25+ Popular Types Of Pasta And Their Shapes: Spaghetti, Penne And More

Types of Pasta: Every year on October 17th, Pasta Day is celebrated to honour one of the most loved Italian cuisines across the globe. The major share of its popularity goes to its versatility, diversity, and capacity to complement an infinite number of sauces and ingredients. Pasta is Italy’s gift to the world. It comes in all shapes and sizes, even textures and is also prepared in numerous ways. There are pasta soups, pasta salads and even baked pasta dishes. However, these different types of pasta at times seem very confusing, and it becomes important to be aware of what each type of pasta means. Here is a list of more than 25 famous pasta varieties, along with their shapes.

List 25+ Popular Types Of Pasta And Their Shapes:

1. Spaghetti -long, thin strands commonly used in tomato or meat sauces

2. Penne -short, tubeshaped, great with chunky sauces

Spaghetti And Penne (Image Credit: Canva) 

3. Macaroni -short, curved tubes, classic for mac and cheese

4. Fusilli -short spirals, excellent for holding sauce

5. Rigatoni -large, ridged tubes ideal for baked dishes

6. Farfalle -bowtie or butterfly-shaped

7. Linguine -long, flat pasta, wider than spaghetti

8. Fettuccine -thicker, flat, ribbonlike noodle

9. Pappardelle -very wide, flat ribbons, great for ragù

10. Bucatini -long, with a hole running through the centre

Bucatini (Image Credit: Canva) 

11. Capellini/Angel Hair -very thin noodles, cook quickly

12. Lasagna -broad, flat sheets used for layered baked dishes

13. Orzo -rice-shaped pasta, used in soups or salads

14. Orecchiette -“little ears,” cup-shaped, ideal for thick sauces

15. Gnocchi -small, potato-based dumplings

16. Ziti -small tubes, often baked in casseroles

17. Conchiglie -shell-shaped, great for trapping sauce

Conchiglie (Image Credit: Canva) 

18. Rotini -short, tight spirals

19. Cavatappi -corkscrew-shaped, longer than standard macaroni

20. Cannelloni -large tubes for stuffing

21. Manicotti -similar to cannelloni, often stuffed and baked

Also Read: Make Delicious Italian Pasta In Just 40 Minutes: Check This Easy Recipe

22. Tortellini -ring-shaped, stuffed

23. Ravioli -square or round pillows, stuffed

24. Vermicelli -thin, like spaghetti but slightly thicker than angel hair

25. Tagliatelle -flat ribbons, broader than fettuccine

Tagliatelle (Image Credit: Canva) 

26. Cavatelli -small, shell-like “little hollows”

27. Ditalini -short tubes, perfect in minestrone

28. Paccheri -large, smooth tubes, excellent for stuffing

29. Casarecce -short, twisted tubes, ideal for thick sauces

30. Soba -buckwheat noodles, popular in Italian-Japanese fusion

Also Read: Whole Wheat vs Gluten-Free Pasta: Which Is Healthier For You?

To your surprise, there are more than a hundred pasta varieties nd each of them has its own fun to eat. From long-noodles like spaghetti to short, tubeshaped penne, there is something special in each pasta type, like sauce, ingredients used or the way particular pasta is cooked. Pasta also comes in some unique shapes like cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped) or farfalle (butterfly-shaped). Knowing about different types of Pasta helps you bring more variety and taste into your daily foods.