Capellini vs Tajarin
Capellini is very fine round strand, under 1 mm. Tajarin is hair-thin golden egg ribbon.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmCapellini: 250 to 260 mm by 0.8 to 1 mm
Tajarin: 250 to 300 mm by 1.5 to 3 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Long strands | Ribbons |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Campania | Piedmont |
| Section | Very fine round strand, under 1 mm | Hair-thin golden egg ribbon |
| Length | 250 to 260 mm | 250 to 300 mm |
| Width or diameter | 0.8 to 1 mm | 1.5 to 3 mm |
| Wall or thickness | not measured | 0.5 to 0.8 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Egg pasta |
| Cook time | 2 to 4 min | 1 to 3 min |
| Brands with a page | De Cecco, Rummo, Garofalo, Mancini, Barilla, La Molisana | not measured |
| Catalogue numbers | De Cecco no. 9, De Cecco no. 209, Rummo no. 1, Rummo no. 106, Garofalo no. 2, Garofalo no. 22, La Molisana no. 17, La Molisana no. 60, La Molisana no. 100 | not measured |
| Cook time across brands | 2 to 6 min | not measured |
| Brand dimensions | Rummo: 260 mm long, 1.25 mm across; Mancini: 260 mm long, 1.2 mm across | not measured |
| Energy, dry, per 100 g | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) | 288 kcal (fresh pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 11.3 g |
| Products catalogued | 32 | not measured |
| Pairs with | Lemon and butter, Aglio e olio, In brodo, Pomodoro | Butter and sage, Porcini, In brodo |
Capellini
There is almost no mass to carry sauce, so the sauce must be nearly weightless: butter, lemon, a splash of oil, a raw tomato, a little broth. Anything with body clumps the strands into a mat.
Tajarin
The pasta is the point, so the sauce is a film: melted butter, truffle, the juices from a roast. Nothing heavier.
Can you swap them?
Capellini for tajarin: yes, a dried thin strand.
Both take In brodo.
Only capellini: Lemon and butter, Aglio e olio, Pomodoro.
Only tajarin: Butter and sage, Porcini.
Sources
- Dimensions, surface, dough, and cook time: each shape page names the brand page, spec sheet, or measured box behind every figure.
- Brands, catalogue numbers, brand cook times, and brand dimensions: the brand product pages linked on each shape page, read on 2026-08-25.
- Energy and protein: USDA FoodData Central, per 100 g of the dough, public domain.
- Products catalogued: Open Food Facts, Open Database License, read on 2026-08-25. A crowd database: a count is a floor.