50 Traditional Italian Dishes For A Taste Of Italy

It's impossible to list them all. I would need to write an encyclopedia, not a blog post.

But I’ll do my best.

Here are 50 traditional Italian dishes you should know about.

You might get hungry by reading this, so I challenge you to read this blog post from beginning to end without ever walking to your fridge.  

Enjoy!

Risotti (Plural Of Risotto)

Riso means “rice” in Italian. 

Risotto is a type of rice dish believed to have originated in Lombardy, a region in northern Italy. It’s served as a primo piatto (main course) and is one that’s eaten all over the country.

The rice can be cooked with vegetable, fish or meat broth, and other ingredients until the whole thing reaches a mouth-watering, creamy consistency

Italians make risotto in several ways. 

Here are 5 of the most popular risotto dishes: Risotto alla Milanese, Risotto al Nero di Seppia, Risi e Bisi, and Risotto al Pomodoro.

1. Risotto alla Milanese 

Risotto alla Milanese is a specialty of Milan. It’s made with saffron, beef stock, beef bone marrow, butter, onion, white wine, and Parmesan. It’s often eaten with ossobuco (braised veal shanks), another typical dish of Milan. 

The saffron (zafferano in Italian) gives the dish a golden color, so it’s common even for some Italians to confuse Risotto alla Milanese with Risotto allo Zafferano. The main difference between the two is that the former is cooked with beef bone marrow, while the latter is not.

2. Risotto al Nero di Seppia (Squid Ink Risotto)

This is a typical Venetian seafood dish made with squid. Nero di seppia literally means “black of squid.” The defining ingredient is indeed squid ink, which gives the dish its black color. 

The chef (me) recommends having it with a glass of white wine, like Soave or Pinot Grigio. 

Hmm…beautiful! 

3. Risotto alla Zucca (Pumpkin Risotto)

This is the perfect risotto dish to eat in autunno (autumn). It’s delicious and very easy to make. If you’ve never cooked risotto in your life, cooking this version is a non-threatening way to start. 

4. Risi e Bisi

Risi e Bisi is a typical dish from Veneto. Technically, it isn’t a risotto dish but a cross between a risotto and a soup. Its name comes from the Venetian language, and it literally means riso e piselli (rice and green peas). 

It’s a dish often eaten in spring, the time of the year when the most delicious green peas are found. Even the Doge of Venice used to celebrate St Mark, the patron saint of the city, on the 25th of April by eating Risi e Bisi. 

Okay, but what are the ingredients? 

Except for green peas, Risi e Bisi is made with stock from fresh young pods and pancetta.

5. Risotto al Pomodoro (Tomato Risotto)

Tomato sauce is one of the main ingredients of traditional Italian dishes like pizza and many pasta dishes. Is this why I’ve never met an Italian who doesn’t like tomatoes? Probably. 

But did you know that tomatoes are also used to make risotto? Tomato Risotto is a classic first course that’s always appreciated by everyone. Few ingredients, plenty of basil, and you’ll be on your way to taste buds’ heaven.

Let’s have a look at some pasta dishes now.

Pasta Asciutta

Fusilli, penne, spaghetti, paccheri, orecchiette, strozzapreti, conchiglioni, linguine, bucatini, bigoli, rigatoni, farfalle—how long have you got? Seriously.

Because if I had to list all the varieties of pasta and pasta dishes you could have in Italy, you’d be old by the time I finish.

To get an idea of how many ways Italians cook pasta, consider this: Giallo Zafferano is the number 1 cooking website in the country. It has over 20 million unique users per month—about a third of the Italian population.

Open it and type “pasta” in the search bar at the top. You’ll get directed to a blog containing 58 web pages, each one listing around 20 pasta dishes. 

You do the math. 😂

That said, here are 5 pasta dishes that I love. They fall under the category of what Italians call pasta asciutta, which literally means “dry pasta.” 

6. Pasta all’Amatriciana

This is one of the most famous ones.

The name of the sauce, Amatriciana, comes from the place where it originated: Amatrice, a mountain town in the province of Rieti.

Amatriciana is a delicious sauce made with tomatoes, guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino romano cheese, black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and dry white wine.

