15 Different Types Of Pasta & Their Uses
A foodie like me can’t stop himself from making pasta. No matter whether you are preparing it for a dinner or just as a side dish there is a long list of pasta that you can choose from.
It’s a type of food that can take so many shapes. I have tried different kinds of pasta and want to share some of my knowledge with you.
If you are wondering which pasta you should eat today then keep on reading this blog till the end. I will discuss different types of pasta along with their uses.
Depending on the shape and types of ingredients used pasta can have different types. Each type has its own unique taste and uses. Some types of pasta are accepted universally. You might be wondering what are the most popular types of pasta?
These are the 15 most popular types of pasta:
- Vermicelli Pasta
- Tagliatelle Pasta
- Spaghetti Pasta
- Penne Pasta
- Orzo Pasta
- Rotelle Pasta
- Bucatini Pasta
- Orecchiette Pasta
- Macaroni Pasta
- Gemelli Pasta
- Fusilli Pasta
- Fettuccine Pasta
- Ditalini Pasta
- Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle)
- Angel Hair Pasta
Now let’s have a deep look at each type of pasta.
Vermicelli Pasta
Vermicelli noodles are usually skinny and thin. There are basically two types of vermicelli pasta. One is Asian Vermicelli and the second is Italian Vermicelli.
Asian Vermicelli is a rice noodle that you can make as a side dish for dinner along with some other foods like pizza or Baked Salmon. On the other hand, Italian Vermicelli is made of semolina. You can fry this vermicelli by mixing it with some olive oil and canned tomatoes. If you are looking for a light spaghetti-like dish then it’s the best choice for you.
Tagliatelle Pasta
Most people think that tagliatelle and fettuccine are the same types of pasta. Despite the similarities, these two dishes are different from each other.
Tagliatelle Pasta is made of thick meat sauces and also has a cream or tomato sauce too. It looks like flattened spaghetti. So, if you are looking for that type of dish then nothing can beat the taste of Tagliatelle Pasta.
Spaghetti Pasta
Almost everyone loves Spaghetti. However, you might be bored by just eating traditional spaghetti. You can add a twist to traditional spaghetti by making pesto shrimp spaghetti. It’s a lot more delicious than traditional spaghetti.
Spaghetti has a cylindrical shape and its thickness lies between bucatini and angel’s hair pasta.
Penne Pasta
Penne pasta is also known as mostaccioli. It’s a hollow cylinder-shaped noodle and has slanted edges. Its texture is ideal for catching sauce. It’s a common noodle that is used in casseroles too.
Orzo Pasta
Orzo Pasta resembles rice, but it’s a type of pasta. It’s the smallest in the whole pasta family. It is used in making orzo pasta salads and can add a twist to any type of soup.
Rotelli Pasta
Rotelli is a small and bite-sized pasta. If you want to give a treat to your kids then it’s the best choice. Kids would love this fun wheel-shaped pasta. Its texture is ideal for different types of ingredients and sauces.
Bucatini Pasta
Bucatini looks like traditional spaghetti. But in fact, it’s different from spaghetti. It has a round cylinder shape with a small hole in the middle of it. This gives bucatini a thicker look than spaghetti. Due to its cylindrical shape, it hoards some extra sauce.
Orecchiette Pasta
Orecchiette is a diverse type of pasta that you can use in different recipes like soup and meatballs. Because of its dip shape, It is usually compared with ears. The dip on the center of this pasta makes it easy to hoard extra sauce.
Macaroni Pasta
It would not be wrong if we say that it’s one of the most favourite pasta out there. It’s a small tube-shaped pasta that is common all over the world. Since the sauce flows in the tube of Macaroni Pasta that’s why it gives flavour to every bite you eat.
Gemelli Pasta
Gemelli is a spiral pasta. It looks like two ropes twisted together. However, in reality, it’s just one noodle that is twisted to look that way. You can use this pasta in making hearty sauces, baked dishes, and lighter vegetable pasta dishes.
Fusilli Pasta
This long and spiral-shaped pasta has a lot of space to catch the extra sauce. It is a sturdy and thick type of pasta that you can use for making various dishes like pasta salads
Fettuccine Pasta
Fettuccine Pasta is a long, thicker, and denser type of noodle. It looks like a flat spaghetti noodle and works well in meat sauces. It can be used as a placeholder in any recipes that require linguine or spaghetti.
Ditalini Pasta
Ditalini is a medium-sized very short tube. Like other short pasta types, it is widely used in making different kinds of soups. It is a staple ingredient in minestrone soup and Pasta Fagioli.
Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle)
Bow Tie Pasta is also known as farfalle. It is a small type of pasta that is used in different soups. It is also used to decorate different types of recipes like penne or shells. It’s usually served with grilled chicken.
Angel Hair Pasta
Angel Hair Pasta is also known as Capellini. It is a long-shaped pasta that is even thinner than spaghetti. It is commonly used in making cream sauces.
Type of pasta according to their shape:-
Do you want to know about the type of pasta by just looking at the shape of it? If yes, then be ready to remember the shape of different pasta types along with their name. Oh, no. I’m just kidding! You don’t need to do it at all.
