Image: Shutterstock
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Bucatini
Bucatini looks like fat spaghetti, but the noodles are hollow in the middle. This makes it excellent for just about any sauce, especially thinner ones.
Farfalle
Spaghetti
Rollatini
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Fettucine
Vermicelli
Filini
Filini isn't used as a bed for sauce or meats like bigger pasta. These "little strings" are often added to thin soups or broths to add body for a first course. Think of it as Italian ramen, but just don't say that around an Italian cook!
Angel hair
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Cavatappi
Ravioli
Penne
Cannelloni
These big pasta tubes are a blank slate upon which Italian chefs write their creative signatures. They can be filled with mixtures of meat, cheese, vegetables or just about anything.
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rigatoni
Penne
Penne is one of the biggest workhorses in the pasta world. It's tossed with sauce, baked in lasagna-type dishes and used as a base for grilled meats.
Farfalle
Elbow macaroni
SHUTTERSTOCK
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Garganelli
If you like egg rolls AND Italian food, you'll love garganelli. It's hand-rolled pasta, about the size of penne, which takes on something of the appearance of the Asian snackable.
Penne
Cannelloni
Vermicelli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Fideo
Spaghetti
Cavatappi
Can't decide if you want tubes or corkscrews? Pick this one! It's a corkscrew tube that's great with pasta salads.
Orecchietti
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Farfalle
Tagliatelle
This is one of the more fun pastas to pronounce, especially if you add a fake Italian accent. It's similar to fettucine, most often used for meat sauces.
Macaroni
Vermicelli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Orecchiette
Ravioli
Shells
Tortelli
These "little pies" can be filled with all manner of mixtures. They're usually served in a buttery, herbal sauce that complements the flavor of the filling.
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Anelli
These little rings might be the source of your kid's favorite alphabet soup. They're small bits of pasta most often used in soups to add body and texture.
Acini de Pepe
Orzo
Macaroni
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Lasagne
Mafalda
These long, flat noodles are somewhat similar to lasagne noodles, and used for much the same purposes. Or, once they're softened, you can use them for jackets for very small animals.
Pappardelli
Rocchetti
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rigatoni
Farfalle
Cavatelli
These are often described as little shells, but to me they look like tiny hot dog buns. They're used with all manner of sauces, because they're great at holding them.
Linguine
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Campanelle
Cappelletti
Ravioli
Shells
Shells are kind of like the tortillas of the pasta world. They're mainly defined by what's stuffed inside them, and those fillings run the gamut from cheese to meat to dessert creations.
Advertisement
Shutterstock
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Gnocchi
These pasta dumplings are used in cuisines far beyond Italian. They are similar to ravioli, but the ratio of wrapper to filling is more pleasing, and they're easier to eat.
Cavatelli
Orecchiette
Ravioli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rotini
Lumache
Lumache ("snail shells") look disturbingly like the creature from which they get their name. They're most often used with chunky sauces, or I guess if you're feeling adventurous you could stuff them with escargot.
Rigatoni
Farfalle
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Gnocchi
Ziti
Tortellini
There are a ton of pastas out there designed to be stuffed, and tortellini is one of the most versatile. They can take just about any stuffing, although cheeses are the most common, and swim best in buttery sauces.
Orecchiette
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Pipe
Some pasta names are a little obscure, but not pipe! It's a hollow tube designed to hold pretty much any sauce in preparation for spurting all over your shirt when you bite incautiously.
Rigatoni
Ziti
Rotini
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Vermicelli
Angel hair
Spaghetti
This is the pasta most of us eat first, and it was surprising to me as a teenager to learn that there WERE other shapes of pasta. It's a medium-sized long noodle, and has roughly a zillion uses.
Linguine
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Vermicelli
This one translates into "Little worms." Really, Italians? Maybe we can just pretend we don't know that and toss this pasta with some olive oil and herbs.
Linguine
Mafalda
Gemelli
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Orzo
Ditalini
Anellini
These tiny rings, like their bigger cousin anelli, are used primarily to add body to brothy soups. You'll also find them in some baked goods.
Pastina
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Ziti
Shells
Paccheri
Paccheri are another tubal pasta that can be filled with just about anything. The tube is smooth, not ridged, so thicker fillings like cheese-based concoctions, are recommended.
Cannoli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Lasagna
Lasagna is one of my favorite Italian dishes, simply because it can be made roughly a million ways. Like meatloaf here in the U.S., everyone has their own recipe and sequence for the layers, but they're all pretty tasty.
Linguine
Lumache
Pappardelle
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Cavatelli
Elbow macaroni
Linguine
Strozzapreti
Wow, this is one serious pasta. The name, translated, is "priest strangler." Maybe instead you should just cook it? Try it with a nice mushroom sauce.
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Tubini
Tortiglioni
These short, ridged tubes aren't usually tossed with sauce like their tubular brethren. These are cooked and then used as decoration and to add texture to salads.
Rigatoni
Ziti
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Passatelli
This unconventional pasta is made from bread crumbs, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese and sometimes lemon or thyme. Because of its less-sturdy construction, it's used as a dumpling or cracker-type role player in soups and broths.
