Trattoria Vicolo

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Fresh or dried pasta: which to order with each sauce

The rule is simple: a rich sauce wants a wide pasta, and a light sauce wants a thin one. Ragù, bolognese and meat sauces cling better to tagliatelle and pappardelle, which are fresh, wide pastas. The sauce stays on the pasta, not at the bottom of the plate. Light sauces, like garlic and oil or a simple pomodoro, go with spaghetti and other dried pastas, which stay firmer. If in doubt, ask at the table. We love to recommend.

1 min read·Oct 15, 2026

# Blog - Trattoria Vicolo
## Fresh or dried pasta: which to order with each sauce [Tips]
The rule is simple: a rich sauce wants a wide pasta, and a light sauce wants a thin one.

Ragù, bolognese and meat sauces cling better to tagliatelle and pappardelle, which are fresh, wide pastas. The sauce stays on the pasta, not at the bottom of the plate.

Light sauces, like garlic and oil or a simple pomodoro, go with spaghetti and other dried pastas, which stay firmer.

If in doubt, ask at the table. We love to recommend.