Which pasta goes with which sauce?

With hundreds of pasta shapes from which to choose, pairing the right pasta type to the most appropriate sauce can be confusing. Chowhound is making the process simple by giving us a handy chart that’s the ultimate guide to pasta and sauce marriages. 

Each pasta shape has its own backstory, with some variations tied to a specific region or city in Italy. Part of the story is how well the sauce matches with the pasta created to best carry it. Says Chowhound, “The general rule is that delicate noodles are for delicate sauces while heartier noodles are for heartier sauces, but similar to wine pairing, it’s not always that simple.” 

The guide, complete with photos, provides suggestions for different pasta and sauce combinations for dozens of the most popular shapes of pasta, from acini de pepe to ziti. I hadn’t heard of several of the shapes, like annelli, which are small rings. These round pieces are ideal for soup but also work well in pasta salads. After reading this guide, you may want to head out to the nearest Italian market in search of a few of the more interesting shapes. 

Photo of trofie pasta used in  Pasta with bacon, peas and cream from  Diana Henry at The Sunday Telegraph by Diana Henry