Spaghetti (“a length of the cord”) may just be the best-known pasta shape. A long, thin piece of pasta, spaghetti has a lot of versatility and mixes wonderfully with a variety of sauces. Spaghetti is probably best known for being paired with tomato sauce and meatballs, but it can also be a great complement to chunky sauces like Bolognese, or with light or cream sauces. Spaghetti is also a great pasta dish to make for a crowd.

It is particularly popular in Italy, due to factories that were formed in the 19th century that allowed for spaghetti to be spread across Italian markets.