Vermicelli is the Italian pasta shape whose name means “little worms” and is traditionally associated with Campania.
The word comes from verme, meaning “worm” in Italian, with a diminutive ending. Vermicelli is a long, thin pasta, broadly similar to spaghetti but traditionally somewhat thicker in Italian usage. Exact thickness can vary by producer and national labeling standards.
Vermicelli is often confused with angel hair, or capellini, which is thinner. It is also not identical to Asian rice vermicelli or bean-thread noodles, despite the shared name. In Campania, the pasta belongs to the long-pasta tradition for which Naples and surrounding areas became internationally famous.