13 Types of Pasta Shapes for Your Next Feast

Penne pasta is one of the most popular on shelves, featuring a tube-shaped pasta with a ridged surface perfect for holding onto rich tomato or meat sauces.

Penne rigate, the ridged version, is especially great for baked pasta dishes and hearty sauces. It is a staple in Italian cuisine, used in everything from cold pasta salads to baked dishes.

This corkscrew-shaped pasta is ideal for capturing chunky sauces and creamy sauces in its twists and turns.

Fusilli col buco is a slightly thicker variation with a hollow center, making it great for hearty soups or pasta salads. Its unique shape allows it to hold onto a variety of sauces, making it a versatile choice for different recipes.

Angel hair pasta, also known as capellini, is a thin pasta with delicate strands that pair beautifully with light tomato sauces or simple butter and olive oil. This thin spaghetti is traditionally served with aglio e olio, a classic dish from northern Italy made with garlic and olive oil.

Because of its delicate nature, it is best paired with lighter sauces rather than chunky ingredients.

Orecchiette pasta, meaning "little ears" in Italian, has a unique shape designed to scoop up sauces and small ingredients.

Traditionally served with broccoli rabe and sausage, this pasta corta variety is perfect for holding onto vegetable sauces. Its slightly curved form allows it to cradle ingredients, making every bite flavorful.

Lasagna noodles are long, flat pasta sheets with ruffled edges that help hold layers of sauce and cheese in place. These pasta sheets are essential for making lasagna, one of the most beloved baked pasta dishes.

Their sturdy nature allows them to support thick layers of meat sauces, creamy bechamel and melted cheese.

A staple in American and Italian cooking, elbow macaroni is common in baked dishes, pasta salads and hearty soups. Its small pasta shape and slightly curved form make it perfect for creamy sauces like macaroni and cheese. This pasta variety is also used in cold pasta salads due to its ability to hold onto dressings and ingredients.

Also known as farfalle, bow tie pasta is shaped pasta with a playful, ruffled design that works well in both cold pasta salads and warm dishes. Its slightly thicker center makes it ideal for holding onto creamy sauces and vegetable sauces. The name comes from its resemblance to a bow tie, making it a fun addition to culinary creations.

Wagon wheels, or rotelle, are pasta shapes that resemble small wheels, adding a playful twist to pasta dishes. This pasta is great for thick tomato sauce and chunky ingredients because the spaces between the spokes help trap sauce. It's often used in pasta salads or hearty soups for added texture.

Shell-shaped pasta, or conchiglie, is designed to hold sauce inside its curved form, making it perfect for baked dishes and creamy sauces. Larger shells are typically filled with ricotta and spinach, while smaller shells work well in soups and pasta salads.

Their ridged surface enhances their ability to cling to sauce, ensuring every bite is flavorful.

A slightly thinner version of traditional spaghetti, thin spaghetti is a great choice for lighter sauces like simple butter, olive oil or light cream sauce.

This straw-like pasta is commonly used in dishes like cacio e pepe, where the simplicity of cheese and pepper allows the pasta’s texture to shine. It’s also a favorite for quick meals with minimal ingredients.

Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that is commonly used in Italian wedding soup and other hearty soups. Despite its small size, it absorbs flavors well and can be cooked like rice or traditional pasta. It’s also a great choice for pasta salads, adding texture without overpowering other ingredients.

Flat ribbons like fettuccine and tagliatelle are perfect for pairing with thick, creamy sauces. Their slightly thicker structure holds up well against heavier ingredients, making them a great match for Alfredo sauce and other rich pasta dishes.

These pasta types are traditionally served with meat sauces in northern Italian cuisine.

Bucatini is a thick, spaghetti-like pasta characterized by its hollow center, which captures sauces.

Popular in classic Roman dishes like Bucatini all'Amatriciana and Bucatini Carbonara, it pairs best with hearty, robust sauces made from tomato, pancetta, guanciale or cheese-based ingredients, offering a satisfying, chewy bite in every forkful.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.