7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (2024)

A land rich in art, history, Italy is alsoworld-renowned for its extraordinary culinary charm. Food derived from Italy offers recipes known and loved around the world for their uniqueness and flavor.

Who doesn’t love classic Italian dishes such as spaghetti, risotto, tiramisu, and pizza? We certainly do at Pubblico Italian Eatery.

Pubblico Italian Eateryis where you’ll find a full menu of traditional Italian cuisinethat honors the centuries-old legacies of its food and culture.

But, just what dishes are considered to be Italian food classics?

Our team will cover seven of the most popular traditional Italian dishes in this blog.

Table of Contents:

  1. Pasta

  2. Pizza

  3. Risotto

  4. Seafood

  5. Lasagna

  6. Ravioli

  7. Tiramisu

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (1)

People Also Ask:

What is a traditional Italian food?

Italian cuisine dishes are versatile. They include many ingredients ranging from vegetables and grains to fruits, cheese, fish, and meats.

What is a typical Italian dinner?

Typically, Italian dinner dishes include a variety of pasta, soups, risottos, and seafood. With an Italian-inspired dinner menu, you’ll find dishes like pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, and desserts such as tiramisu.

Pasta

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (2)

When most people think of Italian food, they think of pasta. Said to have originated in Sicily, pasta expanded to other Italian regions by the ocean with ports and an ideal climate for drying it to both store and then sell. Among these areas include Imperia and Naples.

Italian pasta comes in many shapes and sizes and is made using unleveled dough from:

  • Durum Wheat

  • Water

  • Eggs

A highly versatile dish, it can be served with countless toppings and fillings.

Pizza

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (3)

Besides pasta, pizza is perhaps the most popular and recognized Italian food. Pizza is considered a national symbol representing Italy to the rest of the world, so much so that UNESCO has acknowledged pizza as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Every pizza establishment or restaurant that serves pizza has its own secret for making the dish.

However, pizza is typically made of:

  • Flour

  • Water

  • Brewer’s Yeast

  • Salt

  • Eggs

It is said that the original pizza was created in the Southern Italian city of Naples towards the end of the 18th century and named in honor of Italian Queen, Margherita di Savoia.

Perhaps the most famous type of pizza, it consists of tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and basil, paying homage to the colors of the Italian national flag.

Risotto

Risotto is a well-known Italian dish that hails from Northern Italy and can be cooked in countless ways. It is often creamy and rich in cheese and is prepared with rice pasta simmered in broth.

Seafood

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (5)

Surrounded by water and with so many Italian cities on the Mediterranean coast, seafood is a common staple in the Italian diet and the main ingredient in many dishes. When it comes to Italian cuisine, you’ll find a variety of fresh seafood paired with pasta, sauces, vegetables, and meats.

Some examples of popular Italian seafood include:

  • Shrimp

  • Mussels & Clams

  • Sardines

  • Fried Squid

  • Salted Cod

In Italy, seafood is served traditionally for a lighter Christmas Eve dinner. Italian-American cuisine has evolved into a seafood feast with salmon, tuna, swordfish, calamari, octopus salad, spaghetti with clams, and other seafood pasta dishes.

Lasagna

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (6)

Another Italian cuisine pillar is Lasagna. This dish is baked and consists of multiple layers of fresh pasta covered in sauce and various fillings. Lasagna sauces typically are made from tomatoes and consist of sautéed onion, celery, carrots.

The most popular Lasagna fillings often include:

  • Beef

  • Pork

  • Cheese

Ravioli

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (7)

The amount of stuffed pasta dishes made famous by Italy is endless. From Northern to Southern Italy, almost every region has its own variation of Ravioli.

Ravioli is pasta made from soft dough and then shaped into a square envelope. The filled, enveloped pasta is often served with sauce or broth. Ravioli shapes can vary between square, circular, and semi-circular.

Common ravioli fillings can include:

  • Meats (steak, beef, pork, chicken)

  • Ricotta

  • Cheeses

  • Vegetables

  • Seafood

Tiramisu

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (8)

Last but certainly not least is one of the most famous Italian desserts; Tiramisu. Said to originally hail from the Italian region of Veneto, this cold-served dessert is light and has a cocoa coffee flavor.

Tiramisu consists of a base of Savoiardi biscuits in coffee and Marsala (wine liqueur.)

The Savoiardi biscuits are then covered with mascarpone:

  • Cream

  • Eggs

  • Sugar

  • Cocoa powder

Conclusion

Italy is a continent known for its rich history, culture, and cuisine. A few things are for sure when it comes to Italian food - Italian dishes are well-loved, and there’s something for everyone!

