Which small pasta type looks like rice?

Hi Matt,

What is the name of the pasta that looks like small, flat, oval grains of rice?

Stan.

Response:

Well Stan, I'm afraid it's not as simple as just one name!

If you check out my A-Z Types of Pasta page, you'll find a small number of different pasta types that could quality.

So if you're looking to buy this pasta, check out any of the following - they're all a reasonable 'fit':

Orzo

This small pasta resembles grain (as orzo means barley in Italian), meaning it looks pretty much identical to rice.

Puntalette

This is another tiny rice shaped pasta (see pic above).

Punte d'ago

Meaning ‘needle tops’, these are tiny 'pastina’ that also resemble grains of rice.

Risoni

Often used interchangeably with orzo, risoni actually means 'big rice' (see the oni explanation on this names of pasta page). However it's pasta, thus rice-like pasta!

Hope that helps. And you were hoping for a simple answer! ;-)

Matt.