Our 20 favorite Italian culinary specialties

In order to convince you to discover or rediscover Italy, here is our top of the 20 Italian culinary specialties. Be careful, this article may put water in your mouth!

For some, the desire to travel lies in the temptation to discover new landscapes, populations with unknown customs, architectures dating back centuries and to accumulate a maximum of photos of the world... For others, a good reason to travel would be to learn a new musical culture, to go hunting local artists and to perfect their playlists. Finally, for gourmets, travelling is especially the opportunity to awaken your taste buds! Gouter new product associations, discover the typical dishes of each country...

It is for all these reasons that Wanderlix now offers you to find, for multiple destinations, our playlist travel , our top of the most beautiful pictures but also our top of culinary specialties !

Travel to Italy today, where gastronomic culture is globally known and particularly diverse! All regions will be honoured in this top of our 20 favorite Italian specialties.

Buon appetito !

1. The Piedmont and its cars

Our culinary adventure in Italy starts in Piedmont, at the foot of the Alps. Known for its refined cuisine, this region will delight your taste buds with agnolotti .

This speciality of pedestrian origin is highly appreciated especially in Turin , capital of the region. These are stuffed pasta of rectangular shape composed of meat and spinach. There are also other vegetables or cheese. These pasta are often accompanied by a delicious tomato or basil sauce.

If you pass in the Piedmont, you really have to taste these delights! Also taste one of the region’s flagship products: noise , which is used especially in Italian tartin pasta, which we love in the writing !

2. Aosta Valley and her fontina

Our culinary journey in Italy continues in the Aosta Valley, a region bordered by the France and Switzerland . Extending in the Alps, this region is famous thanks to its mountains, ski resorts, fortresses... and cheeses!

You will have understood it, your passage in the Aosta Valley will necessarily pass through the tasting of some of these cheeses and especially the superb fontina . This Italian cheese, based on cow's milk, is a pure product of the region. Since 1996, its name is even a protected appellation of origin.

Enjoy without moderation!

3. The risotto in milanaise Lombardy

Cap on Lombardy and northern Italy! His capital, Milan , is a high place of fashion and gastronomy. You will thus have the opportunity to taste many specialties of the region.

The famous risotto in milanaise is one of these best specialties. According to legend, this recipe would find its origin several centuries ago, in 1574, when a master and his assistant, two great saffron lovers, incorporated this spice into rice.

Since then, this recipe based on rice that was born in butter, onions, beef marrow, all wet with white wine and a saffron-flavoured broth, has not left northern Italy!

4. The speck of Trentin-Haut-Adige

Trentin-Haut-Adige is an autonomous region of Italy with more than one million inhabitants, mostly German-speaking.

Here we produce one of the best Italian specialties: the speck . This pure product of local gastronomy is a typical ham of the province of Bolzano, located in the northeast of Italy. It comes from the boneless pork thigh, slightly salty and flavored, then cold smoke.

Magnifico ! We recommend it to you in a sandwich or to share with the apero.

5. Veneto and his Tiramisù

Direction Veneto and Legendary Venice ! Unmissable romantic destination in Italy, it is also known for its Tiramisù .

Indeed, at the end of the sixteenth century on a journey to Siena, the sovereign Duke of Tuscany Cosme III of Medici would have found out. Tiramisù became his favorite dessert. He would then have brought the recipe back to the yard. Florence , from which this dessert would have spread to Veneto and Venice.

That’s why we find the best Tiramisù of Italy in this region. This is undoubtedly THE favorite dessert of our writing.

6. Les cjarsons de Frioul-Vénétie Julienne

Let’s go to the border Austria and Slovenia, northeast of Italy. Friuli-Venetia Julienne is a land known for its white wine vineyards. His capital, Trieste, has long been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Today it is full of Italian specialties like cjarsons . These tender wheat pasta are characterized by the contrast between sweet and salt. They are stuffed with potato, cinnamon, raisins and aromatic herbs in its most traditional recipe. A real treat!

7. Liguria and his Focaccia

Our discovery of Italian specialties continues in the growing region: Liguria, a land of imposing mountains and gentle hills. If you go on vacation in this beautiful region, it will be the opportunity to taste the delicious Focaccia .

Indeed, this flat-shaped bread is particularly associated with Liguria cuisine. It is cooked in the oven and generally seasoned with olive oil, salt and some herbs for our greatest pleasure!

8. The Ragù in the Bologna ofEmilia-Romagna

Known for its medieval towns and seaside resorts, Émilie-Romagne is also renowned for its gastronomy, which has crossed the borders of Italy and has exported all over the world.

A speciality participates greatly in the reputation of this region: Ragù à la Bolognaise . The famous Bologna sauce, the one found in lasagnes or pasta, comes from this beautiful region. Now we're thinking of a sauce that simmered for hours, prepared by a Mama Italian who has the secret to transport us thanks to his kitchen.

And be careful, meatballs in sauce never existed in Italy!

9. Tuscany and chianti

We will now talk to you about a wine that we particularly like: Chianti . Originally from Tuscany, this region with exceptional heritage, the Chianti is undoubtedly the most famous of Italian wines.

However, many people do not know that this pillar of the dolce vita is not unique. There are indeed several wines with the name Chianti all as delicious as each other. This diversity, we invite you to discover the time of a stay in Tuscany, you will not be disappointed!

10. Umbrian truffles

We are now heading towards the green heart of Italy, Umbria, famous for its exceptional landscapes and its crazy charm.

