The Italian Food Bucket List: 32 Italian Dishes You Need to Try

Nothing is better than Italian food.

Ok maybe that’s not true, because if I had to pick my husband over Italian food, I’d pick him without even thinking.

But you get the idea! It’s fresh delicious ingredients with a whole lot of other incredible spices and herbs. 

And that’s why I decided to make an Italian Food Bucket List.

I recently started a series of ethnic food bucket lists and began with authentic Greek Food recipes. And honestly, it’s making me jealous that I’m not in Greece yet.

But the whole reason why I stared this series was because I wanted to push myself to try new things and help others to do the same! I think it’s a wonderful thing if we can find places in our lives to level-up, so I hope this series helps you out too!

Side Note: Make sure to grab the free Italian Food Bucket List Printable down below! 🙂

But First, What are the Top 10 Italian Dishes?

Before we delve in, I think it’s kind of cool to note the top 10 Italian dishes.

It’s just a really cool way of quickly understanding Italy’s cuisine, what’s the most popular, and what you’ve already tried!

Side Note: There are a lot of top dishes, but in my opinion and from looking over some information, these 10 seem to be must-tries if you go to Italy.

1. Spaghetti all Carbonara: A super creamy and rich dish I’ve made plenty of times! It’s made with egg yolks, guanciale (or bacon), cheese, and pepper, so it’s kind of hard to not like this dish!
2. Risotto: A wonderful dish that has rice soaking up all the seasonings and sauces. There are so many regional recipes for risotto, so I think it’s a fun one to explore!
3. Polenta: Made simply from corn flour and water (or milk), it’s really hard to go wrong with this one since it tastes incredible and goes with so many recipes!
4. Napoletana Pizza: I know it seems cliche, but pizza is a popular dish in Italy. However, it is a bit different than how we have it in the states. Made with tomatoes from a local Italian region and mozarella cheese, it’s hard to go wrong!
5. Roman-Style Pizza: A much thinner pizza with a bit of a crunch, I think it’s a fun option to try!
6. Cured Meats and Cheeses: A lot of European countries have their own versions of cured meats and cheeses, and Italy is definitely one of them! And with all the flavor their recipes have, I think it would be a missed opportunity if you didn’t try them! 
7. Lasagna: Another common one we have in America and other countries, but it’s traditionally not made with tomato sauce!  Tomatoes were originally a new world ingredient, and lasagnas were made with different types of sauces.
8. Gelato: It’s everywhere. I’ve been to Italy, it’s incredible tasting, and you’ll love it! Just make sure to only get gelato that doesn’t have that fancy whipped-up look. Those are made with fillers so that they can look more appealing to tourists.
9. Ossobuco: A bone-in veal shank, its’ a famous dish in Italy. Also, it’s been slow-cooked with wine, veggies, and meat stock, so it’s packed with flavor!
10. Fiorentina Steak: Also known as Bistecca Fiorentina, it’s a wonderful t-bone steak that’s been cooked for a short amount of time on the outside. 

Alright, now let’s get into the Italian Food Recipes Bucket List!

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32 Italian Recipes to Try

1. Tortellini en Brodo (Tortellini Soup)

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Have I Had it Yet: No

This soup looks so hearty and delicious! With ingredients like white wine, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, I don’t know how this Italian recipe couldn’t taste good.

I could just imagine myself grabbing a hot bowl of this tortellini soup, shaving some fresh parmesan on top, and sinking into a comfortable seat to devour it!

Chicken Tortellini Soup Recipe

2. Pasta Napoletana

Region: Napoli

Have I Had it Yet? Yes. Photo of my experiment above.

In Italy or At Home? Home.

Difficulty Level: Wasn’t that hard, I think all together, it should take under 30 minutes to cook.

Cooking Notes: Super tasty, but I look forward to trying it in Italy. Sauce wasn’t too heavy, but tasted just right and had a lot of flavor! Also, there were certain things I didn’t have like parmesan cheese for a topping or a can of crushed tomatoes. So I ended up cutting up 3 roma tomatoes and used a Spanish cheese. I look forward to trying it with a good 24 month parmigiano-reggiano in the future!

This dish coming straight from Naples looks so colorful and flavorful! It’s also a relatively simple recipe to make. With sautéed onions, garlic, basil, and fresh (or canned) tomatoes, I can’t imagine this not being on your meal plan this week.

