Tasting Table Asks: What Is The Best Pasta Shape? - Exclusive Survey

When your roommate, partner, or kid asks "What's for dinner?" there's a good chance the answer is going to be pasta if you live in the U.S. According to the National Pasta Association, U.S. consumers put away 2.7 million tons of pasta every year (that's about 9 kilograms, or 19 pounds, per person), making America the largest pasta market in the world in 2017 (via Food Business News). And for good reason. There's no shortage of things to like about the meal: it keeps you full, has a long shelf life, requires only beginner-level cooking skills to make, and is super cost-effective, says Share the Pasta.

Luckily, there are countless different types of pasta, so pasta night (again) doesn't have to get boring. Whether you're making a complex Bolognese or boxed mac and cheese is on tonight's menu, there's a perfect pasta shape for every meal. That's why Tasting Table asked 588 people living in the U.S. what they feel is the best pasta shape, and the results are in.

Coming in lowest in the rankings, with 6.46% of the vote, is linguine. Next up, 9.69% of voters are feeling fancy and reaching for farfalle, aka bowtie pasta. (Fun fact: the word "farfalle" comes from "farfalla," per Delighted Cooking, the Italian word for butterfly.) Speaking of names, introducing conchiglie, conchigliette, and conchiglioni: 11.05% of voters are making shells tonight.

Judging by the third-place winner, it might be time to crack open a jar of Alfredo (or make it yourself, we promise Alfredo sauce is easier than it looks): Fettuccine raked in 19.9% of the vote. And in second place, penne received 24.49% of the votes for top pasta shape. Arrabiata, anyone?

Now, the moment of truth. Step aside, bucatini, orecchiette, and pappardelle! The votes are in, and it looks like you really can't beat the classics. According to a survey conducted by Tasting Table, the best pasta shape, with more than ¼ of the vote, is spaghetti. As Sophia Loren once allegedly prescribed, "Spaghetti can be eaten most successfully if you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner," and 28.4% of voters said they aren't tired of spaghetti night just yet.