Pairing finder
Start from the sauce or from the shape.
Sauce
How a pairing works
A shape is a machine for holding sauce. Three things decide the match. The surface: ridges and a rough bronze-die finish grip a thick sauce, a smooth strand takes a coating. The cavity: a tube, a shell, or a twist carries sauce inside or between its turns. The mass: a wide ribbon or a thick tube stands up to a heavy ragù, a thin strand wants oil or a light emulsion.
Every sauce record lists what it wants in those terms, and every shape record lists the sauces it was built for. The finder joins the two. The reason next to each shape is that shape's own sauce note.
Every sauce and its first three shapes
40 sauces. The full ranking is on each sauce page.
- Aglio e olio (oil, thin): Spaghetti, Spaghettini, Stringozzi
- Cacio e pepe (cheese, thin): Spaghettoni, Tonnarelli, Bucatini
- Carbonara (cheese, medium): Mezze maniche, Spaghettoni, Tonnarelli
- Gricia (cheese, medium): Bucatini, Mezze maniche, Tonnarelli
- Amatriciana (tomato, medium): Bucatini, Mezzi rigatoni, Rigatoni
- Pomodoro (tomato, thin): Culurgiones, Penne lisce, Pennette
- Marinara (tomato, thin): Penne lisce, Spaghetti, Vermicelli
- Arrabbiata (tomato, medium): Penne, Fileja
- Puttanesca (tomato, medium): Vermicelli, Spaghetti
- Norma (vegetable, chunky): Busiate, Penne lisce, Casarecce
- Vodka sauce (cream, medium): Penne, Mostaccioli, Cavatappi
- Ragu alla bolognese (meat, chunky): Tagliatelle, Garganelli, Lasagne
- Ragu napoletano (meat, chunky): Candele, Fusilli lunghi, Paccheri
- Meat ragu (meat, chunky): Bigoli, Cascatelli, Lasagnette
- Sausage ragu (meat, chunky): Fileja, Gnocchetti sardi, Gramigna
- Wild boar ragu (meat, chunky): Pappardelle, Pici
- Pesto alla genovese (oil, thin): Casarecce, Fazzoletti, Foglie d'ulivo
- Pesto alla trapanese (oil, thin): Busiate, Casarecce
- Butter and sage (butter, thin): Agnolotti, Cappellacci, Caramelle
- Alfredo (butter, medium): Fettuccine, Tagliatelle
- Cream sauce (cream, medium): Campanelle, Creste di gallo, Farfalle
- Vongole (seafood, thin): Fregola, Linguine, Vermicelli
- Frutti di mare (seafood, medium): Calamarata, Scialatielli, Fregola
- Tuna and tomato (seafood, medium): Pennette, Farfalle, Conchiglie
- Bottarga (oil, thin): Fregola, Spaghettini
- Cime di rapa (vegetable, medium): Capunti, Orecchiette, Cavatelli
- Broccoli and anchovy (vegetable, medium): Cavatelli, Orecchiette
- Vegetable ragu (vegetable, chunky): Foglie d'ulivo, Fusilli, Lumache
- Porcini (vegetable, medium): Tagliatelle, Tajarin, Agnolotti
- Walnut sauce (cream, medium): Pansotti, Corzetti, Fazzoletti
- Ricotta (cheese, medium): Mafaldine, Sagne 'ncannulate, Malloreddus
- Four cheese (cheese, medium): Gnocchi, Pizzoccheri, Cavatappi
- Pasta e fagioli (broth, soup): Ditali, Ditalini, Maltagliati
- Pasta e ceci (broth, soup): Quadrucci, Ditali, Ditalini
- In brodo (broth, soup): Acini di pepe, Alphabet pasta, Anelli
- Minestrone (broth, soup): Farfalline, Acini di pepe, Alphabet pasta
- Baked (al forno) (baked, baked): Cannelloni, Conchiglioni, Lasagne
- Mac and cheese (cheese, baked): Cavatappi, Chifferi, Conchiglie
- Pasta salad (oil, cold): Rotelle, Rotini, Cavatappi
- Lemon and butter (butter, thin): Capellini, Fedelini, Spaghettini