It’s best served with bucatini, a type of pasta similar to spaghetti but with a hole (buco in Italian) running through the center. 

But, honestly, I’ve had Amatriciana with spaghetti and other varieties of pasta and I’ve never been disappointed.

Two fun facts about this dish (and a sad one):

• 🙂Fun fact#1: Amatriciana sauce is a traditional food product protected under European Union and United Kingdom law. 
• 🙂Fun fact#2: In Tokyo, Japanese chefs organised “Amatriciana Day,” a successful event to celebrate the famous Italian sauce. 
• 🙁Sad fact: In 2016, Amatrice was one of the towns that were hit by a deadly earthquake in central Italy.

7. Penne all’Arrabbiata

In Italian, arrabbiato/a means “angry” (an English word that, in my experience, Italians often confuse with “hungry”).

Who’s angry? No one. But if you eat Penne all’Arrabbiata, your face will likely turn red because of the peperoncino (chili), the defining ingredient of the Arrabbiata sauce. 

Similarly to English, the color red is associated with anger, and that’s precisely where the name of this dish comes from. 

However, Italians don’t say “to be red with anger” but “to be black with anger” (essere nero dalla rabbia / essere arrabiato nero). Check out my post about Italian idioms if you're into that kind of thing.

Weird.

Anyway, I’m getting hungry now. Very hungry.

8. Spaghetti all’Assassina 

Spaghetti all’Assassina isn’t as famous as other pasta dishes. In fact, one of my Italian friends recently told me he’s just discovered it himself. 

Assassina means…well, what do you think it means? Female assassin, of course! The legend goes that the first grandmother who cooked the dish back in the 16th century assassinated the King of Scotland. 

No, none of that is true—I just made it up. 

The origin of the name is unclear. What is clear, though, is that this dish is traditionally from Bari (Apulia), and the pasta isn’t cooked the usual way by boiling it. Instead, the spaghetti is thrown raw right into the pan and cooked there with spicy tomato sauce.

The final product is crunchy, lightly-burned spaghetti with, er, spicy tomato sauce.

Try this dish! No assassin will be looking for you if you do—I promise!

9. Spaghetti alle Vongole 

This is traditionally from Naples, but it’s a classic pasta dish of Italian cuisine. It’s made with spaghetti and fresh clams (vongole). 

Wikipedia says:

Italians prepare this dish two ways: in bianco, i.e., with oil, garlic, parsley, and sometimes a splash of white wine; and in rosso, like the former but with tomatoes and fresh basil, the addition of tomatoes being more frequent in the south. 

I didn’t know this! Did you?

If you want to see how the dish is prepared, watch this video (in Italian) by Bruno Barbieri, one of the most famous chefs in Italy and the world.

10. Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe

This is the last pasta dish I’m going to include in this list. I know I know! What about Carbonara, Aglio Olio e Peperoncino, Pasta al Pesto, Pasta al Ragù and that pasta dish you had in Venice whose name you can’t remember right now?

As I said, Italians have so many more pasta dishes than I can cover in this blog post. Sorry!

Okay, let’s talk about Cacio e Pepe, a dish typical of Rome and the Lazio region. This is made with three ingredients: pecorino romano cheese, black pepper, and spaghetti, more specifically, tornarelli—a variety of egg pasta from Lazio. 

Cacio e Pepe is such a simple yet delicious dish. If you visit Rome, you can’t say you did if you leave without trying it!

***

You may say,  “Why do these pasta dishes fall under the category of ‘dry pasta’ if they’re  splashed with all sorts of sauces?” 

It all has to do with how the pasta is cooked. I’ll explain briefly. 

To make those pasta asciutta dishes, you’d first need to boil the pasta in a pot and then drain it using a colander (though you don’t have to do that if you’re making Pasta all’Assassina). This way, the pasta goes from wet to dry. Ta-da!

Ravioli, on the other hand, isn’t pasta asciutta but pasta ripiena (stuffed pasta). 

So let’s have a look at other typical Italian pasta dishes that fall under the category of pasta ripiena: tortellini, agnolotti, cannelloni, casoncelli, conchiglioni, ravioli, and cappelletti.

