List of Pasta

Some different colours and shapes of pasta, in a pasta specialty store in Venice.

While the only basic difference between these names is the shape of the pasta, each pasta is typically matched with a particular sauce based on cooking time, consistency, ability to hold sauce, ease of eating, etc. In the same way that hamburgers are generally not eaten on hot dog buns, pasta amatriciana, for example, is not made with angel hair spaghetti, but with bucatini. Some pasta varieties are uniquely regional and not widely known. In other cases, the cut of pasta is present in more than one region, but the cut is called by another name. For example, the cut rotelle is also called by the names ruote and wagon wheel.

Pasta-like shapes

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Campanelle	Template:No	Flattened bell-shaped pasta with a frilly edge on one end	Little bells
	Capunti	Template:No	Short convex ovals resembling an open empty pea pod
	Casarecce	Template:No	Short lengths rolled into an S shape	From Casereccio meaning Homemade
	Cavatelli	No	Short, solid lengths	From the verb Cavare meaning Hollow inside
	Cechetti	Template:No	Spherical, stuffed with basil, served with liver and cloves of garlic	Little dancing tin cans
	Cencioni	Template:No	Petal shaped, slightly curved with rough convex side	Little rag
	Conchiglie	No	Seashell shaped	Shells
	Conchiglioni	No	Large, stuffable seashell shaped	Large shells
	Corzetti		flat figure-eight stamped
	Creste di galli	Template:No	Short, curved and ruffled	Cocks' combs
	Croxetti	No	Flat coin-shaped discs stamped with coats of arms	Little crosses
	Fantolioni	Template:No	Panda-shaped bow-ties commonly served with boiled clives	Pre-packaged pandas
	Farfalle	No	Bow tie or butterfly shaped	Butterflies
	Farfallone	Template:No	Larger bow ties	Large butterfly
	Fiorentine	No	Tuscan pasta shape	Florentines
	Fioriettini	No	Shaped like a flower	Little flowers
	Foglie d'ulivo	No	Shaped like an olive leaf	Olive leaf
	Fusilli	No	Three-edged spiral, usually in mixed colours. Many vendors and brands sold as fusilli are two-edged	From fusile, archaic/dialect form of fucile, meaning rifle. As the inside barrel of a gun is "rifled" using a similar screw-shaped device
	Fusilli Bucati	Template:No	A more spring shaped variety	Holed rifles
	Gemelli	No	A single S-shaped strand of pasta twisted in a loose spiral	Twins
	Gigli	Template:No	Cone or flower shaped	Lilies
	Gramigna	Template:No	Short curled lengths of pasta	Scutch-grass; more generically, "infesting weed"
	Lanterne	Template:No	Curved ridges	Lantern holders
	Lumache	Template:No	Snail shaped	From lumaca, meaning snail
	Lumaconi	Template:No	Jumbo Lumache	Large snails
	Maltagliati	No	Flat roughly cut triangles	Badly cut
	Marille	Template:No	Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1983 - like a rolling ocean wave in cross-section, but unsuccessful & no longer produced	From mare, meaning "sea"
	Orecchiette	No	Bowl or ear shaped pasta	Little ears
	Pipe	No	Larger versions of macaroni	Smoking pipes
	Quadrefiore	Template:No	Square with rippled edges	Flower quadrants
	Radiatore	No	Shaped like radiators	Radiator
	Ricciolini	Template:No	Short wide noodles with a 90-degree twist	Curly
	Ricciutelle	Template:No	Short spiralled noodles	Curly
	Rotelle	No	Wagon wheel shaped pasta	Little wheels (from ruota—wheel)
	Rotini	No	2-edged spiral, tightly wound. Some vendors and brands are 3-edged and sold as rotini
	Spirali	No	A tube which spirals round	Spirals
	Spiralini	Template:No	More tightly-coiled fusilli	Little spirals
	Strozzapreti	No	Rolled across their width	Priest-chokers or priest-stranglers
	Torchio	Template:No	Torch shaped	Winepress
	Trofie	No	Thin twisted pasta

