When we think about  typical Italian dishes, we always imagine the same – a big slice of pizza, a delicious dish of pasta, a sweet gelato. But… that simply isn’t so.

Italian cuisine is as diverse as can be and this is mostly due to the how very young the country actually is. Italy (as we know it) is actually a young country which was officially unified in 1861. So assuming that everyone eats pasta and tomato sauce every night is simply not correct. Now, don’t get us wrong – Italians love their pizza and pasta, but the country is rich in agricultural diversity which you can easily notice if you travel from one region to another. Every regional dinner table has something very different on the dinner table each night from its neighboring region.

Italy may be a small country, but remember that this water-surrounded peninsula has seen the influence of diverse cultures such as those of diverse cultures which have made their way into Italian cuisine. So next time you’re eating Italian, pay attention to flavors that resemble Greek, Germanic, Arab, Hungarian or Catalan.

This Mediterranean country is in no way limited when it comes to culture, history and most of all – food! Here is a list of the 20 typical dishes that is associated to the 20 different regions of Italy.

Typical Italian Dishes of Northern Italy

In Northern Italy, the typical cuisine is influenced by recipes from many European countries, such as France, Austria or Switzerland. Due to its cold weather, its recipes are more caloric than those of other Italian regions. However, Northern Italian cuisine is one of the most notorious in Italy and in the rest of the world.

food-cheese_fondue-Aosta_Valley_regionAosta Valley (Valle d’Aosta) | Fonduta

The Aosta Valley’s recipes are highly conditioned by the mountainous landscape of this region. It is possibly the only region in Italy where the pasta is not one of its main ingredients. The cuisine on this place is simple and influenced by Germanic countries, with recipes made by soups, sausages and meat. The most important recipe of Aosta Valley is the Fonduta, a cheese founde made with the more typical cheese of the region: The Fontina.

Emilia – Romagna | Tagliatelle alla Bolognesefood-lasagna_with_ragu-Emilia-Romagna_region

Probably you do not know anything about Emilian cuisine… What if I say Tagliatelle alla Bolognese? Bologna is the capital of this region and, obviously, is the origin of this famous sauce. In Emilia – Romagna is also typical the Lasagna al ragù (with Bolognese sauce) and the Prosciutto di Parma, Parma’s ham.

food-Gubana-sweet-dough_Friulia-Venezia-Giulia_regionFriuli – Venezia Giulia | Gubana

The cuisine of Friuli – Venezia Giulia is one of the most international within Italy. Due to its location, you can even order there a Hungarian gulash… But, its more typical dishes have its origin in the peasant tradition: soups, pork meat, vegetables… If you visit this region on holidays such as Christmas or Easter, you must try its more famous dessert: the Gubana (a sweet rolled dough filled with nuts, raisins and pine nuts).

Liguria | Pesto alla Genovesefood-linguine-genovese_Liguria-region

Liguria has a particular orography that does not help agriculture or livestock as in other parts of Italy, but have managed to solve this problem by taking advantage of other resources such as aromatic herbs and fish from its shores.

Its more famous sauce, the Pesto alla Genovese, is made from a mixture of basil, garlic, olive, pinions and Parmesan cheese. Ligurians use this green sauce with pasta, such as linguine or spaghetti, but also with other kind of dishes like the Minestrone, a vegetable soup.

They have also many recipes with fish, like the Buridda, a soup made by seafood and different fishes.

food-risotto_Milanese-Lombardy_regionLombardy | Risotto alla Milanese

Lombardy is different from the rest of Italy in some aspects, one of them is their preference for the butter instead the olive oil and the use of more rice than pasta. No in vain one of their most famous dishes is the Risotto alla Milanese (rice with saffron, butter and cheese). In Lombardy, there famous and delicious too dishes like Cotoletta alla Milanese (breaded stick) or Ossobuco alla Milanese (meat stew with bone and marrow). The village of Gorgonzola, known around the world for its cheese, is in Lombardy too.

food-rice_cheese_truffle-Piedmont_regionPiedmont | Risotto Tartufato Piemontese

Piedmont is one of the richest regions of Italy in terms of food. It is the bigger producer of rice, so they are famous for their risottos, like the Risotto tartufato piemontese, made by rice, cheese and the exclusive Tartufo bianco d’Alba, one of the most expensive truffles in the world. Piedmont is famous also for creating the Panna cotta, a famous dessert which is usually accompanied by red fruits or chocolate.

food-canederli_bread-Trentino_South_Tyrol_regionTrentino – South Tyrol | Canederli