Stuffed Pasta

11. Tortellini 

Tortellini is the plural of tortellino, the diminutive of tortello (cake/fritter). It’s a type of ring-shaped pasta typical of Bologna and Modena.

Tortellini are usually stuffed with meat and cheese, and you can have them in many ways. My favorites are in brodo (in a broth) or with burro e salvia (butter and sage).

12. Agnolotti

Agnolotti is a type of stuffed pasta typical of the Piedmont region. They’re similar to tiny ravioli and can be filled with roasted meat or vegetables. 

The name probably comes from the Italian word anello (ring), but some believe that it originates from agnello (lamb). A legend goes that a cook called Angiolino invented the recipe. 

It’s not that important where the name comes from. What’s important is that you don’t have agnolotti with an elaborate, complex sauce because you would lose the flavour of its filling.

13. Cannelloni

Cannelloni are one of the most popular stuffed pasta dishes in Italy (and in the world). They’re tube-shaped pasta filled with a meat or vegetable mixture. 

The name comes from the Italian word for “large tubes” (cannello means  “tube”). They’re usually baked. 

One of my friends from Tuscany once cooked cannelloni spinaci e ricotta (cannelloni stuffed with spinach and ricotta) for me.

My taste buds have never forgotten what happened that day.

14. Casoncelli

Casoncelli is a type of stuffed pasta from Lombardy, especially from the eastern part of the region. I’ve had them once in Mantova, but you can find them in Bergamo (Casoncelli alla Bergamasca) and Brescia (Casoncelli alla Bresciana). 

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca are usually filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, eggs, Parmesan cheese, ground beef, and salami or sausage.

Casoncelli alla Bresciana, on the other hand, are stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, and broth.

15. Conchiglioni 

Conchiglia means “seashell.” Conchigliona means “big seashell.” Can you guess what shape this stuffed pasta is? 

That’s right, conchiglioni is a type of large seashell-shaped pasta that can be filled with any sort of ingredients. They’re usually topped with tomato sauce. Naples is probably the best place to have this dish.

16. Ravioli 

I’ve had this dish many times, especially served with tomato sauce. The ravioli I’ve had during my trips in Italy were usually square, but you can find them round and semi-circular too (these are called mezzelune, which means “half moons”). 

Ravioli are usually filled with ricotta and spinach, meat, cheese, or seafood, and they’re so popular you might find them in supermarkets all over the world, not just in Italy.

17. Cappelletti

Cappelletti (“little hats”) are ring-shaped stuffed pasta typical of Emilia Romagna and Marche. They are similar to tortellini, except they’re larger, have thicker dough, and are filled with different ingredients. They’re usually served with brodo di cappone (capon broth).

***

Okay, we’re done with stuffed pasta now. Let’s talk about other traditional Italian dishes.

Bread, Pizza, Street Food And Snacks

18. Olive all’Ascolana

Olive all’ascolana is a popular Italian appetizer and street food product from Ascoli Piceno, the city where it comes from.

They’re olives. They’re round. They’re deep-fried. They’re big. They’re stuffed with several minced meats, eggs, and Parmesan cheese (though some restaurants offer a vegetarian or vegan version). 

And…they’re delicious!

19. Mozzarella in Carrozza

Mozzarella in Carrozza is the Italian answer to the grilled cheese sandwich—but way better in my opinion.

It’s a Naples-born street food made by sandwiching mozzarella between two slices of bread, dipping it in egg and breadcrumbs, and frying it until golden and crispy.

Eat it hot and gooey, preferably with a napkin in hand. It may get messy!

PS: The name means “mozzarella in a carriage,” but I don’t know why it’s called that!

20. Pani câ Mèusa (Panino con la milza)

Here’s a street food product from Palermo, Sicily. Pani câ mèusa is Palermitan dialect for panino con la milza (sandwich/bread with spleen). It’s a soft, sesame-topped bread filled with chopped veal lung and spleen, first boiled and then fried in lard. 

If you’re a meat eater and find yourself in Palermo one day, go to Vucciria, one of the city’s main markets. There you’ll find plenty of street vendors (locals called them meusari) that sell pani câ mèusa.

