine

Named after Princess Mafalda of Savoy — sometimes called riginette, meaning “little queens” — mafaldine resembles a miniature lasagna sheet just about a centimeter wide. These dainty ribbon noodles with ruffled edges are best prepared with delicate sauces that complement rather than overwhelm their elegant form.

Manicotti

Meaning “little sleeves” in Italian, manicotti is the American-Italian take on cannelloni. These large, ridged tubes are always cut at an angle (unlike the flat-cut cannelloni) and are almost universally served stuffed and baked under a blanket of tomato sauce.

Mezzelune

Made similarly to ravioli but shaped like a Chinese dumpling, mezzelune translates to “half-moon” — a perfect description of their crescent shape. Typically filled with cheese, vegetables, or potato, they’re a beautiful addition to simple broths and butter-based sauces where their shape can be fully appreciated.

Orecchiette

Small, round, and shaped like a tiny ear (which is exactly what the name means), orecchiette is most common in Southern Italy — particularly in the Apulia region where it originated. Made by flattening small cubes of dough over the thumb, this pasta is traditionally served with capers, broccoli rabe, and bold, savory sauces.

Orzo

Orzo looks exactly like a grain of rice but is actually pasta made from flour. Meaning “barley” in Italian (though Italians call it rossini), orzo is incredibly versatile — it works in soups, salads, and as a grain substitute in rice pilaf-style dishes. One of the most adaptable shapes on this list.

Paccheri

A large, tube-shaped pasta with a long history in the Naples region, paccheri once played a surprising role in history — its perfectly sized hollow tubes were reportedly used to smuggle Italian garlic into Austria. Today it’s most often served with garlic-heavy sauces, which may or may not be a nod to that colorful past.

Pappardelle

Wide, thin ribbon noodles often sold fresh with fluted edges, pappardelle are also available in dried, egg-based form. The broad surface works beautifully with thin tomato or oil-based sauces, and the ribbons create a visually striking presentation in the bowl.

Penne

Designed to resemble the steel nib of a fountain pen — the name comes directly from the Italian word for “pen” — penne is now one of the most popular pasta shapes worldwide. The angled cuts and ridged surface make it excellent with virtually any sauce and a reliable choice for pasta salads and baked preparations.

Radiatori

With deep, wide ridges mimicking the industrial radiators popular in Europe between the World Wars, radiatori is as visually distinctive as it is functional. Like rotini and fusilli, those ridges are built for catching thick sauces, making this shape an especially satisfying choice for hearty, chunky preparations.

Ravioli

One of the most widely loved stuffed pastas in the world, ravioli is most commonly square-shaped but can technically describe any filled pasta — circular, crescent, or otherwise. Fill them with plant-based ricotta and vegetables, top with tomato or light cream sauce, and you have a complete, satisfying meal.

Rigatoni

A Sicilian favorite, rigatoni is essentially an oversized penne — larger, may have a slight curve, and always cut straight at both ends rather than at an angle. The deep ridges catch sauce exceptionally well, making this pasta especially satisfying with slick tomato-based sauces that might otherwise slide off a smoother noodle.

Rotelle

One of the most visually fun pasta shapes available, rotelle (also called rotelli) is wheel-shaped and roughly the size of a nickel. The large gaps between the spokes are perfect for catching chunks of vegetables or globes of thick cream sauce. Also a great choice for soups and pasta salads where the shape adds visual interest.

Rotini

A popular corkscrew pasta used in everything from salads to soups to ragu, rotini is frequently confused with fusilli. The key difference: rotini has a flatter, more tightly wound twist compared to fusilli’s rounder, springier spiral. Both work well with chunky and cream-based sauces.

Spaghetti

Arguably the most recognized pasta shape in America and one of the first varieties to be mass-produced in Italy, spaghetti needs little introduction. Long, thin, and round, it’s equally at home coated in traditional tomato sauce, lightly dressed with olive oil, or tossed with plant-based meat sauce.

Tagliatelle

A traditional egg-based ribbon pasta similar in shape to pappardelle but slightly thinner, tagliatelle is traditionally paired with bolognese in Italian cuisine. The flat, wide surface holds chunky meat-style sauces well, making it an ideal choice for hearty plant-based ragus too.

