The Top 10 Italian Pastas to Savor in Italy on Vacation

This iconic, long, thin pasta is a staple across Italy, with its simplicity shining in classics like Spaghetti alle Vongole, a dish that originated in the bustling port city of Naples. Local cooks would toss freshly harvested clams with pasta, garlic, olive oil, and sometimes white wine, creating a recipe so perfect it has remained beloved for generations. Spaghetti’s genius lies in its simplicity, a blank canvas that has inspired generations of Italian cooks.

• The Classic Strand: Italy's iconic pasta, commonly featured in Sicilian dishes that you can try on a perfect Sicily culinary tour.
• Authentic Ingredients: Made from water, milled wheat, and flour; authentic versions use durum wheat semolina.
• Serving Suggestions: Typically served as a first course, with tomato and meat sauces, or vegetables.
• Regional Variations: Southern Italy prefers dry noodles, while the north favors fresh ones.
• Experience the Difference: Italian spaghetti is vastly different from store-bought variations, making it a must-try. Authentic Italian pasta is made fresh with high-quality durum wheat and traditional techniques that create a superior texture and flavor that simply cannot be replicated in mass-produced dried pasta.

These delightful square-shaped pasta parcels are renowned for their versatility, able to be stuffed with a variety of ingredients and originating from the northern region of Lombardy. Tuck into these delicate, pillowy squares, each a tiny treasure chest hiding a rich, savory filling of meat, vegetables, or cheese. In Lombardy, the birthplace of ravioli, this might be a creamy blend of local ricotta and herbs, a taste of the region's lush pastures in every single bite, proving that the best things truly do come in small packages.

• Stuffed Delights: Popular square-shaped pasta pockets filled with various ingredients like meat, cheese, or vegetables.
• Regional Adaptations: Originated in Lombardy, but adapted across Italy, with variations based on local, seasonal ingredients.
• Preparation: Made from a mixture of egg, flour, and water, often served in broth or with sauces that complement the fillings.
• Shape Variations: Look for half-moons, which are circular variations of ravioli.

Recognized globally for its small, cylindrical shape, penne's name is inspired by its resemblance to an old-fashioned quill, making it a distinctive and versatile pasta to try when you visit the best cities in which to explore the food of Campania. Feel its satisfying bite, the hollow tubes and ridged sides perfectly engineered to capture every last drop of a hearty, slow-simmered ragù. In its home region of Campania, this beloved pasta transforms a simple meal into a rich, flavorful experience, where the sauce is just as important as the pasta itself.

• Globally Popular Tube: One of the world's most popular pasta noodles by volume.
• Distinctive Shape: Small, cylindrically shaped pasta resembling the tip of an old-fashioned quill.
• Regional Preparations: In Sicily, penne is stuffed with spinach and ricotta, or topped with tomato or cream sauces. In Liguria, tri-color noodles resemble the Italian flag—green from spinach, red from tomatoes, white from wheat.
• Size and Texture: Larger types are called mostaccioli and textures can be smooth or ridged.

Although elbow-shaped macaroni is widely recognized, especially outside of Italy, authentic Italian maccheroni is made using traditional methods. In the heart of Campania, where the air fills with the nutty aroma of durum wheat, crafting authentic maccheroni is honed over generations. It begins its journey as a simple dough, worked by seasoned hands, before being extruded through traditional bronze dies. When you finally sit down to a steaming plate, that deliberately coarse surface becomes the pasta's greatest asset.

• Iconic Curve: The elbow-shaped maccheroni is one of Italy's most famous noodle shapes.
• Authentic Experience: Far superior to mass-produced versions, best experienced on Amalfi Coast tours or in certain parts of Northern Italy.
• Versatility: Its small, slightly curved tubular design makes it ideal for baking dishes, soups, or hearty vegetable sauces.
• Origins: Made from durum wheat, originating in northern and central Italy, derived from an ancient Greek barley dish.