21.Taralli

Taralli are a type of Italian snack food. They’re originally from southern Italy but you’ll find them in supermarkets all over the country. 

They’re wheat-based crackers shaped like a ring. Depending on what they’re made with, there are several varieties and they can be sweet or savory. 

Three of my favorite types are taralli ai semi di finocchio (with fennel seeds), taralli al farro (made of rye flour), and taralli al peperoncino (chili taralli). 

22. Pane Carasau

If you love crunchy bread, you must try this one.

Pane Carasau is Sardinia’s famous flatbread, whose name comes from the Sardinian word carasare (to toast). The bread is indeed baked twice. The second bake (carasatura) is what gives the product its signature crunch. 

Pane Carasau is also called carta da musica (sheet music) because, this Italian website says, it’s so thin and crispy that you’ll inevitably make noise (i.e. music) when chewing it.

Enjoy it with pecorino cheese and wine. Everything tastes better that way! 

23. Cheese Focaccia (Focaccia di Recco)

Giallo Zafferano, the no.1 cooking website in Italy, says this:

The history of focaccia with cheese begins at the time of the Third Crusade when farmers from Recco, forced to take refuge in the hinterland because of Arab invasions from the sea, only had water, flour, oil and cheese at their disposal, so they invented this type of focaccia, which has remained in the local gastronomic heritage. 

Many of my Italian friends would tell you that Focaccia di Recco is the best focaccia you could have in Italy.

Go to Recco now! (It’s a city in Liguria.)

24. Piadina Romagnola

…or simply piadina, is much more than a wrap. If it were just a wrap, this typical street food product from the Emilia Romagna region wouldn't have been added to the Protected Geographical Indication of the European Union. 

You can fill piadina with anything you want, but the traditional recipe is with rucola (rocket) and squacquerone, a creamy cheese typical of the Emilia Romagna region.

25. Pane Cunzato

Pane = bread

Cunzato = Sicilian dialect for condito (seasoned/topped/dressed)

Pane cunzato, as you might expect, is a popular culinary recipe from Sicily. It’s bread “seasoned” with local ingredients, like primo sale (a typical Sicilian cheese), tomatoes, oregano, and fillets of Sicilian anchovies. 

An Italian author has defined the dish il panino più antico del mondo (the oldest sandwich in the world). Hard to fact-check that.

What’s more believable is that in the past pane cunzato was also called pane della disgrazia (bread of misfortune) because it was eaten by those who barely had (stale) bread in the pantry. These poor guys often had to season the bread to enjoy it at lunchtime.

I had pane cunzato in Italy. It cost me 10 euros. Definitely not a dish for the poor anymore. 😂

26. Pizza a Portafoglio (Wallet Pizza)

For obvious reasons, I like to call Naples “the carbohydrate city.” Pizza a portafoglio is one of those obvious reasons.

Portafoglio means “wallet.” “Pizza” means…well, unless you’ve been living under a rock all your life, you know what that is. 

But, what’s pizza a portafoglio? The name will make sense if I tell you how this pizza is made.

Prepare the dough and spread tomato sauce on top. Add a bit of mozzarella and olive oil–nothing else. Bake it. Once you’ve taken it out of the oven, fold the pizza like you would close a wallet. Do this twice: fold it once and then fold it one more time. 

What you now have in your hands is pizza a portafoglio. 

And what Bill Clinton is having in this picture (taken in Naples in 1994) is the same thing.

27. Bruschetta

I think you know what a bruschetta is: grilled bread with garlic, olive oil, salt, and one or more toppings like tomatoes, vegetables, beans, cured meat or cheese. It’s a typical Italian appetizer.

Bruschetta comes from bruscare, an Italian verb that in the Romanesco dialect verb means abbrustolire (to roast over coals). 

The word “bruschetta” made it to the English dictionary, but I’ve heard many non-native Italian speakers pronounce it as “brushetta”/bruˈʃetə/.

If you’d like to say it like an Italian speaker would say it, insert an /s/ and a /k/ sound in the middle of the word — /bruˈsketə/. 

Italian waiters and waitresses will appreciate that.