This beautiful region is also renowned for its local cuisine, particularly appreciated by truffle enthusiasts. Indeed, we find almost all the varieties of this exquisite dish in Umbria: white, black, summer... If, like us, your cute sin is the truffle, you are going to enjoy yourself during your stay in Umbria.

11. Les Olives all’Ascolana des Marches

Here is an Italian speciality that you probably don't know: Olives all’Ascolana . Yet this typical dish of the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the region of Marches is worth a visit! It is now found throughout Italy at the hour of the aero.

These olives stuffed with a mixture of chopped meats are breaded and fried, for the greatest pleasure of lovers of antipasti . A greed that we recommend unanimously if you visit Italy!

12. Latium and its Spaghetti in the Carbonara

After the famous Ragù in the Bologna, here are the legendary and excellent Spaghetti with Carbonara ! This ultra popular recipe in Italy comes from the capital Rome, in the Lazio region.

Here, no fresh cream or tagliatelles, we talk about the traditional recipe of carbonara! Then we need eggs, guanciale (lard that is in the cheeks or shovels of the pig), pecorino romano and freshly ground black pepper. You will see, it has nothing to do with the French version based on cream. It is Italy on our plate, eccellente !

13. ♪ Abruzzo and its arrosticini

The Abruzzo, one of the most preserved regions of Italy! With no less than five national parks, this region has an exceptional natural space, with a very rich fauna and flora. Also know that you eat deliciously well thanks to its local specialties.

One of them, arrosticini , is particularly appreciated in the region. It is made of sheep, lamb or sheep, cut into pieces and stabbed on a skewer, and is cooked on a skewer. It’s great, follow a recipe and try them for your next barbecues. Or taste them when you pass through the Abruzzo.

14. L’agnello of Molise

We are now heading south of Italy, heading to the small province of Molise. Indeed, Molise is the smallest region in Italy. However, it has beautiful specialties to discover absolutely when you are passing.

Especially the traditional agnello cacio e uova alla molisana . This strong and robust meal is prepared by families especially during Easter holidays. It is composed of lamb, prepared with eggs and cheese. This is one of our most beautiful discoveries of Italian cuisine!

15. Margherita pizza Campania

How to talk about Italian specialties without evokeing the sublime pizza Margherita ? Legendary, it originates in the region of Campania in southern Italy. Today is the most popular pizza in the world, nothing but that!

According to the legend, she was born at the end of the 19th century when Queen Marguerite of Savoy and her husband, King Umberto I of Italy, went to Naples . By the way, they would have decided to stop in a restaurant to eat. The chef in their honor then decided to create a pizza in the colours of Italy: green for basil, white for mozzarella and red for tomato sauce.

Pizza Margherita was born! Enjoy your visit to the south of Italy to taste this sweetness again, your taste buds will be delighted.

16. Puglia et ses orecchiette alla cime di rapa

If Italy is regularly called “The Boot”, it is because a region of the south forms its heel: the Puglia. This dynamic region is renowned for its many beaches, UNESCO-listed sites, its beautiful coasts and its refined gastronomy.

♪ orecchiette are one of the specialties of Puglia. These are pasta taking the form of small cups. The most emblematic recipe in the region is that of orecchiette alla cime di rapa . This dish combines two ingredients typical of Puglia: orecchiette and cime di rapa , a typical Italian vegetable, broccoli cousin.

You must taste this simple and delicious recipe!

17. The pignata of Basilicata

New Italian speciality, new region, direction Basilicata! This region of southern Italy has long suffered from a lack of recognition of the rest of the country and tourists... Too often stigmatized because it is one of the poorest regions in the country. Yet, the latter is full of unsuspected wealth, like his kitchen.

pignata is one of his specialties. This typical stew of holiday days is prepared with vegetables and lamb (or sheep) that are marinated for one night. Then all this beautiful world cooked for hours in the oven in a terracotta cocot that we seal with bread dough.

A real delight!

18. Calabria and his ‘nduja

We are now heading south-west of Italy, at the tip of the “botte”, towards Calabria. Bathed by the splendid waters of the Ionian Sea and the Tyrhenian Sea, it is separated from Sicily by the Strait of Messina. These different landscapes make Calabria a unique place... where you eat as well!

One of his specialties, the ‘nduja is one of the most famous products in the region. It is a spicy sausage to spread, which is prepared from pork meat, spices and red gold of Calabria... chili pepper!

19. The arancini of Sicily

Place now at a must in Italian cuisine, arancini . This pure Italian product finds its origin in Sicily, off the tip of the "botte". This pearl of Italy is to be discovered absolutely! Between unmissable monuments, natural heritage and exceptional tourist sites, places of interest are not missing in Sicily.

Also give to its specialties, the arancini are one of the most appreciated in Sicilian cuisine! These are rice balls, which are usually stuffed with rice ragù and peas. These balls are then panted and fried, it’s simply delicious!

20. The Seadas de Sardinia

We finish the discovery of these Italian specialties with a sweet touch. Direction la Sardaigne, the other big island off the coast of Italy. Located just south of the Corse , this island is a breathtaking beauty!

The specialties of this region will also please you very much. One of them, seadas , are traditional cakes not to be missed under any pretext. It is a fried dough shell containing a cheese-based filling pecorino and lemon zest with olive oil. All is then softened with a little honey, a real sweetness for our taste buds.

After testing these specialties, don’t hesitate to tell us what is your favorite Italian specialty!