Wait, what? There are Italian dishes you will not find in Italy? It is probably not surprising to hear that going to an Italian restaurant in America and going to an Italian restaurant in Italy will offer two completely different experiences. However, many Americans do not know that there are some favorite so-called ‘’Italian” dishes that actually are not Italian at all.

“Italian” food you can’t find in Italy

Here is a list of  3 “Italian” dishes that you will not find in Italy.

1) Fettuccine Alfredo

It’s no surprise that this creamy dish is a favorite among Americans because to be quite honest it’s delicious. However, it is not something that you will ever find in Italy. Fettuccine noodles themselves are indeed Italian so you will still find them, but with other sauces. In fact, many Italians have never even heard of Fettuccine Alfredo, so if you try to order you will probably get some very confused looks.

2) Chicken Parmesan

Although there are dishes with chicken in Italy, Chicken Parmesan is not one of them. Additionally, for Italians, a chicken breast would not be served on top of pasta because for Italians pasta is a first course dish (primo) and meat, like chicken, is a second course dish (secondo).

3) Spaghetti and Meatballs

This tends to be the biggest surprise of them all. Many Americans are shocked to find out that the Spaghetti and Meatballs is not a true Italian dish. This is not to say that there are not meatballs in Italy because they do exist. However meatballs are never served in pasta but rather on their own.

Why do the menys differ?

When introduced to a different culture, dishes tend to adopt and change its layouts, ingredients, and presentations. It is a normal development and gives the dishes a smooth transition into the new culture. Italian food being no exception.