What Is Vermicelle? The Senegalese Steamed Vermicelli Dish Explained
Vermicelle is a Senegalese dish of fine vermicelli steamed until fluffy and served with braised chicken or meat and a rich onion sauce. Here is what it is and how it is made.
African Stores Editorial Team
The short answer
Vermicelle is a much loved Senegalese dish of fine wheat vermicelli that is steamed until light and fluffy, then served with braised chicken or meat and a rich, savoury onion sauce. It is often called vermicelle au poulet when made with chicken or vermicelle a la viande when made with meat, and it is a festive, Sunday-lunch favourite in many Senegalese homes. The vermicelli is steamed rather than boiled, the same method used for couscous, so the strands stay separate and tender rather than turning soft and sticky. In the UK the vermicelli, chicken or meat and onions to make it are sold by African food shops, which you can find near you on African Stores.
What to remember
- Vermicelle is a Senegalese dish of fine vermicelli steamed until light and fluffy.
- It is served with braised chicken or meat and a rich onion sauce.
- The vermicelli is steamed like couscous rather than boiled, so it stays separate.
- It is known as vermicelle au poulet with chicken or vermicelle a la viande with meat.
- It is a festive dish and a Sunday-lunch favourite.
The smell of onions slowly browning for the sauce, a pot gently steaming on the stove, and a plate of soft, fluffy vermicelli waiting to be topped with tender chicken: for many Senegalese families this is the taste of a proper Sunday. Vermicelle is celebration food, the dish that appears when relatives gather, when there is something to mark, or simply when the week deserves a warm and generous lunch. It carries the feeling of a full table and a house full of people.
There is real care in it too. Steaming the vermicelli rather than boiling it takes patience, and the reward is that lightness that a rushed dish never has. To cook vermicelle in Britain is to keep that unhurried, festive tradition going far from home, and to serve it to family and friends is to share a piece of a Senegalese Sunday. That fluffy vermicelli under a rich onion sauce is comfort and celebration on one plate.
What Vermicelle Actually Is
Vermicelle is a Senegalese dish built around fine wheat vermicelli, the very thin pasta strands that give the dish its name. What sets it apart is the cooking method: rather than being boiled in water like ordinary pasta, the vermicelli is steamed, the same technique used to prepare couscous. Steaming keeps the fine strands separate, light and fluffy instead of soft and clumped, and it is this delicate texture that defines a good plate of vermicelle. The steamed vermicelli is then served topped with braised chicken or meat and a rich, savoury onion sauce.
The dish is commonly known as vermicelle au poulet when it is made with chicken and vermicelle a la viande when it is made with meat, but the heart of it is the same either way: fluffy steamed vermicelli, well braised protein and a generous, onion-rich sauce poured over the top. It sits comfortably within Senegalese food, a cuisine that shares much with The Gambia and the wider West African coast and that treats onions and slow-built sauces with real respect. Vermicelle is hearty and satisfying without being heavy, and it is the kind of dish people genuinely look forward to.
How Vermicelle Is Made and Served
Making vermicelle begins with the vermicelli itself. The fine strands are lightly moistened, sometimes tossed with a little oil, and then steamed over simmering water, often in a couscoussier or steamer, until they are tender all the way through. Steaming in this way, rather than boiling, is what gives the finished vermicelli its signature fluffy, separate texture. Meanwhile the chicken or meat is braised until tender, and a rich sauce is built from plenty of onions cooked down slowly, seasoned to taste, until it is thick and deeply savoury.
To serve, the steamed vermicelli is heaped onto a plate or platter, the braised chicken or meat is arranged over it, and the onion sauce is spooned generously across the top so it soaks into the strands. It is a dish made for sharing, often brought to the table as a centrepiece for family and guests. Like the country's famous chicken yassa, another Senegalese chicken dish where onions are the star of the sauce, vermicelle shows how much flavour patient onion cooking can bring to a plate.
Why Vermicelle Matters in Senegal
Vermicelle holds a warm place in Senegalese home cooking as a festive and Sunday-lunch dish. It is not everyday fare so much as the meal that marks a good occasion, the plate that appears when the family gathers, and it carries a sense of generosity and celebration. The care the dish demands, steaming the vermicelli properly and building the sauce slowly, is part of why it feels special, a little more effort for a plate that says the day matters.
It also reflects the way Senegalese cooks make foreign ingredients their own. Fine wheat vermicelli is not native to the region, yet by steaming it like couscous and pairing it with braised meat and an onion sauce, cooks turned it into something wholly Senegalese. That blend of the borrowed and the local, handled with skill, is very much in the spirit of the country's kitchen.
Where to Buy Vermicelle Ingredients in the UK
Vermicelle is a homemade dish, and its ingredients are easy to gather in Britain from African food shops. You will want fine wheat vermicelli, chicken or meat, and plenty of onions, along with the oil and seasonings for the sauce; shops serving West African customers stock the fine vermicelli and the store-cupboard basics that Senegalese cooking relies on. Because the vermicelli is made from wheat, this dish contains gluten, which is worth knowing if you or your guests avoid it. None of the ingredients are hard to find, so vermicelle is a rewarding dish to make at home for a special lunch. You can find African food stores near you to see what is nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is vermicelle?
Vermicelle is a Senegalese dish of fine wheat vermicelli that is steamed until light and fluffy, then served with braised chicken or meat and a rich onion sauce. It is often called vermicelle au poulet with chicken or vermicelle a la viande with meat. The vermicelli is steamed rather than boiled, the same method used for couscous, so the strands stay separate and tender.
What does vermicelle taste like?
Vermicelle is savoury, comforting and well rounded, with light, fluffy vermicelli soaking up a rich, deeply onion-flavoured sauce and tender braised chicken or meat on top. The steamed strands are delicate rather than heavy, and the sauce brings warmth and depth. It is hearty and satisfying without being stodgy.
How is vermicelle made?
The fine vermicelli is lightly moistened and steamed over simmering water, often in a couscoussier, until tender and fluffy rather than boiled. Chicken or meat is braised until tender, and a rich sauce is built from plenty of slowly cooked onions. The steamed vermicelli is then plated, topped with the meat and covered generously with the onion sauce.
Is vermicelle a special-occasion dish?
Yes, vermicelle is widely seen as a festive dish and a Sunday-lunch favourite in Senegal. It is the kind of meal that appears when the family gathers or when there is something to celebrate, partly because steaming the vermicelli and building the sauce takes a little care. It is generous, shareable food made for a good occasion.
Where can I buy vermicelle ingredients in the UK?
Vermicelle is made at home, so African food shops are the place to buy the ingredients: fine wheat vermicelli, chicken or meat, onions and seasonings. Shops serving West African customers stock the fine vermicelli and store-cupboard basics that Senegalese cooking relies on. African Stores lists African and Caribbean food shops across the UK, so you can find one near you that stocks them.