Tortellini

Small, ring-shaped, and stuffed — tortellini are sometimes described as resembling a sailor’s hat or belly button. Traditionally filled with meat and served in broth, they’re equally delicious stuffed with plant-based cheese and vegetables and finished with red sauce or a simple olive oil preparation.

Vermicelli

What counts as vermicelli depends on where you are. In English-speaking countries, it refers to a strand thinner than spaghetti. In Italy, it’s slightly thicker than spaghetti. Either way, this cylindrical noodle works with any sauce you’d use on angel hair or spaghetti — light tomato, olive oil, or herb-based preparations all suit it well.

Ziti

Similar to penne but narrower, smooth-sided, and always cut flat at the ends rather than at an angle, ziti takes its name from the Italian word for “bride” or “groom” — it’s traditionally served at weddings in the form of baked ziti. A reliable tube pasta for baked dishes and hearty tomato-based preparations.

Where Does Pasta Come From?

The precise origin of pasta is genuinely murky. The concept of noodles most likely arrived in Italy from Asia — where noodle-making traditions stretch back thousands of years — likely brought over by nomadic Arab traders long before Marco Polo’s famous travels. Once in Italy, locals refined the process using durum wheat and water (and sometimes egg) to create a noodle with extraordinary shelf life. That combination of durability and versatility made pasta an instant staple throughout Italy and eventually across the entire world.

Plant-Based Pasta Recipes Worth Trying

Easy Vegan Summer Pasta Salad — Wonderful with rotini, radiatori, or gemelli.
Creamy Avocado Mac and Cheese — Try it with ditalini or conchiglie for an upgrade on the classic.
Vegan Vodka Sauce — Works beautifully on everything from cavatappi to bucatini.
Vegan Eggplant Parmesan — Classic with angel hair or spaghetti; also excellent with vermicelli.
Pasta Primavera — Written for gemelli, but radiatori and orecchiette both work beautifully too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the healthiest type of pasta?
Whole-wheat pasta is the healthiest option across the board. Traditional pasta is made from refined durum wheat flour, which strips out much of the fiber and nutrients. Whole-grain versions of most classic shapes — spaghetti, penne, rotini, and others — are now widely available and provide significantly more fiber, B vitamins, and minerals per serving. Legume-based pastas (chickpea, lentil, black bean) are also worth exploring for higher protein content.

Is pasta plant-based and vegan?
Most traditional dried pasta is completely plant-based — made from nothing but durum wheat semolina and water. Fresh pasta and some specialty varieties (like egg-based fettuccine and tagliatelle) contain eggs and are therefore not vegan. Always check the ingredient list when buying fresh or filled pasta. For a full breakdown, see our guide on whether pasta is vegan.

How do you choose the right pasta shape for a sauce?
Match the weight and texture of the sauce to the pasta’s surface area. Thin, delicate strands like angel hair and vermicelli need light sauces — oil-based, broth-based, or simple tomato. Wide ribbons like pappardelle and fettuccine handle chunky ragus. Ridged or hollow shapes like rigatoni, penne, and cavatappi are built to catch thick, creamy sauces. Stuffed pastas like ravioli and tortellini are best with simple sauces that don’t compete with the filling.

What is the rarest type of pasta in the world?
Su filindeu is widely considered the rarest pasta on earth. Made only in Nuoro, Sardinia, the technique is so intricate that only a handful of women in the region know how to make it. The name means “threads of God,” and the process involves stretching semolina dough into impossibly fine strands layered across a circular frame — a skill that takes years to master and has never been successfully replicated by machine.

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Sara Seitz

I'm a professional freelance writer with decades of experience learning about and living a green, clean life.

I grew up in Colorado under the influence of three generations of knowledgeable women who knew their way around the garden. I graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor of science in biology and a minor in English. A year before graduation, my life was upended by an unexpected diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes.

Facing the reality of living with an incurable autoimmune disease I left to reflect hard on my lifestyle. While this type of diabetes cannot be cured or treated with diet, I was certain that focusing on my health and fueling my body with clean food would help better manage the condition. As a lifelong animal lover, it wasn’t difficult for me to transition fully to a vegan diet.
When I'm not constructing articles for clients, you can find me wrist-deep in dirt in my vegetable garden, hiking with my dogs, or back in front of the computer creating imaginative worlds in my quest to become a published fiction writer.

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