28. Farinata

Chickpea flour, water, salt, black pepper, olive oil—that’s all you need to make farinata, a savory pie that comes from Liguria.

I had it in Tuscany, where people usually call it torta di ceci (chickpea cake) or cecina. Have it hot straight from a wooden-fired oven and top it with eggplant pickled in oil. You won’t regret it. 

Dumplings

29. Gnocchi

I’m quite sure you know that gnocchi are small, soft dumplings usually made with potatoes, flour, and eggs.

This is one of the most popular traditional Italian dishes in the world—and one whose name English speakers always mispronounce! Why?

Because in Italian “gn” is pronounced as /ɲ/, a sound that doesn’t exist in English. That’s why Americans and other native English speakers tend to say “nocchi” /ˈnjɒki/.

There’s a proverb in Italy:

Ridi ridi che la mamma ha fatto i gnocchi 

(laugh laugh that mum made gnocchi)

Italians sometimes say this when they want to let someone know that there’s nothing funny about the situation. It’s an ironic way to say, “What are you laughing about? Stop it!”

30. Canederli

Canederli comes from Knödel, a German word meaning “dumpling.”

They’re indeed bread dumplings made from a mixture of stale bread, milk, eggs, and various additional ingredients such as cheese, speck, or herbs.

Canederli are popular in the Alpine regions of Italy, particularly Trentino-Alto Adige and South Tyrol. They’re often served in broth or with butter and cheese. 

I’ve never had this dish, but I’m quite curious to know what these little balls of bread taste like.

Meat, Seafood And Veggies 

31. Cotoletta alla Milanese

One of my Italian friends from Rome jokingly calls one of his buddies from Milan Er cotoletta.  Cotoletta alla Milanese is indeed one of the most well-known dishes from the Italian capital of fashion. 

It’s a simple dish that consists of a breaded veal cutlet fried in butter until golden and crispy. It’s similar to the Austrian schnitzel, and it pairs perfectly with potatoes.

32. Cacciucco 

I always thought cacciucco was a type of fish. It’s not. It’s a typical fish stew dish from Livorno, a port city in Tuscany. It’s made with a mix of different fish and shellfish.

These are slow-cooked in a garlicky tomato broth with a touch of red wine and chili. The stew is served over toasted bread rubbed with garlic to let you soak up all that flavorful broth.

It is believed that fishermen created it using leftover fish that couldn’t be sold. Don’t let that put you off. This is a delicious dish!

33. Arrosticini Abruzzesi

Arrosticini is a traditional dish of skewered grilled sheep meat typical of the Apennine region, especially Abruzzo. They’re indeed closely linked to Abruzzo’s pastoral tradition, and they’re usually cooked on the furnacella, a long brazier that looks like a gutter. 

No vegan options this time—sorry!

34. Cassoeula

The name of this dish comes from casserola (casserole), the pot it’s cooked in. 

Cassoeula (/kʌsɜːlʌ/) is a hearty Lombard soup made with cabbage and pork. The classic recipe includes foot, snout, ear, tail, and skin, though some modern versions add ribs and loin.

The meat is slow-cooked with onion, carrot, celery, and black pepper, and then finished with Savoy cabbage.

A local saying in Lombardy goes: La casoeula l’ha da vess ben tacchenta e minga sbrodolada e sbrodolenta. My guess is that you don’t speak the Lombard dialect, so here’s a rough translation for you: “Cassoeula must be sticky, not watery.” 

Many Italians who are originally from western Lombardy eat it in winter. 

35. Lesso e Pearà

Lesso e Pearà is a classic dish from Verona.

Pearà is a traditional Veronese sauce made with breadcrumbs, beef and hen stock, beef marrow, and lots of black pepper. It’s thick, creamy, and spicy, thanks to the generous amount of pepper (pearà means “peppered” in Veronese dialect).

You’ll only ever see it served with lesso (mixed boiled meat). Without pearà, lesso would indeed feel incomplete. 

If you’re ever in Verona and see it on the menu, you know what to do.

36. Parmigiana di Melanzane

I love this one! It’s a delicious dish made with fried, sliced melanzane (eggplant) layered with Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. The whole thing is then baked. 

