Capellini vs Vermicelli
Capellini is very fine round strand, under 1 mm. Vermicelli is round solid strand, thickness varies by country.
Side by side, to scale
10 mmCapellini: 250 to 260 mm by 0.8 to 1 mm
Vermicelli: 250 to 260 mm by 1.5 to 2.1 mm
Footprints from the length and width in each record, one scale for both. See every shape on the chart.
| Family | Long strands | Long strands |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Campania | Campania |
| Section | Very fine round strand, under 1 mm | Round solid strand, thickness varies by country |
| Length | 250 to 260 mm | 250 to 260 mm |
| Width or diameter | 0.8 to 1 mm | 1.5 to 2.1 mm |
| Surface | Smooth | Smooth |
| Hollow | No | No |
| Dough | Semolina and water | Semolina and water |
| Cook time | 2 to 4 min | 7 to 11 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) | 371 kcal (dry semolina pasta) |
| Protein, dry, per 100 g | 13.0 g | 13.0 g |
| Products catalogued | 32 | 59 |
| Pairs with | Lemon and butter, Aglio e olio, In brodo, Pomodoro | Vongole, Aglio e olio, Marinara, Pomodoro, Puttanesca |
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.
Vermicelli
Treat Italian vermicelli as a slightly heavy spaghetti: clams, garlic and oil, tomato. Treat the thin export version as spaghettini and keep the sauce light.
Can you swap them?
Vermicelli for capellini: yes, a fine strand in the Neapolitan naming.
Both take Aglio e olio, Pomodoro.
Only capellini: Lemon and butter, In brodo.
Only vermicelli: Vongole, Marinara, Puttanesca.
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.