Also, I’m pretty sure everyone at the table will think you’re some fancy cooking genius even though this just takes around 20 minutes to make. I love recipes like that. 😂 

Pasta Napoletana Recipe

3. Biscotti

Region: Tuscany

Have I Had it Yet: Yes

I love biscotti. I’ve always been fond of this dessert since I was a kid; it wasn’t too sweet and had a wonderful flavor!

I had heard at one point that biscotti was created to be a firm biscuit dessert that was made specifically for dipping into coffee while not crumbling away. But whether that’s true or not, I’m unsure. Either way though, it does pair well with a hot cup of coffee for an after-dinner treat!

Easy Almond Biscotti Recipe

4. Bucantini All’ Amatriciana

Region: Lazio

Have I Had it Yet: No

I’m pretty sure I could eat an entire bowl of this Italian dish and not even blink.

I love the fact that it’s made with black pepper and chiles giving it a bit of a kick. Also with the guanciale, an Italian cured meat, I could imagine this being an incredibly rich tasty dish where I keep on coming back to it over the months as a go-to recipe

Bucantini All’ Amatriciana Recipe

5. Osso Bucco Recipe ‘alla Milanese’

Region: Lombardy

Have I Had it Yet: No

A slow cooked veal recipe with a white wine gravy and fresh herbs, I honestly don’t know how you couldn’t make this recipe.

I mean slow cooker meals are already pretty good, but making a traditional slow cooked Italian food recipe sounds even better.  There’s just something about those old world recipes that take a lot of time to make and end up tasting like you’re eating at a fancy restaurant right in the middle of Milan.

I guess in the end, if you’re just looking for food for Italy, this one looks like it’s a winner. 👌 

Osso Bucco Recipe ‘alla Milanese’ Recipe

6. Carbonara

Region: Lazio

Have I Had it Yet? Yes. Photo of my experiment above.

In Italy or At Home? In Italy and at home.

Difficulty Level: Very easy! Super simple ingredients that all taste great together!

Cooking Notes: Very creamy and rich. Also, the bacon really does add that nice savory crispy flavor and texture to it! One thing to note is to make sure you don’t cook it in the egg yolk sauce for too long or at too high of a temperature. Otherwise the egg will start to cook and you’ll have scrambled eggs in your pasta. 😂

Carbonara has to be one of the most simple yet delicious Italian pasta dishes to try. And when I say simple, I mean it. I’ve made this recipe countless times and it’s on the table for dinner in no time flat.

Like this should be in all of our quick-recipe arsenals.

But apart from how easy it is, it’s made with a delicious creamy concoction of egg yolks, bacon (or pancetta), black pepper, and cheese. So basically comfort food heaven. 👌  

Carbonara Recipe

7. Stracciatella Soup (Italian Egg Drop Soup)

Region: Marche, Lazio, Abruzzo

Have I Had it Yet: No

This feels like the kind of soup you’d have on a cold autumn day. And when it’s packed with yummy ingredients, that just makes it even more of a comfort food.

I mean, with cheese, eggs, and tortellini, how do you even go wrong? Like this all sounds so incredibly good! I could also just imagine paring this with freshly baked bread. ❤️ 

Stracciatella Soup Recipe

8. Spaghetti Arrabiata

Region: Lazio

Have I Had it Yet: No

The recipe uses spaghetti, however the traditionally recipe uses penne rigate if you’re curious!

Also, it’s another wonderful spicy pasta dish! Made with garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, tomatoes, and cheese, I think you’re gonna need a fresh loaf of bread to soak up all the juices.

Spaghetti Arrabiata Recipe

9. Italian Cheeses

When you go to Italy, trying their cheeses is kind of a must. 

I remember going to the restaurant that you see in the photo above and trying their cheeses and they were so good! There are so many flavors to try!

Here are some cheeses you might want to put on your list for when you go to Italy or the closest specialty grocery store:

• Pecorino: Hard cheeses that come from sheep’s milk.
• Asiago: A cow’s milk cheese that’s hard or semi-hard.
• Ricotta: A creamy milk cheese with a curd-like texture. Great for many recipes.
• Mascarpone: A creamy cheese that you can whip or spread on bread. 
• Taleggio: Semi-soft with a strong aroma. It become softer when it’s warm out and can go with dishes such with risotto, a cheeseboards, and more.
• Parmigiano-Reggiano: Different than the (sadly fake) parmesan you get in the stores and so much better. Would highly recommend looking for a Parmigiano-Reggiano in a specialty store that’s been aged for 24 months (it’ll say it on the wrapper).
• Gorgonzola: A crumbly Italian blue cheese.
• Provolone: A soft cheese used for sandwiches and made from cow’s milk.
• Fontina: A semi-soft to hard cheese made with cow’s milk.
• Mozzarella: A classic many people have already had and goes well on many things.

