Pasta by Shape Servings Calculator
Different pasta shapes need different portions — get the right dry weight, cooked yield, sauce and boiling water by shape and role.
How it works
Dry per person = shape base (85/90/125 g) × role factor · Cooked = dry × 2.2 (1.4 filled) · Water ≈ dry ÷ 100 L · Salt ≈ 8 g per litre
Portion size depends on the shape because shapes differ in density and how much they absorb. Long dried pasta packs tightly, so 85 g per person is a full main; short shapes trap a little more sauce and sit looser in the bowl, so 90 g is right. Filled pasta already contains cheese or meat, so you serve it by the piece and need more raw weight — around 125 g — but it swells less because the filling does not absorb water. Cook in plenty of water, about a litre per 100 g, salted at roughly 8 g per litre so the pasta seasons from the inside as it cooks.
Worked example
Spaghetti as a main for 4: 85 g × 4 = 340 g dry, which cooks to about 750 g. Boil it in roughly 3.4 litres of water with about 27 g of salt, and serve with around 600 ml of sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Why do filled pastas need a bigger raw weight?
Because part of that weight is filling rather than dough, and filled pasta does not swell the way dried pasta does. You judge the portion by the number of pieces, which needs more grams to reach a full serving.
How salty should the pasta water be?
About 8 g of salt per litre — noticeably salty, like a light seawater. Most of it stays in the water; only a little seasons the pasta, which is why under-salting tastes flat.
Does cooked weight matter?
It helps if you are portioning a made-ahead pasta or counting calories, since dried pasta roughly doubles in weight as it absorbs water.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.