Linguine vs Spaghetti
If you are a pasta lover, then knowing the difference between Spaghetti and Linguine will interest you. Pasta, although representing a historic, staple dish of Italian cuisine, is popular globally. Of course, pasta comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and it takes a while to get acquainted with or identify with accuracy a dish of Fettuccine, Linguine, Spaghetti, Macaroni or Penne. Among the many varieties of pasta, over a 100 varieties to be exact, Spaghetti serves as the most popular and often familiar pasta dish to many. It is easily identifiable; well, that is until a dish of Linguine is brought in and you find yourself questioning your ability to identify the type of pasta effortlessly. Recognising the difference, however, is not that complicated. You just need to keep a few simple facts in mind.
What is Spaghetti?
Belonging to the group of ‘Strands’ in the pasta family, Spaghetti is a widely famous dish. It is identifiable from its thin, long and round shape. Spaghetti is the plural form of ‘Spaghetto’, which is said to be a diminutive of ‘spago’. ‘Spago’ is translated to mean twine, string or cord. In appearance, it is exactly that: a bowl of thin strings or twine. It is made of durum wheat semolina, but can also be prepared with other kinds of flour. Its length varies, but on average it is approximately 10 inches.
Pasta dishes with Spaghetti are prepared in an assortment of ways. It is commonly served with cheese and pepper, garlic and Olive oil although it is traditionally served with tomato sauce and meat, a favourite among many. Famous Spaghetti dishes include Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce or Spaghetti Carbonara. Spaghetti, as a type of pasta, has its own sub-varieties such as spaghettini and spaghettoni.
What is Linguine?
Colloquially dubbed ‘flat spaghetti’, Linguine is yet another variety of pasta. The phrase ‘flat spaghetti’ might tend to mislead people and should, therefore, not be understood to mean a type of Spaghetti. In fact , the term ‘flat’ illustrates the primary difference between Spaghetti and Linguine. Translated to mean ‘little tongues’ in Italian, Linguine is also a part of the ‘Strands’ group in the pasta family. It is a narrow, thin, long strand but flat, unlike Spaghetti. It is also a tad bit wider than Spaghetti but nar rower than Fettuccine. Originating from the Liguria region in Italy, these flat strips are also known as ‘Linguini’ particularly in the United States.
Famous dishes served with Linguine include Linguine alle vongole, which means Linguine with clams and Trenette al pesto. Linguine is traditionally served with seafood and pesto sauce.
Pasta varieties in the ‘Strands’ group, particularly thin strands like Spaghetti and Linguine, are ideally served with light, thin sauces.
Difference between Spaghetti and Linguine?
• Spaghetti is a thin, long, and round type of pasta while Linguine, on the other hand, is a thin, long, and flat type of pasta.
• Spaghetti is ideally served with Tomato sauce and meat dishes while Linguine accompanies seafood and pesto dishes.
• Linguine can be identified as thin, flat strips while Spaghetti takes on the appearance of long, thin strings or cords.