10. Gelato

A classic that I think the majority of us love! Also, I think it would be strange not to put it on our list of foods of Italy to try.

It’s a creamy cold dessert made with cream, egg yolks, whole milk, sugar, and any other flavors you want.

Here’s a gelato recipe if you want to try it at home!

11. Aubergine Pasta (Pasta alla Norma)

Region: Sicily

Have I Had it Yet: No

I LOVE making big pots of pasta mixed with spices and herbs and other yummy ingredients. And this Aubergine Pasta recipe looks SO incredibly good. 

A classic in Sicily, it’s a delicious concoction of eggplant, olive oil, basil, and more. I can’t wait to try this one!

Aubergine Pasta (Pasta alla Norma)

12. Zeppole Di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph Pastries)

Region: Regions south of Rome such as southern Lazio and Salerno

Have I Had it Yet: No

Enjoyed on March 19th to celebrate St. Joseph, these pastries filled with cream look incredible! 

Now I don’t know what the Italians drink them with, but I think these would go great with a cup of espresso!

Oh also, they’re either fried or baked, so I’m really excited to try both versions.

Zeppole Di San Giuseppe Recipes

13. Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast with Pasta)

Region: Tuscany

Have I Had it Yet: No

I’ve never been a bit fan of pot roast growing up, but I think that if I tried this, I’d be converted.

I read the description for this one and I know I’m gonna love it when I either make it myself or have it in Italy.

With wine, cheese, pancetta, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, I don’t know how this couldn’t be good.

Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast with Pasta) Recipe

14. Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Region: Liguria

Have I Had it Yet: Yes

The first time I tried this recipe was in an upscale Italian restaurant in Mexico City. We had a friend recommend the place and I seriously need to go back. 

When it comes to fine dining or anything upscale, I have no “oh, this is fancy, therefore it must be good” filter. 

If it’s good, it’s good, and if it’s bad, it’s bad; I don’t fake myself out.

And all I have to say is that rosemary focaccia bread is so good! It’s melts in your mouth, is super soft, and the rosemary and other ingredients make this irresistible! 

Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

15. Abbacchio alla Cacciatora (Roman Lamb Stew)

Region: Lazio

Have I Had it Yet: No

This looks like the perfect home cookin’ meal.

Also, because it’s Italian, you know it’s going to packed with flavor!

Made with garlic, wine vinegar, rosemary and so many other good ingredients, this should probably be on your meal plan for this week!

Abbacchio alla Cacciatora Recipe

16. Italian Tiramisu

Region: Treviso

Have I Had it Yet: Yes

I LOVE Italian tiramisu. I mean, it’s hard to go wrong with a layered cake that’s had biscuits soaked in espresso. Just make sure the espresso is good quality!

Oh, and it’s a no-bake Italian recipe meaning it’s the perfect dessert recipe for either two situations:

1. You’re having friends and family over, you want a fancy dessert, but you don’t want to take a ton of time in the kitchen with all the different dishes for the evening.
2. You just want to try a new dish but also don’t want to heat up the home because it’s a hot day. 

Also, if you like coffee, then it’s simply just a good recipe to try!

Tiramisu Recipe

17. Gnocchetti Pasta (Malloreddus or Gnocchetti Sardi)

Region: Sardinia

Have I Had it Yet: No

I’ve always wanted to make homemade pasta, and this is going on my list!

Now gnocchi is widely known for being made with potatoes, but this Sardinian specialty is simply made with Semolina flour and water.

And once you have it made, you can test it out with different sauces! That’s the cool thing about Italian cooking if you want to go a non-authentic route.

You can take different pastas and sauces and change them up. So for instance, last year I tried using gnocchi with a sauce meant for Risotto alla Milanese and it was incredible!

Gnocchetti Pasta Recipe

18. Lemon Ricotta Cake

Region: Sicily

Have I Had it Yet: No

Lemon ricotta cake sounds incredibly delicious.

I’ve had the combination of lemon and ricotta in other sweet dishes before and so I’m definitely excited to try it with a cake. There’s something so moist and decadent about the ingredients being used in a recipe. 

