Pasta Shapes Category

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Spaghetti may be the most popular pasta, but a chunkier sauce needs a pasta that can trap and hold it as it travels from plate to mouth. There are many whimsical pasta shapes that do just that, fashioned after such things as shells, corkscrews, wagon wheels, and radiators. Some shapes have ridged surfaces, which give sauces even more to cling to.

Pasta shapes are also easier to eat than rods or ribbons, so they're a good choice if you're serving kids or crowds. Many are also sturdy enough to use in pasta salads and baked casseroles.

Pasta shapes are often given whimsical Italian names that describes their shapes, like radiatori (radiators), lumache (snails), gigli (lilies), farfalle (butterflies), gemelli (twins), orecchiette (little ears), and strozzapreti (priest strangler), which resemble rolled-up towels.

For most dishes, you can use whatever pasta shape suits your fancy, but its usually not a good idea to mix them together, since they often have different cooking times.

casarecci, cesariccia

Casarecci means "homemade" in Italian, and these short lengths of rolled and twisted Italian pasta are great at trapping sauces.

cavatelli

Cavatelli has two meanings. It usually refers to small pasta shells that resemble tiny hot dog buns and are often served with thick, chunky sauces or in pasta salads. The name is less commonly used for a type of dumpling made with ricotta cheese.

conchiglie, maruzze, pasta shells, pipe rigate

This Italian pasta resembles conch shells. It's often served with tomato or meat sauces, or in pasta salads. A smaller version for soups is called conchigliette, while larger, stuffable shells are called conchiglioni.

conchiglioni, giant shells, jumbo shells

Pasta shaped like conch shells come in various sizes; this is the largest. It's often stuffed and baked.

creste di galli

creste di galli

This version of Italian pasta is shaped like creste di galli ("cockscomb" in Italian).

farfalle, bow ties, bows, bow-tie pasta, butterfly pasta

Farfalle is an Italian pasta, often made with eggs, that resembles bowties or butterflies. It's often served with chunky sauces or in pasta salads. A smaller version is called farfallini, while a larger version is called farfallone. Strichetti is farfalle made with an egg dough.

fusilli, corkscrew pasta, pasta twists

This is a type of Italian pasta that's shaped like either like screws or springs. This is a good choice for pasta salads and casseroles, or for serving with hearty, thick sauces. A long version of the spring-shaped fusilli is called fusilli col buco.

fusilli col buco, fusilli bucati lunghi

fusilli col buco

This is a long version of the spring-shaped fusilli.

gemelli

The name means "twins" in Italian. These are short rods twisted together in a spiral pattern. They're great with any sauce, or in pasta salads or casseroles.

gigli, campanelle, riccioli

This Italian pasta consists of flower shapes (gigli is Italian for "lilies"). It's good with heart, chunky sauces.

gnocchetti

Gnocchetti is an Italian pasta made to look like gnocchi, the popular potato dumplings. Gnocchetti, though, contains no potatoes. To confuse matters, a larger version of gnocchetti is also called gnocchi. Both sizes are good with thick sauces.

gomiti

Gomiti is Italian for "elbow," and this pasta shape is like elbow macaroni, only it's bent more. Use it in pasta dishes with chunky sauces, pasta salads, or macaroni and cheese.

gramigna

gramigna Learn more

lumache

Lumache (Italian for "snails") are shells that are often served with chunky sauces. A larger shell, called lumaconi, is usually stuffed and baked.

lumaconi, giant snails

This is an outsized version of the Italian pasta shape called lumache, which resembles a snail shells. Lumaconi are usually stuffed and baked.

malloreddus, gnocchetti sardi

This Sardinian pasta is very similar to gnocchetti, except that it's often flavored with saffron.

Margherite means "daisies" in Italian, but this pasta shape looks more like shells, with ridges on the outside. A small soup pasta version is called margheritine.

orecchiette

These "little ears" are pieces of Italian pasta shaped like tiny ears or bowls.

quadrefiore

quadrefiore Learn more

radiatori

A type of Italian pasta, these resemble small radiators. The "grills" do a good job of scooping up chunky sauces.

ruote, ruote de carro, ruotine, wagon wheels, wheels

Rotelle is an Italian pasta that's shaped like a wagon wheel, and it works well with chunky sauces or in pasta salads.

rotini, rotelle, spirals, twists

These pasta shapes look like short springs or corkscrews made from spaghetti. They cling to chunky or thick sauces, but they also work in pasta salads.

spiralini, spirali

These are spring-shaped lengths of Italian pasta. They're good with chunky sauces, or in pasta salads. A larger version is called spirali.

stelline

These pasta shapes look like tiny stars. They cook quickly and are best used in soups.

strozzapreti

The name means "priest strangler" in Italian, and it refers to a pasta shape that resembles a rolled towel.

torchio

These pasta shapes resemble torches, the better to scoop up chunky sauces.

trenne

This Italian pasta is triangular, and cut into short lengths. It's good with chunky sauces or in casseroles.

trennette

This triangular Italian pasta is similar to trenne, only smaller. Don't confuse this with trenette, which is a long ribbon of pasta.

troffiette

A Ligurian specialty, these are small, twisted bits of pasta. They're often served with pesto.