The Ultimate Guide To Your Favorite Pasta Shapes

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Trader Joe’s Red Lentil Sedanini

Why We Like It: This is, hands-down, the best legume pasta out there. The Trader Joe’s version has quickly become a best-seller, and for good reason. There’s no bean-y flavor, it cooks to a perfect al dente texture, and it pairs well with both creamy and tomato sauces. Red lentil pasta stays firm even after being refrigerated, so you’ll have no more mushy leftovers! Plus, it boasts 13 grams of protein per serving.

Cooking Tip: Use this one for your baked pasta dishes, like baked ziti. On busy nights, simply toss with jarred sauce and Parmesan cheese. (If you have a few extra minutes, sauté fresh garlic in a bit of olive oil, along with oregano, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper to make your store-bought sauce feel fancier.)

Pair It With: Your favorite pasta sauce. The short pasta can handle chunky sauces, and it soaks up thin and creamy sauces too. There’s no sauce that red lentil pasta can’t handle!

Modern Table Lentil Elbows

Why We Like It: Like the red lentil pasta above, these lentil elbows have a neutral flavor and cook up without much guesswork on the timing. (We’ve tried a few brands.) They’re also the perfect swap in your favorite mac and cheese recipe. Each serving contains a whopping 20 grams of protein.

Cooking Tip: Use a thick or darker sauce to fool picky eaters and mask the slight green color. (Try pesto!)

Pair It With: Toss hot pasta with two cloves of minced garlic, plus plenty of olive oil or butter, and Parmesan for a quick weeknight dinner. Garnish with black pepper and crushed red pepper.

Banza Chickpea Shells

Why We Like It:Chickpea pasta is one of the best protein pastas. This pasta looks and tastes surprisingly like the real deal, with a bit more texture (like a whole-wheat pasta). It cooks quickly and doesn’t fall apart if you forget to set a timer and let it go a couple of extra minutes. (It’s worth buying in bulk!) Also, did you see the 20 grams of protein per serving?

Cooking Tip: Garbanzo bean pasta is tasty chilled too, so use it in your favorite pasta salad recipes. Make a quick lunch by mixing chickpea shells with hummus, chopped olives, and roasted red peppers. Serve over arugula.

Pair It With: Toss hot pasta with tahini (thinned with water and lemon juice), then salt to taste. Serve with steamed broccoli.

Explore Cuisine Green Lentil Lasagne

Why We Like It: You don’t need to parboil these noodles, and they cook up perfectly. They’re a dream come true with 11 grams of protein per serving. (While you can find plenty of no-cook wheat lasagna noodles, the protein content in this variety keeps your Sunday supper from putting you into a carb coma.)

Cooking Tip: Keep a box of these awesome noodles on hand for all your lasagna cravings. Get creative by turning other favorite pasta dishes into layered feasts. Try roasted butternut squash rings with ricotta, gorgonzola, dried cranberries, and sage, then top with a simple tomato or Alfredo sauce (seasoned with rosemary and black pepper).

Pair It With: Your grandmother’s lasagna recipe. No one will know you’ve swapped the noodles!

Explore Cuisine Edamame Spaghetti

Why We Like It: This pasta cooks quickly and is a tasty alternative to rice when stir-fry is on the menu.

Cooking Tip: Set a timer, and don’t walk away. Any thin, long legume pasta like this one needs to be stirred often and not overcooked. If you overcook it, you’ll end up with a congealed blob.

Pair It With: Asian-inspired sauces like sesame ginger or traditional noodle dishes like Korean japchae.

Trader Joe’s Black Bean Rotini

Why We Like It: Unfortunately, we don’t, even with its 14 grams of protein per serving. Every brand we’ve tried needs far longer than the recommended cook time to reach al dente, and we experienced some, um, bean-y side effects every time we ate this one. Since black beans take longer to cook from dried than the other legumes listed here, we suspect that’s why black bean rotini was a fail. Black bean spaghetti did fare slightly better, but it’s still not worth the price.

Cooking Tip: Skip this one, or stock up on the Beano.

One Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn Orzo

A twist on the classic cheesy orzo, this one pot cheesy creamed corn orzo recipe from Half-Baked Harvest is a fun summer option that only takes around 25 minutes. (via Half-Baked Harvest)

Greek Orzo Skillet With Chicken

If you’re looking for a higher protein recipe, this Greek orzo skillet with chicken via The Real Food Dieticians may be for you. It contains chicken, canned chickpeas, orzo, veggies, and feta for a flavor boost inspired by Greek-food! (via The Real Food Dieticians)

Broccoli Cheddar Orzo

If you’ve heard of broccoli cheddar soup, why not try a broccoli cheddar orzo? It’s a nostalgic dish—use a mixture of medium yellow cheddar and sharp white cheddar for optimal taste results! (via Barley & Sage)

Creamy Orzo Pasta Primavera

Nothing says delish like a starchy pasta that can be ready in a flash. This creamy orzo pasta primavera uses vegetable stock, parmesan cheese, asparagus green peas, and spinach. Brighten and lighten it up with lemon zest and mint! (via Vikalinka)

Chicken Orzo Salad

This fresh chicken orzo salad features tomatoes, cucumbers, and a tasty lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a poolside dinner with plenty of substitution options, like mushrooms and arugula! (via Averie Cooks)

