Last updated on June 4th, 2024
If there is one certain thing I can say about Italian food is that it is seasonal. What you find on menus, at markets and in restaurants is based on the time of year, local produce and seasonal food products.
March is a bit of a sad month in Italy, with lots of rain, unpredictable weather and a changing of seasons. Foodwise, this means we’re at the tail end of winter produce and we’re getting a peek at the initial flavors of spring.
Living in Italy since 2012 has given me plenty of time to sample foods across months and seasons in Italy, providing me with expert insight into the best foods to eat in Italy in March before it’s too late.
Buon appetito!
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Risotto Primavera
(Pronounced ree-soht-toh pree-mah-vehr-ah in Italian)
Risotto primavera is a creamy rice dish made with seasonal asparagus, spring onions, shallots, fresh peas and broad beans (sometimes made with asparagus), marrying the best of winter flavors with the initial produce of spring. You can find this risotto throughout Veneto but it’s particularly good in Venice where asparagus grows well around the lagoon.
I Recommend: Trattoria da’a Marisa in Venice is one of only a handful of authentic restaurants left in the city. To read more about food in Venice and where to eat, read 20+ Must-Try Foods And Drinks In Venice – And My Favorite Places To Eat Them and Best Restaurants in Venice, Italy + Nearest Cicchetti Stops.
Insalata di Carciofi e Bottarga
(Pronounced in-sah-lah-tah dee cahr-choh-fee eh boht-tahr-gah in Italian)
Insalata di carciofi or artichoke salad is a favorite throughout Italy but in Sardinia, they add a generous shaving of bottarga, dried fish roe, giving it an extra kick of flavor.
Each region makes this salad in their own way, sometimes adding radicchio or parmesan cheese, like we do here in Tuscany.
Radicchio Alla Griglia
(Pronounced rah-deek-keeoh ahl-lah greel-yah in Italian)
Radicchio alla griglia is a side dish or contorno enjoyed primarily in Nothern Italy where radicchio grows particularly well in the winter months. There are so many different varieties, it’s hard to keep track but the best grilled radicchio is made from il Rosso di Treviso Tardivo.
Don’t leave Italy without ordering a side of radicchio alla griglia with your grilled pork, steak or sausages.
Insalata Siciliana
(Pronounced een-sah-lah-tah see-sheelee-ah-nah in Italian)
Insalata Siciliana is an orange and fennel salad originally from Sicily but today, served throughout the Italian peninsula. Sometimes it’s made with raisins, pine nuts or olives, depending on the recipe and region.
Make it: Insalata Sicilian is an easy, wholesome salad to make at home with my step-by-step instructions for Italian Fennel and Orange Salad – A Winter Salad Recipe from Sicily.
Carciofi alla Giudia
(Pronounced cahr-choh-fee ahl-lah jew-dee-ah in Italian)
March is the height of artichoke season in Italy and these carciofi alla giudia are one of the best ways you can enjoy them. In Rome, specifically in the Jewish quarter, you can easily find these deep fried artichokes resembling a golden flower at any restaurant or trattoria.
Puntarelle alla Romana
(Pronounced poon-tah-rehl-leh ahl-lah roh-man-ah in Italian)
Puntarelle alla Romana is one of my favorite Roman dishes to eat and make at home. Catalonian chicory is thinly sliced and dressed in olive oil, garlic, salt and anchovies.
Puntarelle alla Romana is a don’t miss on the best foods to try in March because this dish is one that is not made abroad or enjoyed beyond Lazio’s borders.
Pasta o’ Fùrnu
(Pronounced pah-stah oh foor-noo in Italian)
Pasta o’ fùrnu from Calabria is one of those stick to your bones dishes that will instantly warm you up. Baked rigatoni pasta is baked with meat sauce, eggplants, meatballs, cheese, cured meats and eggs.
This isn’t a dish that you can only find in March but it’s best enjoyed in the colder and most rainiest months in Southern Italy. I can guarantee you no one in Naples is turning their oven on to bake pasta o’ fùrnu in 100 degree weather so get it now!
Curious to know more about Italy’s seasonal foods, dishes, and produce? Check out
Foods to Eat in Italy in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.
Italian Fruits and Vegetables in Season in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.
