Traditional Italian dishes that you didn’t know were vegan

Did you know the Italian cuisine has plenty of dishes that are completely vegan and have always been? This guide will go through all the delicious Italian food that is traditionally vegan.

So what are some of the traditional Italian dishes? Some are tomato pasta, polenta, pappa al pomodoro, pizza and more and will dive into them now.

I hope this can be useful for inspiration on making some new Italian dishes or discovering what you can ask if wanting to eat vegan in Italy.

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When you think of Italian cuisine, you usually don’t think of it as vegan friendly. This is partly true as, even though the vegan community is growing, it’s still seen with skepticism in Italy and there is some resistance to change by restaurants and cafe often not providing vegan options. Despite this, there are plenty of dishes that are and have always been vegan. Some dishes might have parmesan as a garnish option, but that is easily replaced or avoided.

Having clarified this, Let’s have a look!

1. Basil and tomato pasta

This is the most classic Italian dish, the one that represents Italy. It’s so simple and originally free of any animals products! All that is needed is some good pasta, exquisite tomatoes and fresh basil, nothing more simple that has no compromise on taste at all. If you find yourself in the south of Italy where tomatoes are even more flavourful, make sure to try this!

A recipe to check out: https://www.vincenzosplate.com/recipe-items/tomato-basil-pasta-sauce-recipe/

2. Pasta e ceci

(credit www.tavolartegusto.it)

This might not be as well known, but it;’s a typical pasta dish from the middle/south of Italy. It consists of pasta, chickpeas, garlic and herbs. It’s a real comfort food and it’s an incredibly simple dish. At the same time, it’s very nutritious as chickpeas are rich in protein and pasta is rich in carbohydrates.

A recipe to check out: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/pasta-e-ceci/#wprm-recipe-container-20041

3. Spaghetti olio aglio e peperoncino

(credit primochef.it)

This is a typical spicy pasta dish from Naples. It’s easy, cheap and quick. It’s made with garlic, olive oil and red chili flakes. Simplicity at its best, with a spicy kick.

A recipe to check out: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017306-pasta-aglio-olio-e-peperoncino

3. Farinata

(credit www.tavolartegusto.it)

This is one my favourite things. It’s a chickpea flatbread typical from Genova in Liguria. It’s a simple flatbread that is baked in the oven and it’s made of a very few ingredients: chickpea flour, water, extra virgin olive oil and salt. It is usually served plain but you can add any toppings you like.

If you want to check it out here’s a recipe: https://www.asmallkitcheningenoa.com/farinata-genoa-chickpea-tart/

4. Pasta e fagioli

(credit www.tavolartegusto.it)

Similar to pasta e ceci, this pasta and beans it’s typical of Naples. Another comfort food and another peasant food composed on inexpensive ingredients.

A recipe to check out: https://www.italianfoodforever.com/2018/04/pasta-e-fagioli/

5. Ribollita

(credit www.ilclubdellericette.it)

This dish is typical of Tuscany. It’s a very dense stale bread soup full of seasonal produce like kale, cabbage, vegetables such as carrot, beans, chard, potatoes and onion. It is typical of the “cucina povera” which translated literally means poor cooking, which includes making the most of what you have.

Here’s a recipe by Eataly: https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/eataly-recipes/recipe-ribollita/

8. Pappa al pomodoro

(credit www.greatitalianchefs.com)

This is a thick Tuscan bread soup made with fresh tomatoes, bread, olive oil, garlic and basil. It’s made with stale bread and even though it sounds simple it is incredibly full of flavour and makes up a great lunch or starter.

Here’s a recipe to check out: https://www.google.com/search?q=Pappa+al+pomodoro+recipe&oq=Pappa+al+pomodoro+recipe&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60l3.1525j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

9.Pizza marinara

(credit www.acouplecooks.com)

How can we talk about Italian food and not talk about pizza? Pizza marinara is the most simple pizza you can have, it’s made with tomato sauce, lots of olive oil, oregano and garlic. There is no mozzarella cheese and it’s all about the tomatoes and the simple garnishes.

A recipe to check out: https://www.acouplecooks.com/pizza-marinara/

10. Caponata

(credit: www.tavolartegusto.it)

This is another favourites of mine. It’s a dish from Sicily and it’s made of aubergine, tomatoes, onion, olives, olive oil, celery, capers. It also includes a mix fried vegetables.

A recipe to check out http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250331/sicilian-caponata/

11. Polenta

Polenta e funghi (credit: www.agrodolce.it)

Polenta is a typical dish of the north of Italy. It is made of boiled cornmeal and even though it is often served with beef it also comes with mushrooms which is a delicious vegan alternative.

I could go on and on and talk about many other dishes, but these are some of my favourites. I hope you can rethink how you view Italian cuisine and know that is has plenty of vegan options! I hope you get to try all these delicious dishes. Now that travelling is not happening you could experiment with the recipes at home and bring some of Italy to your kitchen. I have linked some recipes for each dish, I hope you enjoy it!

Let me know if you have tried any of these or if you know some other delicious ones that you would like to share!