Pasta is more than just a staple food—it’s a canvas for culinary creativity, a comfort on cold nights, and sometimes, the subject of heated dinner table debates. With hundreds of pasta shapes in existence, each designed for specific sauces and dishes, choosing the right one can transform an ordinary meal into something extraordinary. But which shapes reign supreme? Which deserve a permanent spot in your pantry, and which might be worth trying for special occasions?
In this definitive ranking, we’ll explore 13 common pasta shapes you’re likely to encounter at grocery stores or restaurants, evaluating them based on versatility, sauce-holding ability, texture, and overall eating experience. From the humble spaghetti to the elegant orecchiette, let’s dive into the wonderful world of pasta shapes and discover which ones truly deserve the top spots in your pasta rotation.
The Everyday Essentials: Pasta Shapes That Get the Job Done
These workhorses of the pasta world might not always be the most exciting options, but they’re reliable, versatile, and found in virtually every pantry across America. While they may rank lower on our list, they certainly deserve recognition for their steadfast service to weeknight dinners everywhere.
13. Penne
Coming in at number 13, penne is perhaps the most utilitarian pasta shape on our list. These cylindrical tubes with angled ends are the jack-of-all-trades but master of none in the pasta world. Their hollow centers catch a decent amount of sauce, and their rigid exteriors provide some textural interest, but penne rarely elevates a dish to memorable heights.
Where penne truly shines is in baked pasta dishes like penne al forno or the classic American pasta bake, where the tubes can stand up to longer cooking times without becoming mushy. They’re also serviceable in cold pasta salads, though they lack the nooks and crannies that make other shapes more exciting in such applications.
12. Farfalle
Bow ties aren’t just for formal occasions—they’re also for weeknight pasta dinners in the form of farfalle. These playful pinched rectangles rank at number 12 for their whimsical appearance but somewhat inconsistent cooking properties. The thicker center pinch often remains slightly firmer than the thinner “wings,” creating an uneven al dente bite that can be either charming or frustrating, depending on your perspective.
Farfalle works best with lighter sauces like simple butter and herb preparations or creamy sauces that can cling to its broad surfaces. Children tend to love the fun shape, making farfalle a good choice for family meals when you want to add a touch of visual interest to the dinner table.
11. Fusilli
The corkscrew-shaped fusilli lands at number 11 on our list. Its spiraled structure creates excellent sauce-trapping potential, making it versatile enough for both chunky and smooth sauces. The twisted shape also provides an interesting mouthfeel, with varying thickness throughout each bite.
Fusilli particularly excels in pasta salads, where its twists catch and hold onto dressing and small ingredients like diced vegetables or herbs. It’s also sturdy enough for heartier meat sauces without getting lost in the mix. While not the most exciting pasta shape, fusilli reliably delivers a satisfying eating experience across various applications.
The Middle Tier: Versatile Favorites with Character
Moving up our ranking, we encounter pasta shapes with more distinctive personalities. These options offer greater sauce-holding capacity, interesting textures, and more memorable eating experiences than their lower-ranked counterparts.
10. Linguine
Linguine, meaning “little tongues” in Italian, comes in at number 10. This flat, narrow pasta provides more surface area than its round cousin spaghetti, making it better suited for clinging to oil-based and cream sauces. The ribbon-like shape offers a silky mouthfeel that works beautifully with seafood dishes like linguine alle vongole (with clams).
What keeps linguine from ranking higher is its tendency to clump together if not properly sauced and its somewhat limited versatility compared to more three-dimensional shapes. Nevertheless, when paired with the right sauce—particularly those featuring seafood or delicate flavors—linguine delivers an elegant dining experience that’s hard to beat.
9. Spaghetti
Perhaps the most iconic pasta shape worldwide, spaghetti lands at number 9 on our list. These long, thin, cylindrical strands have become synonymous with pasta itself in many cultures. Their simple form works wonderfully with tomato-based sauces, olive oil preparations, and the classic carbonara.
Spaghetti earns its middle-tier ranking through sheer versatility and the satisfying experience of twirling it around your fork. However, it loses points for its limited sauce-holding capacity compared to more complex shapes and its tendency to splash unwary diners with sauce during that twirling process. Despite these drawbacks, spaghetti remains a beloved staple for good reason—few pasta dishes are as satisfying as a perfectly executed spaghetti with a simple, high-quality sauce.
8. Fettuccine
Wider than linguine but still in the flat, ribbon-like family, fettuccine secures the number 8 position. These “little ribbons” offer substantial surface area for sauce adhesion while maintaining an elegant profile. Fettuccine is perhaps best known as the traditional partner for Alfredo sauce, where its broad surface provides the perfect canvas for the rich, creamy coating.
Fettuccine’s strengths lie in its ability to stand up to heartier sauces without getting lost and its luxurious mouthfeel. Each strand provides a substantial bite that satisfies in a way thinner pastas cannot. Its versatility with both cream-based and meat-based sauces makes it a worthy contender in any pasta collection.
The Rising Stars: Shapes That Elevate Any Dish
As we move into the top half of our ranking, we encounter pasta shapes that bring something special to the table. These options offer exceptional sauce-holding capabilities, interesting textures, and distinctive eating experiences that can transform even simple ingredients into memorable meals.
