39 Unique Italian Foods You Need To Try Before You Die

In 2019, Italian cuisine was voted the most popular cuisine in the world — and no one was surprised. It seems that simple dishes and superb ingredients are a winning combination that most people easily fall in love with. The country has given the world pasta, pizza, and gelato, so you'd think there isn't much more left, but you're in for a surprise. Italy is a culinary giant with regional diversity and culinary lore that remain unparalleled.

With a cuisine as rich as Italian, it wasn't easy to decide what deserved to be in the top echelon. This list features authentic Italian dishes, the country's best ingredients, and the most popular desserts that you should try at least once — though we doubt you'll stop at that. Once you try these, look deeper, try more regional pasta sauces, and investigate the abundance of cheese varieties and scrumptious desserts that will keep you craving more. This list is the best place to start your Italian culinary adventure and to get an overview of some Italian classics that tell a story of how one cuisine conquered them all.

There are many ragù interpretations that pop across Italy, but none is as famous or revered as the one coming from Bologna. Traditionally served with tagliatelle pasta, this comforting meat ragu combines ground beef and pork slowly cooked with onion, celery, carrots, and wine, all doused in tomato sauce (via Eat & Walk Italy).

The internet abounds with discussions about the original recipe, though most take the recipe from Academia Italiana della Cucina as the authentic version — and yes, it does include milk. What we believe to be true is that every family and every Italian nonna has their favorite ragù and a recipe that has been in the family since anyone can remember.

Risotto Milanese is one of the legendary regional Italian risottos. This hearty, vibrantly colored dish originated in the north and is particularly associated with Milan — hence the name. Like most Italian classics, it is a simple combination made with few ingredients that are blended in a perfect balance. Arborio rice is slowly cooked in beef broth and is then laced with saffron. Risotto Milanese can be served on its own, but it is usually paired with osso buco (via MasterClass). Remember, for most Italian risottos, the rice needs to be cooked al dente, meaning that it has to have some bite to it.

You've probably eaten pizza, but you haven't had authentic pizza if you never tasted the original — the legendary Napoletana. This Napolitano legend is one of the most demanding styles to master. To make the authentic version, all ingredients have to be carefully selected, and each step in the process needs to be dutifully followed. Napoletana has a governing body — the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana — that manages pizzaiolo training and specifies the rules when it comes to Neapolitan pie.

The easiest way to try this legendary pizza is to head to Association's website and look for the locations that have been officially approved and certified.

Vongole is the Italian word for clams, the main star of this simple seafood pasta. Italy Magazine explains that it can be made with a tomato-based red sauce, but it is usually prepared as a white version that includes garlic, olive oil, chili pepper, and dry white wine. Clams are simmered in the sauce, and the entire thing is then tossed with spaghetti. Instead of spaghetti, linguine or vermicelli make decent replacements. The dish is famous in most coastal Italian regions, and it is a perfect accompaniment to warm summer evenings. It would work best with a glass of chilled white wine on the side.

Classified as one of the essential Roman pasta dishes, Amatriciana follows standard Italian ideology: Use a handful of the best ingredients to create a spectacularly simple and incredibly flavorful dish. Cooking School Italy explains that the word refers to the sauce made with three base ingredients: guanciale (pork jowl), pecorino, and tomatoes. The sauce has peasant origins, and it was named after Amatrice, a town in Rieti province.

This pasta sauce is a must-try, but if you decide to make it at home, please avoid adding garlic as it is deemed controversial and was publicly judged by the entire Amatrice community when the chef Carlo Cracco used it in his recipe (via The Guardian).

Fritto misto is a delicious Italian combination of various fried ingredients. Translated as "fried mix," it can be made with meat, veggies, seafood, or even cheese. The most famous interpretation is a seafood mix where you will get a cone filled with deep-fried squid rings, shrimp, and squid tentacles, but regional variations abound. In Marche, olive ascolane is commonly added to the mix, while the Piemonte version often calls for offal, cheese, or semolina (via Fine Dining Lovers). 

