Pasta Shapes
Luxury pasta comes in a variety of shapes and sizes … each with a unique story to tell. Take a look at the list below to see for yourself the wide variety of pasta shapes Luxury has to offer.
Click on an image or shape to find related recipes and Luxury products.
Elbow Macaroni
Shape: Short tubes with a slight bend in the shape
Pronunciation: mak-uh-ROH-nee
Italian for: “To bruise or crush,” from maccare
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, seafood, or vegetable based
Adults and kids alike enjoy this shape in the American favorite, Macaroni & Cheese. Additionally, because this shape is hollow, it pairs nicely with a variety of sauces.
Fettuccine
Shape: Long, flat shape
Pronunciation: feht-tuh-CHEE-nee
Italian for: “Little ribbons”
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, cheese, seafood, vegetable, or oil based
Because of its shape, Fettuccine pairs nicely with full-bodied sauces.
Lasagna
Shape: Broad, flat, rectangle
Pronunciation: luh-ZAHN-yuh
Italian for: “Cooking pot”
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, and vegetable based sauces
Put a creative culinary spin on your next meal. This shape is popularly used in recipes that require baking. Fillings might include: meat, ricotta, seafood, chicken, or spinach.
Mostaccioli
Shape: Long tubes, diagonally cut, rigid or plain surface
Pronunciation: mos-tah-chee-OH-lee
Italian for: “Mustache”
Due to their size and texture, sauce clings to this shape … inside and out.
Penne Rigate
Shape: Hollow tubes. Ends are cut at a diagonal so they are pointed.
Pronunciation: PEN-nay
Italian for: “Quills” or feather”
Recommended sauce pairings: chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based
Penne compliments virtually every sauce and is exceptional when paired with a chunky sauce. Penne Rigate is ridged and ideal to lock-in flavor. This shape is great for baking dishes, too.
Rotini
Shape: Short, tight, spiral pasta
Pronunciation: roh-TEE-nee
Italian for: “Twist”
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, vegetable, and oil based
Originating in Northern Italy, this shape pairs nicely with sauces full of flavor. The tight spiral locks-in the flavor allowing the shape to pair with both simple and sophisticated sauces. Children enjoy this fun shape. Also, these shapes are great when used in pasta salads.
Shells
Shape: Variety of sizes, shape of a sea shell
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, vegetable, and oil based
Put a creative culinary spin on your next meal by adding shells to a variety of dishes. Fill large shells with meat, cheese, seafood, chicken, or vegetables. Large Shells are good for baking dishes. Toss mid-sized Shells with chunky sauces. Add Small Shells to soups, pasta salads, or casseroles.
Spaghetti
Shape: Long, thin, round shape
Pronunciation: spuh-GEHT-ee
Italian for: “Little strings”
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, seafood, vegetable, or oil base.
Spaghetti, originally from Naples, is one of the most versatile and popular shapes. Spaghetti shapes compliment a variety of sauces.
Ziti
Shape: Long, thick, hollow tubes
Pronunciation: ZEE-tee
Italian for: “Bridegrooms”
Recommended sauce pairings: meat, cream, seafood, or vegetable based
Traditionally, these shapes were served at wedding feasts and other special occasions. Because these shapes are hollow, they pair nicely with a variety of sauces.
Southwestern Shells with Chicken & Corn
The chilis in this southwestern style dish will surely heat things up.
View Recipe
