Long pasta
Spaghetti: Perfect pairings include tomato-based sauces, light, creamy sauces, pesto (and of course the classic meatballs!) Spaghetti with Prosciutto and Green Beans
Angel hair: The long, delicate strands of angel hair pasta are a great match for very light sauces such as fresh tomato and olive oil. The thin strands can be overpowered and broken by thick, meaty sauces.
Bucatini: Thicker and sturdier than standard spaghetti, this has hollow tubes, great with a thick tomato sauce or a heavier ragu.
Tagliatelle & fettucine: Flat, wide noodles that are commonly used in creamy pasta dishes such as carbonara. They also work well with meat or vegetable-based sauces.
Pappardelle: the wider cousin of tagliatelle and fettucine! Originally created to carry meaty Tuscan sauces. This suits heavier sauces such as creamy mushroom or stroganoff. Lamb Rosemary Rag Pasta
Linguine: Like spaghetti but slightly wider and flatter. Linguine is often served with seafood, light sauces or simple garlic and olive oil.
Tube/twisted pasta
Casarecce: a long tube shape with a groove down the middle, it’s excellent for holding on to some of the runnier sauces and is ideal for dishes studded with chunks of meat or vegetables.
Penne: Short, cylindrical pasta with angled ends. The ridges on penne help hold chunky sauces, making it ideal for meaty sauces, tomato-based sauces, and baked pasta dishes. Broccoli Walnut and Blue Cheese Pasta
Rigatoni: Large, ridged tubes that hold up well with hearty and chunky sauces.
The larger the tube, the chunkier you can go with your sauces.
Fusili: thick, spiral shaped pasta that has nooks and crannies great for thick sauces to cling to – such as those with chunks of meat or fish. Also great for pasta salads.
Macaroni: Small, hollow tubes that are a classic choice for cheese sauces. They also work well in pasta salads and added to casseroles.
Special pasta shapes
Farfalle: The name means ‘butterfly’ – but is more commonly known as bowties! This pairs well with creamy or oil-based sauces. It's also popular in pasta salads.
Rotelle: Meaning ‘little wheels’ but also called wagon wheel pasta! Kids love these and they are great with simple tomato or vegetable sauces; they also be used for macaroni cheese in place of macaroni.
Orzo: Small, rice-shaped pasta that is versatile and can be used in soups, salads, or baked risotto-style dishes.
Pastina (stars): This simply means ‘small pasta’ can be used in the same way as orzo.
Conchiglie: You guessed it! This means seashell. These come in a variety of sizes from tiny to enormous! The larger shells can be stuffed for baking with a cheesy or meaty filling (like cannelloni) and the smaller ones are good in soups or stews.
Orecchiette: This means ‘little ears’ and is perfect for catching the tasty sauce. Great for oil and veggie sauces rather than a heavy, hearty sauce where they can get swamped.
Remember, these are only general guidelines; feel free to experiment and mix different pasta shapes with various sauces to create your own unique combinations!
Pasta – not just for eating! Try these craft activities with the kids!
