Fettuccine vs Linguine: Difference and Comparison

Food is different, and each individual has their tastes and favorites.  Different parts of the world have their cuisine.

Pasta is one of the most popular carbohydrates in the culinary world.  It is served independently, either with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs or with a meaty tomato sauce. 

There are so many pasta shapes and names that you can choose from, which have striking designs, various sizes, and different textures. With so many pasta types, it seems impossible to tell them apart. 

But you can distinguish several kinds of pasta by looking at their shape and size. For example, Fettucine and Linguine pasta. 

At first sight, there might seem to be little differentiation between the two. But a true pasta fan will, however, be able to see more than this.

Key Takeaways

1. Fettuccine is a flat, thick, and ribbon-shaped pasta, while Linguine is a long, thin, flattened pasta.
2. Fettuccine is wider than Linguine and has a smoother texture, while Linguine has a flatter shape and a slightly chewy texture.
3. Fettuccine is often served with rich and creamy sauces, while Linguine pairs well with light sauces and seafood.

Fettuccine vs Linguine

Fettuccine is a flat pasta made with egg and flour, giving it a yellowish color and a chewy texture. It is served with creamy sauces and can be used in casseroles and baked dishes. Linguine is a thin, flattened pasta made with flour and water, served with seafood and sauces.

The recipes and accompaniments served with these kinds of pasta are also different. Hence if you are a calorie-conscious person, always go for Linguine pasta.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Fettuccine	Linguine
Definition	Fettuccine is a flat, thick, narrow pasta found mostly in Roman and Tuscan cuisine.	Linguine is an oval-shaped thin pasta strip found mostly in Italian cuisine.
Main ingredients	Egg and Flour	Flour and Water
Width	The dough has to be rolled into 3mm thickness	This will be 6-9mm wide
Sause	Thick and Heavy sauce is used	Thin and Smooth sauce is used
Feasibility	Easy to make at home	Difficulty making at home
Served with	Served with a thicker sauce like Alfredo, Bolognese, and Porcini. Beef ragu or Chicken ragu is also served.	Served with Seafood, or pesto
Health factor	Fettuccine is cooked with lots of cheese, heavy cream, and super heavy sauces.	Linguine is cooked using light oils, light green vegetables, and light sauces.

What is Fettuccine?

Fettuccine is generally considered to be one of the earliest pasta varieties made. It is a long, thick pasta with a flat, rather elliptical shape. 

Fettuccine is made with a mixture of egg and flour, where one egg is used for every 100 gms of flour. The flour and egg are mixed, rolled out, and sliced into noodles.

This pasta is famous in Roman and Tuscan cuisine. Fettuccine, in Italian, means “Little Ribbons.” 

It got this name because of the ribbony texture the thick pasta strands take on when cooked. Fettuccine alfredo, where fettuccine is cooked in butter and parmesan, was one of the most famous types of pasta during the early 20th century.

This sauce was created by Alfredo de Lelio in Rome. Though the restaurant where it was first created still exists, fettuccine Alfredo enjoys more popularity in the U.S. than in Italy.

Fettuccine is wider than Linguine. It is similar to another pasta, Tagliatelle, but is narrow than Tagliatelle. 

It is traditionally made fresh at home. It is easy to make at home, especially if you have a pasta maker.

Because of its thickness, fettuccine is eaten with thick sauces.  This is because the sauce can cover the whole pasta. 

Sauces like Alfredo, Bolognese, and Porcini are often eaten with fettuccine. Fettuccine is also eaten with beef ragu, chicken ragu, large pieces of meat, and healthy chunks of vegetables.

Another variant of fettuccine is spinach fettuccine, made using spinach, flour, and eggs. Even though fettuccine is freshly made, it is not difficult to find dried fettuccine in shops.

What is Linguine?

Linguine first appeared in the 1700s at Genoa, the capital of the Liguria region of Italy. The word linguine means “little tongues” in Italian. 

Linguine is made of flour and water. It can be made from white flour or whole wheat flour.

It is thin, flat with a cross-sectioned oval shape. It is not as flat as fettuccine but is more narrow and is about 6-9mm wide. 

The thinness of this pasta leaves it very fragile. There is also a thinner version of this pasta called linguette.

The delicate nature of linguine makes using light and thin sauces mandatory. No thick sauces, large vegetables, or chunky meats are served with linguine. 

Thin, light, and sauteed greens are the best accompaniments for linguine.

Pesto, light tomato-based sauces, and oil-based dressings go well with this pasta. It can also be served with seafood.

Main Differences Between Fettuccine and Linguine

1. Appearance: The first difference between Fettuccine and Linguine is their appearance.  Fettuccine is generally wider than linguine. 
2. Surface: Fettuccine has a flat surface, whereas linguine has an oval cross-sectioned surface.
3. Ingredients:  Fettuccine is made from flour and eggs, whereas linguine is made from flour and water.
4. Sauce: Fettuccine is served with thick sauces, but as linguine has a narrow structure, it is always served only with thin sauces.
5. Type of food:  Fettuccine is combined with Bolognese, Alfredo, and Porcini, whereas Linguine is combined with seafood and pesto.
6. Made at Home: Fettuccine can be easily made at home, but Linguine cannot be made easily at home.
7. Healthy: Fettuccine is considered heavier because of the added thick sauces and cream, whereas Linguine is for the more health-conscious, as only light oils and thin sauces are used.

References

1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/agr.20161