Because it borders on Switzerland and Austria, Trentino – South Tyrol has a cuisine very similar to the one in these countries. The Strudel di mele, a dessert with rolled dough and stuffed with apple, raisins, pine nuts and cinnamon, or the Gulash (the same recipe as in Hungary) are very typical dishes in this region. The most famous recipe in Trentino – South Tyrol is the Canederli, balls made by bread, milk, egg, parsley and, often, spinach, cheese, Speck ham or mushrooms (one of the most typical ingredients of the cuisine of this Italian region).

food-codfish_polenta-Veneto_regionVeneto | Baccalà alla Polenta

In Veneto, in addition to the gondolas, are very typical dishes made by fish, seafood and, obviously, pasta. Baccalà alla polenta is one of its more famous recipes, mixing codfish with polenta, one of the most popular ingredients in Northern Italy. They use rice too: Risi e bisi, a simple recipe made by rice and peas, is one of the most common dishes.

Typical Italian Dishes  of Central Italy

Despite being the region of the Pasta alla carbonara and counting in its interior cities like Rome, Siena or Florence, the Central Italy cuisine is probably one of the most unknown around the world.

food-mussles_with_saffron-abruzzo_regionAbruzzo | Cozze allo Zafferano

Abruzzo’s cuisine is truly influenced by its two different sides: the mount and the coast. Both have in common two tastes, the chili pepper and the saffron, presents in many recipes from this region. Closer to the Adriatic Sea, it is possible to find recipes like Cozze allo zafferano (mussels with saffron), and in the other side there is the Maccheroni alla chitarra al ragù d’agnello, a kind of pasta (called alla chitarra because of the appearance of the tool needed to made them) with tomato sauce and lamb.

 

food-spaghetti_carbonara-Lazio_regionLazio | Spaghetti alla Carbonara

In Lazio, the recipes are usually simples and easy, but delicious! The star dish of the Lazian cuisine is the Spaghetti alla carbonara, a recipe very widespread and imitated around the world. The original ingredients for a great Carbonara are eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (similar to bacon) and black pepper.

Other dishes of pasta typical from this region are the Rigatoni all’Amatriciana, with tomato sauce, guanciale, Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. The spaghetti cacio e pepe are as delicious as simple:  just pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper.

Last but not least, don’t forget to order Carciofi alla giudia (fried artichokes) if you are in Rome: it is one of the most typical dishes in the Eternal City!

marche-brodettoMarche | Brodetto Fish Soup

There are two different kind of recipes in Marche: The typical ones of the coast and the ones of the interior. Close to the Adriatic Sea, the fish recipes are the most frequent. The best example could be the Brodetto, a fish soup made by different kind of fishes, garlic, onion and tomato or saffron (depends on the zone).

In the interior side, the best-known dish is the Porchetta, boned and roasted pork flavoured with garlic and fennel, and then sprinkled with wine.

cod-potatoes-moliseMolise |  Baccalà con le Patate

The Molise cuisine, similar to the Abruzzo one, has also many differences between the coast and the interior. They have dishes made by fish, like the Baccalà con le patate (roasted codfish with potatoes), and they have dishes cooked with meat, like the Cavatelli al sugo d’agnello, a kind of pasta typical from Molise with lamb and tomato sauce.

Tagliatelle al ragù di cinghialeTuscany  | Tagliatelle al ragù di Cinghiale

The Tuscan cuisine is simple but very rich. One of the most famous dishes of pasta in Tuscany is the Pappardelle con il sugo di lepre, pasta with a sauce made by tomato, garlic, onion and hare. There are different versions with different meats around Tuscany, such as Pici al ragù di anatra (pasta with duck sauce) or Tagliatelle al ragù di cinghiale (pasta with wild boar sauce). The Ribollita, a soup with potatoes and vegetables boiled two times, is one of the most famous dishes of the whole Tuscany.

In Florence, the most typical dishes are the Trippa alla Fiorentina (pig entrails with tomato sauce and carrot, onion and celery) and the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a high quality big veal steak.

There are also recipes with fish from the coast, as the Cacciucco, a fish and seafood soup typical from Livorno.

food-soup_farro-Umbria_regionUmbria | Zuppa di Farro

The Umbrian cuisine is rustic and traditional. There are many soups, such as the Zuppa di farro (cereal soup with tomato, carrot, cheese, prosciutto and onion) or the Zuppa di lenticchie di Casteluccio di Norcia (a lentil dish very appreciated in Italy), but also pasta recipes with tartufo, one of the most prized and famous ingredient of the Umbrian cuisine.

