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.

Pasta normally is white-yellow, but other colors exist. Red pastas can be colored with beets or its
juice, green pasta with spinach, orange or red with tomatoes, and etc.

Below an overview of the most common pasta types and their synonyms.

 

Name

Image

Synonym(s)

Description

Alfabeto 

 

Letter-shaped soup pasta

Anchellini

Piombi

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Anelli Siciliani

 

Large size ring-shaped short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or salads

Armonie

Stortini

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Ballerine

Campanelle

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups

Bigoli

Bigui, Pincinelli

Large diameter (about 3 mm) and very long-cut spaghetti, made with wholemeal soft wheat flour or semolina.

Bucatini

Perciatellini, Foratini, Fidelini bucati, Fide bucate

Small diameter (about 2.4 - 2.7 mm) and smooth surface long-cut dry hollow pasta.

Cannelloni

Gnocchettoni Zitoni, Tagliati di Zitoni, Cannelloni Zitoni, Canneroni, Spole, Sigarette, Schiaffoni

Short-cut shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta or casserolas

Cannolicchi medi

Sciviotti ziti, Denti di cavallo, Denti di pecora, Fischiotti, Fischioni, Canneroni

Hollow short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or vegetable soups

Capelli d'angelo

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

 

Medium size, pinched stuffed fresh pasta, filled with vegetables, cheese, ricotta or meat based filling

Cappelletti Umbri

 

Typical for the Umbria region

Cappello napoletano

 

Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads

Casarecci

Cesariccia

These are short lengths of rolled and twisted Italian pasta.   They're usually served with meat sauces. 

Cavatelli

 

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

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups

Ciocchetti

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups

Cocciolette

Abissini

Small shell-shaped pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Conchigliette

Tofettine, Coccioline, Cinesini, Margaritine, Cinesi rigati, Mezzi cocci, Margherite rigate, Cappettine

Extruded short-cut shape, suitable for soups or meat sauce pasta

Conchiglioni

Jumbo Shells

Large size short-cut grooved pasta

Coquillettes

 

Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta

Creste di galli

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups. Shaped like creste di galli ("cockscomb" in Italian).

Dischi

Messicani, Dischi Volanti

Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads

Fagiolini rigati

Cornetti rigati, Sedanetti rigati, Sedanini rigati, Stortini rigati, Diavoletti rigati, Tubetti lunghi rigati

 

Farfalle

Galla genovese, Fiocconi; Farfalloni

Stamped " Bologna " shape, suitable for casseroles or meat sauce pasta

Fettuccelle ricce

Nastrini, Reginette, Reginelle, Fettucce ricce

Curled fettuccine (width about 12 mm).

Fettuccine

Lasagnette, Fettucce

Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 8 mm), fresh or dry.

Francesine

Stricchetti tondi, Saliere, Farfalle tonde, Fiocchetti

Extruded short-cut shape, suitable for soups or meat sauce pasta

Fusilli

Eliche, Tortiglioni, Spirali

Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Fusilloni

Eliche grandi

Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Gemelli

 

Spiral shape short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Gianduietta

Gianduini

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Gigli

Cornetti, Corni di bue

Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads

Gramigna

Crestine, Margherite lisce, Fagioletti, Zitellini, Tubettini lunghi

Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta

Gramignoni

Spaccatelle, Maglietta, Stivalettini

Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta

Grano

Brofandei

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Grattoni

 

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Italiana

 

Pierced short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable and clear soups

Lasagne

Lasagnoni, Bardele

Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.6 x 25 mm), fresh or dry.

Linguine

Bavettine, Bavette fini, Radichini, Linguettine

Small size and elliptic section long-cut pasta.

Lumachine

Lumachelle, Lumachette, Cirillini

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups

Maccheroni   

Macaroni

Hollow elbow-shaped pasta

Mafalde

Frese, Tagliatelle nervate

Rectangular size double side-curled long-cut pasta (width about mm 10).

Malloreddus

Gnocchetti sardi  

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups. From Sardinia .

Maltagliati

Strengozze

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Margherita Messinese lunga

 

Middle-lenght cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pa

Merletti

 

Short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or salads

Messinesi

 

Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta

Mezzani

Perciatelloni, Mezze Zite, Regine, Scaloppi, Napoletani

Large diameter (about 5 - 6 mm) and smooth surface long-cut dry hollow pasta

Mostaccioli

Mezze Penne, Mezze Penne zite, Penne di ziti, Ziti tagliati

Slanting short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles, soups or salads

Mparrettati

 

This unusual variety of Italian pasta consists of poorly wrapped straws of dough, about 20-30 cm long.

