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What Is Tagliatelle?

Tagliatelle (pronounced tah-lya-TELL-eh) is a long, flat ribbon-like pasta originating in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Made with egg for a slightly golden color and richer flavor, Tagliatelle can be sold as fresh pasta or as pretty bags of dried pasta nests. The long, flat strands are similar to Fettuccine and Pappardelle, but thinner than both. Tagliatelle pasta is often paired up with heartier, chunkier sauces like meat sauces and ragùs. Tagliatelle and Bolognese Sauce is one such popular pairing.

How Is Tagliatelle Made And What Is It Made Of?

The name “Tagliatelle” refers to the pasta shape, but these long, flat ribbons can be made as a traditional semolina pasta (just durum wheat and water) or as a classic egg pasta. It can also be purchased as dry pasta or fresh pasta. Homemade Tagliatelle pasta is made by rolling out the pasta dough into a sheet on a floured surface with a rolling pin or a pasta machine. Once the pasta dough is very flat and thin, the noodles are created by cutting this pasta dough sheet with a knife or pasta cutter into long, thin strips.

Alternatively, the dough can be pressed through dies, or extruded, to form the ribbon-like pasta shape. Tagliatelle is 6 to 7 millimeters wide—growing to about 8 millimeters wide when cooked—and 1 millimeter thick. The pasta can be cooked fresh or formed into loose nests and dried. Most store-bought Tagliatelle is sold as pasta nests, making for easy portioning and cooking while also protecting the long, thin strands from breaking.

How To Cook Tagliatelle

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. To cook fresh Tagliatelle, carefully lower the noodles into the water and give them a gentle stir. They should only take a few minutes to cook. To cook dried Tagliatelle, add a couple of nests at a time in rapid succession, until you have reached the desired serving size. As the noodles soften and uncoil, give them a stir to help them to separate in the boiling water. Cook according to the package directions, likely 7 to 10 minutes for that desirable al dente texture.

Don’t forget to save some hot, starchy pasta water before you drain the Tagliatelle noodles. This water can help bring your final dish together. Add the hot pasta directly to the saucepan with your simmering pasta sauce. If you aren’t able to use the pasta right away, rinse them until they are cool to prevent sticking. Remember that rinsing hot pasta will ultimately prevent the noodles from properly absorbing sauces. Never use oil in this stage.

The Best Tagliatelle Pasta - The Delallo Difference

DeLallo offers a few different types of Tagliatelle pasta, all made in Italy using high-quality durum wheat semolina and farm-fresh eggs. The long, thin, wide strands are extruded with bronze dies for a rougher surface texture, ideal for clinging to sauces, and are sold in nests for easy cooking and serving. Tagliatelle Pasta Nests are a popular choice and can be paired with a wide range of sauces. Artisan Egg Tagliatelle is exclusively sold online and is made by artisan pasta makers in Naples for superior quality and texture.

For something a little different, try our Spinach Tagliatelle Pasta Nests. Infused with spinach for an earthy taste and green color, this pasta is especially delicious served with creamy sauces and seafood.

Tagliatelle Recipes And Usage Ideas

Tagliatelle is a pasta best eaten freshly cooked and warm. It is typically combined with a sauce—anything from simple olive oil or butter sauces to creamy sauces and rich meat sauces to hearty mushroom sauces—twirled onto a plate, and served. It is not commonly used in pasta bakes since the strands are long and easy to overcook, nor is it a soup pasta. For this stellar egg pasta, a simple preparation is best.

Find lots of ideas and Tagliatelle recipes here.

The Best Sauces For Tagliatelle Pasta

Tagliatelle is a versatile pasta that pairs well with a range of sauces. In its home of Bologna, it is often paired with a hearty homemade pasta sauce known as Bolognese sauce. The wide, flat noodles effortlessly capture the chunky meat and tomato sauce. Other meat sauces are also popular. Tagliatelle pasta can be found starring in other ragù recipes of beef, pork, lamb, or even rabbit.

