During the cold months, one of the best feelings is eating a warm bowl of soup or tasty pasta. For those getting tired of the basic spaghetti and lasagna, here are the top five pasta shapes to experiment with this winter:

1. Tortellini 

Unlike other filled noodles, tortellini is typically a perfect bite size, making it less of a hassle to eat. It can be stuffed with cheese and/or meat and pairs well with a variety of sauces. 

2. Bucatini

Spaghetti’s cooler sister. A tube-like thicker spaghetti noodle with a hole going through the length. The hole allows the noodle a greater sauce holding capacity and the thicker nature of this noodle provides a chewier texture that I find more enjoyable than the traditional spaghetti. 

3. Conchiglie/Shell

This is a fairly popular noodle already but it is definitely worth the hype. The bowl-like shape provides a perfect spot for sauce to sit, ensuring a perfect sauce to noodle ratio.

4. Fettuccine

Although fettuccine is typically served with an Alfredo sauce, the noodle is fantastic and deserving of more options. As a thicker flatter version of a spaghetti noodle, this pairs well with numerous different sauces and should not be limited to one singular dish. 

5. Cavatappi

Cavatappi is similar to macaroni, but longer and in the shape of a spiral. These noodles are so great because they have ridges and are hollow on the inside so they hold a lot of sauce. Similar to spaghetti, macaroni is overrated, making cavatappi a better alternative.