Spaghetti or linguine: what is the difference
Spaghetti and linguine are long dry pasta made from the same dough: durum wheat semolina and water. They differ in cross-section, and that decides which sauces suit them.
| Spaghetti | Linguine | |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-section | Round, a thin "thread" (the name comes from spago, string) | Flattened and slightly convex, like a narrow tagliatella |
| Ingredients | Durum wheat semolina and water | Durum wheat semolina and water |
| Origin | The word "spaghetto" appears in the Tommaseo–Bellini dictionary (1819) | Liguria, created for pesto |
| De Cecco number | n° 12 | n° 7 |
| Cooking (De Cecco) | 12 min, al dente 10 min | 12 min, al dente 10 min |
| Typical sauces | Anything: fish, meat, vegetables, cheese; or just olive oil and parmesan | Pesto, seafood, oil with garlic and chilli, fresh tomato |
Which to choose
In ingredients and cooking time they are the same pasta, so choose by sauce. For pesto and seafood take linguine: the flat section holds light sauces better. For thick or all-purpose sauces, spaghetti.
Sources
Themes
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