Pasta comes in all shapes and sizes.
The tiniest shapes are often used in soups, long ribbons or strands with sauces, and tubes and fanciful shapes in casseroles and pasta salads. Some shapes are large enough to be stuffed and baked, and others, like ravioli, come already stuffed.
Common name |
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Synonym(s) |
Description |
Alfabeto |
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Letter-shaped soup pasta |
Anchellini |
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Piombi |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Anelli Siciliani |
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Large size ring-shaped short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or salads |
Armonie |
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Stortini |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Ballerine |
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Campanelle |
Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups |
Bigoli |
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Bigui, Pincinelli |
Large diameter (about 3 mm) and very long-cut spaghetti, made with wholemeal soft wheat flour or semolina. |
Bucatini |
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Perciatellini, Foratini, Fidelini bucati, Fide bucate |
Small diameter (about 2.4 - 2.7 mm) and smooth surface long-cut dry hollow pasta. |
Cannelloni |
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Gnocchettoni Zitoni, Tagliati di Zitoni, Cannelloni Zitoni, Canneroni, Spole, Sigarette, Schiaffoni |
Short-cut shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta or casserolas |
Cannolicchi medi |
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Sciviotti ziti, Denti di cavallo, Denti di pecora, Fischiotti, Fischioni, Canneroni |
Hollow short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or vegetable soups |
Capelli d'angelo |
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Angel's hair, Cabellos de Angel, Capelvenere, Fidelini, Fedelini, Cappellini, Sopracappellini,
Capellini fini, Bassetti,
Tagliolini a nido, Barbine a nido |
Very thin long-cut extruded pasta (ø mm 1 - 1.2), usually nested or coiled, suitable for clear soups.
Very popular shape all over the world. |
Cappelletti |
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Medium size, pinched stuffed fresh pasta, filled with vegetables, cheese, ricotta or meat based filling |
Cappelletti Umbri |
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Typical for the Umbria region |
Cappello napoletano |
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Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads |
Casarecci |
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Cesariccia |
These are short lengths of rolled and twisted Italian pasta. They're usually served with meat sauces. |
Cavatelli |
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It usually refers to small pasta shells that resemble tiny hot dog buns. The name is less commonly used for a type of dumpling made with ricotta cheese. |
Chiocciole |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups |
Ciocchetti |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups |
Cocciolette |
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Abissini |
Small shell-shaped pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Conchigliette |
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Tofettine, Coccioline, Cinesini, Margaritine, Cinesi rigati, Mezzi cocci, Margherite rigate, Cappettine |
Extruded short-cut shape, suitable for soups or meat sauce pasta |
Conchiglioni |
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Jumbo Shells |
Large size short-cut grooved pasta |
Coquillettes |
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Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta |
Creste di galli |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups. Shaped like creste di galli ("cockscomb" in Italian). |
Dischi |
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Messicani, Dischi Volanti |
Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads |
Fagiolini rigati |
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Cornetti rigati, Sedanetti rigati, Sedanini rigati, Stortini rigati, Diavoletti rigati, Tubetti lunghi rigati |
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Farfalle |
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Galla genovese, Fiocconi; Farfalloni |
Stamped " Bologna " shape, suitable for casseroles or meat sauce pasta |
Fettuccelle ricce |
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Nastrini, Reginette, Reginelle, Fettucce ricce |
Curled fettuccine (width about 12 mm). |
Fettuccine |
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Lasagnette, Fettucce |
Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 8 mm), fresh or dry. |
Francesine |
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Stricchetti tondi, Saliere, Farfalle tonde, Fiocchetti |
Extruded short-cut shape, suitable for soups or meat sauce pasta |
Fusilli |
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Eliche, Tortiglioni, Spirali |
Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Fusilloni |
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Eliche grandi |
Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Gemelli |
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Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Gianduietta |
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Gianduini |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Gigli |
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Cornetti, Corni di bue |
Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads |
Gramigna |
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Crestine, Margherite lisce, Fagioletti, Zitellini, Tubettini lunghi |
Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta |
Gramignoni |
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Spaccatelle, Maglietta, Stivalettini |
Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta |
Grano |
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Brofandei |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Grattoni |
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Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Italiana |
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Pierced short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable and clear soups |
Lasagne |
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Lasagnoni, Bardele |
Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.6 x 25 mm), fresh or dry. |
Linguine |
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Bavettine, Bavette fini, Radichini, Linguettine |
Small size and elliptic section long-cut pasta. |
Lumachine |
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Lumachelle, Lumachette, Cirillini |
Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups |
Maccheroni |
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Macaroni |
Hollow elbow-shaped pasta |
Mafalde |
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Frese, Tagliatelle nervate |
Rectangular size double side-curled long-cut pasta (width about mm 10). |
Malloreddus |
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Gnocchetti sardi |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups. From Sardinia . |
Maltagliati |
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Strengozze |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Margherita Messinese lunga |
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Middle-lenght cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pa |
Merletti |
