Pappardelle vs Tagliatelle
Pappardelle is very wide flat ribbon, 2 to 3 cm, sometimes with a fluted edge. Tagliatelle is flat egg ribbon, 8 mm wide by tradition.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmPappardelle: 250 to 300 mm by 20 to 30 mm
Tagliatelle: 250 to 300 mm by 6 to 10 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Ribbons | Ribbons |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Tuscany | Emilia-Romagna |
| Section | Very wide flat ribbon, 2 to 3 cm, sometimes with a fluted edge | Flat egg ribbon, 8 mm wide by tradition |
| Length | 250 to 300 mm | 250 to 300 mm |
| Width or diameter | 20 to 30 mm | 6 to 10 mm |
| Wall or thickness | 0.8 to 1.2 mm | 0.6 to 1 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Egg pasta | Egg pasta |
| Cook time | 3 to 9 min | 2 to 8 min |
| Brands with a page | Rummo, Garofalo, La Molisana | Rummo, La Molisana |
| Catalogue numbers | Rummo no. 101, Rummo no. 119, Garofalo no. 1, La Molisana no. 105, La Molisana no. 205 | Rummo no. 107, Rummo no. 132, La Molisana no. 103, La Molisana no. 202, La Molisana no. 203 |
| Cook time across brands | 5 to 12 min | 3 to 9 min |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 288 kcal (fresh pasta) | 288 kcal (fresh pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 11.3 g | 11.3 g |
| Products catalogued | 53 | 702 |
| Pairs with | Wild boar ragu, Meat ragu, Porcini, Ragu alla bolognese, Cream sauce | Ragu alla bolognese, Porcini, Butter and sage, Cream sauce, Alfredo |
Pappardelle
The broadest face of any ribbon, so it carries the heaviest sauces: wild boar, hare, duck, a mushroom sauce with body, a slow beef ragu. A light sauce leaves it bare.
Tagliatelle
A wide porous egg ribbon holds a meat ragu on its surface and absorbs the fat, which is why Bologna refuses spaghetti for the same sauce. Butter, cream, mushrooms, and truffle behave the same way. Oil and seafood sauces are the wrong weight.
Can you swap them?
Tagliatelle for pappardelle: yes, narrower, for a finer ragu.
Pappardelle for tagliatelle: yes, wider, for a heavier game ragu.
Both take Porcini, Ragu alla bolognese, Cream sauce.
Only pappardelle: Wild boar ragu, Meat ragu.
Only tagliatelle: Butter and sage, Alfredo.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.