Nuvole

 

Short cut pasta suitable for soups or salads

Occhi di Passero

Occhi di Pernice, Occhio d'acquila, Occhi di Trota

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Ondule

 

Curled short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Orecchiette  

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups. Shaped like ears.

Orzo

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

 

Short cut pasta suitable for soups or salads

Pappardelle

Papparelle

Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 20 mm), fresh or dry

Paternoster

Gnocchetti, Gnocchettini, Tubettini, Ditaletti, Coralli, Ditalini, Avemarie, Caporelli

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Pennine (Penne)

Mezze pennette lisce, Mezze penne, Mezzani, Pennettine, Pennuzze, Penne Regina

Slanting short-cut hollow shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta

Pennoni

Penne di Zitoni, Zitoni tagliati, Penna a candela

Large size short-cut hollow pasta

Perciatelli

Maccheroncelli, Maccheronicini, Mezzanelli, Long Macaroni

Medium diameter (about 4 mm) and smooth surface long-cut pierced dry pasta.

Pizzoccheri

 

These long buckwheat noodles are popular in northern Italy

Quadrefiore

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups.

Quadrettini

Quadrucci, Quadratini, Quadretti, Lucciole

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Quadrucci rigati

Quadratini rigati, Quadretti rigati

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Radiatori

Marziani

Short-cut extruded shape, suitable for vegetable or meat sauce pasta

Ravioli

 

Different size and shape fresh pasta, stuffed with vegetables, ricotta, cheese, meat and even fish based filling.

Ricciarelle

 

Riccioline, Sfresatine, Manfredine, Fettuccia riccia

Double size curled large tagliatella (width about 15 mm).

Rigatoni

 

Long hollow tube shaped pasta

Rocchetti

Salamini, Caramelle

Short cut pasta suitable for casseroles or salads

Ruotine

Rotelle, Rotelline, Rotine, Rotini

Wheel-shaped, short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Sagnarelli  

 

This flat Italian pasta is about 5 cm long, and has a ridged border.

Sciviottini

Cannolicchi piccoli, Fagioloni, Svuotini, Gnocchetti di Ziti, Canoncetti, Svoltini

Hollow short-cut pasta, suitable for soups or casseroles

Semi di Melone

Semi di mela, Midolline, Semoni, Risone

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Spaghetti

Vermicelli, Fide, Ristoranti, Vermicelloni, Filatelli, Vermicelloni giganti, Spaghettoni

Medium diameter (1.8 - 2.4 mm) long-cut dry pasta (broken for Vermicelli).

Spighe

 

Tree-shaped short-cut pasta, suitable for casseroles or salads

Stellette

Stellettine, Stelle, Astri, Fiori di Sambuco

Short-cut pasta, suitable for vegetable or thin soups

Strozzapreti 

 

The name means "priest strangler" in Italian, and it refers to a pasta shape that resembles a rolled towel.

Tagliatelle

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

Cannelli Ziti, Gnocchetti Ziti, Spolette

Short-cut shape, suitable for vegetable sauce pasta

Tagliolini

Fidelini a nido, Tagliatelline, Trinette a matasse

Long-cut pasta with rectangular section (about 0.8 x 3 mm), fresh or dry.

Tempesta

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  

 

These pasta shapes resemble torches, the better to scoop up chunky sauces.

Tortelli

Tordelli

Medium or large size, rectangular or square stuffed fresh pasta, filled with vegetables, ricotta, cheese or meat based filling

Tortellini

 

Very small size fresh or even dry pasta, stuffed with meat based special filling, by tradition only suitable for meat broth or casserole

Trenne

 

Hollow tubes, flattened on one side.

Trennette

 

Same as Trenne, but smaller.

Tripolini

Signorine

One side curled long-cut pasta (width about 10 mm).

Troffiette

 

Small, twisted pasta.

Trottole

 

Short cut pasta suitable for salads or soups

Tufoli

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

Boccolotti, Zitoni, Zituane, Candele

Very large diameter long-cut and smooth surface hollow pasta.


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