Last updated on June 22nd, 2024
If you have decided to come to Italy in January then you are one of the lucky ones! Not only is this the small window in which tourism is at a low but some of the best Italian food is in season, giving you the perfect excuse to hunker down, warm up and dig in to some of the best dishes that Italy has to offer!
After 15 years of living in Italy, Iv’e come to love every season, including one of our coldest months – January.
There is nothing more comforting than a day out touring, skiing or sight seeing and warming up with some stick-to-your-bones meat sauce.
In this article, I will share with you my top 8 foods to eat in Italy in January including my favorite spots to eat them. No matter your diet or dietary preferences, I have a dish for you including meat heavy options, vegetarian foods and vegan main courses!
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Pappardelle al Cinghiale
(Pronounced pahp-pahr-dehl-lkeh ahl chin-gee-ahl-eh in Italian)
Pappardelle al cinghiale is a traditional ribbon egg pasta dish served in a rich wild boar meat sauce or ragù in Tuscany.
During hunting season (fall and winter), this hearty pasta is particularly popular. Every family and restaurant will have their own recipe. The meat may be minced or shredded.
Tip: Pappardelle al cinghiale is my favorite way to taste cinghiale for the first time but if you like gamey meats, try it served as a stew, known as a spezzatino al cingiale.
My favorite restaurants in Florence serving cinghiale:
- Trattoria Casalinga – Via dei Michelozzi, 9/R
- Trattoria del Carmine – Piazza del Carmine, 18
- Pandemonio di Casa Brogi – Via del Leone, 50
- Trattoria Sostanza – Via della Porcellana 25
- Trattoria Cammillo – Borgo S. Jacopo, 57/r
To learn more about food in Florence, read The Best Cheap Eats in Tuscany – 8 Unforgettable Tuscan Street Foods and 10 Foods You Must Try On Your First Visit To Florence (Italy).
Gnocchi Alla Bava
(Pronounced nyawk-kee ahl-lah bah-vah in Italian)
Gnocchi alla bava is a rich and hearty dish from Northern Italy in Piedmont perfect to warm you up after a full day of skiing, hiking or biking.
This winter dish is made from buckwheat potato dumplings covered in a cream sauce with just a hint of nutmeg.
Where To Eat It: Look for gnocchi alla bava at any rifugio or mountain hut in Italy’s mountains.
Porchetta di Ariccia
(Pronounced pohr-keht-tah dee ah-reech-chah in Italian)
Every region in Italy has their version of roasted spit pork and porchetta di Ariccia is Lazio’s. Stuffed with fennel, rosemary and garlic, the whole pig is slow roasted and then sold by the weight or can be ordered as a sandwich.
You can buy porchetta year around in Italy but it’s particularly good in January after the yearly pig slaughter. In December, January, and February you might notice an increase in pork products, especially sausages and cured meats.
Where To Eat It: At the Trionfale Market (open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm , Tuesday and Friday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm) in Via Andrea Doria, Rome.
Soppressata
(Pronounced sohp-prehs-sah-tah in Italian)
Soppressata, a kind of pork sausage made with the organs, head and other leftover parts of a pig, was first invented in Basilicata and is today a favorite throughout Italy in January when the pigs are slaughtered.
Every region has their own variety, each seasoned with different herbs and spices. Be forewarned, soppressata is not for the faint hearted!
Where To Eat It: You can find soppressata at any small butcher in Italy. You will find it next to the cured meats and will need to order it in slices. Some of the best butchers in Italy are found at local farmers markets or close by such as at the Rialto Market in Venice or at the Sant’Ambrogio Market in Florence.
Ribollita
(Pronounced ree-bohl-lee-tah in Italian)
Ribollita is one of the best first courses (primo) from Tuscany developed centuries ago as a means to use up old bread. This hearty vegan stew is made with winter vegetables such as carrots, celery, onion, cabbage, kale, swiss chard and cannellini beans, which are all cooked together until tender and thickened with day-old bread.
Be sure to drizzle it with plenty of extra virgin olive oil before digging in.
Where To Eat It: Most trattorie or osterie in Tuscany will serve ribollita in the winter. If you are in Florence I suggest Buca dell’Orafo just off Ponte Vecchio.
Pregnant Travelers: Ribollita is particularly healthy and good for pregnant travelers in Tuscany. Even though it does have plenty of protein from the beans and winter greens, I always suggest ordering a protein such as an pasteurized cheese (no mozzarella), an Italian omelet (frittata), or sharing a secondo.
Tortelli di Zucca
(Pronounced tohr-tehl-lee dee zook-kah in Italian)
Tortelli di zucca is a stuffed vegetarian pasta filled with a mixture of pumpkin, amaretto cookies, parmesan, and fruit mustard, typically served in brown butter. Both Mantua and Ferrara in Emilia-Romagna claim to be the inventors of this dish and while I certainly cannot be sure, I can be sure that this is a must-try food in Italy in January!
We Recommend: Trattoria Ai Due Platani (Coloreto) for some of the best fresh pasta in all of Emilia-Romagna.
Fonduta Alla Valdostana
(Pronounced fohn-doo-tah ahl-lah vahl-doh-stah-nah in Italian)
Fonduta alla Valdostana from the Aosta Valley is one of the richest dishes in all of Italy. The fondue is made from fontina cheese that is melted into a white sauce thickened with flour, milk, egg yolks and occasionally white truffles or a hint of nutmeg.
It’s served with crunchy bread for dipping but you may also be served other starchy “dippers” such as potatoes. Pair it with a side salad and you won’t be disappointed!
Polenta Concia
(Pronounced poh-lehn-tah kohn-chah in Italian)
Polenta concia is one of the Aosta Valley’s most iconic dishes made from creamy corn polenta that is enriched with butter and plenty of fontina cheese.
Look for polenta concia under the primo section of any menu, particularly at mountain lodges and huts.
Good To Know: Polenta is a Northern Italian ingredient so don’t expect to see much of it if you are traveling in central or southern Italy.
Flavors & Ingredients To Look For In January
January is when a lot of leafy greens, winter salad and hearty squashes come onto the Italian market scene. Keep your eyes peeled with basic Italian dishes such as pasta, risotto and side dishes that include these winter vegetables.
- Zucca Mantovana: This small squash is found throughout Lombardy and used to make any number of stuffed pastas.
- Radicchio Rosso di Treviso: Look for risotto and cicchetti made with winter radicchio in Venice.
- Carciofo Violetto di Sant’Erasmo: The island of St. Erasmo just outside of Venice is famous for this particular kind of small purple artichoke. This is a must try in Venice for foodies.
- Bergamot: a large, knobby-looking citrus fruit that grows so well in Calabria.
- Tarocco: A variety of blood orange that exclusively grows in Sicily. Order a spremuta or freshly squeezed orange juice at any bar in Sicily for breakfast to sample some of these local oranges.
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.