Fritto misto is not a revolutionary dish, but when you have perfectly deep-fried ingredients, ideally anywhere on the Italian coast, you've got yourself an ideal food experience.

Supplì and arancini are similar deep-fried rice balls that shouldn't be considered the same. Supplì come from Rome and are typically oval-shaped balls made with rice and meat sauce wrapped around mozzarella — resulting in a deliciously crispy treat with a gooey and stringy center. On the other hand, Sicilian arancini can come in different shapes and hold various fillings such as meat ragù or ham and cheese.

Italy Magazine explains that these rice balls are often associated with Arab rule, but as the recipes first appeared in the 19th century, the assumption is not fully supported by evidence. Whatever the origin, these rice balls make a perfect appetizer and delicious street food.

The following dish is one of the glorious representatives of traditional Roman cuisine. Saltimbocca alla Romana is made with thin cuts of veal seasoned only with salt and pepper. Each piece is topped with sage and a prosciutto slice and then fried in sizzling butter. The dish is served with a simple white wine pan sauce. The combination of tenderly-flavored veal, sage aroma, and the savory-salty note from prosciutto results in a glorious blend of flavors and aromas that deservedly puts saltimbocca on the list of best Italian dishes (via Turismo Roma).

You may think you've tried and tested all Italian pasta dishes, but this Sicilian pasta is a whole new ballgame that will better help you understand how contrasting flavors can make a perfect match. Supposedly of Arab origin, this pasta combines some exquisite ingredients starting with sardines as the main protein. The salty fish is then complemented with pine nuts, raisins, saffron, and fennel. Dried breadcrumbs are added as the finishing touch.

The combination of salty, sweet, herbal, nutty, and earthy flavors will create a feast for your taste buds. So next time, stay clear of traditional pasta choices and go for this classic to get a sense of authentic Italian cuisine. It is a standard everyday dish, but it also appears at some important feasts and events (via Sicilian Cooking).

Italy has many pesto variations, but the one from Genoa is its most popular representative and, arguably, the most flavorful of the bunch. As explained by Insider, pesto Genovese calls for a handful of ingredients, seven to be precise, and it has to be made the traditional way for the ultimate pesto result. Basil is the star, but additional components — including Ligurian extra virgin olive oil, salt, Parmigiano, pecorino, pine nuts, and garlic — are essential for a perfect blend that will immediately transport you to Italy.

Stuffing zucchini flowers and then dipping them in batter and frying until they attain a crisp, golden coating is not one of the ancient Italian culinary traditions, but it is now rooted in the local culinary folklore, especially Roman cuisine. The markets abound with these delicate flowers, typically filled with a combination of cheese (mozzarella) and anchovies. The batter is light and crisp, serving as the perfect contrast to the creamy filling. These brightly-colored flowers are an ideal way to start a meal in Italy. An extra tip: Use your fingers to eat them (via Delicious Italy).

Gorgonzola is a blue-veined Italian cheese that can only be made in Piedmont and Lombardy. It is usually made with cow's milk, and it comes either as the longer-aged spicy (piccante) version or as a sweet (dolce) gorgonzola that is aged briefly and holds more sweetness. Gorgonzola is savory and pungent, but it perfectly pairs with fresh and dry fruit, nuts, and honey. Alternatively, use it in risottos, pasta, salads, and sauces, or snack on it to thoroughly enjoyed the richness of flavors.

Please note that the original cheese has to have the DOP stamp that certifies it as authentic gorgonzola (via MasterClass).