Tubular pasta

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Bucatini	No	Hollow spaghetti	little hole
	Calamarata	Template:No	Wide ring shaped pasta	squid (also known as "calamari")
	Calamaretti	Template:No	Smaller Calamarata
	Cannelloni	No	Large stuffable tubes	big pipes or big reeds
	Cavatappi	Template:No	Corkscrew-shaped macaroni	corkscrews
	Cellentani	Template:No	Corkscrew-shaped tube
	Chifferi	Template:No	Short and wide macaroni
	Ditalini	No	Short tubes; like elbows but shorter and without a bend	small fingers
	Fideuà	Template:No	Short and thin tubes
	Gomito maccheroni	No	Bent tubes	Elbow macaroni
	Elicoidali	Template:No	Slightly ribbed tube pasta; the ribs are corked as opposed to those on rigatoni	Helicoidal
	Fagioloni	Template:No	Short narrow tube	little beans
	Garganelli	Template:No	Square egg noodle rolled into a tube
	Maccheroni	No	As long as a little finger, usually striped. Note: The English term macaroni is used in the US for any tubular pasta, not just maccheroni.
	Maccheroncelli	Template:No	Hollow pencil shaped pasta
	Maltagliati	Template:No	Short wide pasta with diagonally cut ends	Roughly cut
	Manicotti	No	Large stuffable ridged tubes	Sleeves (from the Italian, "manica")
	Mezzani pasta	Template:No	Short curved tube	From Mezzo meaning half-size
	Mezze Penne	No	Short version of penne	half-pens
	Mezzi Bombardoni	Template:No	Wide short tubes	Half bombards
	Mostaccioli	No	Sometimes confused to be another name for Penne, Mostaccioli differs in that it does not have ridges. Mostaccioli is also called Penne Lisce or "smooth penne"	"mustaches"
	Paccheri	Template:No	Large tube
	Pasta al ceppo	Template:No	Shaped like a cinnamon stick
	Penne	No	Medium length tubes with ridges, cut diagonally at both ends	literally "pens" because the tip is similar to that of a quill, or fountain pen
	Penne rigate	No	Penne with ridged sides
	Penne lisce	No	Penne with smooth sides
	Penne Zita	Template:No	Wider version of penne
	Pennette	Template:No	Short thin version of penne
	Pennoni	Template:No	Wider version of penne
	Perciatelli	Template:No	Thicker bucatini	From the verb Perciare meaning Hollow inside
	Rigatoncini	Template:No	Smaller version of rigatoni
	Rigatoni	No	Large and slightly curved tube	from "riga," meaning line: rigatoni means that with lines (large). "rigato" or "rigate", when added to another pasta name means lined, or, with ridges added, as in "spaghetti rigati"
	Sagne Incannulate	Template:No	Long tube formed of twisted ribbon
	Trenne	Template:No	Penne shaped as a triangle
	Trennette	Template:No	Smaller version of trenne
	Tortiglioni	Template:No	Narrower rigatoni	From the verb Torcere meaning To Twist; Twisted, wringed
	Tuffoli	Template:No	Ridged rigatoni
	Ziti	No	Long, narrow hose-like tubes
	Zitoni	Template:No	Wider version of Ziti

Strand noodles

Straight round-rods

In order from thickest to thinnest.

Image	Type	Common?	Pronunciation	Description	Translation
	Spaghetti	No	[spaˈgetti]	A round-rod pasta, thicker than fedelini.	spago means twine. spaghetto means little twine. spaghetti is plural
	Spaghettini	No	[spagetˈtini]	Thin spaghetti.	thin twine
	Fedelini	Template:No	[fedeˈlini]	A round-rod pasta, thicker than vermicelli, and thinner than spaghetti.	little faithful ones
	Vermicelloni	Template:No	[vermitʃelˈloni]	Thick vermicelli.	Thick worms
	Vermicelli	No	[vermiˈtʃɛlli]	A round-rod pasta, thicker than capellini, and thinner than fedelini.	little worms
	Capellini	No	[kapelˈlini]	A round-rod pasta, thicker than angel hair, and thinner than vermicelli.	thin hair
	Capelli d'angelo	No	[kaˈpelli ˈdandʒelo]	The thinnest round-rod pasta.	Angel hairs

Other

Image	Type	Common	Description	Translation
	Barbina	Template:No	Thin strands often coiled into nests	little beards
	Spaghetti alla chitarra	Template:No	Similar to spaghetti, except square rather than round, and made of egg in addition to flour	named after the device used to cut the pasta, which has a wooden frame strung with metal wires. Sheets of pasta are pressed down onto the device, and then the wires are "strummed" so that the slivers of pasta fall through.
	Ciriole	Template:No	Thicker version of chitarra
	Fusilli lunghi	Template:No	Very long coiled rods (like a thin telephone cord)	long rifles
	Pici		Very thick, long, hand rolled

Ribbon pasta noodles

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Bavette	Template:No	Narrower version of tagliatelle	Little thread
	Bavettine	Template:No	Narrower version of bavette
	Fettuce	Template:No	Wider version of fettuccine	Ribbons
	Fettuccine	No	Ribbon of pasta approximately 6.5 millimeters wide	Little ribbons
	Fettucelle	Template:No	Narrower version of fettuccine
	Lagane	Template:No	Wide noodles
	Lasagne	No	Very wide noodles that often have fluted edges	cooking pot
	Lasagnette	Template:No	Narrower version of lasagna
	Lasagnotte	Template:No	Longer version of lasagna
	Linguettine	Template:No	Narrower version of linguine
	Linguine	No	Flattened spaghetti	little tongues
	Mafalde	Template:No	Short rectangular ribbons
	Mafaldine	Template:No	Long ribbons with ruffled sides
	Pappardelle	No	Thick flat ribbon
	Pillus	Template:No	Very thin ribbons
	Pizzoccheri	Template:No	Ribbon pasta made from buckwheat
	Reginette	Template:No	Wide ribbon with rippled edges	Little queens
	Sagnarelli	Template:No	Rectangular ribbons with fluted edges
	Scialatelli of Scilatielli	Template:No	Homemade long spaghetti with a twisted long spiral
	Stringozzi	Template:No	Similar to shoelaces	From Stringhe meaning shoestrings
	Tagliatelle	No	Ribbon fairly thinner than fettuccine	From "tagliare" - to cut
	Taglierini	Template:No	Thinner version of Tagliatelle
	Trenette	Template:No	Thin ribbon ridged on one side
	Tripoline	Template:No	Thick ribbon ridged on one side

