Capellini vs. Angel Hair Pasta: What’s the Difference?

Capellini pasta is a thin pasta noodle. It shares the same standard shape as regular spaghetti: cylindrical noodles cut into 12-inch long strands. While spaghetti’s long strands get their name from the Italian phrase for “little twine,” capellini means “little hairs.”

Angel hair pasta (known in Italy as capelli d’angelo) is the thinnest variety of spaghetti. Angel hair has a reputation for congealing and turning mushy when cooked; for best results, remove the pasta from the boiling water just before it turns al dente—a minute or so less than the package instructs—and transfer directly into the sauce.

Alternatively, run the pasta under cool water to stop the cooking process and coat the cooled strands with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.

The only difference between these two types of pasta is width: capellini’s diameter is anywhere between 0.85 and 0.92 millimeters, while angel hair measures between 0.78 and 0.88 millimeters. The thickest capellini pasta is only 140 micrometers larger than the thinnest angel hair pasta. (A micrometer is one-thousandth of a millimeter.)

Like vermicelli and other thin pastas, delicate capellini and angel hair noodles often get shaped into a nest before drying. They are best suited to light sauces like basil pesto or a simple tomato sauce, but you can also add them to seafood soups or paired plain noodles with braised meat and roasted vegetables. Learn how to make this marinara sauce recipe, a classic pairing for angel hair.

Save thick sauces like primavera or ragù for wide, flat noodles like fettuccine, tagliatelle, lasagna, and linguine; thick strands like bucatini or spaghettoni; or tubular pasta shapes, like penne, macaroni, or rigatoni.

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