27 Types of Pasta and Their Uses

The number of pasta types seems almost infinite. Isn't it amazing that one type of food can take on so many different shapes? Pasta is one of the most versatile pantry staples — simply boil water and dress it up with a little sauce and maybe some protein.

As reliable as pasta is though, we do have a tendency to go for the same types over and over again. Consider this your permission to explore the pastablilities. Some types of pasta make great vehicles for carrying rich and hearty sauces, while others are best suited for soups and salads. Here you'll learn about 27 different types of pasta, along with suggested uses and recipe inspiration.

1. Angel Hair Pasta

The long, delicate strands of angel hair pasta (aka capellini) are best served in light or creamy sauces. The thin strands can go M.I.A. in chunky, meaty sauces.

Browse our entire collection of Angel Hair Pasta Recipes.

2. Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle)

Use bow tie pasta to dress up any dish that calls for small pasta shapes, such as penne or shells. Also known as farfalle.

Browse our entire collection of Bow Tie Pasta Recipes.

3. Bucatini Pasta

These long, hollow spaghetti-like tubes (aka perciatelli) are unusual and fun! Try them in casseroles or Asian stir-fries, or tossed with a fresh tomato sauce.

4. Ditalini Pasta

Medium-sized, very short tubes with smooth sides. Like most short pasta shapes, ditalini are excellent when used in soups, pasta salads, and to stand up to chunky sauces.

5. Egg Noodles

These noodles add heartiness to soups, stews, and casseroles, and their flat shape makes them the ideal vehicle for cream sauces.

6. Fettuccine Pasta

Fettuccine is an egg pasta cut into long, narrow ribbons. It is often served with cream sauces, as in the classic Fettuccine Alfredo. You can use fettuccine in any recipe that calls for linguine or spaghetti.

Browse our entire collection of Fettuccine Recipes.

7. Fusilli Pasta

This long, thick, spiral-shaped pasta adds an unexpected twist to any recipe that calls for spaghetti. Its crevices are perfect for carrying thick sauces, but it's often also used in pasta salads.

Browse our entire collection of Fusilli Recipes.

8. Gemelli Pasta

A short, spiral pasta, versatile gemelli works well in hearty sauces, baked dishes, and lighter vegetable pasta dishes.

9. Gnocchi

These chewy little pasta dumplings — traditionally made from potatoes — are usually boiled and served with rich sauces. Tomato-based or herb and butter sauces also work well.

Browse our entire collection of Gnocchi Recipes.

10. Lasagna

The name for this long, wide noodle is also the name for the dish. Lasagna (the noodle) can be both flat or with curly edges. Lasagna (the dish) is amazing.

Browse our entire collection of Lasagna Recipes.

11. Linguine

These long, flat noodles are slightly thicker than spaghetti. The classic Italian restaurant pairing is clam sauce, but you can use this pasta in any dish that calls for spaghetti.

Browse our entire collection of Linguine Recipes.

12. Macaroni

A small, tube-shaped pasta, macaroni is terrific in creamy casseroles (like macaroni and cheese) or salads (like macaroni salad). Why? Because the creamy sauce flows into the cooked tubes, giving you flavor in every bite.

Browse our entire collection of Macaroni Recipes.

13. Manicotti

This large tube-shaped pasta is usually filled with cheese or meat filling and baked. The surface of the pasta can be either smooth or ridged.

Browse our entire collection of Manicotti Recipes.

14. Orecchiette Pasta

A small bowl-shaped pasta that means "little ears" in Italian. It is usually combined with vegetables and oil rather than hearty sauces. The tiny indentations in the pasta catch tasty bits of meat and veggies.

15. Orzo Pasta

A tiny, rice-shaped pasta that's used to adding heartiness to soups and salads.

Browse our entire collection of Orzo Recipes.

16. Penne Pasta

A two-inch long, tube-shaped pasta that is cut diagonally at both ends. Great with chunky meat or vegetable sauces, as bits of the meat or veggies will slide into the pasta tubes. Similar to the smoother mostaccioli, also called Penne Lisce.

Browse our entire collection of Penne Recipes.

17. Radiatore Pasta

Short, squat, ruffled pasta similar to rotini. They look like radiators, hence the name. Like other sturdy pasta shapes, radiatore stand out in hearty sauces or tossed with veggies in a pasta salad.

18. Ravioli

These little stuffed pillows of pasta dough are packed with finely ground or chopped fillings, from cheese to meat to puréed veggies. Serve ravioli with sauce, in soups, or just drizzled with olive oil.

Browse our entire collection of Ravioli Recipes.

19. Rigatoni Pasta

Short, grooved, tube-shaped "riggies" can be used in pretty much any setting, from sauces to salads to baked casseroles.

Browse our entire collection of Rigatoni Recipes.

20. Rotelle Pasta

Shaped like wagon wheels — and also sometimes called by that name — these small, round pastas are fun for the kiddos. Use them to liven up goulash or mac and cheese.

Browse our entire collection of Rotelle Recipes.

21. Rotini Pasta

These kid-friendly pastas look like smooshed corkscrews and are often used for pasta salad since bits of vegetables will cling to the grooves in the rotini.

22. Shells

Shell pasta comes in many different sizes. Stuff large shells with cheese and bake, like you would with manicotti, use medium-sized shells in casseroles and with meat sauces, and use the smallest shells in soups and stews. Also known as conchiglie and cavatelli.

Browse our entire collection of Shell Recipes.

23. Spaghetti Pasta

The classic, long, thin, cylindrical tubes you know and love. Spaghetti is just thick enough so it doesn't get lost in that hearty family meat sauce recipe, but thin enough to serve with cream sauce, or even with just a light dressing of olive oil and garlic.

24. Tagliatelle Pasta

A long, flat, thin noodle, similar to fettuccine. The classical pairing is with meat sauces, but you can use with light sauces as well.

25. Tortellini

Stuffed rings of pasta you can eat with sauce, put in soup, or just drizzle with olive oil. Sometimes sold in different colors, with the addition of beets, tomatoes, or other dyeing agents.

Browse our entire collection of Tortellini Recipes.

26. Vermicelli Pasta

These long strands of pasta are thinner than spaghetti but thicker than angel hair. You can use just as you would either of those. Also known as spaghettini.

Browse our entire collection of Vermicelli Recipes.

27. Ziti

A slender, tube-shaped pasta, ziti stands up to hearty sauces and is great in baked pasta dishes.

Browse our entire collection of Ziti Recipes.