Parmigiano Reggiano is not your regular parmesan cheese, as the authentic version has to be made with specific ingredients and can only be produced in designated Italian regions. Parmigiano Reggiano is one of the legendary cheese varieties, praised for its texture, flavor, and aroma. This is the cheese that you want to savor and nibble on its own, and a cheese that will add that umami kick to any dish you serve it with. Following the advice of the official Parmigiano Reggiano consortium, never taste this cheese directly from the fridge, and be prepared for the glorious medley of sweetness, saltiness, subtle bitterness, and some hints of herbal notes. An additional tip when buying is that the cheese's final flavor profile and texture will depend on its age.

No one should go through life without tasting cannoli — the elongated pastry shells fried till they achieve that crispy perfection and then filled with sweetened ricotta cream. This legendary Italian dessert even sounds great on paper.

Cannoli are originally Sicilian, but they have long outgrown their native region. Though the best expressions are found in Sicily, cannoli have been internationalized, so there is absolutely nothing stopping you from going and living your best life with cannoli in hand. As cultural heritage expert Maria Oliveri shared with BBC, the best cannoli is always made fresh so that the pastry can retain crispiness, so try to find the store that makes them this way. If all else fails, you should at least once go to Sicily, and you might as well go for the cannoli (we're not here to judge).

When you think of Italian desserts, tiramisu is probably the first thing that comes to mind. There is no other dessert so closely associated with Italy than the layered combination of coffee-dipped ladyfingers coated in a creamy mixture of mascarpone and eggs and then topped with a thin layer of bitter cocoa to balance out the sweetness.

Whoever created tiramisu — the origin was long disputed and partially settled in 2017 when Friuli was awarded this honor — gave it an appropriate name. According to the Academia del Tiramisu, the name stems from the local dialect (tireme su), which means pick-me-up. We can't think of a better dessert choice for an afternoon or after-dinner boost.

Cantucci Toscani are not much to look at. They have a somewhat rustic appearance, but their texture and flavor certainly compensate for the rough presentation. These hard cookies that are generously flavored and packed with nuts or dry fruit are a Tuscan tradition, though similar versions are found in almost all corners of the country (via The Florentine).

Cantucci are double-baked and thus have a firm, hard-to-break texture. Ideally, for the authentic Italian experience, you are supposed to dunk them in wine. And no, milk just won't do. Dip these cookies in sweet vin santo and be amazed at how Italians have a natural gift for pairing food and wine to achieve ultimate bliss.

If you've ever eaten a lobster tail pastry, you might have an idea of what makes sfogliatella so special, as it is the original version. As Atlas Obscura clarifies, according to the most famous legend, this pastry was allegedly created by the nuns at the Santa Rosa convent on the Amalfi Coast.

Sfogliatella comes in two versions. The more popular riccia is made with phyllo pastry arranged to resemble a layered cone, while the round-shaped frolla opts for shortcrust pastry. Both versions hide a delectable citrus-infused ricotta filling. These pastries are a breakfast staple and should be paired with freshly brewed espresso for the ultimate breakfast combo and your new favorite Italian experience.

Montebianco is an Italian dessert you've most likely never heard of, which we are here to fix. This seemingly simple dessert is a seasonal fixture that plays a starring role during fall and winter. It features the classic autumnal staple: earthy chestnut purée flavored with rum and (sometimes) cocoa. The purée is topped with feather-light whipped cream that counterbalances the strong earthy chestnut note.

When assembled, the desert unmistakably resembles a snow-capped mountain, and it was named after the highest peak in the Alps. The peak is located near the Italian-French border, and the dessert is also shared between the nations, but in France, you will have more luck finding it under the name Mont Blanc (via La Cucina Italiana).

Siena is a small Tuscan city that gave birth to panforte — a traditional Christmas cake packed with spices and speckled with candied fruit and nuts. Panforte is an ancient Italian delicacy usually shaped in a large disk. Traditionally it can be topped with cocoa (or powdered sugar for the Margherita version).

Because of the warming spices, nuts, and chewy texture, panforte is a unique treat, and its bold flavors are ideally savored during the winter season or even better as a sweet Christmas treat served with dessert wine on the side (via Italy Bite).