This page lists every shape covered on PastaLoverz, in alphabetical order, with a short description and its usual uses. Choose a name to read the full guide. To browse shapes by type instead, see our pasta shapes guide, or use the pasta pairing guide to start from your sauce.
| Shape | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Acini di pepe | Tiny beads, about the size of a peppercorn | Soups, broths, cold salads |
| Agnolotti | Small stuffed pillows from Piedmont | Meat, cheese or vegetable fillings with very little sauce |
| Alphabet pasta | Tiny pasta cut into letters | Soup |
| Anelli | Tiny rings | Brothy soups, Sicilian baked pasta |
| Bavette | Narrow, flat ribbons from Liguria | Pesto, seafood |
| Bigoli | Thick, rough strands from Veneto | Anchovy and onion salsa, duck ragù |
| Bucatini | Long, thick strands with a hollow centre | Roman-style sauces |
| Campanelle | Little bells with a ruffled rim | Sauces with peas, crumbled sausage or melted cheese |
| Cannelloni | Large tubes or rolled sheets | Filling and baking |
| Capellini | Very thin strands, often sold as angel hair | Thin, silky sauces |
| Cappelletti | Small filled “little hats” | Serving in broth |
| Casarecce | Short, loose scrolls from Sicily | Sauces that settle in the groove |
| Cavatappi | Hollow, ridged corkscrews | Baked mac and cheese, creamy sauces, salads |
| Cavatelli | Small, hollow semolina shells | Thick sauces, beans, chunky vegetables |
| Cencioni | Small, rustic “rags” | Sauces that need a good grip |
| Chifferi | Short, curved tubes, often ridged | Mac and cheese, salads, soups |
| Conchiglie | Shells in three common sizes | Sauces, salads, stuffing and baking |
| Corzetti | Stamped coins of egg pasta from Liguria | Light sauces that catch in the pattern |
| Creste di gallo | Short, ruffled “rooster’s crests” | Sauces that cling to the ruffle |
| Ditalini | Very short tubes, “little thimbles” | Soups, salads, bakes |
| Farfalle | Bow ties or butterflies | Light cream, tomato and vegetable sauces, salads |
| Fettuccine | Long ribbons, 5 to 6 mm wide | Creamy, buttery and meaty sauces |
| Fregula | Toasted semolina beads from Sardinia | Dishes that use its nutty flavour |
| Fusilli | Tight spirals | Pesto, cream sauces, ragù, bakes, salads |
| Gemelli | A single strand twisted to look like two | Sauces that sit in the grooves |
| Gnocchi | Soft dumplings, often made with potato | Serving with a simple sauce |
| Lasagne verdi | Green sheets made with spinach | Baked lasagne with ragù and béchamel |
| Linguine | Long, flat, narrow strands | Seafood, olive oil, pesto, lighter sauces |
| Lumache | Snail-shaped shells | Ragù, cheese sauces, baked dishes |
| Macaroni | Short, hollow, often curved tubes | Mac and cheese, soups, bakes, salads |
| Maccheroni alla molinara | Hand-pulled pasta from Abruzzo | Its classic regional sauces |
| Mafaldine | Flat ribbons with ruffled edges | Rich ragù, creamy sauces |
| Malloreddus | Small, ridged Sardinian shells | Tomato and sausage ragù |
| Mezze maniche | Short, wide “half sleeves” | Ragù, creamy sauces, baked pasta |
| Mezzelune | Filled half-moons | Light sauces that suit the filling |
| Orecchiette | Small “little ears” from Puglia | Small pieces of vegetable and meat |
| Orzo | Small, rice-shaped pasta | Soups and other small-pasta dishes |
| Paccheri | Very large, wide tubes from Naples | Stuffing, baking, chunky sauces |
| Pappardelle | Very wide egg ribbons from Tuscany | Slow-cooked, chunky sauces |
| Pastina | The family of very small pasta shapes | Broth and simple comfort food |
| Penne | Short tubes with angled ends | Sauces that fill the tube |
| Pennoni | Oversized, usually ridged penne | Thick sauces, chunky vegetables, bakes |
| Pici | Thick, hand-rolled Tuscan noodles | Bold, rustic sauces |
| Radiatori | Short, ruffled “radiators” | Sauces that catch in the folds |
| Ravioli | Small filled pockets | Light sauces that let the filling stand out |
| Rigatoni | Wide, ridged tubes | Chunky sauces, baking |
| Ripiena | The whole family of filled pasta | Gentle cooking and light dressing |
| Ruote | Wagon wheels | Children’s meals, pasta salads |
| Soba | Japanese buckwheat noodles, not Italian pasta | Hot broth or chilled with a dipping sauce |
| Stelline | Tiny stars | Soups and broths |
| Strozzapreti | Short, hand-twisted strips | Sausage ragù, mushroom sauces |
| Tagliatelle | Long, flat egg ribbons | Bolognese ragù |
| Testaroli | Griddled batter, cut into diamonds | Its traditional Lunigiana serving styles |
| Tortelloni | Large filled pasta | Ricotta and spinach fillings |
| Tortiglioni | Large, ridged tubes with a slight twist | Ragù, sausage, baked pasta |
| Trenette | Narrow, flat ribbons from Liguria | Pesto with potatoes and green beans |
| Trofie | Short, tight twists from Liguria | Basil pesto |
| Vermicelli | Long strands; the name also covers thin noodles elsewhere | Depends on the type, so check the guide |
| Ziti | Smooth, straight-cut tubes | Baked ziti, casseroles |
Not sure where to start?
For soup, try a tiny shape such as ditalini or stelline. For a chunky sauce, choose a sturdy shape like rigatoni. For a light sauce, start with a long strand like linguine. Our guide to cooking pasta covers the basics for all of them.
