Last updated on October 23rd, 2024
October in Italy is a fantastic time to explore the rich and diverse flavors of regional cuisine. As the fall harvest season peaks, I always appreciate Italy’s variety of seasonal foods that are both comforting and delicious – including mushrooms, newly pressed olive oil, chestnuts and a wide variety of squashes.
Eating my way around Italy since 2012, I’ve come to look forward to October in Italy with pleasure as some of my favorite foods become available at supermarkets and restaurants. I want to share with you 14 of the most seasonal foods to eat in Italy in October, including which regions to taste them in.
These October dishes not only celebrate the flavors of the season but also offer a glimpse into the regional diversity and culinary traditions of Italy.
Dig Deeper: Read up on Why Italians Eat Seasonally – A Complete Guide To The Italian Way Of Cooking With The Seasons and My Favorite Foods to Eat in Italy in the Fall.
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Bresaola e Porcini
(Pronounced breh-sah-oh-lah eh pohr-chee-nee in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Lombardy
Bresaola and porcini are two of the most prestigious ingredients in Italy found in October used to make a light and deliciously flavorful salad. Thinly sliced bresaola is topped with raw, thinly-sliced porcini mushrooms, drizzled with olive oil.
Tagliatelle al Tartufo di Acqualagna
(Pronounced tall-yuh-tell-ley all tar-too-foh dee awk-wuh-lag-nah in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Marche
Homemade egg tagliatelle is served in a truffle sauce made specifically from this varietyin Le Marche when the truffle season starts in October in Italy.
Make It: Try making fresh pasta with my recipe for homemade tagliatelle and add any kind of mushrooms you have on hand with a splash of cream, butter and thyme (or try boscaiola sauce).
Tajarin al Tartufo Bianco
(Pronounced tah-yahr-een ahl tahr-toof-oh bee-ahnk-oh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Piedmont
Rich tajarin pasta (a thin egg noodle) is dressed in a pasta sauce made from butter, black pepper and locally sourced freshly grated white truffles known as tartufi bianchi d’Alba.
Castagne
(Pronounced kah-stahn-yeh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Central and Northern Italy
Chestnuts grow particularly well in Italy, especially in the Pianura Padana. If you are visiting Italy in the fall be sure to buy some from one of the many street vendors selling freshly roasted chestnuts or try them in one of the many dishes listed below.
Zuppa di Ceci e Castagne
(Pronounced zoop-pah dee cheh-chee eh cah-stah-neh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Umbria or Lazio
Zuppa di Ceci is made by cooking pancetta, onion, and garlic with chopped tomatoes, parsley, chickpeas, chili peppers and broth until thick and hearty. Seasonal chestnuts are added and this healthy soup is ready to hit the table.
Fettunta
(Pronounced feht-toon-tah in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Tuscany, specifically at 15 Restaurants to Try on Your First Trip to Florence and Where Locals Eat In Florence – Restaurants, Gelato, Pizza & Panini.
Fettunta is grilled pane toscano drizzled with freshly-pressed olive oil (olio nuovo) and sprinkled with sea salt. Around the olive harvest at the end of October and into November you will see this on many menus. Look closely at the olive oil because it won’t be golden like you are used to seeing it: it’s green (and spicy!). This is a sure sign that the oil was just pressed, because that cloudy green color only lasts for a couple of days.
Read More: All about Fettunta – Italy’s Oily Slice, when and where to eat it and how to make it.
Parmigiana Melanzane
(Pronounced pahr-mee-gawn-ah meh-lahn-zah-neh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Sicily
Eggplant parmigiana, a classic Italian vegetarian dish, is made by layering thin slices of fried eggplant with tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. It is then baked until sizzling hot. Eggplants are just going out of season at this point so get it before it’s gone for the year!
More Vegetarian Meals: Don’t miss 50+ Vegetarian Dishes To Try In Italy and How to Eat Vegetarian In Italy.
Tortellini
(Pronounced tohr-tehl-lee-nee in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Emilia-Romagna or Lombardy
Tortellini is a stuffed pasta served throughout all of Italy but in October and through the winter you will see it made with a seasonal pumpkin filling spiced with nutmeg. Enjoy it in a sweet brown butter and sage sauce as your first course.
Olio Nuovo
(Pronounced oh-lee-oh noo-oh-voh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Any region in Italy but notably in Puglia, Liguria, Umbria and Tuscany.
Olio nuovo means “new olive oil”, referring to the freshly pressed olive oil of that particular year. It’s bright green in color and quite spicy. Look for olive oil festivals, sagre and daily specials at restaurants highlighting this special treat that only comes around once a year in Italy.
More On Oil: Get the lowdown on all things olive oil in Italy in
15 Best Italian Olive Oils – To Enjoy in Italy & Bring Home as a Souvenir
Olive Oil Health Benefits – According to Italian Nonne (Grandmothers)
How Italians Cook with Olive Oil
Castagnaccio
(Pronounced kah-stahn-yahch-choh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: A Local’s 10 Favorite Bakeries In Florence, Italy (For Sweet And Savory Treats!).
Castagnaccio is a traditional Tuscan cake made from chestnut flour, water, olive oil, pine nuts, and raisins. Often flavored with rosemary, this cake is a unique combination of savory and sweet, reflecting the rustic flavors of the Tuscan countryside. My family’s favorite way to make it is with walnuts instead.
Pizzoccheri alla Valtellinese
Pronounced peetz-zohk-kehr-ee ahl-lah vahl-tehl-leen-eh-zeh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Lombardy
Originating from the Valtellina region in Lombardy, pizzoccheri is a traditional fall and winter Italian first made with buckwheat pasta, potatoes, and savoy cabbage. The pasta is layered with bitto cheese, garlic, and sage, then baked until bubbly and golden. It’s the perfect vegetarian option for travelers in the fall.
Ossobuco alla Milanese
(Pronounced ohs-soh-boo-koh ahl-lah mee-lahn-eh-zeh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Milan
Ossobuco alla Milanese is a traditional dish from Milan featuring braised veal shanks cooked with white wine, broth, and vegetables. The hearty fall dish is often served with a gremolata (a mix of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley) to lighten it up. The slow cooking method results in a melt in your mouth meat, making it a perfect hearty meal on cooler October evenings.
Tartufo Bianco
(Pronounced tahr-too-foh bee-ahn-koh in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Piedmont
October marks the beginning of white truffle season in Italy, most notably in the Piedmont region. This particular variety of truffles in Italy are rare and highly prized, often shaved over simple dishes like pasta, risotto, or scrambled eggs to let their unique aroma and flavor shine.
Risotto di Zucca
(Pronounced ree-zoh-toh dee zook-kah in Italian)
Where To Eat It: Lombardy
Risotto di zucca is a creamy rice dish made from carnaroli rice (or other risotto rice grown locally) flavored with seasonal squash. The squash may be pureed and mixed with cheese or it may be semi-chunky within the rice. My family prefers it creamy with stracchino cheese.
Curious to know more about Italy’s seasonal foods, dishes, and produce? Check out
Foods to Eat in Italy by Month in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December and by Season in Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter.
Italian Fruits and Vegetables in Season in January – February – March – April – May – June – July – August – September – October – November – December.
Italian Nuts