Micro pasta

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Acini di pepe	Template:No	Bead-like pasta	Peppercorns
	Alphabets	No	Pasta shaped as letters of the alphabet	Letters
	Anelli	Template:No	Small rings of pasta	rings
	Anellini	Template:No	Smaller version of anelli	little rings
	Couscous	No	Grain looking pasta. Most common in North Africa and Europe (especially France). Increasingly more common in Asia and North America
	Conchigliette	No	Small shell shaped pasta	little shells
	Corallini	Template:No	Small short tubes of pasta	little corals
	Ditali	No	Small short tubes	thimbles
	Ditalini	No	Smaller versions of ditali	little thimbles
	Farfalline	Template:No	Small bow tie shaped pasta	either bow ties or little butterflies
	Fideos	Template:No	Short thin noodles
	Filini	Template:No	Smaller version of fideos	From Filo meaning thin threads
	Fregula	Template:No	Bead-like pasta from Sardinia
	Funghini	Template:No	Small mushroom shaped pasta	little mushrooms
	Israeli couscous	No	wheat-based baked pasta	baked flakes
	Occhi di pernice	Template:No	Very small rings of pasta	Partridge's eyes
	Orzo	No	Rice shaped pasta (also, Risoni)	Barley
	Pastina	No	Small spheres about the same size or smaller than acini di pepe	Little pasta
	Pearl Pasta	Template:No	Spheres slightly larger than acini di pepe
	Quadrettini	Template:No	Small flat squares of pasta	little squares
	Risi	Template:No	Smaller version of orzo	little rice
	Seme di melone	Template:No	Small seed shaped pasta	melon seeds
	Stelle	Template:No	Small star shaped pasta	stars
	Stelline	Template:No	Smaller version of stelle	little stars
	Stortini	Template:No	Smaller version of elbow macaroni	Little crooked ones
	Trachana	Template:No	Granular, irregular shaped pasta of Greek origin

Stuffed pasta

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Agnolotti	No	Semi-circular pockets; can be stuffed with ricotta or mix of cheese and meats or pureed vegetables.	Lambs' ears
	Cannelloni	No	Rolls of pasta with stuff inside. Usually cooked in oven.	Big tubes
	Casoncelli	No	A semi-circular stuffed pasta, specifically associated with the style alla bergamasca, which is stuffed with a mixture of bread crumbs, egg, cheese, ground beef, salami, raisins, Amaretti biscuits, pear, and garlic.
	Fagotini	No	A 'purse' or bundle of pasta, made from a round of dough gathered into a ball-shaped bundle, often stuffed with ricotta and fresh pear.	Little purses
	Mandu	No	Commonly referred as dumpling, "potsticker" or "gyoza." Stuffed with vegetables, meat, and seafood. Pronounced [Mah-n-doo]. Can be steamed, boiled, pan-fried or deep-fried.
	Mantı	No	Turkish dumplings. Small squares of dough with a bit of meat put in the middle, after which the four corners are pressed together, giving a pyramidal shape. Served with yoghurt sauce and melted butter. Central Asian mantı is more like mandu.
	Mezzalune	Template:No	Semi-circular pockets; about 2.5 in. diameter.	Half-moons
	Panzarotti	No	the pasta is made from eggs cheese and flour
	Pelmeni	No	Meat-filled dumplings, usually served in broth.
	Pierogi	No	Dumplings filled with meat, vegetables, cheese or fruit.
	Ravioli	No	Square. About 3x3cm. Stuffed with cheese, ground meat, pureed vegetables, or mixtures thereof.
	Sacchettini	Template:No		Little sacks
	Tortellini	No	Ring-shaped. Stuffed with a mixture of meat and cheese.
	Tortelloni	No	Round or rectangular, similar to ravioli. Usually stuffed with a mixture of cheese and vegetables. (The term tortelloni is also used for a larger variety of tortellini.)

Irregular shapes

Image	Type	Common?	Description	Translation
	Gnocchi	No	Round in shape and often made with flour plus potatoes.	From the Italian gnocco, meaning "a knot in wood"
	Spätzle	No	German egg pasta that is either round in shape or completely irregular, when hand made.	Means "little sparrow" in German.