Shop Ziyad Vermicelli · $2.29 →
Savory
Rice with toasted vermicelli, noodle stir-fry, chicken soup.
Sweet
Eid vermicelli with cardamom, Moroccan seffa, milk pudding.
Vermicelli is the thin wheat pasta that turns up on breakfast tables, at Eid and in quick weeknight noodles across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. This guide explains what it is, how it differs from spaghetti and rice noodles, and gives you sweet and savory ways to cook it. From our African and Black-owned store in Chicago.
Table of Contents
What is vermicelli?
The name is Italian for "little worms". It is a long, thin pasta made from wheat flour and water.1,2 Most packs in African and Middle Eastern shops come cut short or coiled into nests, because it is often toasted in a pot rather than boiled like spaghetti.
The word "vermicelli" is also used for Asian rice noodles. Those are a different food made from rice flour. The packs in this guide are all wheat vermicelli.1
Vermicelli vs spaghetti vs rice noodles
Sweet and savory vermicelli recipes
Rice with toasted vermicelli
Fry a handful of broken vermicelli in butter until golden. Add 1 cup rinsed rice, stir, then 1¾ cups hot water and salt. Cover and cook on low 18 minutes. The toasted strands give the rice a nutty taste.
Vermicelli stir-fry
Boil vermicelli 3 minutes and drain. Fry onion, peppers, carrot and your protein (chicken, shrimp or luncheon meat), add the noodles and a seasoning cube, and toss until hot.
Chicken vermicelli soup
Add a handful of short vermicelli to chicken pepper soup or broth in the last 5 minutes.
Eid vermicelli with cardamom
Toast vermicelli in butter or ghee until golden. Add water to cover, sugar and crushed cardamom (or a clove or two), and simmer until soft and the water is gone. Top with raisins or nuts.
Seffa (Moroccan style)
Steam or boil vermicelli until soft, toss with butter, then pile it into a mound and cover with powdered sugar, cinnamon and toasted almonds.
Vermicelli milk pudding
Toast vermicelli in butter, add milk, sugar and cardamom, and simmer until creamy. Serve warm or cold.
Shop vermicelli
How to cook vermicelli right
- Break it before cooking if you want short pieces.
- Toast in fat for rice and sweet dishes; boil for noodles.
- 3 to 5 minutes is enough. It goes soft fast.
- Drain and toss with oil or butter so it doesn't stick.
Vermicelli FAQ
Is vermicelli the same as spaghetti?
No. In the US and UK, vermicelli is thinner than spaghetti. US food rules set vermicelli at no more than 0.06 inch across, and spaghetti between 0.06 and 0.11 inch. In Italy the names work the other way round.
Is vermicelli gluten-free?
Wheat vermicelli, like the packs we sell, is not gluten-free. Rice vermicelli, used in Asian cooking, is made from rice flour and is naturally gluten-free, but check the label.
Do I need to boil vermicelli?
Thin wheat vermicelli cooks in 3 to 5 minutes in boiling water. For rice-and-vermicelli or sweet dishes, it is toasted in butter or oil first and then simmered.
What is vermicelli used for in Africa?
In North and East Africa it is a festive dish: sweet vermicelli with sugar, cinnamon or cardamom is served on Eid mornings, and Moroccan seffa is a sweet vermicelli piled high with cinnamon and sugar. In West Africa it is cooked like noodles, in stir-fries and soups.
How do I stop vermicelli from sticking?
Don't overcook it, drain it as soon as it is soft, and toss it with a little oil or butter right away.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Vermicelli.
- Merriam-Webster. Vermicelli, definition.
- eCFR. 21 CFR 139.110, Macaroni products.