Not to be dramatic, but I believe the world would be a very different place if pasta did not exist. Pasta is, without a doubt, one of the world’s finest delicacies. You can choose from hundreds of different recipes ranging from vodka sauce to Alfredo to carbonara, and don’t even get me started on the millions of different topping options (my personal favorite has to be shaved parmesan). Before you can choose the sauce and toppings for your dish, you must first decide which of the many pasta shapes you prefer. I consider myself a pasta connoisseur, which is why I’m here today to tell you which pasta shapes are the absolute best and which pasta shapes you should avoid at all costs.
The best pasta shapes
1. Fettuccine
A beautiful bowl of fettuccine consists of flat, wide noodles, which make the shape perfect for creamy sauces like Alfredo, my personal favorite. Nothing beats a steamy plate of chicken broccoli Alfredo, and I strongly believe it cannot possibly pair with anything but fettuccine.
2. Conchiglie (Shells)
These adorable little shells are not only cute and fun to eat, but they also act as the perfect vehicle for the delectable sauce and cheese your pasta is mixed with. These little scoops are almost like having an extra spoon to make sure you get all of the substance you can with every bite.
3. Farfalle (Bowties)
Consider a sunny summer day and a heaping container of pasta salad waiting for you in the fridge — creamy bowties adorned with cherry tomatoes and hard-boiled egg is the perfect summer lunch. Farfalle has the ideal center for your fork to poke into, allowing for stackability on the fork for as many pieces as your heart desires.
4. Ravioli
Ravioli are basically just little pillows of deliciousness — there really is no other way to put it. Whether you prefer ricotta cheese or saucy beef filling, you are guaranteed to have a happy stomach.
5. Rigatoni
For those of you who may not be pasta experts like me, rigatoni is NOT penne, so please do not get them twisted (we will get to that later). These wide tubes of deliciousness, like shells, pick up enough sauce so you don’t have to do the work. They are thick with ridges that help trap the sauces ensuring a flavorful bite.
The worst pasta shapes
1. Angel Hair
I can’t even begin to describe the hatred I feel for angel hair pasta. If you are into eating pasta that has the texture of, you guessed it, delicate hair, then I guess this one’s for you. But these thin noods just can’t hold up to any sauce and disintegrate into a mushy mess.
2. Orzo
Speaking of weird and uncomfortable textures, orzo is right up there. Sure, it goes well with soups and some salads, but when you’re craving a big plate of delicious pasta, no one ever thinks to themselves: “Dang, I really could use some orzo right now.” And for good reason. The grainy and small texture is not filling or appealing.
3. Linguine
Linguine, linguine, linguine, what are we going to do with you? The ovalish-shaped long pasta that isn’t quite flat and isn’t quite round enough makes for an awkward and slippery smacking all over your face while you slurp it. Long pastas have to be hands-down the most overrated of the shapes (other than fettuccine, because, like, it’s fettuccine) why in the world do people enjoy difficult-to-pick-up food that is guaranteed to stain your shirt?
4. Penne
I know that there are many people who are going to disagree with me on this one, but I strongly believe that penne is one of the worst pasta shapes there is. Not only is it too thin and small to pick up any sauce, but it’s also slippery and constantly falling off my fork. As I noted earlier, this is why rigatoni is superior.
5. Spaghetti
I know, I know. Spaghetti is a fan favorite among most, and this may be an unpopular opinion but I strongly do believe that the slimy long strings of pasta are much too messy for my liking. It is pretty much impossible to eat spaghetti and not get whatever sauce is on top all over your face.