Pasta types: Detailed list from A to Z with pictures

Reginette, also known as “Mafalde” or “Mafaldine”, is a flat, ribbon-shaped pasta characterized by waves on both sides of the noodle. They are usually about 1 cm wide and are prepared in a similar way to other ribbon-shaped pasta, e.g. fettuccine.

Bavette are long, thin ribbon noodles that originally come from Genoa in Italy. Each strand is about 25.4 cm long and no more than 0.6 cm wide.

Pappardelle is an Italian type of pasta and belongs to the ribbon pasta category. They are usually 200 mm long, 25 mm wide and 0.5 mm thick and probably originate from Tuscany. Nowadays, the term is widely used for pasta types with different dough thicknesses and lengths.

Scialatielli are wide, flat pasta from the Italian region of Campania. They are similar to linguine and fettuccine, but are usually shorter. As they are usually made by hand, they are irregularly shaped. Their wide and flat shape makes it easy for them to soak up and hold flavorful sauces.

Maltagliati is a pasta shape from Emilia-Romagna in Italy. They are roughly shaped pieces of dough made from rolled out tagliatelle or ravioli leftovers. The name appropriately means “roughly cut” in Italian.

Tagliatelle are Italian ribbon noodles. They are about 15 cm long, 8 millimetres wide and are made from a pasta dough with egg. They are one of the best-known types of pasta in the world and originate from the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

Taglierini pasta is similar to tagliatelle and spaghetti and has its roots in the Emilia-Romagna region. The pasta is mainly served in two ways – with truffles or a meat-based sauce. In Piedmont, this pasta is called tajarin and the dough consists of flour, semolina and salt.

Matasse are flat ribbon noodles from northern Italy with curled edges. The Italian term “strand” is the origin of their name, which is due to their twisted, yarn-like appearance. This type of pasta is ideal for hearty and rich sauces.

Fedelini look similar to spaghetti, but are slightly longer and much thinner. They originate from the Italian region of Liguria, which is also known for other pasta shapes such as ravioli and trenette. The size and shape of fedelini may look simple, but that makes them very versatile.

Cappellini are long and very thin vermicelli that resemble spaghetti. They are also known as Capellini D’Angelo (angel hair) and come from Genoa or Ciociaria in Italy. They are less than 1 millimeter thick and go perfectly with a light tomato sauce or a butter sauce with garlic, lemon, prawns and parmesan.

Vermicelli is a long Italian pasta that is very similar to spaghetti. It is often claimed that they originate from Campania in the southern region of Italy. Depending on the region inside or outside Italy, vermicelli also have other names.

Calcioni are filled pasta and originate from the Italian region of Marche. They are shaped like cushion-shaped ravioli and are served with savory or sweet fillings and then baked or deep-fried. Locals call them “ravioli di San Giuseppe” or “ravioli dolce” and prefer to enjoy them as a starter.

Manicotti is a large, tube-shaped pasta that is usually filled and topped with a sauce, and is commonly known as the American version of cannelloni. Manicotti, which means “little sleeves” in Italian, is considered part of Italian-American cuisine. Similar to cannelloni, these large pasta tubes are designed to be filled and baked.

Armoniche are large, cylindrical pasta, often fluted on the side. They are often confused with radiatori, another cylindrical pasta that resembles radiator grills. The grooves on the sides of the pasta make it ideal for thick and rich sauces.

The Gramigna pasta variety has its roots in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna. These curvy, hollow pasta tubes look like bucatini that have been cut open and twisted slightly.

Ditali originally come from Campania in Italy and translate as “little thimble”. They are short, tubular pasta similar to tubetti. Interestingly, tubetti also originate from Campania. Ditali are made in small, bite-sized pieces that are about 1 cm wide and 1.3 cm long.

Gomiti pasta resembles a snail shell and has a round opening at one end and a slit at the other. The Italians call the shape lumache, which means snail.

Rotelle pasta is known for its wagon wheel shape. The noodles have ribbed rings and spoke-shaped openings. The spokes catch the juicy and delicious sauce. Although the shape of the Rotelle has no Italian origin, many manufacturers in Italy produce this fascinating and tasty pasta.