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon and orzo are a dream combo, so why not make the flavors into a soup? The key in this lemon chicken orzo soup is the seasonings—garlic, turmeric, parsley, salt, pepper, and a bouquet garni (a blend of herbs that are tied together). (via The Girl On Bloor)

Creamy Vegan Tomato Orzotto

Similar to risotto, this creamy vegan tomato orzotto is an elevated way to incorporate orzo. Snag a dry white wine to reduce in this recipe, like your favorite sauvignon blanc! (via Earthly Provisions)

One-Pot Shrimp and Pea Orzo

Big fan of seafood? Make this one-pot shrimp and pea orzo for a simple weeknight meal. Make sure to cook the orzo to ‘al dente’ before adding in the rest of the ingredients. (via Completely Delicious)

Baked Vegan Orzo

Don’t know what to do with orzo? Just add some vegan melted cheese for a twist on baked ziti. This baked vegan orzo can all be thrown in one pan and placed in the oven! (via A Virtual Vegan)

Skirt Steak with Orzo Salad & Red Pepper Sauce

Orzo is actually a great side dish option, with this skirt steak with orzo salad & red pepper sauce recipe making the protein the star of the show. The orzo salad is tossed in a red wine vinegar and olive oil mixture with salt and pepper. (via The Original Dish)

One Pan Sage Butter Chicken And Orzo

Sage is one of the most underrated seasonings. This one pan sage butter chicken and orzo features chicken thighs cooking in a buttery orzo for the perfect dinner recipe! (via Pink Owl Kitchen)

Lemon Orzo Salad With Asparagus, Spinach And Feta

An orzo recipe that screams summer: lemon orzo salad with asparagus, spinach, and feta. The lemon packs a citrusy punch and crunch with toasted almonds. (via Vanilla and Bean)

Pesto Zucchini Orzo With Charred Sweet Corn

Like any pasta, you can’t go wrong with a homemade pesto. Try out this pesto zucchini orzo with charred sweet corn for a smoky and fresh recipe to put on the dinner table. Add a side of your favorite grilled meat to complete the meal! (via Whole And Heavenly Oven)

Zucchini Orzo Soup

This zucchini orzo soup isn’t heavy but perfectly filling, and is vegetarian. Snag fresh veggies like zucchini, carrots, celery, and onion with orzo (if the pasta is made from semolina flour, even better!). (via Feel Good Foodie)

Caprese Orzo Salad

One of the easiest ways to upgrade the flavor of a recipe, is to make it caprese-inspired. A caprese orzo salad thrives with fresh mozzarella, basil, and a tangy balsamic dressing. (via Two Peas & Their Pod)

Simple Turkey Orzo Soup

Sick of chicken? Opt for this simple turkey orzo soup instead. It’s ideal for the winter months for its comforting nature, but can be made any time of the year. Add some bacon or pancetta for an ingredient twist! (via The Fast Recipe)

One Pot Orzo with Mushrooms, Browned Butter, and Thyme

Brown butter and thyme offer an earthy flavor that cannot be beat. Make this one pot orzo with mushrooms, browned butter, and thyme for a savory dish that can be served as the main or side! (via Bowl Of Delicious)

Chicken Bacon Ranch Orzo

Orzo Harvest Salad

The best kind of salad is filled with pasta. This orzo harvest salad is an ode to fall produce, with brussels sprouts and butternut squash thrown in the mix. It’s naturally vegan and can be gluten-free if you substitute the orzo with rice. (via Crowded Kitchen)

John Krasinski shares his thoughts on being PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive

No one knows how to do dead-pan humor like John Krasinski (unless your name is Ryan Reynolds, of course 😉). His response to winning was, "Just immediate blackout, actually. Zero thoughts," (via PEOPLE). He followed up with, "That's not how I wake up, thinking, ‘Is this the day that I'll be asked to be Sexiest Man Alive?’ And yet it was the day you guys did it. You guys have really raised the bar for me."

Of course Emily Blunt couldn't resist making a little joke...

We know Emily Blunt has a great sense of humor too, so it comes as no surprise that she had a little something to say to John about his new title. Besides being "very excited" about his win, she apparently told him she'd willingly plaster his face all over their home, wallpaper-style (via PEOPLE). The Jack Ryan actor said, "My children will love that, it won’t be weird at all."

TODAY also reports the actor revealed Emily may pile on the housework given all this newfound attention. "I think it's going to make me do more household chores. After this comes out, she'll be like, ‘All right, that means you’re going to really earn it here at home.'" We don't see a problem with that!

Here's everything Sexiest Man Alive, John Krasinski is working on right now:

He recently wrote, directed, and starred in this year's IF — a film Ryan Reynolds also appears in — which follows a young girl's introduction to a vast world of imaginary friends. It almost feels like the heartwarming TV show Foster's Home of Imaginary Friends, albeit the young girl is dealing with possibly losing her only living parent.

Next up, fans will get to see John star in Fountain of Youth alongside Natalie Portman, according to Deadline. They'll star as a brother and sister who are determined to claim the actual Fountain of Youth for themselves.

Deadline also reports that he'll take the lead role in the upcoming Jack Ryan film. A premiere date hasn't been announced yet, but we do know Amazon MGM Studios is behind it!

Watch John Krasinski's full reaction to being PEOPLE'S Sexiest Man Alive