Are you looking for traditional savory dishes from different regions in Italy? Then this list is just right for you — deliciously authentic regional Italian recipes at your fingertips. Enjoy!
Seasonal produce is always the main ingredient in Italian dishes, regardless of the region.
This list will give you a mix of seasonal dishes, as well as those that are excellent the whole year-round.
So take your pick.
CHECK OUT THE REST OF MY ITALIAN CUISINE SERIES!
- Easy Italian Desserts & Pastries
- Authentic Italian Cookies
- Best Italian Street Food Recipes
- Classic Italian Appetizers
- Authentic Italian Bread Recipes
Jump to:
North Italy
LOMBARDIA
Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)
Delectable. That’s the only way I can describe this creamy rice cooked in veal stock and saffron.
You’ll get the subtle fragrance of saffron and then the deep, complex flavor of the rice — elevated by the butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano that are both added in the end.
You can serve risotto alla Milanese as a side dish to ossobuco, but it’s also excellent on its own.
It’s that big chunk of meat with a bone in the middle. 🙂
Looks quite overwhelming when you think of preparing them on your own.
But really, ossobuco is a straightforward dish to make. You just let the flavors of all the ingredients blend, so you need to slow cook it.
And that’s where the tricky part comes in — patiently waiting.
Every region in Italy has its version of making minestrone.
Minestrone alla Milanese uses all the best vegetables of summer and can be served both warm and room temperature.
Hence, earning its other name — the summer minestrone.
So, you really have no excuse not to serve this soup when it is scorching hot. 🙂
Central Italy
TOSCANA
It’s one of the best uses of the region’s unique salt-free bread, Tuscan bread.
Juicy tomatoes are combined with day-old bread and seasoned with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Throw in a handful of fresh basil leaves in there, and you would indeed be serving panzanella the entire summer.
While relatively modern, yellow pepper soup is an excellent summer soup was popularized in Florence.
It showcases the sweetness of yellow peppers, and it’s perfect as an antipasto or a light meal on its own.
Peposo (Tuscan Beef Stew with Red Wine)
Peposo is the perfect dish once the temperature starts to drop — and the best part, you just add all the ingredients in a heavy pan.
No browning, no marinating required for this Tuscan beef stew with red wine.
Just let it cook for hours, let all the natural flavors combine, and be patient.
Oh! Make sure you have enough Tuscan bread to serve with it.
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
Another classic Italian dish where every region has its way of making it.
One thing is sure, though. This chicken cacciatore recipe is precisely how my mother-in-law prepares her rabbit cacciatore — up to the final minutes in the oven.
To stay true to the region, serve piadina with this stew instead of regular Italian bread.
LAZIO
Pollo alla Romana (Roman-Style Chicken)
The colors alone of this pollo alla Romana screams summer.
Roasted bell peppers give that hint of smokiness, plus bits of pancetta — all elevating every cut of chicken into another level.
Plus, that drizzle of balsamic vinegar at the end of cooking this Roman-style chicken dish. Yum.
Gnocchi alla Romana (Semolina Gnocchi)
Gnocchi alla Romana, it’s one of my favorite comfort foods.
Semolina combined with milk, butter, and cheese – and finished in the oven to get that golden top with crunchy, cheesy bits.
Don’t take my word for it. Try this authentic Italian recipe for semolina gnocchi, and I’m sure it’s going to be a regular in your house too.
South Italy
CAMPANIA
Vongole, olive oil, garlic, chili, white wine, parsley, and spaghetti — that’s all the ingredients you need for this deliciously light pasta dish.
They say spaghetti alle vongole is a summer dish. Nah, I don’t have a problem preparing and eating vongole the whole year-round.
No meat in this baked pasta from Sorrento, but just as delicious — and lighter!
Serve pasta alla sorrentina as a side dish or an entrée; either way, you would surely be asking for more.
It’s meatloaf with boiled eggs in the middle; juicy and packed with flavor in every slice.
Admittedly, it is not a simple task to prepare this dish. But it’s certainly worth it.
See for yourself.
APULIA
Orecchiette with Peas & Gorgonzola
Gorgonzola in a pasta dish in South Italy? Trust me, I was questioning it too.
But it’s one of those moments where you just have to try it to believe it.
Peas and gorgonzola are a magical combo, and using orecchiette with it — scoops up all that sauce. Simply delicious.
A polpette made of stale bread and Parmigiano Reggiano, that’s a better way of describing it.
Serve these Italian bread dumplings with some marinara sauce, and you’re good to go.
CALABRIA
This authentic Italian recipe combines Italian sausage and other meat and cooks them in tomato sauce for hours.
Enjoy ragu alla Calabrese like the locals do — use the sauce for pasta and serve the chunks of meat (and sausage) separately.
Yummy.
Patate e Peperoni (Potatoes & Peppers)
Potatoes and peppers is a popular summer dish in Calabria.
Fried potatoes and peppers, with that Calabrian twist — chili.
But don’t worry, you can amp up (or tone down) the spice since you will be preparing it at home.
It’s excellent as a side dish or an antipasto, with some crusty bread.
SICILIA
You will always find this traditional pasta dish in every osteria or trattoria on the island, and once you’ve tried it, you will understand why.
The locals always serve pasta alla Norma with ricotta salata, a drier but still delicate version of ricotta.
If you’re not lucky enough to have it in your area, do not let that stop you from making this dish.
Oh, did I mention it’s vegetarian?
From the town of Trapani, pesto Trapanese is made of almonds, tomatoes, and cheese.
While not as well-known as pesto Genovese, it’s excellent with almost all kinds of pasta.
Give it a try!
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