And I’m sure the Italians do it expertly!

Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe

19. Tuscan Ribollita Soup

Region: Tuscany

Have I Had it Yet: No

I feel like this is the kind of hearty soup that’s packed with flavor and nutrients, and ready to be served on a cold day.

Also, it being made with garlic, day old bread, potatoes, and olive oil (among other ingredients) means it’s probably gonna taste like a soup you’d get in a high quality Italian restaurant.

 The kind that makes you go, “I wish I had the recipe for this!” But in this case you do, so go ahead and try it and let me know what you think!

Tuscan Ribollita Soup Recipe

20. Pasta Al Forno

Region: Calabria

Have I Had it Yet: No

Baked pasta dishes are probably one of the best ideas when it comes to cooking, and I’m going to assume that the Italians do it expertly.

This is an Italian food I would try in a heartbeat! It’s cheesy and creamy and filled with meats, olive oil, different cheeses, and so much more.

It’s the kind of dish you’d make if you didn’t just want to make a normal American pasta bake, but something really authentic!

Pasta Al Forno Recipe

21. Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Region: Campania

Have I Had it Yet: No

Imagine this: Soft pillowy gnocchi soaked in a garlicky, creamy, cheesy, tangy sauce and packed with tons of flavor from different herbs and spices.

That’s this Italian comfort food recipe right here.

It’s the kind of recipe you make when you’ve had a long and/or hard day and you just want to feel good.

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina Recipe

22. Penne Pomodoro

Region: Campania

Have I Had it Yet: No

It’s a simple pasta dish with an easy but delicious sauce. This is basically for the people who don’t want a pasta sauce out of a jar, but want to make something homemade.

And with basil, crushed garlic, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and other ingredients, it’s a great recipe to make for a date night at home if you’re both craving Italian food. 🙂

Penne Pomodoro Recipe

23. Penne Arrabbiata

Region: Lazio

Have I Had it Yet: No

Another simple pasta dish for a quick dinner night, but this time it’s spicy!

I think spicy pasta recipes are some of the funnest dishes to eat and you can always alter the amount of spice you add into the recipe.

Also, it takes just 20 minutes to make this spicy, garlicky, and tangy Italian recipe so I think it’s worth testing out; you’re not investing a ton of time into the process!

Penne Arrabbiata Recipe

24. Beef Braciole Recipe (Braciola)

Region: Apulia

Have I Had it Yet: No

I love meat dishes swimming in a delicious sauce and this Beef Braciole looks so good!

Basically, it’s thin slices of beef filled with parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic, and parsley, then slowly braised in a wine sauce. It’s kind of the perfect Italian dish you need for those nights where you’re craving something super savory and filling!

Beef Braciole Recipe

25. Canestrelli (Italian Egg Yolk Cookies)

Region: Piedmont

Have I Had it Yet: No

I think we need some more sweets in this list of savory Italian foods!

And these Italian egg yolk cookies look like they’d go great on a cookie tray or with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Also, these shortbread cookies are made with vanilla bean, lemon zest, and butter so I think they’re the perfect sweet treat!

Canestrelli Recipe

26. Castagnaccio (Italian Chestnut Cake)

Region: Liguria, Tuscany, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna regions

Have I Had it Yet: No

I love chestnut desserts! I once had this small hand-held super fudgy dark chocolate cake with a chestnut and chestnut filling in the center. I got it from this incredible chocolate shop in Japan and it was so decadent, but not crazy sweet!

And because of that experience, I am so up for trying this Italian chestnut cake. It looks completely different, but I’m going to bet that it tastes just as good!

Castagnaccio Recipe

27. Bolognese Sauce

Region: Emilia-Romagna 

Have I Had it Yet: Yes

If you have the right sauce, you can make almost anything taste good.

And I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this bolognese sauce would go well on so many different types of pastas and meats!

Also, it’s slow cooked for an hour with meats, spices, wine, garlic, olive oil, herbs and so many other tasty ingredients. I honestly can’t wait to try this with pasta that traditionally goes with bolognese sauce or even something that’s not traditional as well!

Bolognese Sauce Recipe

28. Pizza Giana Rustica (Italian Savory Easter Pie)

Region: Campania

Have I Had it Yet: No

I love trying ethnic foods that are based around a holiday, and I also love savory pie recipes, so this is going up pretty high on my list!

Also, even if you don’t celebrate Easter, I think it might be a hearty Italian recipe to make for breakfast. You know, the kind of breakfast you pre-make and then continue to have every morning until it’s gone.