Thin spaghetti
Linguine
Penne mostaccioli
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Spaghetti
Bigoli
Bigoli is a favorite in Venetian cuisine, and it's traditionally made with duck eggs. This makes a rich, toothsome pasta that goes well with hearty sauces.
Bucatini
Penne
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rigatoni
This big, ridged tube is the sauce boss when it comes to holding what you've made. Toss it with a thick meat sauce for an awesome alternative to spaghetti.
Penne
Mostaccioli
Farfalle
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Penne
Tortiglioni
Mezze penne
If you like penne, but it's a little too long for you, this will fit the bill. The shorter noodles are sometimes easier for kids to handle.
Bucatini
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Tagliolini
This small ribbon pasta is traditionally made with semolina flour and flavorings. It has a decadent bent, most often being served with truffles.
Fettucine
Spaghetti
Bucatelli
SHUTTERSTOCK
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rotini
Rochetti
Lumache
Farfalle
These bowtie-shaped noodles are the utility infielder of your pasta lineup. They go well with any kind of sauce, but their shape also makes them great for things like pasta salads.
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Gigli
Gemelli
Rotelle
Rotelle proves that sometimes pasta makers just want to have fun. The wagon wheels can go in soups or thin sauces, but don't stand up very well for things like alfredo.
Ruote
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Stelline
Here's another fun shape: stars! They're used in soups and broths, and are a kid favorite in Italy.
Ruota
Tripolini
Orzo
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Orzo
Fregola
In countries where rice isn't a big crop, you find things like fregola. This round "soup pasta" is used exclusively in soups and broths as a thickener and to add body.
Tripolini
Radiatore
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Macaroni
Tuck a feather in your cap and remember using this one to make endless craft items for your parents in school. It can actually be eaten, too!
Rigatoni
Tubini
Linguine
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Orzo
Radiatore
Spaetzle
Spaetzle is another soup pasta, made as an egg noodle. It's frequently extruded directly into the liquid in which it's to be cooked. If you've watched "Chopped," this is one of those things panicked cooks make to fix a soup.
Vermicelli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Tagliatelle
Orecchiette
I'm not sure there's a publicly appropriate part of the body that doesn't have a pasta named after it. These "little ears" go great in chunky sauces.
Orzo
Gigli
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Linguine
Vermicelli
Fettucine
Peppardelle
This wide, flat noodle is the next step down from a lasagna noodle. It's great with hearty, thick sauces and is often used during winter holidays and feasts when the living is easy.
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Linguine
Continuing our pasta body part theme, these are "little tongues." Yes, they look a tiny bit like them, but more like snake tongues, and who wants to eat those?
Farfalle
Spaghetti
Fettucine
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Casarecce
Fettuccine
Fettucine Alfredo is one of the most-recognized dishes for American eaters. Try it with some grilled shrimp tossed in for a great flavor combination.
Mafalda
Bucatini
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rigatoni
Bucatini
Fricelli
Legend has it that fricelli was made by rolling the dough around a knitting needle to keep the tube shape intact. These days, I'm sure they probably have machinery that does the job.
Penne
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Ravioli
Ravioli can be big or small, filled with cheese or meat, and served with a variety of sauces. My personal favorite, though, is FRIED ravioli. Try it sometime!
Orzo
Manicotti
Tortellini
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rigatoni
Cavatelli
Torchietti
These slightly puffy corkscrew pastas have a variety of uses. One of their traditional preparations is with a white clam sauce, and it's delicious!
Rotini
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rotini
Penne
Shells
Ziti
If you love lasagna, but the big noodles are hard to manage, try making a big pan of baked ziti. It's basically lasagna without the layers, and your kids will eat it by the bucketful.
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Angel hair
Spaghettini
Usually if you see an "ini" on the end of a pasta name, it's a smaller version of another pasta. This fits between spaghetti and vermicelli on the size scale, and is great with light sauces.
Vermicelli
Linguine
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Tortellini
These neat little pockets can be filled with anything your heart desires, as long as it can be cut very small. My favorite is ricotta and garlic, served with a light cream sauce.
Rigate
Orecchiette
Conchiglie
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rotini
Cappelletti
Bucatini
Calamarata
If you've had fried calamari, you'll recognize this ring shape. Sometimes the dough is even dosed with a bit of squid ink to give it that delicious black color that lets you know you're eating something you won't find at Olive Garden.
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Orzo
Ditali
These "little thimbles" are another one of the myriad of "soup" pastas. Toss it into just about any brothy mixture, or cook it and throw it into a stir-fry for a cross-cultural delight.
Fideo
Pastina
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Trofie
Did you know chestnut flour was a thing? It's one of the traditional components of this pasta, although these days it's frequently made with potato. Pesto is a natural accompaniment.
Radiatore
Rollatini
Gnocchi
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Rotini
Rigate
Capricci
The name has echoes of "capricious," and that describes the pasta well. The irregular disk shape and curls inspire all manner of fun uses.
Farfalle
Advertisement
n/a
Which pasta shape is shown here?
Canule
This long, corkscrew pasta will hold any sauce in profusion. The corkscrews stay fairly tight even after cooking, so use a thinner sauce that will penetrate.
Radiatore
Mafalda
Rocchetti
You Got:
/50
Shutterstock