# Which pasta is thinner, vermicelli or capellini?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 22, 2001, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971 "2001-03-22T06:40:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/1 "2001-03-22T06:40:08Z")

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And what brand is the thinnest of all?

I had some “angel hair” at a restaurant the other night that was marvelously thin, thinner than any I’ve ever had. Is there something even thinner than capellini? Is there a brand which makes the very thinnest? I love super-thin pasta…

Thanks!

stoid

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**Author:** ![Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Tequila\_Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tequila_Mockingbird)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/2 "2001-03-22T08:01:31Z")

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As far as I know cappellini is the thinnest, angel hair and all. It’s by far my favorite and what holds me back from making my own pasta (I don’t want to try to stretch/roll/pull it out that thin by hand!) I don’t even buy spaghetti noodles or the stuff they label “thin spaghetti”. Capellini all the way!

_Try a touch of olive oil on just after you drain in for a super silky texture too_

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**Author:** ![Alonist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Alonist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonist)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/3 "2001-03-22T12:37:05Z")

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Real men don’t eat angel hair…from a bowl. When it comes to pasta, thicker is better.

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**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/4 "2001-03-22T14:16:09Z")

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Capellini (AKA angle hair) is the thinnest. Part of the problem is that classifications and terminologies differ.

Here are some pasta types, diameters, and alternate names from the [World Directory of Pasta Shapes and Names](http://www.professionalpasta.it/dir_1/go_1(1).htm) (an Italian site):

```auto

Capelli d'Angelo 1.0 - 1.2 mm angel hair, cappelini
Spaghettini 1.4 - 1.6 mm vermicellini
Spaghetti 1.8 - 2.4 mm vermicelli
Spaghettoni 2.6 - 3.5 mm vermicelloni

```

Here are [U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines](http://www.ams.usda.gov:80/fqa/aa20062c.pdf) (converted from inches and rounded):

```auto

Capellini 0.8 - 1.1 mm
Vermicelli 1.0 - 1.5 mm
Spaghetti 1.4 - 2.1 mm

```

As for individual brands, I have no idea. The [Barilla](http://www.barilla.com/) web site doesn’t give this detail. I think you would just have to buy a bunch and compare. The restaurant may have made their own pasta. Why not ask?

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**Author:** ![ConstantSkeptic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/constantskeptic/32/15528_2.png) [@ConstantSkeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConstantSkeptic)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2023, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/5 "2023-10-29T04:38:32Z")

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In my experience, San Giorgio is the thinnest angel hair I’ve used.

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/6 "2023-10-29T04:45:42Z")

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Zombie’s favorite!

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-pasta-is-thinner-vermicelli-or-capellini/58971/7 "2023-10-30T16:19:20Z")

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Don’t use the Dollar General brand angel hair. It clumps within minutes.