The Worst Pasta Shapes To Pair With Cream-Based Sauces

As fun as all the different options are, pasta shapes aren't just for show. The various forms are designed to work best with particular types of sauces. While our store shelves are dominated by a dozen or so popular pasta shapes, there are actually hundreds made all over Italy. While many serve a similar purpose, they were all designed with a specific job in mind. Some are made to carry heavy meat sauces, others are crafted to be light enough for a pasta aglio e olio, and of course you have lasagna or ravioli with especially unique uses. So not all types of pasta were created equal when it comes to every recipe, and while you will usually have multiple good options for a dish, specific styles like cream-based sauces have certain requirements for their pasta pairing. To get an expert's view, Tasting Table spoke to Matthew Cutolo, a third-generation Italian-American chef at Gargiulo's Restaurant in Coney Island, for his opinion on the worst pasta shapes for cream sauces.

Cutolo told us, "the worst pasta shapes for cream sauces are any pasta cut that is too thin like an angel hair, cappellini or thin spaghetti." An important part of any pasta dish is balance and, according to the chef, the heavy, rich texture and flavor of cream sauces like Alfredo will be too much for a skinny long pasta. He says, "The sauce can completely overpower the pasta. You'll be eating more cream with pasta than pasta with cream." At that point you might as well be drinking your sauce straight from the pot.

Don't despair at losing some of your favorite pasta shapes with cream sauce, because there are other long pastas that are ready to handle a heavy task. Matthew Cutolo says "Fettuccine, tagliatelle and other long pasta cuts are perfect for cream based sauces because their large surface area catches and coats the pasta evenly." And if you prefer something even more substantial than those options, or if you have a chunky sauce with large pieces of meat or vegetables, Cutolo notes, "short cuts like rigatoni or penne rigate hold up well with their hollow inside and ridges to catch every bit of sauce." And while most of the shapes Cutolo recommends are pretty common, there are lots of unconventional pasta shapes that fall into similar categories and can be substituted in.

That diversity of shapes is great news, because creamy pasta sauces come in all kinds too. There are popular favorites like a classic penne alla vodka and fettuccine Alfredo, but there are a lot of lesser known recipes. A famous Ligurian pasta uses a walnut sauce made with cream and parmesan, and the short, thick pasta varieties that Cutolo cited are perfect for holding onto it. And there are even veggie heavy creamy pastas laden with greens, like the famous pasta primavera. So while you don't want to make the mistake of going too thin on your pasta shape with creamy recipes, you'll never be bereft of choices.