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Pasta School

What pasta is best for thick sauces?

Choose ridged tubes, cups and broad ribbons that carry thick meat, vegetable and bean sauces without leaving solids behind.

Short answer

Use rigatoni, paccheri, orecchiette or broad pappardelle for thick sauces. Choose according to whether the sauce contains chunks, mince or a smooth heavy purée.

Choose ridged tubes, cups and broad ribbons that carry thick meat, vegetable and bean sauces without leaving solids behind.

The useful answer changes with sauce, shape and serving context, so the details below explain where the simple rule bends.

Tubes carry pieces

Rigatoni and paccheri accept mince and chopped vegetables inside as well as on their ridges.

Broad ribbons carry weight

Pappardelle and tagliatelle suit ragù whose pieces are small enough to move with the ribbon.

Shape reference

See the shapes in this lesson.

Large smooth dry paccheri pasta tubes with wide hollow centres on pale stonepaccheriPaccheri is an exceptionally wide, short tube with straight-cut ends. A single piece is dramatically larger than rigatoni and may be smooth or lightly ridged.Dry rigatoni pasta tubes with square-cut ends and prominent ridges on pale stonerigatoniRigatoni is a broad, straight tube with square-cut ends and prominent lengthwise ridges. It is wider and more substantial than penne.Dry orecchiette pasta showing small rough ear-shaped cups and thick rims on pale stoneorecchietteOrecchiette looks like a collection of little ears: shallow, rough cups with a thinner centre and a thicker rounded rim.

Keep in mind

  • Match the cut size to the pasta opening.
  • Avoid delicate strands with large loose chunks.
Use the lesson

Keep cooking.