How to Choose the Best Sauce for Each Pasta Shape
The rigatoni in Rach's 30-Minute Meal can handle a hearty sauce like this, but not all pasta shapes can. Recipe: Mezze Rigatoni all'Amatriciana a Modena
Photography by Armando Rafael
Illustration by Joel Holland
For long and skinny noodles, like spaghetti, go with a light sauce with chunky ingredients. “You need something you can spike your fork into, like a zucchini or a tomato.”
Illustration by Joel Holland
Ravioli, tortellini, and other filled pastas should let the stuffings shine, “which means simple, lighter sauces.” Try a good ol’ marinara or a delicious clear brodo (a.k.a. broth).
Illustration by Joel Holland
Ridged pastas, like rigatoni, shells, or penne rigate, are perfect with a hearty Bolognese or a creamy alfredo. “The sauce will spill into the tubes, creating an explosion of flavor in your mouth.”
Illustration by Joel Holland
Pappardelle, fettuccine, and other flat, wide pastas are a match for a meaty ragu or other hearty sauces, says Gonzalez. As a general rule, the wider the noodle, the richer the sauce.
Illustration by Joel Holland
If you are using smooth tubes, like ziti or paccheri, try a sauce with chopped herbs or lemon zest (or both!). “The pieces get trapped and give the pasta a little extra texture.”
Illustration by Joel Holland
Campanelle, mafaldine, and other ruffle-edged pastas are great for trapping sauces with little bits of stuff, like a meaty ragu or a hearty tomato sauce full of diced veggies.
Illustration by Joel Holland
The best thing about using twisted pastas, like fusilli and gemelli, is that they’re great warm or cold. Gonzalez pairs them with pesto or uses them in pasta salads.