Typical Italian Dishes of Southern Italy

Southern Italy cuisine could be the most exported in the world. Pizza and pasta are really important in this cuisine and ingredients such as tomatoes, olive oil, garlic or basil are always indispensable in the recipes of Southern Italy.

food-Panzerotto-fried_calzone-Apulia_regionApulia | Panzerotto

The olive oil is one of the most used and better ingredients in the Apulian cuisine. The vegetables and the fish are also protagonists in the recipes of this Italian region bathed by the Adriatic Sea. One of the most characteristics dishes in Apulia is the Panzerotto, similar to a fried calzone made by bread and filled with tomato, olives, onion and Pecorino cheese. There are also a “mini” version called Calzuncieddi.

food-stew_with_meat_cutturiddi-Basilicata_regionBasilicata | Cutturiddi

 The cuisine of Basilicata, very influenced by Campania and Apulia, is focused on the pork meat, the vegetables and the chili pepper. One example of this mixture could be the Cutturiddi, a stew with meat and vegetables. Basilicata is also proud of being the first region in cooking the salsiccia, the Italian sausage.

food-bruschette_with_sausage-Calabria_regionCalabria | Bruschette con la n’duja,

In Calabria, pasta, pork meat and vegetables are very important for its cuisine. The chili pepper is also present on recipes like Bruschette con la n’duja, a toast bread slice with a kind of spicy sausage. Thanks to its shores, they have also recipes made by fish like the Piscispata a’gghiotta, sword fish with tomatoes, olives, onion, parsley and capers.

food-pizza_margherita-Campania_regionCampania | Pizza Margherita

Campania is synonymous of pizza. In Naples and surroundings, you can taste the best pizza in Italy, and sometimes the simplest: The Pizza Margherita, made with mozzarella cheese, basil and tomato. Some people think that the name is due to the colour of this ingredients (green, white and red), mixed in honour of the Italian queen Margherita of Savoy at the end of 19th century.

Pasta also has its place on Campania, with recipes like Spaghetti alle vongole, with clams, or Spaghetti alla puttanesca, with a tasty sauce of tomato, black olives, capers, garlic and oregano. The Campanian sweets and desserts are known too. Two perfect examples could be the Babà, a little piece of cake dipped in rum, and Sfogliatella, a small puff pastry filled with a cream made by ricotta, egg, cinnamon, sugar and fruit (usually orange).

Typical Italian Dishes of Insular Italy

The Italian islands have a very different cuisine from the rest of Italy, due to its position and influences.

food-porceddu_pork-Sardinia_regionSardinia |  Porceddu

The Sardinian cuisine is characterized by the use of typical products of the land, “di terra”. In spite of being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, its pastoral tradition has shaped the recipes of Sardinia. The Porceddu, Pork roasted and flavoured with myrtle and rosemary, is one of the main examples of this kind of cuisine. If you are looking for pasta, the Malloreddus (pasta with tomato sauce, sausages, onion, saffron and Sardinian Pecorino cheese) and the Culurgiones (filled pasta with ricotta cheese and mint with tomato sauce and cheese) will be the best choice.

food-arancini-Sicily_regionSicily | Arancini

Probably one of the most important Sicilian contributions to the Italian cuisine and the whole world are the gelatos and the iced drinks. The Sicilian cuisine is also influenced by the Arab and Greek cuisine: natural, fresh, spicy but not too much and delicious. The Arancini (breaded rice balls filled with meat, cheese, peas and saffron) and the Cannoli siciliani (sweet cylinders filled with ricotta cheese cream) are very popular not only in Sicily but in Italy.

 

 

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  1. All these dishes look really good, but the one that stands out to me is the Brodetto fish soup from Marche. It makes sense that a soup filled with different kind of fishes would be from the region close to the sea. I wonder if I can find a similarly seasoned soup in an Italian restaurant. I happen to love the taste of saffron with seafood, so it sounds perfect.

  2. I think it would be a ton of fun to try some authentic Italian dishes. The one that looked the most interesting to me was the panzerotto. I’ll definitely look out for an authentic Italian restaurant near me so I can get a taste of Italian food that isn’t just pizza or pasta.

  3. Thanks! I needed this information for a project and it was a big help, keep up the good work!

  4. I need to put together a gourmet meal for 8 that features only Northern Italian dishes. Any responses would be appreciated

    1. Hello Joan, Thanks for your comment! Have you tried making Tagliatelle alla Bolognese with Tiramisu for your dessert.

  5. Thanks for the list. I have just eaten pasta. So, I was searching for some awesome Italian dishes then I came across your article. Please do keep up good work.
    Regards
    Nicky

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