How to Measure Dry Pasta

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell

Last Updated: January 26, 2024 Fact Checked

When cooking pasta, you must measure the dry pasta to ensure you don't cook too little or too much for your sauce. Pasta generally doubles in size and weight when cooked.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Abyssinia Campbell
Executive Chef

Expert Interview. 31 August 2021.} It is also measured differently depending upon whether it is macaroni pasta or egg noodles. Some recipes merely specify the number of servings of pasta you should cook which means you have to figure out the measurements yourself. Measuring pasta servings depends upon serving size and pasta shape. This article will teach you how to measure dry pasta.

1

Measuring Spaghetti and Other Long Pastas

Download Article

Measure spaghetti, fettuccini, spaghettini, capellini, fedelini, or vermicelli using your hand. Place a bunch of spaghetti between your thumb and forefinger. 1 serving of pasta, or 2 oz. (57 g), will be equivalent to a bunch of pasta between your fingers with a diameter of 7/8 inch (24.26 mm).^{[2]
X
Research source} This is the diameter of a United States quarter.
- Two servings = 1.75 inches (4.44 cm); four servings = 3.5 inches (12.7 cm); six servings = 5.25 inches; eight servings = 7 inches.
- Spaghetti, linguine, and other long pastas can be measured using a pasta measure. A pasta measure is a tool that is available at kitchen supply stores, in pasta-making kits, and online.^{[3]
  X
  Research source} You place the long pasta in various loops to measure a serving of the pasta.
- Some pasta spoons have a hole in the middle; this will measure one serving of long pasta.

2

Measuring Elbow Macaroni

Download Article

Measure elbow macaroni using measuring cups or a food scale. If using a food scale, place the pasta in the cup attached to the scale and measure 57 g. If using measuring cups, a single 2 oz. (57 g) serving is 1/2 cup of dried pasta.
- Two servings = 1 cup; four servings = 2 cups; six servings = 3 cups; eight servings = 4 cups.

3

Measuring Penne Pasta

Download Article

Measure penne pasta using measuring cups or a food scale. If you are using measuring cups, a single 2 oz. (57 g) serving is 3/4 cup of dried pasta.
- Two servings = 1 1/2 cups; four servings = 3 cups; six servings = 4 1/2 cups; eight servings = 6 cups.

4

Measuring Ribbed Lasagna

Download Article

Measure ribbed lasagna using a food scale or individual pieces. A 2 oz. (57 g) serving of lasagna is approximately 2 pieces of dry lasagna sheets.
- It is typically best to use about four layers of noodles when making a lasagna. The typical baking dish used to make lasagna is either 8x8 inches or 10x8 inches^{[4]
  X
  Research source}. With four layers of lasagna noodles, an 8x8 pan of lasagna will typically feed four people, while a 10x8 pan will usually serve six.

5

Measuring Egg Noodles

Download Article

Measure egg noodles using measuring cups or a food scale. When measuring egg noodles using measuring cups, 2 oz. (56 g) of egg noodles is approximately 1 1/4 cup of egg noodles and also 1 1/4 cup of cooked noodles.
- Unlike macaroni pastas, egg noodles measured in measuring cups are typically the same both dry and cooked.
- Typically, for extra wide egg noodles, a 2 oz. serving equals 1 1/4 cups of dry egg noodles, which will yield approximately 1 1/2 cups of cooked noodles.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

If I have a 16 oz pkg of orecchiette, but only need 10 oz, how do I measure the 10 oz?

Community Answer

The best choice would be to use a kitchen scale. Otherwise, you can divide it into four groups as equally as possible and use two and a half of the groups.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 14 Helpful 32
Question

How do you measure with a spaghetti tool?

Community Answer

A pasta measure (or spaghetti tool) has various holes which indicate various serving sizes. Usually, there is one labeled as a single serving. To measure, simply fill the hole with a bunch of the pasta until full. These tools are quite straight-forward to use.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 15 Helpful 33
Question

How much dry elbows do I need for 2 cups of cooked?

Community Answer

As dry pasta generally doubles in size when cooked, 1 cup of dry elbows should be perfect.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 10 Helpful 35

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

A single serving of pasta is generally regarded as 2 oz. (57 g) of cooked pasta for a first course or side dish. A serving can be raised 3 to 4 oz. (85 to 113 g) if it is the only course. Occasionally a serving is approximated as 1/2 cup (114 g) of pasta; however, this depends upon the shape of the pasta.^{[5]
X
Trustworthy Source

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Research and education center within the National Institutes of Health

Go to source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Know what constitutes an egg noodle. Most pasta contains egg, but to be considered an egg noodle, it must contain at least 5.5 percent egg solids.^{[6]
X
Research source}

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Read the recipe to decide how many servings of pasta are required. You can either read directly from the recipe or pasta sauce bottle, or if you are making pasta sauce from scratch, figure out how many people you will feed with your sauce.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0