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Short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or salads |
Messinesi |
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Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta |
Mezzani |
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Perciatelloni, Mezze Zite, Regine, Scaloppi, Napoletani |
Large diameter (about 5 - 6 mm) and smooth surface long-cut dry hollow pasta |
Mostaccioli |
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Mezze Penne, Mezze Penne zite, Penne di ziti, Ziti tagliati |
Slanting short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles, soups or salads |
Mparrettati |
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This unusual variety of Italian pasta consists of poorly wrapped straws of dough, about 20-30 cm long. |
Nuvole |
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Short cut pasta suitable for soups or salads |
Occhi di Passero |
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Occhi di Pernice, Occhio d'acquila, Occhi di Trota |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Ondule |
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Curled short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Orecchiette |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups. Shaped like ears. |
Orzo |
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Puntine, Punte d'ago, Armelline, Semi d'orzo, Semi d'avena, Semi di riso, Occhi di giudeo, Armellette, Puntalette, Semi di cicoria, Cicorietta, Risetto, Chicchi di riso, Semini, Avena, Avena grande, Cicorie |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Pantacce |
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Short cut pasta suitable for soups or salads |
Pappardelle |
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Papparelle |
Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 20 mm), fresh or dry |
Paternoster |
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Gnocchetti, Gnocchettini, Tubettini, Ditaletti, Coralli, Ditalini, Avemarie, Caporelli |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
| Pennine (Penne) |
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Mezze pennette lisce, Mezze penne, Mezzani, Pennettine, Pennuzze, Penne Regina |
Slanting short-cut hollow shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta |
Pennoni |
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Penne di Zitoni, Zitoni tagliati, Penna a candela |
Large size short-cut hollow pasta |
Perciatelli |
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Maccheroncelli, Maccheronicini, Mezzanelli, Long Macaroni |
Medium diameter (about 4 mm) and smooth surface long-cut pierced dry pasta. |
Pizzoccheri |
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These long buckwheat noodles are popular in northern Italy |
Quadrefiore |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups. |
Quadrettini |
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Quadrucci, Quadratini, Quadretti, Lucciole |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Quadrucci rigati |
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Quadratini rigati, Quadretti rigati |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Radiatori |
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Marziani |
Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta |
Ravioli |
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Different size and shape fresh pasta, stuffed with vegetables, ricotta, cheese, meat and even fish based filling. |
Ricciarelle |
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Riccioline, Sfresatine, Manfredine, Fettuccia riccia |
Double size curled large tagliatella (width about 15 mm). |
Rigatoni |
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Long hollow tube shaped pasta |
Rocchetti |
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Salamini, Caramelle |
Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads |
Ruotine |
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Rotelle, Rotelline, Rotine, Rotini |
Wheel-shaped, short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Sagnarelli |
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This flat Italian pasta is about 5 cm long, and has a ridged border. |
Sciviottini |
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Cannolicchi piccoli, Fagioloni, Svuotini, Gnocchetti di Ziti, Canoncetti, Svoltini |
Hollow short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or casseroles |
Semi di Melone |
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Semi di mela, Midolline, Semoni, Risone |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Spaghetti |
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Vermicelli, Fide, Ristoranti, Vermicelloni, Filatelli, Vermicelloni giganti, Spaghettoni |
Medium diameter (1.8 - 2.4 mm) long-cut dry pasta (broken for Vermicelli). |
Spighe |
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Tree-shaped short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads |
Stellette |
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Stellettine, Stelle, Astri, Fiori di Sambuco |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Strozzapreti |
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The name means "priest strangler" in Italian, and it refers to a pasta shape that resembles a rolled towel. |
Tagliatelle |
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Tagliarelli, Reginelle, Fresine, Nastri, Fettuccelle, Fettucce romane, Fiadi |
Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 10 mm), fresh or dry. |
Tagliati di Ziti |
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Cannelli Ziti, Gnocchetti Ziti, Spolette |
Short-cut shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta |
Tagliolini |
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Fidelini a nido, Tagliatelline, Trinette a matasse |
Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 3 mm), fresh or dry. |
Tempesta |
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Seme Santo, Tempestina, Grattata, Peperino, Pepe, Fregolina, Peperini di Genova, Vaporino, Piselli, Pisellini, Grandinina soda, Grattini, Primaverine, Scintille |
Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups |
Torchio |
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These pasta shapes resemble torches, the better to scoop up chunky sauces. |
Tortelli |
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Tordelli |
Medium or large size, rectangular or square stuffed fresh pasta, filled with vegetables, ricotta, cheese or meat based filling |
Tortellini |
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Very small size fresh or even dry pasta, stuffed with meat based special filling, by tradition only suitable for meat broth or casserole |
Trenne |
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Hollow tubes, flattened on one side. |
Trennette |
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Same as Trenne, but smaller. |
Tripolini |
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Signorine |
One side curled long-cut pasta (width about 10 mm). |
Troffiette |
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Small, twisted pasta. |
Trottole |
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Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups |
Tufoli |
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Maniche, Gigantoni, Occhi di elefante, Elefante, Canneroni grandi, Occhi di bove |
Very large diameter short-cut and smooth surface hollow pasta, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta and for casseroles |
Ziti |
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Boccolotti, Zitoni, Zituane, Candele |
Very large diameter long-cut and smooth surface hollow pasta. |
