If you were to travel the length of Italy, you will find a vast difference in how Italians eat and cook.
And that’s a bit surprising considering Italy is only about 800 miles long and 200 miles wide.
All of Italy shares similarities when it comes to eating and cooking.
One of the main characteristics of Italian cooking is its simplicity, as Italian cuisine is known for its use of fresh, simple ingredients and rich flavors.
But Italy, culinarily speaking, is divided into 3 cuisines. There is the Northern, Central and Southern.
There are distinct differences between the cuisine of the northern, central and southern regions of Italy.
These differences reflect the unique regional cultures and traditions due to their geographic location and historical influences.
The Three Italian Cuisines And Their Differences
Northern Italy, being closer to the European mainland, has been heavily influenced by neighboring countries such as France, Austria, and Switzerland.
This is reflected in their cuisine, which tends to be richer and creamier, with dishes like polenta hearty stews, like this Creamy Tuscan Chicken Stew With Artichokes & Sundried Tomatoes, and risotto, like this Bacon and Spring Pea Risotto.
We can also thank Northern Italy, particularly the region of Liguria, for pesto sauce. Which in turn gave us their famous yet very delicious Trofie Al Pesto.
We can also thank northern Italian cuisine for ravioli and tortellini. And those two pastas have inspired many dishes since their addition to Italian cuisine.
The region of Venice in northern Italy, can be given the credit for those little Italian potato dumplings called Gnocchi. Although, associate with northern Italy, they can be found in Italian kitchens throughout the whole of Italy.
The basic recipe for gnocchi is flour, potatoes and eggs. But the little dumpling has inspired many delicious dishes. Here are a few.
In contrast, central Italian cuisine, which encompasses regions like Tuscany and Umbria, is known for its use of olive oil, herbs, and vegetables, resulting in lighter and more rustic dishes.
One of the most famous and beloved dishes of Tuscany is Zuppa Toscana, which has been enjoyed by generations of Italians and has gained worldwide recognition.
Another favorite pasta dish originating in central Italy is from Lazio, and the dish is Pasta Carbonara. Also from Rome, a central Italian cuisine, hails the famous Alfredo sauce.
Finally, southern Italian cuisine, which includes regions such as Naples and Sicily, is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean, resulting in dishes that are more seafood-based, with an abundance of fresh citrus flavors herbs and tomatoes.
And because of that of those fresh ingredients, southern Italian cuisine produced the Capri Salad.
As we can see, due to cultural and geographical influences there are differences in cuisine throughout Italy.
These differences shows there is diversity with each region having unique dishes and cooking styles.
Continue Reading And Learn More About Italian Cuisine
Try These Italian Inspired Favorites
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken Thighs
- Leek Arugula and Goat Cheese Frittata
- One Skillet Tortellini With Pizza Sauce & Fontina
More Deliciously Yummy Recipes
- Turkish Tomato And Onion Salad With Olive Oil And Pomegranate Molasses
- Kale Sweet Potato Chicken Salad With A Mango Chipotle Dressing
- Cooking With Rice
- Mango Chipotle Dressing
- Trofie Al Rosso Pesto
These all look so good!
Thank you. I love a lot of different Italian dishes. But until I began to read about Italian cuisine i didn’t realize the different dishes evolved due to influences from other countries depending on which part of Italy you lived, north, south or central. 👨🍳👍🏼🍻