When cooking pasta, it’s important to use the right measurements to get the perfect portion sizes. Many pasta recipes call for “1 cup” of dried pasta, but how much does that convert to in ounces? Here’s a breakdown of how many ounces are in a cup of different types of cooked pasta:
Spaghetti
A cup of cooked spaghetti weighs approximately 5-5.5 ounces. Since spaghetti noodles are long and thin, they tend to be lighter than other pasta shapes. So 1 cup of cooked spaghetti is around 160-180 grams.
Penne
Penne pasta is a tubular shape that holds more density than spaghetti. A cup of cooked penne pasta weighs around 6-6.5 ounces or 170-185 grams.
Rigatoni
Rigatoni has a large, ridged tube shape that is denser than penne. A cup of cooked rigatoni weighs approximately 7-8 ounces or 200-225 grams.
Macaroni
Macaroni elbow pasta is mid-sized in thickness. A cup of cooked macaroni weighs around 5.5-6.5 ounces or 155-185 grams.
Fusilli
Fusilli is a spiral or corkscrew shaped pasta. A cup of cooked fusilli weighs approximately 6-7 ounces or 170-200 grams.
Farfalle
Farfalle, also known as bowtie pasta, weighs a bit less than fusilli. A cup of cooked farfalle is around 5-6 ounces or 140-170 grams.
Conchiglie
Conchiglie, or shell shaped pasta, weighs around 6-7 ounces per cup cooked. That’s approximately 170-200 grams.
Rotini
Rotini is a spiral shaped pasta like fusilli but smaller. A cup of cooked rotini weighs 5-6 ounces or 140-170 grams.
Orecchiette
Orecchiette is a small, bowl shaped pasta. A cup cooked weights approximately 5.5-6.5 ounces or 155-185 grams.
Gemelli
Gemelli pasta looks like short twisted spaghetti. A cup of cooked gemelli weighs around 5-6 ounces or 140-170 grams.
Ziti
Ziti is a long, tubular pasta like penne but larger. A cup of cooked ziti weighs approximately 8-9 ounces or 225-255 grams.
Lasagna Noodles
Lasagna noodles are flat sheets of pasta. A cup of cooked and broken up lasagna noodles weighs roughly 5-6 ounces or 140-170 grams.
Manicotti
Manicotti is a large, cylindrical tube shape. Cooked manicotti shells weigh around 7-8 ounces or 200-225 grams per cup.
Summary
In summary, a cup of cooked pasta weighs anywhere from 5-9 ounces depending on the shape:
| Pasta Shape | Ounces per Cup |
|---|---|
| Spaghetti | 5-5.5 oz |
| Penne | 6-6.5 oz |
| Rigatoni | 7-8 oz |
| Macaroni | 5.5-6.5 oz |
| Fusilli | 6-7 oz |
| Farfalle | 5-6 oz |
| Conchiglie | 6-7 oz |
| Rotini | 5-6 oz |
| Orecchiette | 5.5-6.5 oz |
| Gemelli | 5-6 oz |
| Ziti | 8-9 oz |
| Lasagna Noodles | 5-6 oz |
| Manicotti | 7-8 oz |
The pasta shape that weighs the most per cup is ziti, at 8-9 ounces. The lightest is spaghetti at 5-5.5 ounces. The other shapes fall somewhere in between. In general, tubular and ridged shapes weigh more than long thin strands or smaller pasta types.
When measuring pasta, it’s also important to consider if it was weighed before or after cooking. Dried pasta approximately doubles in weight when cooked as it absorbs water. So 1 cup of dried pasta weighs around 2-3 ounces but expands to 5-9 ounces after cooking.
Knowing the weight of different pasta types can be useful for meal planning. You can use a kitchen scale to portion out the right amount of ounces needed for your recipes. Or estimate cup amounts based on the typical weight of the pasta shape. This allows proper serving sizes so you don’t end up with too little or too much pasta on the plate.
Factors Affecting Exact Weights
Keep in mind that the weights above are rough estimates. The exact ounce measurement can vary slightly depending on a few factors:
Pasta Brand
Some pasta brands use different amounts of semolina flour, egg, and water in their pasta dough recipe. This can create small differences in the density and weight per cup.
Cooking Time
The longer pasta cooks, the more water it will absorb and the heavier it gets. Al dente pasta weighs less than pasta cooked longer.
Salt
Salting pasta cooking water helps season the pasta but it also impacts the weight. Pasta cooked in salted water weighs more as the salty water gets absorbed.
Shape Variations
There can be subtle differences in weights between pasta shapes of the same name from different brands. For example, rotini spirals from one brand may be slightly tighter or looser than another, affecting the overall density.
Broken Pieces
Measurements can be less accurate if the pasta breaks apart while cooking. The broken up pieces can weigh less than perfectly cooked whole pasta shapes.
Tips for Measuring Pasta
Here are some tips to keep in mind when measuring out pasta:
- Weigh pasta after cooking for the most accuracy.
- Use the pasta package nutrition facts for specific brands.
- Start with less pasta by volume than a recipe calls for since pasta expands in size after cooking.
- Undercook pasta slightly to about 1 minute less than package directions for a lighter cup weight.
- Sieve out extra water from cooked pasta before measuring for an accurate cup weight.
Conclusion
Knowing how many ounces are in a cooked cup of pasta can help with perfectly portioning recipes. While weights vary slightly between shapes, a cup of cooked pasta is generally 5-9 ounces depending on the variety. Measuring pasta by weight provides more precision than relying on volume measurements alone. Just be sure to account for water absorption and other factors that cause pasta weights to differ from the packaged dry state. With the right tools and a few simple tricks, you can nail the ideal pasta serving every time.