7. Rigatoni
Securing the number 7 spot, rigatoni brings substantial presence to any pasta dish. These large, ridged tubes with straight-cut ends offer excellent sauce-capturing ability both inside their hollow centers and along their textured exteriors. The substantial size of each piece provides a satisfying chew that stands up beautifully to robust sauces and ingredients.
Rigatoni particularly shines with chunky meat sauces, where bits of ground beef or sausage can find their way into the tubes, creating perfect bites with balanced ratios of pasta to sauce. The ridged exterior also makes rigatoni an excellent choice for baked pasta dishes, where the texture helps sauce adhere even after prolonged cooking.
6. Bucatini
At number 6, bucatini represents the best of both worlds between long and tubular pasta shapes. These spaghetti-like strands feature a tiny hole running through their center, creating a unique eating experience that’s both familiar and novel. The hollow center allows sauce to penetrate the pasta itself, resulting in more flavorful bites than solid long pasta can provide.
Bucatini is the traditional choice for the Roman classic Bucatini all’Amatriciana, where the hollow center captures the perfect amount of spicy tomato sauce. The pasta’s structure also creates an interesting slurping experience—slightly messier than spaghetti but infinitely more fun. This combination of playfulness and practical sauce-holding ability earns bucatini its high ranking.
The Elite Tier: Pasta Perfection
Now we reach the cream of the crop—pasta shapes that represent the pinnacle of design, functionality, and eating pleasure. These top five contenders offer exceptional sauce integration, textural interest, and versatility that elevate any dish they grace.
5. Cavatappi
Opening our top five at number 5 is cavatappi, the corkscrew-shaped tubes that combine the best qualities of several pasta shapes. Their hollow centers, ridged exteriors, and twisted form create multiple surfaces for sauce to cling to, resulting in consistently flavorful bites. The playful spring-like shape also adds visual interest to any dish.
Cavatappi performs admirably across nearly all sauce types, from mac and cheese to pesto to meaty ragùs. The substantial bite and excellent sauce integration make it a versatile choice for countless applications. Its only limitation might be in very delicate preparations where its robust presence could overwhelm subtle flavors.
4. Conchiglie (Shells)
Shell-shaped conchiglie secure the number 4 position with their unmatched sauce-capturing ability. Available in various sizes from tiny to stuffable, these pasta shells mimic their oceanic namesakes by creating perfect little cups for holding sauce. The curved shape cradles sauce in a way few other pasta shapes can match.
Medium-sized shells work beautifully with chunky vegetable sauces, while smaller versions excel in soups and pasta salads. The larger shells, of course, open up possibilities for stuffed pasta dishes. This versatility across applications, combined with superior sauce integration, makes conchiglie a standout choice for pasta enthusiasts.
3. Orecchiette
Bronze medal goes to orecchiette, the “little ears” from Puglia that offer a unique textural experience. These small, concave disks feature a thinner edge and thicker center, creating varying degrees of tenderness within each piece. Their shallow cup shape captures sauce beautifully while maintaining a delicate profile.
Orecchiette particularly shine with sauces featuring small components like crumbled sausage, peas, or broccoli rabe, where the little cups can capture both sauce and small ingredients. The traditional preparation with broccoli rabe and sausage showcases how this shape can elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary through perfect sauce and ingredient integration.
2. Tagliatelle
Just missing the top spot, tagliatelle lands at number 2 for its exceptional versatility and elegant eating experience. These ribbon-like noodles are wider than fettuccine but narrower than pappardelle, striking a perfect balance that works with countless sauce types. The flat, broad surface provides ample area for sauce adhesion while maintaining a delicate mouthfeel.
Tagliatelle is the traditional pairing for authentic Bolognese sauce, where its width provides the perfect vehicle for the meat-based ragù. The slightly rough texture of good quality tagliatelle helps sauce cling to every strand, ensuring flavor in every bite. Whether paired with rich meat sauces, creamy preparations, or simple butter and herb coatings, tagliatelle consistently delivers a superior pasta experience.
1. Pappardelle
Taking the crown at number 1, pappardelle represents pasta perfection. These broad, flat ribbons—wider than tagliatelle—offer an unmatched eating experience that combines elegant presentation with practical sauce-holding ability. The substantial width of each strand provides a luxurious mouthfeel that transforms even simple sauces into memorable meals.
Pappardelle excels with hearty, slow-cooked sauces like wild boar or duck ragù, where the broad surface area can stand up to substantial, rich components. The wide ribbons also create dramatic presentation opportunities, with sauce-glazed strands folding beautifully on the plate and fork. While perhaps too substantial for everyday meals, pappardelle represents the height of pasta pleasure for special occasions and weekend cooking projects.
What ultimately earns pappardelle the top ranking is its unmatched ability to elevate a dish from good to extraordinary. When you want pasta to be the star of the meal rather than just a vehicle for sauce, pappardelle delivers an experience that’s both rustic and refined—the perfect embodiment of what makes pasta such an enduring culinary treasure.
