How Does the Shape of the Pasta Affect Its Taste (2024)

I am a huge fan of Italian cuisine, especially pasta. Thus, the one question that had confused me from time immemorial was, “Do different types (shapes) of pasta really taste different?”.

I always get confused when buying pasta from the grocery store, staring at the different types of pasta, available. Do you face the same situation too?

This confusion led me to research the said topic, and write this article.

The obvious factors which affect the taste of the pasta are its ingredients and the type of flour used. For instance, pasta made of eggs, rice, or soba — all have distinct flavors. Fresh and dry pasta taste different since the fresh ones usually contain eggs.

Then what differentiates the varied shapes of pasta available if it is made up of the same ingredients? The answer is — they taste the same!

“Pastas in varying shapes should taste similar if cooked correctly. An off-the-shelf dry pasta can taste different than a fresh restaurant-made pasta, but that’s not due to the cut,” says Miles Mitchell, chief academic officer, and corporate executive chef at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Chicago, Illinois.

The different types of pasta, taste different due to their thickness and texture, which affects the absorption of the sauce. Ribbed ones absorb the sauce better than the smooth ones.

Each shape and texture has its own special purpose.

The basic rule is that thin pasta can be had with lighter sauces, and thick pasta can be eaten with thicker or creamier sauces. Cool right?!

Below are some examples of the perfect noodle-sauce combinations according to Food Network:

1. Thin long noodles- Light sauces like tomato, garlic, and olive oil.
2. Flat long noodles- Rich or creamy sauces since the surface area can stand out in the rich sauce
3. Long Tube noodles- Louder, brighter flavors like crushed red pepper flakes or pancetta.
4. Short tube pasta- Soups, salads, casseroles, anything. They can be accommodated into a variety of dishes
5. Macaroni- Baked pasta dishes with creamy cheese sauce

I hope I have solved a long term question of yours and made your life simpler by giving you the exact pasta you need to use based on your sauce type.