The real reason pasta comes in so many shapes: Chef explains the perfect sauce pairings

Pasta isn't just pasta: it's a whole world of shapes, vibes, and sauce-holding magic. It is pure comfort food, simple, satisfying, and endlessly versatile. Whether you’re whipping up a quick weeknight dinner or going full Italian grandma on a Sunday, pasta’s always got your back. It all starts with flour, water (and sometimes eggs), and suddenly you’ve got hundreds of possibilities. You can toss it in tomato sauce, drown it in creamy Alfredo, or just keep it chill with olive oil and garlic. The best part? It’s a total crowd-pleaser. Cheap, filling, and ridiculously customizable—pasta’s the real MVP in every kitchen.

But have you ever wondered why there are so many pasta shapes ? Well, if you have then Chef Andy Hearnden has the right answer for you.

"Wondered why are there so many pasta shapes? Well it is not random. The Italians have basically invented a secret code where every shape is matched to a specific sauce," explains the New Zealand born chef, YouTuber, and cookbook author.

"Thin and long pastas like spaghetti angel hair. These thin pastas love light sauces like garlic and olive oil or lemon and butter sauce or Cacio e Pepe. Why? The sauce coats the strand evenly and a heavy meat sauce on a pasta like this and you are going to watch all that meat just fall straight off," he says about spaghetti.

"Flat and wide pastas, fettuccine, pappardelle, tagliatelle, built for meat sauces, cream, sauces and pestos, all that extra surface area grips all the flavour," he says.

"And general speaking the heavier the sauce the wider the noodle."

He goes on to explain about other types of pasta. "Now let's talk about the twisted and tubular pasta. Talking about pastas like fusilli, penne and rigatoni. Now these pastas, these are sauce magnets. The twists are great with the thick stuff," he explains.

"So, next time when you need to buy some pasta think about what sauce you are having with it and what pasta you should match," he concludes.

Basically, there’s a pasta shape for every sauce, mood, and craving.

Watch the video here