At Pubblico Italian Eatery, we’ve made sure to create a menu that includes variations of the seven most popular Italian dishes discussed in this blog.

Chef Garcia and his teamkeep the ingredients fresh but the recipes classic.

Both Phoenix and Scottsdale Pubblico Italian Eatery locations feature a modern but inviting atmosphere, specious outdoor dining, and bars serving signature hand-crafted co*cktails.

Click hereto learn more about the Pubblico Story. And check out our poston our curated Italian wine list which we rotate quarterly. 🍷

Join us for Happy Hour

ALL DAY Monday

4 - 6 PM on Tuesdays through Sundays

PLUS Happy Hour Drink Pricing

Saturday & Sunday 11AM - 6PM

7 of the Most Popular Traditional Italian Dishes: An Introduction (2024)

FAQs

What are the most popular Italian dishes? ›

filters
  1. 1 Lasagna83%
  2. 2 Spaghetti with meatballs79%
  3. 3 Macaroni and cheese79%
  4. 4 Pasta with Tomato Sauce77%
  5. 5 Ravioli77%
  6. 6 Pasta with Chicken and Garlic Sauce75%
  7. 7 Caesar Salad75%
  8. 8 Fettuccine Alfredo75%

What is traditional Italian food? ›

The Mediterranean diet forms the basis of Italian cuisine, rich in pasta, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Cheese, cold cuts, and wine are central to Italian cuisine, and along with pizza and coffee (especially espresso) form part of Italian gastronomic culture.

Why is Italian food the most popular? ›

There are many reasons why Italian cuisine is so popular worldwide. These reasons include its quality of ingredients, simplicity of dishes, potential health benefits, and variety of tastes. Why is Italian cuisine so unique? Italian dishes are typically rich in olive oils rather than loaded with unhealthy fats.

What are 4 common dishes in Italy? ›

Typically, Italian dinner dishes include a variety of pasta, soups, risottos, and seafood. With an Italian-inspired dinner menu, you'll find dishes like pizza, spaghetti, ravioli, and desserts such as tiramisu.

What is Italy's national dish? ›

Commonly known around the world as spaghetti bolognese, in its authentic form 'Ragu alla Bolognese' is recognised as the national dish of Italy.

What is the main meal in Italy? ›

Lunch is the day's main meal, lasting up to two hours! If you plan to eat lunch with locals, block out time. A typical Italian lunch consists of a primo (pasta, soup or risotto dish), a secondo (meat or fish-based dish) and a contorno (side dish).

What is the oldest Italian dish? ›

A common dish in the Lunigiana region and historical territory of Italy, it is an ancient pasta originating from the Etruscan civilization of Italy. Testaroli has been described as "the earliest recorded pasta". It is also a native dish of the southern Liguria and northern Tuscany regions of Italy.

What is the most popular dessert in Italy? ›

1. Tiramisu. This iconic sweet treat is easy to make at home with our simple recipe. Make it ahead of time to allow the flavours to mingle and intensify while you're munching on a crunchy bruschetta starter.

What is a unique food in Italy? ›

Here are seven strange Italian foods and their origin location.
  • Maggot Cheese (Casu Marzu, Sardinia) ...
  • Cow Guts (Lampredotto, Tuscany) ...
  • Stuffed Mice with Mince (Dormice, Rome) ...
  • Tuscan Chicken Liver Crostini (Tuscany) ...
  • Pani ca Meusa (Sicilian Spleen Sandwiches) ...
  • Pork Blood Cake (Tuscany) ...
  • Songbirds, Brescia (Lombardy)
May 14, 2019

What are the 5 most popular foods in Italy? ›

5 Of The World's Most Famous Italian Dishes
  • Pizza Napoletana. Italian cooking's very essence can be summed up on how they make pizza. ...
  • Lasagna. Lasagne in Italian, this classic pasta recipe is on everyone's list of comfort food. ...
  • Gelato. ...
  • Spaghetti Carbonara. ...
  • Risotto.
Dec 15, 2021

What is the national dish of Italy? ›

Commonly known around the world as spaghetti bolognese, in its authentic form 'Ragu alla Bolognese' is recognised as the national dish of Italy.

What do Italians eat for breakfast? ›

A healthy Italian breakfast might consist of some bread, butter, jam, some yogurt, and fruit. Italians also eat muesli and cereal in the mornings with yogurt or milk. A combination of dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts, and yogurt is a healthy and popular option.

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