How to Choose the Right Pasta Shape
Updated: Feb. 08, 2017Rigatoni Ideal for dense, heavy, wetter sauces and for baked dishes. Try this Rustic Grilled Vegetable and Rigatoni Salad recipe.
Rigatoni
Ideal for dense, heavy, wetter sauces and for baked dishes. Try this Rustic Grilled Vegetable and Rigatoni Salad recipe.
Penne
Perfect for lighter tomato-based sauces like this Penne Alla Vodka recipe.
Fusilli
Ideal for adding to luncheon salads. Try this Zucchini Fusilli recipe.
Spaghetti
Perfect for lighter sauces and oil-and-garlic combinations.
Try the Spaghetti With Cherry Tomatoes recipe
Bucatini
Perfect for hearty, drier sauces containing meat or ham.
Farfalle
A natural for seafood pastas in lighter, cream-based sauces.
Pappardelle
Withstands heavy ragus of lamb or duck.
Orecchiette
Goes best with dryer pasta sauces, like broccoli rabe with sausage and oil.
Radiatore
Most delicious when paired with heavier, wetter sauces.
Cappelli d’Angelo
Ideal in broth-based pasta sauces.