A true culinary icon, lasagna features long, flat pasta sheets layered with rich sauces and cheeses, creating a baked casserole that has captivated palates worldwide. Envision pulling a slice of lasagna from a bubbling dish, the layers of tender pasta giving way to reveal a rich, savory ragù and creamy béchamel, all bound together by molten cheese. In its spiritual home of Emilia-Romagna, this is a masterpiece of comfort food, a testament to the region's generous culinary soul.

• Layered Masterpiece: Long, flat pasta sheets, typically layered with various sauces and cheeses before being baked.
• Origin Stories: Debated origins between Naples, with heavier-edged noodles for layering, and Bologna, which is famous for its rich ragù.
• Historical Roots: First documented in Ancient Greece and Italy’s Middle Ages, now a worldwide staple.
• Unforgettable Bite: Experience the true essence of lasagna during Zicasso’s exclusive itineraries to Emilia-Romagna.

These famous Italian pasta dumplings, often made with potatoes or ricotta, are a celebrated dish in regions like Veneto, known for their soft texture and versatility. Experience the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of the light and airy dumplings that feel like little clouds on the palate. In Veneto, these potato or ricotta-based treasures are often simply dressed with sage-infused butter and a dusting of Parmesan, a testament to the Italian philosophy that the most sublime dishes are often the simplest.

• Delicate Dough Dumplings: Small, cork-shaped dough dumplings, a celebrated dish in the Veneto region, including Venice.
• Ingredient Diversity: Can be made with potatoes, spinach, eggs, ricotta, and other cheeses.
• Ancient Roots: Origins date back to the Roman Empire, though primarily associated with modern Italy.
• Regional Names: Look for gnudi, malfatti, malloreddus, strangulaprievete, or cavatelli on menus, all regional variations of gnocchi.

With its long, thin, elliptical shape, linguine is particularly popular in Liguria, which you can explore on our Italy Tour for Families: Discovering Liguria and Tuscany. Its texture perfectly complements light sauces like pesto and fresh seafood. Taste the essence of the Italian Riviera with a plate of linguine, its elegant, flattened strands perfectly suited to catching the bright, herbaceous notes of a classic Genovese pesto. In Liguria, this pasta is a celebration of the sea and the land, a simple yet sophisticated dish that transports you to the sun-drenched coast with every bite.

• Long and Elliptical: Known for its long, thin, elliptical shape, popular in the Liguria region, especially Genoa.
• Sauce Pairing: Its texture and length are perfect for carrying toppings like pesto sauce or seafood.
• Traditional Servings: Often seasoned with pesto, green beans, and potatoes, served as a primo before a fish or meat dish.
• Regional Recipes: Expect variations with anchovies and pine nuts, or served with clam sauce and various red sauces like arrabbiata.

Similar to spaghetti, but with a thicker body in Italy, vermicelli is a long, rounded noodle deeply rooted in Southern Italian cuisine, particularly in Campania. Discover the robust character of vermicelli standing up beautifully to the bold, punchy flavors of Southern Italy. In Campania, it's the foundation for assertive sauces like puttanesca, where every bite is a vibrant explosion of tomatoes, olives, and capers.

• Thicker Spaghetti Twin: Long, rounded, thin shape similar to spaghetti, but with a thicker body in Italy. It’s thinner than spaghetti in the US.
• Historic Roots: Dates back to at least the 14th century in Italy.
• Southern Italian Showcase: Typical recipes highlight Southern Italian cuisine, like Neapolitan Vermicelli or Vermicelli alla Puttanesca.
• Primo Course Staple: Commonly served as the primo course during lunch or dinner on our best Southern Italy vacations and tours.

These cylindrical, "big pipe"-shaped pastas are commonly stuffed with a variety of fillings like cheese, meat, or vegetables, and are a beloved staple in Sicilian cuisine. Try them when you embark on a Gastronomy Tour of Sicily: Food, Wine, Cooking Class, the large tubes baked to perfection until golden-brown. In Sicily, cannelloni is a dish of celebration and comfort, a hearty and satisfying centerpiece to a family meal that warms you from the inside out.

