The difference between pasta shapes—although seemingly minuscule— makes a massive difference when it comes to cooking speed, texture, ability to absorb flavors, and visual appeal. I have taken it upon myself to make a decisive ranking of common pasta shapes based on these factors to help you carb-lovers find the best pasta to complement your dish.
- Penne – A short, tube-shaped pasta that’s perfect for baked dishes like pasta al forno or with chunky sauces that can fill the tubes. Although basic, penne’s shape has so much utility and can be used in almost any dish. My personal favorite dish with penne with some asparagus, pancetta, and a creamy sauce.
- Spaghetti – Universally loved, spaghetti is the classic long, thin noodle that pairs with almost any sauce, from marinara to carbonara. Spaghetti is what comes to mind when most people think of pasta, and it is for a good reason. From basic dishes like spaghetti and meatballs to a more complex mizithra and brown butter, spaghetti covers all bases.
- Small Shells – Although Chi-Chi’s has placed an unbreakable bias on my pasta view, shells make for a great shape for other reasons. The folds allow sauces and butter to cling onto every piece and evenly distribute flavor, while the unique shape brings wonderful texture—and looks great.
- Fusilli – An underdog, fusilli is a spiral-shaped pasta that holds onto sauces exceptionally well, making it great for pesto or hearty meat sauces. Thick in the middle, fusilli’s structure makes cooking a perfect al dente easier to time, and the spirals spice up any dish’s design. At home, I use fusilli with tomatoes, asparagus, and goat cheese for a tangy and flavorful meal.
- Farfalle – Also known as “bow-tie” pasta, this shape is both playful and practical, ideal for cold pasta salads or light, creamy sauces. My favorite shape of all, farfalle scores extra points in this category while still maintaining a respectable texture and even cook. The only problem is with its smooth exterior, which allows sauces to slip and slide off an otherwise delightful bite. To minimize this drawback, make dishes without thin sauces.
- Rigatoni – Rigatoni is almost exactly like penne, just larger. That allows the pasta tubes to trap sauce, making them perfect for rich, chunky sauces or baked dishes like ziti.
- Macaroni – To an inexperienced pasta consumer, macaroni would seem like a perfect fit for a top three pasta. Macaroni and cheese is just such a good dish! However, to my infallible senses, macaroni does not have what it takes to compete with the shapes above. The small openings do not allow chunky sauces to be carried ideally, and the thin walls make it easy to ruin the texture. Lastly, its common forms have little to no details, such as ridges or cuts, making most macaroni dishes appear copy and paste. Yes, macaroni and cheese is an extraordinary use of the pasta, but the lack of versatility kills off any real competitive strength.
- Orecchiette – Small, ear-shaped pasta that’s great for holding onto thicker sauces, often paired with broccoli rabe or sausage. I would love to put orecchiette higher up on the list; however, the unique shape makes texture mistakes too common when cooking and can end up ruining a dish.
- Cavatappi – Similar to macaroni, cavatappi has longer spirals and does not hold up for the same reasons. Delicious in a cheesy bath but mediocre when used with other ingredients. This causes cavatappi to come off as an extended version of the classic mac, and bigger is not always better with pasta.
- Orzo – Orzo is like the plain white rice of pasta. Bland, uninspired, small, oval-shaped, boring, drab, unenticing, dull—I could go on and on about orzo. The only dish orzo outperforms other shapes in is risotto, and that is almost a soup. I’m not saying pasta doesn’t belong in soup, but it certainly does belong with other solid ingredients. And a pasta that can’t work well in those very general circumstances deserves to be last place. The only reason to use orzo is because you are making risotto, having Italian wedding soup, or running out of everything else.
