# What are your favorite types of pasta noodles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625 "2013-03-22T12:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/21 "2013-03-22T15:28:00Z")
Where’s the [cellentani](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UeJrW8Cbj6M/SeVPXFvVVcI/AAAAAAAAAFU/FRQmnL5pFzY/s320/pasta_cellentani.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/22 "2013-03-23T03:24:54Z")
I can’t eat flat-noodle pasta like linguini without concentration, it triggers my gag reflex. Never have been able to figure out why. Maybe I choked on a shoelace as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/23 "2013-03-23T04:58:11Z")
I prefer the extremes, cappellini and pappardelle. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/24 "2013-03-24T20:21:23Z")
Other: do not care for pasta ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/25 "2013-03-24T20:30:57Z")
There’s no “all of the above” option? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/26 "2013-03-24T20:40:56Z")
I don’t even know what 3/4 of the stuff on the poll is doesn’t matter to me it’s all the same stuff ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/27 "2013-03-24T20:58:35Z")
It’s not even close: [wagon wheel](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CnuQOBK3--Y/UDlPeAlZZBI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/Cytqjl8WaUQ/s1600/wagon+wheels+2+ps.jpg) pasta, by a significant margin. There really is no reason to have any other type of pasta. Those little ridges on the outside have wonderful mouth-feel, they are easy to pick up by impaling the spokes with your fork, they are the perfect mouth-sized bite, they look really cool. Wagon wheels…they are the bomb. Before I liked tomato sauce, mom used to serve me wagon wheels slathered with butter and salt. Mom was the bomb. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/28 "2013-03-24T22:37:38Z")
> [@Tibby or Not Tibby](#): > > It’s not even close: [wagon wheel](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CnuQOBK3--Y/UDlPeAlZZBI/AAAAAAAAA_Q/Cytqjl8WaUQ/s1600/wagon+wheels+2+ps.jpg) pasta, by a significant margin. There really is no reason to have any other type of pasta. Those little ridges on the outside have wonderful mouth-feel, they are easy to pick up by impaling the spokes with your fork, they are the perfect mouth-sized bite, they look really cool. Wagon wheels…they are the bomb. > > Before I liked tomato sauce, mom used to serve me wagon wheels slathered with butter and salt. Mom was the bomb. I could probably live on macaroni, butter and salt. Occasionally with bacon. ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/29 "2013-03-25T01:13:46Z")
Penne is the most commonly used in our house followed by spaghetti and farfalle. Spaghetti is for tomato sauces or seafood or just olive oil and garlic ‘quick dinners’. Penne is good with tomato sauce or cream sauce. Farfalle is also for cream sauce dishes. Rigatoni and Bucatini are great for baked pasta dishes. Linguini and angel hair are at the bottom of my favorites list. Love Cavatappi, Favorite dish at Pasta and Co. was the cavatappi with tomato cream sauce, awesome. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/30 "2013-03-25T01:33:00Z")
Angel hair with a sauce made of 100% fresh ingredients. Garlic bread, salad and wine. Wow! ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/31 "2013-03-25T03:06:15Z")
Spaghetti for light sauces (tomato, garlic oil, vegie). Pene for heavy ones (cream/cheese, meat, seafood). ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/32 "2013-03-25T03:19:49Z")
I’m not super committed to my favorite pasta - I love most “shapes” (as opposed to “strands”) equally, but I do really passionately hate one kind of pata: penne. I have no idea why. There’s something about the mouthfeel that just grosses me out. I’m also not a huge spaghetti fan, but that’s because I don’t like most red sauces rather than because of any issue with the noodles themselves. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/33 "2013-03-25T03:48:56Z")
Orecchiette. Love them. Little scoops for the sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/34 "2013-03-25T05:28:32Z")
It’s a tie. They all win. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/35 "2013-03-25T13:48:37Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > My favorite is Capellini, also known as Angel Hair. This. Why? Because it cooks the fastest. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/36 "2013-03-25T14:15:07Z")
I actually don’t care as much for any of the “long, thin strand” types. This encompasses spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, etc… I cannot, for the life of me, eat them without making a huge mess. Sauce all over my mouth, splattered on the table, probably on my shirt…seriously, how do you people eat it?! I guess it’s all in that “fork twirl” thing, and I can’t do it. I try, and just end up with half the damn noodles all on my fork, like a huge ball of twine that then can’t possibly fit in my mouth. Using a spoon underneath doesn’t help. It’s some sort of sorcery, and I must have missed that spellbook during my time at Hogwart’s. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/37 "2013-03-25T14:34:09Z")
Bucatini, but that’s only because my favorite pasta dish is Bucatini all’Amatriciana. (But bucatini can be a pain in the ass to find, as I’ve found out. It’s not rare, but it’s also not one of the standard pastas stores stock, so it’s rather hit-and-miss finding it, and even when I find a store that stocks it, it’s not guaranteed to be there when I return.) Overall, I don’t really play favorites. It really depends on what I’m making. ---
**Author:** ![MTRG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@MTRG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTRG)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/38 "2013-03-25T18:10:13Z")
Orecchiette ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/39 "2013-03-25T18:56:10Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I actually don’t care as much for any of the “long, thin strand” types. This encompasses spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, etc… I cannot, for the life of me, eat them without making a huge mess. Sauce all over my mouth, splattered on the table, probably on my shirt…seriously, how do you people eat it?! > > I guess it’s all in that “fork twirl” thing, and I can’t do it. I try, and just end up with half the damn noodles all on my fork, like a huge ball of twine that then can’t possibly fit in my mouth. Using a spoon underneath doesn’t help. It’s some sort of sorcery, and I must have missed that spellbook during my time at Hogwart’s. If you have a plateful, twirl from the edge of the mound of pasta. Don’t twirl from the middle. If it’s a bowl, twirl from the top layer, son’t plunge your fork all the way in. Helps prevent the ball of twice consequence! ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625/40 "2013-03-25T19:21:20Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > I actually don’t care as much for any of the “long, thin strand” types. This encompasses spaghetti, angel hair, fettuccine, linguine, etc… I cannot, for the life of me, eat them without making a huge mess. Sauce all over my mouth, splattered on the table, probably on my shirt…seriously, how do you people eat it?! > > I guess it’s all in that “fork twirl” thing, and I can’t do it. I try, and just end up with half the damn noodles all on my fork, like a huge ball of twine that then can’t possibly fit in my mouth. Using a spoon underneath doesn’t help. It’s some sort of sorcery, and I must have missed that spellbook during my time at Hogwart’s. I’m the opposite - I’m a big fan of the long noodle (Oh, stop! That’s not what I meant!). I like the mouth feel of a big wad (I said stop it!) I don’t get that with the other noodles, all of the spearing and it’s just a meager forkful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-types-of-pasta-noodles/653625.md?page=3)