• "Big Pipes" of Pasta: Tube or cylindrical-shaped pasta, also known as manicotti, measuring approximately three to four inches long.
• Versatile Fillings: Made from durum wheat flour and water, often stuffed with cheese, meat, vegetables, or fish.
• Traditional Meal Component: Usually served as the primo course of a traditional Italian lunch or dinner, before a meat or fish dish.
• Hearty Pairings: Commonly served with a rich ragù topping, tomato sauce, or a hearty béchamel, embodying the robust flavors unique to island cuisine, especially on a Sicily itinerary.

Characterized by its long, flat-ribbon shape, fettuccine is a prominent pasta in central and northern Italian regions like Lazio and Valle d’Aosta, celebrated for its ability to hold rich sauces. Feel the silky, luxurious texture of wide ribbons of egg pasta that lovingly embrace rich, creamy sauces. Whether it's the world-famous Alfredo from Rome or a rustic mushroom ragù from the north, this pasta turns any meal into an elegant and indulgent affair, its broad surface a perfect canvas for flavor.

• Long, Flat Ribbons: Famous for its long, flat-ribbon shape, up to 10 inches long.
• Regional Ingredients: Made from egg and durum wheat flour, typical of central and northern regions like Lazio and Valle d’Aosta. Southern Italian versions may be egg-free and drier.
• Primo Course Staple: Classic fettuccine dishes are served as the primo course during lunch or dinner.
• Typical Recipes: Often paired with meat ragù, porcini mushrooms, chestnut sauce, and charred tomatoes.

Italy's pasta repertoire extends far beyond the most globally recognized shapes, offering a fascinating journey into regional specialties and culinary traditions. Each tells a story reflecting local ingredients, historical influences, and specific ways of serving that enhance its distinct texture and flavor. Exploring these lesser-known, yet equally delicious, varieties is an adventure for any discerning palate.

Watch as whimsical bow-ties of pasta dance in your bowl, their pinched centers and delicate wings capturing light sauces and tiny vegetables with playful elegance. In Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, farfalle bring a touch of joy to the table, turning a simple meal into a visual and culinary delight.

• Whimsical Shape: Famous bow-tie shaped noodles, created by pinching the center of a rectangular dough.
• Regional Preparations: In Emilia-Romagna, often served in chicken broth or with liver ragù. In Lombardy, often vibrant with colors from beets, spinach, or squid ink.

Trace the elegant spiral of a fusilli noodle with your fork, a perfect corkscrew shape designed by generations of Southern Italian pasta makers to trap and hold onto sauce. Whether dressed simply with tomato and basil or catching the hearty chunks of a Sunday ragù, its twists and turns promise a flavorful bite every time.

• Corkscrew Delight: Long, thick noodles with a distinctive corkscrew shape, originally from Southern Italy.
• Traditional Servings: Typically served with simple tomato sauce and cheese as a primo course.
• Regional Names: Also known as code di topo or "mouse tail".
• Family and Holiday Meals: Handmade versions are often enjoyed on Sundays or holidays with meat or sausage ragù in the south.

Marvel at the clever twist of gemelli, which appears as two strands of pasta entwined, but is actually a single piece folded back on itself. This “twin” shape creates a firm, chewy bite and a multitude of nooks and crannies, making it the perfect partner for simple, elegant sauces that cling to its unique form. Tuck into it on Zicasso’s Italy food and wine tours.

• "Twins" Twist: Distinctive twisted tube resembling a double helix, though it's a single S-shaped strand twisted upon itself.
• Sauce Affinity: Its unique shape and firm texture hold refined, simple sauces made with tomatoes, finely diced vegetables, or dairy/oil-based sauces.

Delight in the charming, snail-like curl of chiocciole, a pasta whose deep ridges and hollow center make it a perfect vessel for flavor. Scoop up a spoonful from a hearty minestrone or a creamy cheese sauce and discover how this whimsical shape turns every mouthful into a satisfying, sauce-laden bite.

