Italian Specialties by Region
For gourmands around the world, Italy is the number one destination for experiencing authentic Old World cuisine. From Abruzzo to Veneto, Italy offers a wide range of regional food thanks to a variety of landscapes and climates. For centuries, Italians have relied on natural resources as inspiration for distinctive cuisine in each region. If you can’t make the trip to Italy, use our gastronomic guide as inspiration for creating Italian meals in the comfort of your home. Bon appetito!
Abruzzo
& Molise
Known for their simple approach to cuisine,
Abruzzese cooks are masters at transforming basic ingredients into memorable
meals. A favorite type of pasta is maccheroni alla chitarra (guitar pasta), which
is made with sheets of egg dough that is cut into strips using a special
rolling pin on a stringed wooden box. You’ll also find popular seasonings in
many Abruzzo dishes like hot
chili peppers, saffron, and olive oil with a fruity flavor. In the neighboring region of
Molise, the peasant tradition continues but with a slight twist—their cuisine
features the region’s golden olive oil along with locally cultivated herbs like
fennel and rosemary.
Basilicata
Situated in southern Italy, this region is
known for its rural cuisine that’s deeply rooted in peasant traditions.
Aromatic and flavorful sauces are a Basilicata specialty, including basil-scented
tomato sauce, sautéed zucchini, herbs, scallion sauce, and spicy chili-garlic
paste, which are featured in The
Best Pasta Sauces
cookbook by Micol Negrin. Another popular Basilicata dish is Cialled, a hearty
soup that showcases vegetables from the midsummer harvest, such as broccoli
raab, fresh peas, or whatever you can find at the market.
Calabria
Calabrese cooking features Greek, Arab, and
Albanian influences, which is why you’ll find many dishes seasoned with chili
pepper and a punch of sweet and
sour flavors. Desserts are often fried and drizzled with honey like pitta ‘mpigliata,
a heavenly combo of cinnamon, honey, lemon zest, walnuts, and raisins.
Campania
A coastal region in Southern Italy, Campania
style food is bursting with the flavors of fresh vegetables, which grow in great
abundance and variety thanks to the rich volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius in
Naples. Their most famous food is pizza, which features locally sourced
toppings like sun-kissed vegetables and herbs, along with briny capers and fresh buffalo mozzarella. The Amalfi Coast
is famous for its many dishes showcasing fresh seafood that is tossed in
homemade pasta.
Emilia-Romagna
& Tuscany
Known as Italy’s food basket, this northern
Italian region is known for producing the countries’ most iconic foods, such as
Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and balsamic
vinegar.
Cooks in this region have a passion for rich flavors, like variations of stuffed
tortellini seasoned with herbs and locally made sausage. In nearby Tuscany,
you’ll find their famous ravioli, which is typically filled with ricotta and pancetta, and then coated with butter and sage, a
tomato sauce, or meat Ragu.
Friuli-Venezia
Giula
Situated in northeastern Italy, the region’s
proximity to the Adriatic Sea gives the food a special flavor that is heavily
influenced by Austrian and Hungarian cuisine. The most iconic ingredient in
this region is brovada, a rich and pungent dish of fermented turnips that are
served with lightly spiced pork. Other favorites from this region include slow
cooked beef cheek Ragu and salami sauce quick-stewed in white wine.
Lazio
A farming region that includes Rome, the
capital of Italy, the countryside of Lazio remains nearly the same since the
days of the ancient Empire. In this region, lamb and pork are common
ingredients, as well as farmhouse cheeses made with sheep’s milk. Cooks here
also have a passion for simple pastas featuring locally grown vegetables.
Liguria
This Mediterranean region features the best
food that Italy has to offer. In fact, Ligurian cuisine uses the best ingredients
from the land and sea, including meaty porcini
mushrooms,
buttery and flavorful pine nuts, and succulent anchovies. The region also produces a delicate olive
oil, which is cherished around the world.
Lombardy
With three distinct landscapes, this region
in northern Italy makes the most of its fertile farmland, verdant foothills,
and snowy mountain peaks. In this cold northern climate, rice and corn are
grown in abundance, which is why you’ll find a rich menu of risottos and polentas. Veal, beef, and cow’s milk cheeses are also
common ingredients in almost every meal.
Marches
Situated off the coast of the Adriatic Sea,
this region is famous for its stuffed olives from the village of Ascoli Piceno.
Using special food production techniques that take on the distinct
characteristics of the land, Marches cuisine stands out with a bouquet of
unique flavors. A regional specialty is sheep’s milk cheese that is aged in
caves for several months. Many meals are also paired with griddle-cooked
flatbreads, the perfect vehicle for soaking up any remaining pasta sauce.
Piedmont & Alto Adige
Thanks to a diverse landscape of mountains,
green hills, and pristine lakes, Piedmont produces first-class exports,
including award-winning wines from hillside vineyards. The region’s rich and
complex cuisine makes for a noble wine pairing, especially with starchy and
robust pastas stuffed with meat sauce and seasoned with aromatic white
truffles. Nearby Alto Adige also produces Speck, the Rolls Royce of Italian cured meat.
Puglia
Known as Italy’s heartland, Puglia produces
a long list of semolina pastas and rustic loaves of bread. The region is also
Italy’s largest producer of olive oil, which is used in almost every Italian dish.
Fava beans are the region’s favorite legume, which is often showcased in
salads, side dishes, and hearty soups.
Sardinia
The second largest island in the
Mediterranean Sea, the isolated and mysterious Sardinia features a distinctive
cuisine that reflects the unique landscape. With wild animals roaming the
mountainous inland terrain, many dishes feature boar, mountain goat, and hare,
among others. The most popular meat is lamb, which is seasoned with fennel and
made into succulent stews and pasta dishes.
Sicily
Featuring some of Italy’s most famous
cuisine, Sicilian food showcases a menu of rich and complex dishes like
elaborate homemade pastas for dinner entrees and gourmet stuffed meats as antipasti.
Sicilian cooks aren’t afraid to use inventive ingredients in their sauces like
pork Ragu with a touch of dark chocolate and cinnamon.
Umbria
Situated in central Italy next to Tuscany,
this landlocked region uses pork in most of its classic dishes. In fact, pork
butchers from Umbria are known as the best in Italy and were also the first to
produce Guanciale, a type of cured meat from the pig’s cheek. Aromatic
black truffles also grow wild in the forests, which chefs use for adding a
gourmet touch to pasta and risotto.
Val
d’Aosta
A mountainous terrain in northern Italy,
this region features a heavy influence of French and Swiss cuisine. You’ll find
a menu that includes rich and hearty ingredients like nutty
polentas,
creamy Fontina cheese, and crusty homemade bread made with hearty northern
grains like rye or buckwheat.
Veneto
Veneto borders a handful of northern Italian
regions, which makes it an excellent destination for sampling a variety of
cuisines. With the famous city of Venice as the region’s capital, Venetian food
is a common fixture on local menus. Traditional Venetian dishes include a
selection of hearty soups and risottos studded with rich local seafood. Farther
north in hill country, you’ll find a tantalizing selection of cured meats and aged cheeses. Another specialty is braised beef, which is
often paired with the region’s famous Amarone wine.
Italy might be a small country, but with a rich
history and varying landscapes, each region features a unique culinary
tradition that has made its mark on world cuisine.
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