The popular pasta is also a good choice for creamy sauces like Alfredo, pesto, fresh tomato sauces, simple sauces using butter, oil, and/or cheese, as well as vegetables like mushrooms. For something different, try pairing Tagliatelle with figs, prosciutto and goat cheese or creamy butternut squash.

Tagliatelle Substitutes

As their names suggest, Tagliolini and Tagliarini are close relatives to Tagliatelle, just thinner in width. They make a great substitute, but they tend to be less commonly carried in stores. For an easy-to-find swap, try Pappardelle Nests (which have slightly wider noodles) or Egg Fettuccine. Traditional semolina Fettuccine is also a good substitution; although, it is not typically made with egg and lacks the richness of egg pasta Tagliatelle.

Delallo Tagliatelle: FAQ

How Do I Pronounce “Tagliatelle”?

Tagliatelle is pronounced “tah-lya-TELL-eh.”

What Does “Tagliatelle” Mean?

The name Tagliatelle comes from the Italian word tagliare, which means “to cut.” The pasta is named for how it was made at home—rolled out in a pasta dough sheet and then sliced into long, thin strips.

What Is The Shape Of Tagliatelle?

Tagliatelle is a long, flat ribbon pasta. It is made up of long strands that are 6 to 7 millimeters wide (uncooked) and 1 millimeter thick. It is categorized as a ribbon pasta because its long, flat shape is reminiscent of ribbons.

What Is Tagliatelle Best For?

Treat Tagliatelle much as you would other long pasta noodles. The wide ribbons are good for catching chunky, hearty and even creamy sauces. We love Tagliatelle pasta paired up with the famous meat sauce, Bolognese sauce.

Does Tagliatelle Taste Different?

Tagliatelle has a familiar pasta flavor, happily taking on the flavors of the sauce it is paired with. The exact flavor will depend on the quality of the pasta—the higher quality the ingredients (semolina flour and eggs), the better tasting the tagliatelle. Not all pasta contains eggs, so Tagliatelle does have a slightly richer flavor and more golden hue.

What Are Tagliatelle Nests?

Tagliatelle is often packaged as nests. Tagliatelle is often dried in portioned piles of noodles that resemble small birds’ nests. This helps protect the pasta for transport since the long, thin strands have a tendency to snap when packaged flat. It also allows for easy portioning and serving (less sticking).

How Many Tagliatelle Balls (Nests) Per Person?

For a main dish, plan to serve at least two nests of tagliatelle per person. One nest per person is recommended for a side dish.

Tagliatelle Vs Fettuccine - What Is The Difference?

Tagliatelle and Fettuccine are similar pastas and make a good swap in recipes. Tagliatelle is slightly thinner than fettuccine and is made with eggs, while not all Fettuccine pasta dough contains eggs. This makes Tagliatelle a bit richer, and the thinner noodles are great for wrapping around heartier sauces like Bolognese sauce.

Tagliatelle Vs Pappardelle - What Is The Difference?

Pappardelle is also a good swap for tagliatelle in recipes since the ribbon pastas are so similar. Pappardelle is a bit wider than tagliatelle, giving it a more bite and a rustic appearance. Both pastas contain egg and are both good for serving with ragus and creamy sauces.

Tagliatelle Vs Linguine - What Is The Difference?

Linguine is 2 to 3 millimeters thinner in width than tagliatelle and has a slightly elliptical rather than flat shape. It’s also not always made with egg in the dough. All of these differences give linguine a decidedly different texture than tagliatelle, and it doesn’t cling to thick sauces as well. It’s better suited for seafood and pesto.

Tagliatelle Vs Spaghetti - What Is The Difference?

Spaghetti is the most popular type of pasta the world over, and it’s easy to recognize with its long, thin, circular strands. Tagliatelle is made up of flat, wide ribbons, giving the pastas very different looks and textures. Made without egg, spaghetti is also good with tomato sauces and bolognese, providing a decidedly different experience from tagliatelle.

Where To Buy Delallo Tagliatelle?

Order DeLallo Tagliatelle online or find it at most major supermarkets across the country.