• Snail-Shaped Tubes: Small, tubular noodle with a curvaceous, snail-like shape.
• Versatile Pairings: Used in soups or with light to heavy sauces, often ridged to capture more flavor.

Experience the unique sensation of bucatini, a thick, spaghetti-like pasta with a surprising secret: a tiny hole running through its center. This clever design not only provides a delightful chew, but also channels sauce from the inside out, ensuring every strand is bursting with flavor, especially when paired with rich Roman classics like Amatriciana.

• Hollow Spaghetti: Long, thicker spaghetti-like noodle with a hole running through its center.
• Sauce Absorption: Its hollow nature allows it to perfectly capture most sauces.
• Flavorful Combinations: Often served with savory ingredients like anchovies, sardines, pancetta, guanciale, cheese, and eggs.

Savor the delicate, hat-shaped parcels of cappelletti, tiny dumplings traditionally filled with savory meats or rich cheeses from their home in Emilia-Romagna. Often served floating in a clear, flavorful broth, each “little hat” is a warm, comforting bite that speaks of tradition and careful craftsmanship.

• "Little Hats" Dumplings: Unique, rounded, dumpling-shaped pasta, often stuffed with cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano and grana padano or meat.
• Modena Origins: Originated in Modena, commonly served at lunch or dinner.

Enjoy a plate of bigoli, a thick, rustic pasta from the Veneto region whose coarse texture, often derived from whole wheat or buckwheat flour, is born to be paired with the most robust of sauces. Its substantial form is the traditional partner for a rich duck ragù, a hearty dish that embodies the soulful, earthy flavors of Northern Italy.

• Venetian Thick Tube: Long, thick, tubular pasta from the Venetian province.
• Hearty Pairings: Typically made from buckwheat or whole-wheat flour and served with hearty meat sauces, famously with duck ragù.
• Specific Usage: Always a primo course before a meat dish, but never with seafood.

Bring a sense of fun to your meal with rotelle, playful “little wheels” of pasta whose spokes are brilliant at catching chunky vegetable or meat sauces. A favorite in Northern Italy, especially in pasta salads and soups, this shape proves that sometimes, you should play with your food. To discover more about the region, take a look at our Northern Italy Travel Guide.

• "Little Wheels": Circular noodles with spokes resembling wheels.
• Sauce and Dish Versatility: Popular in northern Italy with tomato- or cream-based sauces, soups, hearty meat sauces, and pasta salads.

Discover the signature pasta of Puglia in orecchiette, or “little ears,” each one lovingly indented by a thumb to create a unique shape that is slightly thicker around the rim and tender in the center. This clever design is perfect for scooping up rustic sauces, famously paired with bitter greens like rapini and savory sausage for a true taste of Southern Italy.

• "Little Ears": Renowned ear-shaped pasta from Southern Italy.
• Classic Pairings: Often paired with rapini, broccoli, or a sauce made with tomato, meat, and ricotta cheese.
• Texture: Made with semolina dough, often dried for a thicker, heartier center.

Don't be fooled by its rice-like appearance; orzo is a tiny yet versatile pasta shape that adds a delightful, chewy texture to soups, salads, and pilafs. Whether warming a minestrone or forming the base of a bright, Mediterranean-inspired salad, orzo is a small but mighty staple in Italian kitchens.

• "Big Rice": Resembles grains of rice, but is made from durum semolina flour.
• Versatile Use: Commonly used in soups (like minestrone), pasta salads, and side dishes.

Handle with care the delicate, ethereal strands of capellini, a pasta so fine it's named “angel hair.” Because it cooks in a flash, it's the perfect partner for the lightest of sauces, a simple toss with fresh tomatoes and basil, a delicate seafood broth, or just butter and Parmesan, allowing its fragile beauty to take center stage.

• Delicate Strands: Extremely thin pasta resembling strings, similar to spaghetti but much finer.
• Ideal Pairings: Best for soups, seafood dishes, and light sauces due to its delicate texture.
• Packaging: Often sold in coils resembling a bird’s nest to protect its fragility.

