An Illustrated Guide to 14 Popular Pasta Shapes and How to Use Them

From rotini to Gemelli pasta, here's what makes each pasta shape unique and how we like to use them.

Whether you're doing your weekly grocery shopping or eating at your favorite Italian restaurant, it's easy to stick to familiar pasta shapes like spaghetti and penne. But, there are a variety of interesting pasta shapes to explore—and you can enjoy them at home (no plane ticket to Italy required).

If you don't know the difference between Cavatappi and Cellentani or Garganelli and Gemelli pasta, our illustrated guide explains it all. Also, learn the best sauces to pair with every shape and get our favorite recipes to use with each.

Related: The Six Best Pasta Shapes to Use When Making a Baked Pasta Dish

Calamarata

This thick, ring-shaped pasta is inspired by slices of calamari. The shape originated in southern Italy where fresh seafood-inspired pasta dishes reign supreme. It can be found in specialty grocery stores with other artisanal pasta shapes.

How to Use: Chunky meat and vegetable sauces are perfect for this short, squat pasta shape. Bolognese, mushroom or short rib ragu, or hearty eggplant sauces will make their way into the openings of each Calamarata ring.

Campanelle

Its name means "little bells," and this pasta shape is characterized by its ruffled edges, hollow center, and bell-like shape. You'll find Campanelle made by big pasta makers and sold in grocery stores, but it's also made by small independent pasta makers.

How to Use: Anything saucy, whether a store-bought marinara sauce, homemade pesto, or creamy alfredo sauce, will settle into the hollows of each bell-shaped pasta. Pair it with seasonal asparagus, tomatoes, and pesto for this Campanelle, zucchini, and mint pasta dish; or combine it with fresh spinach and sweet corn.

Cavatappi

A popular, smooth corkscrew-shaped pasta, Cavatappi is a fun one. The nooks and crannies hold plenty of sauce, making it perfect for baked pasta dishes. It's similar to Cellentani, which has ridges.

How to Use: Cream-based sauces are perfect for Cavatappi, whether it's in a warm baked mac and cheese or a cooling plate of macaroni salad.

Cavatelli

A naturally vegan pasta made with semolina flour and water (omitting the usual egg), Cavatelli resembles miniature hot dog buns. It is available with either ridges or smooth edges and is sold in both dried and fresh versions.

How to Use: Any and all sauces will cling to Cavatelli, especially if it's the ridged type. Since it’s similar to penne, we like to use it in this crowd-favorite one-pot broccoli and lemon pasta dish or coat the pasta in a hearty creamy pumpkin sauce.

Farfalle

This classic bow tie-shaped pasta hails from northern Italy and is one of the most well-known shapes. It’s always a hit with kids, but grown-ups deserve to have a little fun with it, too.

How to Use: Farfalle is the perfect base for pasta salad, whether you opt for a mayonnaise or vinaigrette-based recipe. It holds up to meaty pieces of chicken when coated with creamy mushroom sauce (or just cream cheese!).

Fusilli

With more ridges, twists, and turns than Cavatappi or Cellentani, Fusilli is another short corkscrew-shaped pasta that's worth cooking any night of the week. It's one of the most versatile shapes of the bunch, its ridges catching bits of meat, vegetables, and sauce.

How to Use: Zesty spinach pesto and creamy carbonara sauce melt into the ridges of fusilli, and each swirly shape is fun to eat with meaty mushrooms and bacon.

Garganelli

These tapered tubes are similar to penne but are so much more exciting to look at (and eat!). Garganelli is an egg-based dough, and its ridges and hollow centers do double duty; bitsy ingredients get caught inside the pasta, while the sauce clings to the ridges. You can make your own Garganelli or buy it dried at most grocery stores.

How to Use: We love to pair our homemade Garganelli with a flavorsome fennel puttanesca sauce. Any bright, slightly acidic tomato-based sauce, like our fresh marinated tomato sauce, will go well with the egg dough. Meaty, cheesy pork ragu is also a great option.

Gemelli

Gemelli pasta is similar in shape to Casarecce, and the name derives from the Italian word for "twins." This shape looks a lot like two strands of pasta that are twisted around each other.

How to Use: This versatile shape can be used with pretty much any sauce or add-ins. Plump, juicy shrimp and crunchy vegetables make for a satisfying forkful. Saucy ratatouille coats this pasta particularly well, but it's also a good option for cold pasta salad.

Orecchiette

Also known as "little ears," Orecchiette is just as delicious in pasta salads as it is in hot pasta dishes. It comes from Puglia, Italy, and its hollows catch sauce and smaller ingredients like crumbled sausage and peas.

How to Use: Orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage is a classic use for this pasta. We also love to use it in this twist on a classic pasta salad.

Orzo

Orzo is a short-cut pasta that can be treated like any other small grain. It looks very similar to grains of white rice but with a chewier pasta texture. What it lacks in size it makes up for in versatility.

How to Use: Simply served with butter and Parmesan cheese, it’s a great side dish for any weeknight meal. It can even be used in place of rice to make a twist on risotto. Or try a spin on paella by replacing rice with orzo in this seafood dish. One of our favorite ways to use orzo is as the base for baked salmon fillets.

Related: 11 Orzo Recipes Starring Your New Favorite Pasta—From Sides and Soups to Mains

Penne

You know it and love it. This cylinder-shaped pasta with bias-cut ends is one of the most popular out there. You'll see it served with fresh ingredients and baked into creamy pasta dishes. Try the ridged version, Penne Rigate, if you want something with more texture.

How to Use: Serve this tried-and-true favorite with spinach pesto and turkey sausage or keep it lighter by pairing it with shrimp, feta, and spring vegetables.

Rigatoni

Wide, tubular-shaped rigatoni has ridges and a large hollow center that's perfect for soaking up sauce. It's larger than Penne or Ziti and oftentimes has a slight curve to its shape. You're more likely to find dried versions of Rigatoni than fresh.

How to Use: Rigatoni seems to have been made for meaty things like sausage and fennel, but don’t count out vegetarian recipes–saucy eggplant and yogurt will fool anyone. And, of course, Rigatoni is perfect for gooey baked pasta dishes as well.

Rotini

Slightly longer than Fusilli, Rotini has a similar tightly wound, coiled shape. It holds up to creamy sauces and anything you’d use Fusilli for.

How to Use: Luscious pumpkin melts well into rotini, but other sauces like Alfredo or pesto are great, too. Pasta salad with a creamy buttermilk dressing is one of our favorites–every last drop gets lost in the nooks and crannies of the Rotini.

Ziti

Straight and tubular, Ziti is ubiquitous and versatile. It isn’t too large or long—it’s the Goldilocks of pasta. One of the most popular ways to use Ziti is baked Ziti, which is particularly enjoyable on a cold winter night. Baked and stuffed pasta are said to have been invented in Italy during the 1800s as a way to use up leftovers.

How to Use: Aside from baked Ziti (which can be made vegetarian or with meat), Ziti can be layered with ground beef, cheese, and tomato sauce and baked into a savory pie, sliced, and served piping hot.

Read the original article on Martha Stewart.