The Most Popular Pasta Shape In The US Is A Long-Held Classic

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If you never get tired of spaghetti night, this one's for you. According to pasta giant Barilla's National Spaghetti Day Survey (via USA Today), 60% of consumers living in the South, West, and Midwest regions name spaghetti as their all-time favorite type of pasta. The survey was conducted in late 2024 in honor of National Spaghetti Day 2025, which falls on January 4. On the product page for its semolina spaghetti, the official Barilla website waxes, "It takes only 9 minutes to say your feelings to your beloved ones. [Barilla spaghetti has a nine-minute cook time.] A simple sign of love told with the most famous pasta shape in the world. Spaghetti is the most popular shape in Italy ... As everybody's favorite, spaghetti pairs well with just about any kind of sauce."

This multinational pasta sentiment is echoed in one Reddit thread, which asks, "How often do you eat pasta in the USA?" As the original poster notes, "I'm from Italy and here, as you would imagine, pasta is one of the most consumed dishes, we have it at least once every day/two days." The responses from U.S. foodies vary from "every 3-4 days or so" to "once a week." Further solidifying that spaghetti-specific pasta supremacy, in a Tasting Table exclusive survey, when we asked our readers which pasta shape is their favorite, spaghetti swept the competition with more than 25% of the votes. Pastaficio di Martino is our all-time favorite store-bought spaghetti brand, for the record.

Spaghetti doesn't only have to mean red sauce and meatballs, either. The pasta can star in other dimensional dishes like spaghetti alla carbonara and spaghetti alla gricia, dotted with savory morsels of cured guanciale. For a more stripped-down presentation, we're also loving pasta limone, which happens to pair beautifully with buttery garlic knots, a fresh Caesar salad, and a glass of chilled, vegetal Sauvignon Blanc. Ever wondered how much a single serving of pasta is, really? We've found the answer.

Of the 1,800 foodies surveyed by Barilla, 56% of Gen Z respondents said they salt their pasta water, while 51% of Millennials, 40% of Gen X, and 33% of Boomers followed suit. Barilla's iconic Chef Lorenzo weighs in on the pro-salt side, recommending, "Add salt to your pasta water right before you add your pasta," and "1 tablespoon plus teaspoon [of salt] per gallon of water." Chef Lorenzo also advises against breaking spaghetti. As he shares via the company website, "The key to cooking spaghetti without breaking is to choose a large pasta pot, giving the pasta room to move. Use a pasta pot that can hold 8-12 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta." Spaghetti is typically 10-12 inches long – "food for thought" next time you put some water on to boil, which statistically speaking, will likely be soon. According to Share the Pasta, the average American foodie puts away about 20 pounds of pasta every single year.