Rigatoni comes from the Italian word “rigato”, which means “grooved”. It is a medium-sized, tube-shaped pasta that is said to have originated in Rome, Italy. Rigatoni usually have a diameter of around 1.6 cm (0.6 in) and a length of 4.5 cm (1.8 in). The pasta has a rough, ribbed texture on the side to allow the pasta sauces to stick to it.

Maniche, also known as mezze maniche, is a short, tubular pasta that is said to originate from northern Italy. In terms of size, they are about half the length of normal rigatoni. Mezze maniche means “short sleeves” or “half sleeves”.

The name “elicoidali” comes from the Italian word “elica”, which means spiral or helix. It is a medium-sized, tubular pasta that is very similar to rigatoni. Although it is difficult to obtain information about its origin, most people claim that it comes from Campania, Italy.

Although they have the shape of a tube, cannelloni, which means “large reeds” in Italian, are actually considered a type of lasagne. This pasta has always been a symbol of festivities throughout Catalonia, where it is eaten on St. Stephen’s Day.

Garganelli are a type of tubular pasta that originated in northern Italy. They are easy to recognize as they have a unique grooved pattern and pointed ends. The pieces are usually about 31.75 mm long, 10.16 mm wide and 8.38 mm in diameter.

Candele are long, narrow, tubular pasta and resemble tall, thin candles. They originate from southern Italy and are often used in savory recipes such as baked spaghetti, soups and stews. Due to their unusual shape, the variety lends itself to imaginative presentations and is often used to add texture and depth to dishes.

Tubetti are short, tubular pasta from the Italian region of Campania. They are cut extremely short, about 1.3 cm wide and 0.6 cm long. Their name means “small tubes” in Italian and although they are not particularly common, they are a popular choice in Italy for both sauces and soups.

Cajubi is an Italian type of pasta with a tubular shape. It is usually only 2 centimetres short and is wrapped around a metal rod for shaping. Puglia’s best restaurants are known for serving this type of pasta.

Tortiglioni is a tubular type of pasta that originates from the Italian region of Campania. The name tortiglioni comes from the Vulgar Latin “tortillare” and means “to twist”. This refers to the twisted grooves on the surface of the pasta, which are intended to give sauces more grip.

Conchiglie is an Italian pasta that is shaped like a shell. This type of pasta is available in three sizes: small, normal and large. They are also called conchigliette, conchiglie or conchiglioni. Their shape and size determine the type of dish they go with.

Malloreddus, also known as gnocchetti sardi, is a pasta that is a traditional specialty of the Italian island of Sardinia. The pasta is small and has a unique shape reminiscent of tiny shells or ribbed grains of rice. Typically, the pieces are around 13 to 19 mm long, 6 to 13 mm wide and 3 to 6 mm in diameter.

Originating from Trapani, a province in western Sicily, busiate is a pasta that resembles a telephone cable or a corkscrew. Traditionally, they are formed by wrapping the pasta dough around busa, the Sicilian word for the stalk of a local grass. This is where their name comes from.

Casarecce, which can be directly translated as “homemade” in Italian, is a short, loosely twisted pasta that originally comes from Sicily. The pasta has wavy edges with a groove in the middle, which is supposed to resemble a scroll. Viewed from the side, the pasta forms an elegant “S” shape.

Gemelli resemble the shape of fusilli, but they have a looser twist. This unique and versatile ribbed pasta comes from Puglia and can be prepared in countless ways.

Vesuvio is a fairly new type of pasta, named after the volcano Vesuvius in Naples. It is a short, twisted pasta that originated in Campania, Italy. It is characterized by its characteristic wide base, which gradually tapers in a spiral towards a pointed end.

Trofie is a short, spiral-shaped pasta that originated in the northern Italian region of Liguria and has been a staple in the region’s cuisine for centuries. Trofie are unique in their texture, shape and versatility in the kitchen and can be used in a variety of dishes.