How to pair pasta types with sauces?

Pairing: marinara sauce, olive oil-based sauces, browned butter sauce.

The most basic rule is to pair thin pasta with light sauces. Spaghetti, cappellini and similar types of pasta cannot handle heavier ragù and sauces, and the pasta can tear during consumption. For these types, choose a simple tomato sauce, make cacio e pepe, spaghetti aioli, puttanesca.

Long, thick pasta: linguine, fettuccine, bucatini

Pairing: alfredo, amatriciana Although thicker than spaghetti, these types of pasta can't hold up to heavier meaty sauces well, but they can be prepared with fuller-bodied sauces. Creamy alfredo, amatriciana made with chili and bacon, or fresh, lemony sauce with seafood go well with them.

Ribbon pasta: tagliatelle, pappardelle

Pairing: bolognese, ragouts

Thanks to their relatively large surface area, tagliatelle and pappardelle can handle thicker vegetable and meat sauces.

Short and tubular pastas: rigatoni, ziti, penne

Pairing: ragout, vodka sauce, arrabbiata

Rigatoni, ziti and penne are good choices for both chunkier, richer and lighter, smooth sauces. For these types, make sugo alla Norma ragout with tomatoes and eggplant, spicy arrabiata or vodka sauce.

Twisted pasta: rotini, fusilli, gemelli

Pairing: pesto, marinara, carbonara

Due to their shape, twisted pasta easily holds smaller food pieces such as bacon, cheeses, and vegetables, making them particularly suitable for carbonara sauce or various pestos. Fusilli is most often used in pasta salads and soups.

Shell-shaped pasta: conchiglie, orecchiette, cavatelli.

Pairing: pesto, marinara, alfredo

When pairing sauces, it's worth considering the size of the clams. They can easily be paired with creamy sauces, chunkier puttanesca, or even a plain marinara sauce. Larger pieces of vegetables also go well with clams.

Large and wide pastas: lasagna, manicotti, larger shellfish pastas Pairings: bolognese, béchamel, marinara If you don't just want a rich sauce, you can layer meat, cheese and vegetables. Classic lasagna comes from the Emilia Romagna region, where layers of pasta, meat and béchamel sauce are alternated during the assembly. If you're making a meatless version, replace the ragu with steamed spinach and fresh mozzarella.

Fill manicotti and larger clam pasta with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano Reggiano, then top with marinara sauce before baking.

Stuffed pasta: ravioli, tortellini, tortelloni

Pairing: marinara, browned butter sauce

For most pastas, texture and sauce consistency are the two important aspects, but for stuffed pastas, the flavor factor also plays an important role.

When pairing stuffed pasta with sauce, it's essential to pay attention to the flavor profiles. There are countless combinations: mushroom-filled ravioli can be enjoyed with a browned butter sauce and spinach, or ricotta-filled tortellini can be served with a simple marinara sauce.