Indulge in the refined elegance of agnolotti from Piedmont, small pasta parcels typically folded over a savory meat or vegetable filling. Often served in their purest form, tossed in a simple sauce of melted butter and fresh sage, they are a perfect expression of the region's sophisticated, earthy flavors, sometimes made even more luxurious with a shaving of white truffle.

• Stuffed Squares: Square-shaped pasta from Piedmont, often stuffed with meat or vegetables.
• Flavor Profile: Inspired by the flavors of Piedmontese forests, Alps, and Apennines mountains.
• Serving Style: Occasionally poached in broth, but commonly pan-fried with sage and butter sauce, often topped with shaved white truffle.
• Unique Regional Specialty: In Monferrato (Piedmont), a special agnolotti stuffed with donkey meat is a memorable local custom.

Embrace the bold, hearty nature of rigatoni, a large, tubular pasta whose deep ridges are a magnet for robust sauces and melted cheese. A favorite in Rome and Sicily, its wide-open shape is perfect for catching every bit of a chunky meat ragù or a classic alla Norma, making for a truly satisfying and substantial meal.

• Ridged Tubes: Large tubular noodle with distinctive vertical ridges running lengthwise.
• Sauce Capacity: Larger than penne, capable of holding hearty sauces like meat ragù as well as lighter sauces.
• Regional Popularity: Originated in Lazio and is popular in Rome for dishes like La Pagliata. It’s also used in Sicily for dishes like Rigatoni alla Norma.
• Cheese Magnet: Ridges make it excellent for capturing melted or grated cheeses.

Enjoy the playful, tight corkscrew of rotini, a shape beloved in Southern Italy for its incredible ability to hold onto flavor. Every twist and turn is a trap for sauce, making it a perfect choice for everything from a creamy carbonara to a vibrant pesto or a simple tomato-based sauce.

• Tight Corkscrew: Similar to fusilli, but with a tighter turn and smaller rotation.
• Sauce Affinity: Natural twists are popular in southern Italy for capturing tomato-based sauces, pesto, or carbonara.
• Flour Types: Most often made from refined white wheat flour, but also available in whole-wheat or brown rice versions.

Find comfort in a spoonful of acini di pepe, tiny “peppercorns” of pasta that add substance and a delightful texture to soups and broths. A nostalgic staple in many Italian households, this “pastina” is the heart of the famous Italian wedding soup, turning a simple broth into a nourishing, heartwarming meal.

• Tiny Grains: Dry pasta resembling couscous or tiny grains, also called pastina or "tiny dough".
• Soup and Salad Star: Typically used in soups and salads, famously the main ingredient for Italian wedding soup.

Appreciate the rustic, hand-rolled charm of strozzapreti, an elongated, twisted pasta whose name cheekily translates to “priest stranglers.” Its uneven surface and open twists are perfect for clinging to rich meat or cream sauces, offering a satisfyingly chewy bite that speaks of its handmade origins in the heart of Italy.

• "Priest Stranglers": Shaped like a hotdog bun with elongated, light twists.
• Sauce Holders: Rounded design helps capture cream and meat sauces.
• Regional Dough Variations: Romagna version contains wheat flour, water, salt; Emilia version typically adds egg whites and Parmesan cheese.

Explore the delicious diversity of tortelli, a family of stuffed pastas that, like their cousin ravioli, can be filled with anything from meat and cheese to sweet pumpkin. Whether served simply with melted butter and sage or topped with a hearty ragù, each region offers its own beloved version of this comforting and versatile dish.

• Stuffed and Ribbed: Closely related to ravioli with a square shape, ribbed edges, and fillings of meat, cheese, or mushrooms.
• Serving Styles: Often topped with hearty ragù sauce or melted butter.
• Shape Variety: Can have semi-circular or twisted, rounded shapes.
• Sweet and Savory: Can also describe a fried pastry with jam or cream. Try pumpkin tortelli or Parma tortelli, which contain ricotta, herbs, vegetables.