It’s not clear where parmigiana originally comes from. Some say Sicily, some say Campania, others say Emilia Romagna. No panic. Knowing where a dish originates isn’t an essential requirement to enjoy it, is it?

Soups And Stews

37. Minestrone

To define minestrone, we first need to talk about minestra, a type of Italian soup cooked in water or broth. A minestra usually contains vegetables, pasta, pulses, or rice. 

Minestrone means “big minestra” because it contains many more ingredients. While a typical minestra may just be rice, broth, and peas, minestrone may be done with barley, beans, lentils, chickpeas, carrots, onions, and other veggies. 

I’ve had it many times in Italy and always loved it.

38. Polenta

Polenta looks like porridge (but I think it’s way more delicious than that). It’s a typical dish from northern Italy. It’s made with cornflower and water, and it can be creamy or grilled. Some Italians, especially grandmothers, may cook it using a special pot called paiolo. 

A less-known variety of polenta is polenta taragna, which is darker because it’s made by adding buckwheat flour. 

Here’s another fun fact for you: 

Some people from the southern regions of the country may call those who live in the north polentoni, meaning someone who eats a lot of polenta. Be careful though. People from the north may feel offended if you use this term to refer to them as some use it derogatorily. 

39. Bagna cauda

Bagna cauda is a hot dipping sauce typical of the Piedmont region (in Piedmontese dialect, bagna cauda literally means “hot sauce”).

The dish is made with plenty of garlic, anchovies, red wine, and extra virgin olive oil. It’s usually kept hot on a serving table using a candle or burner. 

What should you dip into it? Bread and raw or cooked vegetables, most typically cardoons, cabbage, celery, carrots, artichokes, peppers, and fennels.

Have it with some typical red wine from Piedmont: Barbera, Nebbiolo, Barbaresco, or Dolcetto.

40. Pappa al Pomodoro

I’ve never tried this one, but I know it’s a popular dish in Tuscan cuisine.

It’s a bread soup made with stale Tuscan homemade bread (which some Italians don’t like—not because it’s stale, but because Tuscan bread is traditionally unsalted), fresh tomatoes, vegetable broth, garlic cloves, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?

Fun fact: There’s an Italian song from 1964 that 99% of Italians know: Viva la Pappa col Pomodoro (long live pappa col pomodoro).

Cheese And Cured Meats

41. Salumi

Once I heard an Australian cook asking an Italian waiter, “How come you’re vegan? You Italians do so much work with pork!” 

It’s true. Italians generally like salumi, which is an umbrella term for cured meat products typical of an Italian antipasto. 

Prosciutto cotto, prosciutto crudo, salame, coppa, pancetta, speck, culatello, mortadella, bologna, sopressata, bresaola–all these are salumi. You might see them on an Italian menu under the category of affettati, which literally means “sliced.” 

Be careful, though. Salumi are as tasty as they are bad for your cholesterol, so have them in moderation!

42. Formaggi (Cheeses)

Parmesan and mozzarella—sure.  

But…

“Italy is the country with the highest variety of cheeses in the world, with over 2,500 traditional varieties, among which are about 500 commercially recognized cheeses.” Source: Wikipedia

Do you find this hard to believe? I don’t. Go to any Italian market or supermarket and you’ll see what I mean.

43. Nduja 

Although nduja is made in the Calabria region, its name might not sound Italian to your ears.

This is because it comes from two non-Italian words: one from the Piedmontese dialect (salam dla duja) and the other from French (andouille). Both of these refer to types of spicy cured meats made.

Nduja /nˈduːja/ is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage. That’s right—spreadable sausage (when Italians say they’re real masters in the kitchen, they mean it.) 

Spread it on toasted bread, garnish your pizza with it, or have it on slices of semi-matured cheese. No matter how you want to have it, go easy with it: nduja is quite spicy! You’d better have a glass of water handy.

Desserts And Sweets 

44. Gelato

Explaining gelato is like explaining what pizza is. So, instead of telling you what it is, I’ll give you some interesting facts about it.