The table below illustrates the type of pasta along with the shape of the pasta. Bookmark this blog so that whenever you go to buy pasta then you can immediately check the type of pasta that you are buying.
| Type Of Pasta | Shape | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Vermicelli Pasta | Long, skinny, and thin | As a side dish for dinner, a Light spaghetti-like dish |
| Tagliatelle Pasta | long, flat, thin noodle that looks like flattened spaghetti | classical pairing with meat sauces |
| Spaghetti Pasta | Cylinder-shaped pasta with medium thickness | Used in Meatballs and in making traditional spaghetti |
| Rotelle Pasta | Shaped like wagon wheels and smaller in size | Used to liven up goulash or mac and cheese |
| Macaroni Pasta | A small, tube-shaped pasta | Used in creamy casseroles and Macaroni salad |
| Penne Pasta | hollow cylinder-shaped noodle with slanted edges | Used in various pasta recipes & casseroles |
| Orzo Pasta | Looks like grain | Used to make orzo pasta salads and different soups |
| Bucatini Pasta | looks a lot like traditional spaghetti with a hole in the centre | cooked in soups, pasta dishes, and casseroles |
| Orecchiette Pasta | Looks like the shape of ears | works well with most recipes and cream sauces |
| Gemelli Pasta | Two thin ropes twisted together | common noodle choice in pasta salads |
| Fusilli Pasta | long, thick, spiral-shaped pasta | Can be used in any recipe that calls for spaghetti |
| Fettuccine Pasta | Shape likes long, narrow ribbons | Used in making chunky meat sauces & creamy alfredo sauce |
| Ditalini Pasta | Medium-sized, very short tubes with smooth sides | Can be used in soups, pasta salads, and to stand up to chunky sauces |
| Bow Tie Pasta (Farfalle) | Small arbitrary shaped pasta | Helps in accompanying elbow macaroni |
| Angel Hair Pasta | It is a long and thin pasta, It’s even thinner than spaghetti | best with light oil-based and cream sauces, Mostly used for making homemade marinara sauce |
Is pasta healthy or unhealthy?
If you eat pasta at a moderate rate then it could be beneficial for your health. However, eating too much pasta might be dangerous for your health. Mostly pasta is full of calories and carbs that can negatively impact your health.
If you want a healthy diet with low calories intake then whole-grain pasta might be the best choice for you. It has a low amount of calories and carbs with a higher percentage of fiber and nutrients. Indeed, a perfect balanced diet.
Besides the type of pasta, the ingredients that you use to top your pasta are also equally important. Adding too many sauces and other harmful ingredients might have some bad impacts on your health.
What are the benefits of pasta?
If you eat pasta at a moderate rate then it could do wonders for your body. Pasta is full of useful nutrients. Here are some of the benefits of eating pasta:
- PROVIDES ENERGY: It’s a great source of SUSTAINED ENERGY. It provides glucose which is an important nutrient for the proper functioning of your brain and muscles. Along with providing glucose pasta is also a great source of taking carbohydrates. These complex carbohydrates release energy at a slow and sustained level which helps our body in getting the optimal amount of energy without facing energy spikes.
- CHOLESTEROL FREE DIET: If you want to control your cholesterol level then nothing could do better than pasta. It will help you in reducing cholesterol levels without compromising on essential nutrients. Pasta is full of useful essential nutrients, including iron and B-vitamins.
- BALANCED DIET: Pasta is considered a part of a well-balanced diet. Do you know? 35% of our daily calories intake should come from complex carbohydrates such as pasta. So, if you want a balanced diet then start eating pasta at least once a week.
- FOLIC ACID: Pasta is enriched with folic acid. This nutrient is essential for women of child-bearing age. Pasta contains 100 micrograms of folic acid per serving. So, if you are looking for a diet that contains a huge amount of folic acid then pasta could be the best choice for you.
What happens when you eat too much pasta?
Eating too much pasta is not good for your health. It is full of calories and carbs. Moreover, the toppings that you choose for making pasta could also have some severe impacts on your health.
So, only eat pasta once or twice a week. Eating pasta on a regular basis is not a good decision.
Final Thoughts:
I hope this resource might help you a lot in understanding different types of pasta and their uses. I have highlighted 15 types of pasta and have discussed the benefits and side-effects of eating pasts.
If you find this resource helpful then share it with your loved ones so that they can also get some benefits from it.
Got some more questions about pasta? Feel free to ask them in the comment section. I would love to hear from your side.
Related Questions
What are the uses of spaghetti?
There are a lot of ways to use spaghetti. Some of the common uses of spaghetti are as follows:
- pasta salads
- different soups
- casseroles
- Works well with common noodles
How does orzo pasta look like?
Orzo pasta looks like a grain. Some people even consider it as a type of grain. However, that’s not true it’s a type of pasta that you can use in making different pasta recipes and sauces.
What type of pasta can I use in making homemade marinara sauce?
Angel Hair Pasta is mostly used in making homemade marinara sauce. However, if you don’t have Angel Hair Pasta then you can also use any other type of pasta. It totally depends on your own choice.