It has eggs, multiple kinds of meat, plenty of spices, garlic, cheese, puff pasty, and so much more; I honestly don’t know how you can’t try this!

Pizza Giana Rustica Recipe

29. Ragu alla Bolognese

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Have I Had it Yet: No

Big thick pasta is kind of the best.

The texture is so good and it holds so much more sauce on it.

Like this is the kind of dinner you make when you either want to have a date night in and have things be fancy. Or, you have your friends over for the evening and you’re all swapping stories and watching a movie with a big bowl of this recipe. And probably going back for seconds and thirds!

Ragu alla Bolognese Recipe

30. Lasagna al Forno

Region: Emilia-Romagna

Have I Had it Yet: No

Lasagna actually is an authentic recipe, but they make it a bit different.

In this one, they have a bolognese sauce and a béchamel sauce which makes this a super creamy and rich lasagna recipe. I honestly don’t think Olive Garden could win here!

Oh and as a fun fact, it was originally made with no tomato based sauces. Tomatoes were a new world ingredient, so that hadn’t been incorporated into the Italian diet just yet. I find small bits of history like this so interesting!

Lasagna al Forno Recipe

31. Torta Pasqualina

Region: Liguria

Have I Had it Yet: No

Puff pastry, egg, garlic, ricotta, spinach, and so many other yummy ingredients! I would try this in a heartbeat if I walked into an Italian bakery!

I’m honestly not the biggest fan of things with cooked spinach in them, however, this looks like it has quite a bit of spices and other flavors, so I don’t think it should bother me. 😉 

Torta Pasqualina Recipe

32. Pasta Napoletana

Region: Campania

Have I Had it Yet: No

Ok, so this one isn’t a one-pot recipe, but it’s pretty close! You just need one pot for cooking the pasta (which takes no time) and one pot for cooking the ingredients and stirring the pasta in.

And with plenty of fresh ingredients like tomatoes and basil and shallots, I feel like this recipe is going to be packed with flavor. Also, it’s the kind of dinner you eat on a summer evening with your significant other or a friend. 🙂

Pasta Napoletana Recipe

Other Fun Facts About Italian Cuisine

Alright, now that we have this list of 30 recipes for Italian Food done, I think it’d be cool to know the different interesting facts about Italians and their dishes.

So if you’ve been looking up questions about food for Italy and want to know more, then here are some good answers that might help you out. 

1. What Do Italians Eat a Lot Of?

So after looking at some answers from Italians talking about their daily meals, here’s what I found!

• For breakfast, they will have something quick like a croissant (or some other bread based meal) with jam and a coffee. Very easy!
• For dinner, Pasta. Sometimes this might just be a leftover.
• For dinner, meats, fishes, cheese, legumes, and veggies. They make different recipes with these ingredients of course, but it seems to be a common theme.
• Other common ingredients and dishes consist of olive oil, wine, pizza, risotto, and polenta.

Of course, foods vary and changes across the different regions, but this is what I noticed quite a bit of. And if you want to know more then definitely do your own research, it’s very interesting!

2. What Did Italy Eat Before Pasta?

I know that it’s kind of hard for us to imagine a time when Italians didn’t eat pasta, but it was definitely the case!

But first, I think it’s important to note that Italy was separated into different states at one point. There was no Italy as we know it today, so the regional foods varied.

However there are different records of what people were eating hundreds of years ago, so we get a bit of insight.

In some of the coastal regions, they would eat plenty of fish and have other fresh ingredients like olives and lemons.

Also, cheeses, goats, leeks, and artichokes were definitely common!

3. Why Do Italians Eat Dinner So Late?

This one is simple! It goes back to the tradition of eating after the heat of the day.

Also, because the work day has two separate parts to it and there’s a break in between, they don’t get out of work until after 7:30 PM. 

Of course this isn’t across the board, many people have different types of work, but it’s true for many!

Your Free Italian Food Bucket List Printable

Now lastly, I just wanted to give you your own free Italian food bucket list printable so that you can make this kind of like a check off game.

You can use it when you’re either cooking at home or when traveling and wanting to try food in Italy.

Have fun! 🙂

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I can’t wait to start knocking off more of these recipes when I go back to Italy or if I make them from my own kitchen. They all look so good and I can only imagine how good these Italian food dishes are going to make my home smell!

And if you try them too, then let me know! I’d love to hear how it went. 🙂