Tagliatelle vs. Pappardelle Pasta: What’s the Difference?

Tagliatelle is a type of pasta with wide, flat noodles made with wheat flour and egg. Tagliatelle is popular in the Emilia Romagna and Marche regions of Italy. Tagliatelle comes from the Italian word “tagliare,” which means "to cut." It is classically served with bolognese sauce, a popular meat sauce. Other popular tagliatelle pasta dishes include uova e formaggio (with eggs and cheese—similar to a carbonara) and simply pomodoro e basilico (a basic tomato sauce with basil). There's a version of tagliatelle called tagliolini, which is a cylindrical pasta, not a flat pasta.

The most traditional way to serve tagliatelle is to toss the pasta in a classic braised ragù meat sauce or bolognese sauce. The wider, sturdier noodles and porous pasta hold up to thicker sauces and absorb their flavor well. For a vegetarian meal, you can serve fresh tagliatelle with vegan bolognese, or toss the pasta with pomodoro sauce and basil or pesto. For a special occasion, stir tagliatelle into butter sauce with prosciutto or a creamy parmesan sauce with shaved truffles.

Pappardelle is a type of pasta with wide, flat noodles made from a traditional egg pasta dough. Pappardelle pasta hails from the Italian region of Tuscany but is popular all over Italy. The name “pappardelle” comes from the Italian verb “pappare,” which means "to gobble up." Fresh pappardelle can be made with nearly any type of wheat flour—including semolina flour and all-purpose flour—and is shaped into long flat ribbons. Dried pappardelle, on the other hand, is usually made from durum wheat. It is classically served with rich sauces containing meats and cheeses. A traditional Tuscan comfort food known as "pappardelle al ragù di cinghiale" is served with a wild boar meat sauce.

As a flat ribbon pasta, pappardelle lends itself well to rich, thick sauces that cling to the wide egg noodles. A traditional ragu made with wild boar is popular in Tuscany; however, pasta sauces made with lamb, pork, and beef are traditional as well. Vegetarians can serve pappardelle with a wild mushroom cream sauce, a vegan alfredo sauce, or a simple marinara sauce. For a quick weeknight dinner, sauté fresh pappardelle noodles over medium heat with a little extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of kosher salt, and freshly sliced garlic.

Tagliatelle and pappardelle are both traditional types of egg pasta. Both pasta types rely on a mixture of wheat flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt. They are both cooked until al dente in boiling water for roughly the same cooking time. Both of these fresh egg pastas can be easily prepared at home or found in the dried pasta section at a grocery store.

The main difference between them is the pasta shape itself. Though they may appear the same at first glance, pappardelle is significantly wider than tagliatelle. Another notable difference is their region of origin. While tagliatelle originates from the Emilia Romagna and Marche regions of Italy, egg pappardelle hails from the Italian region of Tuscany.

If you're looking for a noodle that’s similar in taste to pappardelle but narrower in shape, tagliatelle is a great choice for a wide array of pasta recipes. Other great substitutes include fettuccine and linguine.

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