All Types of Pasta Based on Shape
1. Long and Medium Length Pasta Description: Mostly long and thick or thin, made through the process of cutting, rolling, or extrusion. Examples: Spaghetti, Lasagna, Bigoli, Barbina	2. Short Cut Pasta Description: Short, thick, and tubular, mostly made through extrusion. Examples: Cavatelli, Farafelli, Rigatoni, Penne
3. Stretched Pasta Description: Has a disc-like shape, made on a wooden board. Examples: Orecchiette, Cencioni, Corzetti, Foglie d’ulivo	4. Soup Pasta Description: A short-cut variety, as small as beads, used in soups. Examples: Acini di pepe, Ditalini, Orzo
5. Pasta With Filling Description: Mostly circular or semi-circular, these pasta types are used for stuffing or filling. Examples: Cannelloni, Ravioli, Tortelli	6. Gnocchi and gnocchetti Description: Small dumpling shaped pasta Examples: Donderet, Canederli

List Different Varieties of Pasta

Spaghetti

1. Spaghetti

Long and cylindrical, typical Italian spaghetti has durum wheat semolina as its primary ingredient, while other varieties of flour also go in its making. Spaghetti, the plural of spaghetto, translates to twine or thin string. Spaghettoni, spaghettini, and capellini are some of its variations.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces:  Tomato-based sauces containing herbs, meat, vegetables, and olive oil.

Ideal for: Salads, as a side dish

Cooking time: 9 to 11 minutes

Lasagna

2. Lasagna

Wide and flat having ridged edges, Lasagna is the oldest pasta types. The same name refers to a dish made with layers of pasta, with stuffings of cheese, vegetables, and meat.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Tomato-based, meat-based, white

Ideal for: Meat dishes, salads

Cooking time: 11-15 minutes

Vermicelli

3. Vermicelli

A popular pasta variety, it has a striking similarity to spaghetti, though its texture and pattern differs from one country to the other. In Italy, it is slightly thicker, while the U.S. types are thinner. On the other hand, in Vietnam, it is almost similar to capellini or angel hair, rod-shaped pasta.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Tomato-based

Ideal for: Soups, chicken and fish dishes

Cooking time: 5-7 minutes

Macaroni

4. Macaroni

A dry, tubular pasta, prepared using durum wheat, mostly made through extrusion. There is also a curved variety known as elbow macaroni. It is one of the most sought-after pasta types for preparing a whole lot of cuisines, the most popular being macaroni and cheese, immensely famous in North America, as well as a sweet macaroni pudding, mostly eaten in Great Britain.

Type: Short-cut

Preferred sauces: Creamy, tomato-based

Ideal for: Macaroni pudding (eaten in Great Britain), macaroni and cheese dishes (popular in North America)

Cooking time: 9 to 12 minutes

Bavette

5. Bavette

Another ribbon-like pasta, this is the narrower form of tagliatelle, slightly convex in shape with a flat section, perfect for retaining sauces. Originating in Genoa, it is one of the longest pasta varieties of the ancient times.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Traditional pesto sauces

Ideal for: Salads, meat and vegetable dishes

Cooking time: 6-9 minutes

Conchiglie

6. Conchiglie (Shells)

Alternately referred to as “seashells” or “shells,” as that is how they look, conchiglie has an open cavity.  It is also available in a host of colors like red or green, made from tomato and spinach extracts, respectively.

Type: Short-cut

Preferred sauces: Tomato-based, thick cheese, creamy

Ideal for: Salads, soups, baked dishes

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Bigoli

7. Bigoli

Long and thick, it initially had buckwheat flour as its prime ingredient, though at present whole wheat flour goes into its making. Duck eggs are often included, alongside milk or water, salt and butter. Originating in Italy’s Veneto, there are a lot of speculations regarding its name. Some say it to be derived from “bigat,” meaning caterpillar or the Latin word “bombyx,” translating to a bug. It has a rough texture hence being able to hold sauces well.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Duck ragu (meat sauce)

Ideal for: Sausage and turnip greens dish as well as swordfish and cherry tomato platter

Cooking time: 9-12 minutes

Barbine

8. Barbine

Barbine has long strands, mostly sold in a coiled nest’s shape.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Tomato-based, hot sauce

Ideal for: Meat and vegetable dishes

Cooking time: 2-4 minutes

Stringozzi

9. Stringozzi

A notable wheat pasta, originating in Italy’s Umbria, it has a long, rectangular appearance, made using the hand. Since it has a striking resemblance to strings or shoelaces, it has been named Stringozzi.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Tomato-based, meat ragu

Ideal for: Black truffle

Cooking time: 11-14 minutes

Fettuccine

10. Fettuccine

Flat and ribbon-like, fettuccine has a thick appearance, traditionally prepared with flour and eggs. It is almost similar to tagliatelle, except for being narrower than the latter. Spinach fettuccine, a variation, has spinach as the additional ingredient alongside eggs and flour. Fettuccine Alfredo, also comprising of Parmesan cheese and butter, is one of the popular dishes made with this pasta.

Type: Long and Medium Length

Preferred sauces: Chicken ragu and beef ragu

Ideal for: Vegetable and chicken platter

Cooking time: 10-12 minutes