1. The word gelato means “frozen.” 
2. In summer, some Italians like to replace lunch or dinner with gelato. 
3. When they get invited over for dinner, some Italians bring gelato for their hosts as a dessert.
4. Francesco Procopio de’ Coltelli, a Sicilian chef, is the creator of the first gelato as we know it today.  
5. Have you heard of the Gelato World Cup?

45. Torta Paradiso

Torta Paradiso, which literally means “cake paradise,” is a classic Italian dessert. It’s soft and fluffy, and it’s super simple to make. 

The legend says that a monk from the Certosa di Pavia monastery created the recipe after learning it from a local bride. He then served it to his fellow monks, who named it “Torta del Paradiso” because of its delicious taste.

Pastry chef Enrico Vigoni from Pavia formalized the recipe in 1878, and the cake is now famous all over the country.

Perfect for breakfast (dip it in your cappuccino!) or as a dessert.

46. Sfogliatella

Oh my, this is one of my favorite sweets in the world. 

Sfogliatella is Naples’ most famous pastry. It’s a crispy, shell-shaped delight with a sweet or creamy filling. The name means “small, thin leaf.” 

There are two main types of Sfogliatella: Sfogliatella Riccia (the classic one) and Sfogliatella Frolla (a simpler version). If you're feeling extra indulgent, try the Coda d’Aragosta—a larger, cream-filled variation also known as Lobster Tail in the U.S.

Sfogliatella is definitely one more reason to visit Naples! 

47. Gianduiotti

Gianduja is a blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste that was first made in Turin at the beginning of the 19th century. This is what Gianduiotti are made of. They’re typical chocolates shaped like ingots. They’re quite sweet and usually packaged in a gold-colored wrapping paper. 

Have you ever heard of Nutella? That also comes from the Piedmont region, and it was originally called Pasta Gianduja.

48. Sbrisolona

Sbrisolona is Mantua’s famous crumbly cake. In the local dialect, brìsa means briciola (crumb). This makes sense because you can’t have a piece of sbrisolona without dropping crumbs everywhere. 

The cake is meant to be broken into pieces, not sliced, and locals from Mantua like to have it with coffee, sweet wine, or even a splash of grappa. 

I like that too!

49. Granita

You might have had this semi-frozen dessert. It’s originally from Sicily, but it’s available in different forms in most ice cream shops (gelaterie) around the country.

You’ll find granita in the English dictionary too, where it’s defined as “a drink or sweet dish made with crushed ice (= that has been broken into very small pieces).”

Sicilians like to have granita al limone (lemon granita) paired with brioche col tuppo, a type of sweet bun. They have this…for breakfast!

Watch this short video to see how they do it. 

Italian Wine

50. Wine

You may not like alcohol, but how can we talk about Italy without talking about its wine? 

According to the Wikipedia page about Italian wine:

Italy is the country with the widest variety of indigenous grapevine in the world, the world’s largest wine producer, and the largest exporter (as of 2024).

Nebbiolo, San Giovese, Soave, Lugana, Chianti, Prosecco, Moscato, Amarone, Nero d’Avola, Cannonau — the list goes on and on.

Most of the traditional Italian dishes on this list pair perfectly with a wine that will elevate the whole culinary experience. 

Have your glass of wine, but don’t drive after that because Italy has strict drink-driving laws!

Traditional Italian Dishes FAQ

Final Thoughts On Traditional Italian Dishes

Italy as we know it today is a relatively young nation, born in 1861, when the country was unified. However, over the centuries its cuisine has been influenced and shaped by different populations: the Romans, Teutons, Longobards, Arabs, Greeks, Normans, Spanish, and others.

Its geographical position and ancient regional culture make Italian cuisine one of the most famous, appreciated, and mimicked all over the world.

I’m sure you’ve realized this by now! And I hope you enjoyed this blog post!

If you’re interested in learning more about Italian culture and improving your Italian, check out my Italian courses.

I won’t teach you how to cook Italian traditional dishes, but you’ll expand your vocabulary through stories and get a deeper understanding of the Italian language too.

Want to give it a try? You can start for free today.

Alla prossima and…now you’re free to walk to your fridge! 

Buon appetito…

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.