So Many Types of Pasta... and Plenty of Time to Try Them All!

 A simple trip through the pasta aisle at any grocery store will show you that there are lots and lots of different types of pasta in a variety of shapes and sizes. This is also evident if you browse the long list of pasta dishes on the menu at our Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks! 

Have you ever wondered if there was a reason for so many different types of pasta? Well, there actually is and today Li'l Rizzo's has that answer for you, along with a closer look at our many pasta dishes. There are quite a few but we're open 7 days a week, year-round, so you've got plenty of time to try them all! 

Why So Many Different Pasta Shapes?

One might assume some creative chefs started coming up with all kinds of different sizes and shapes of pasta simply so that their dishes looked unique. Actually, there is a culinary reason that has to do with a meal's taste rather than the fact that it just looks pretty.

The shape of a piece of pasta affects the way that it "holds" the sauce, so different types of sauce call for differently shaped noodles. Some cooks like serving thin pastas, such as angel hair, with thinner sauces and reserving the thicker noodles for thick, heavier sauces. 

Some chefs believe flat pasta works best with cream sauces and tomato sauces cling best to round pasta noodles. If you're wanting to stuff a noodle with a taste-tempting filling, that's where types like ravioli and manicotti come in handy. 

Of course, every cook has their own opinion on this subject, and those opinions may vary. Here at Li'l Rizzo's Italian Restaurant, our kitchen crew has it all figured out so you get the perfect taste sensation with every bite!  

Lots of Pasta at Li'l Rizzo's

We've got a loooooong list of irresistible dishes of the best pasta at the Lake of the Ozarks on our menu every day of the week. (Many of them are featured below.) We love creating daily specials that aren't normally found on the menu too, so every time you visit us at Li'l Rizzo's, there's a good chance you'll find even more choices!  

~ Classic Pasta ~

Spaghetti
Spaghetti noodles and our homemade, chunky meat sauce.

Spaghetti and Meatball
Spaghetti noodles and meat sauce topped with a homemade 6-ounce meatball sprinkled with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Lasagna
Our lasagna is homemade with 6 layers of pasta with meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and Italian sausage. It's topped with a blend of mozzarella and Provel cheese, then baked.

Fettuccine Alfredo
Wide, flat noodles in our homemade Alfredo sauce.

Baked Mostaccioli
Tubular noodles and meat sauce topped with our homemade Béchamel sauce and a blend of Italian cheese baked to perfection.

Manicotti
Large pasta tubes stuffed with ricotta cheese, then topped in a creamy red sauce of our traditional Italian Béchamel and Marinara and baked.

Cavatelli Con Broccoli
Shell-shaped noodles with broccoli and mushrooms in our creamy homemade Alfredo sauce.

Linguini Marinara
Linguini noodles and mushrooms in our homemade marinara sauce.

~ Seafood Pasta ~

Fettuccine with Shrimp
Fettuccine Alfredo with sautéed shrimp.

Linguini Con Pesce
Shrimp, real crabmeat, clams, and mushrooms served in Alfredo or a delicate wine sauce.

Cajun Shrimp
Succulent shrimp, yellow onion, green and red bell peppers all sautéed in EVOO and freshly chopped garlic, then served with linguine noodles in a Cajun Alfredo sauce.

Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp, green onions, tomatoes, and fresh chopped garlic sautéed in a delicate wine stock, then tossed with angel hair pasta.

~ Beef & Pork Pasta ~

Cannelloni Con Bianco
2 large pasta tubes stuffed with beef and pork, served in a creamy Béchamel mushroom sauce.

Cannelloni Con Salsa
2 large pasta tubes stuffed with beef and pork, served in a creamy Béchamel meat sauce.

Tortellini Alfredo
Ring-shaped pasta with beef and pork in our homemade sauce with peas, bacon, and mushrooms

Sausage-n-Peppers
Sautéed red and green bell peppers, onion, and sliced Italian sausage in marinara sauce over linguini noodles

~ Chicken Pasta ~

Roasted Garlic Chicken Capellini
Roasted garlic chicken, green onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and freshly chopped garlic sauteed in a delicate wine stock and served with angel hair pasta

Fettuccine Con Pollo
Fettuccine Alfredo with roasted garlic chicken

Creamy Chicken Mostaccioli
A buttery Alfredo sauce with bacon, mushrooms, and roasted garlic chicken

Which type of pasta do you plan to order the next time you dine at our family restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks? We open the dining room daily at 11:00 am, year-round, giving you plenty of chances to come in and try something new each visit! You can also easily order Li'l Rizzo's to-go online through our website. Today's a great day for a great big plate full of pasta, so go ahead & let yourself enjoy one! 


(*Disclaimer: Li'l Rizzo's food and beverage items are subject to change at any time and may not be available at both locations.) 


Location: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, USA

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