Delight in the iconic ring shape of tortellini, a pasta so beloved in its native Emilia-Romagna that it's affectionately nicknamed “belly button.” These small, delicate dumplings, traditionally stuffed with a savory mix of meat and cheese, are most famously served floating in a rich, clear broth, a dish that is both elegant and deeply comforting.

• "Belly Button" Rings: Rounded, ring-shaped pasta, typically stuffed with a mixture of meat such as pork loin, prosciutto, or cheese.
• Historic Roots: Origins can be traced back to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region in the 16th century.
• Classic Serving: Made fresh with flour and eggs, and served in a beef or chicken broth.

Enjoy the larger, more substantial cousin of tortellini, the tortelloni. These generously sized pasta rings are typically filled with creamy ricotta and leafy greens like spinach, making them a perfect canvas for rich butter or tomato-based sauces that complement their vegetarian filling.

• Larger Tortellini: Rounded, ring shape that is similar to tortellini but larger.
• Common Fillings: Typically stuffed with ricotta cheese and leafy greens (like spinach), or sometimes porcini mushrooms, walnuts, or meat mixtures.
• Sweet Variations: In Modena, try a unique version with pumpkin pulp and amaretti biscuits for a sweet twist.

Admire the elegant spiral ridges of tortiglioni, a tubular pasta whose design is a masterclass in sauce-holding architecture. A staple in Southern Italy, these grooves trap rich, full-bodied sauces, ensuring every single bite is as flavorful as the last. Take a look at our Southern Italy travel guide for more information on the region.

• Diagonal Ridge Tube: Small pasta with a tubular design decorated with diagonal ridges, similar to a smaller rigatoni.
• Sauce Trapping: Ridges add beauty and effectively capture rich, full-bodied sauces made from meat, tomatoes, vegetables, or cream.
• Dry Pasta Preference: More common in Southern Italian cuisine, which uses dry pasta more readily than in northern Italian cuisine.

Have fun with the bouncy, corkscrew shape of cellentani, a hollow, spiral pasta that adds a playful texture to any dish. Its modern, versatile form is a fantastic match for creamy and tomato-based sauces, making it a go-to for creative pasta salads and hearty baked dishes.

• Hollow Spiral: Hollow, spiral-shaped pasta, approximately an inch in length.
• Surface: Can have grooves, ridges, or remain smooth.
• Versatile Pairings: Pairs well with tomato-based sauces, cheeses (provolone, mozzarella), and can be a great addition to a caprese pasta salad.
• Modern Use: Mostly machine-made, provides versatility for cream-based and tomato sauces in staple dishes, such as Cavatappi Amatriciana or Cavatappi Pomodoro.

Celebrate with ziti, a smooth, medium-sized tube pasta whose name, meaning “fiancés,” hints at its traditional place on wedding feast tables. A staple in Southern Italy, its sturdy shape makes it the star of hearty baked casseroles, where it layers beautifully with cheese and rich Neapolitan sauces.

• "Fiancés" Tube: Traditional Italian Ziti noodles have a tubular design with a smooth texture.
• Cultural Significance: The word ziti means “fiancés,” referring to the pasta’s traditional use during Italian weddings and its easy function in casseroles.
• Shape Distinction: Similar in shape and size to penne, but has straight edges, while penne has diagonal edges.

Neapolitan Staple: Embrace the traditional flavors of ziti at restaurants dotting the southern Italian region of Campania and tuck in to a quintessential Neapolitan pasta.

Italy's allure extends far beyond its ancient ruins and picturesque landscapes; its cuisine being a magnificent attraction in itself. The experience of indulging in a rich, creamy sauce generously drizzled over a perfectly al dente pasta is a memory that truly defines an Italian journey. With Zicasso, your passion for pasta and Italian gastronomy transforms into a meticulously planned, unforgettable adventure.

We understand that the true essence of Italian travel lies in its flavors. Whether you're a seasoned foodie or simply eager to explore, Zicasso offers unparalleled expertise to ensure your culinary journey through Italy is nothing short of extraordinary. Let us guide you to the heart of Italian taste with our Italy tours and trip packages or Italy travel guide.