If you’re traveling to Italy and you eat gluten-free, get ready to eat like a queen (or king)! Along with mains and desserts, we also have a wealth of side dishes for you.
So many Italian side dishes are naturally made without gluten. Italian dishes tend to be based on simple ingredients that are often gluten-free.
When you dine out here, there’s no need to seek out specific dishes or compromise with your friends and family about where to eat.
Let’s take a look at some gluten-free side dishes you’ll find during your travels in Italy.
Note: If you have a serious allergy or Coeliac disease, you must know that in any restaurant that is not 100% gluten-free or AIC accredited, there is always the small chance of cross contamination. If this is a serious issue for you, stick to AIC certified restaurants.
Gluten-Free in Italy: Read up on eating senza glutine in Italy:
Eating Gluten-Free in Italy – Florence – Venice
Gluten-Free Meals in Italy
Gluten-Free Italian Side Dishes
Gluten-Free Italian Desserts
Gluten-Free Cicchetti in Venice
Is Gelato Gluten-Free?
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Gluten-Free Side Dishes In Italy
When ordering food in Italy, there is a particular “order of operation” that a typical meal follows (aka Italian meal structure) with several different courses. However, don’t feel like you need to stick to it (it’s not rude to deviate). For gluten-free travelers in Italy, ordering 1-3 side dishes is a great way to fill up and sample a variety of flavors without feeling left out from those piles of pasta.
Look under the contorni (sides) section of any Italian menu to find the daily side dishes being served. Don’t be afraid to order a ton of them and skip the first course. If you have any doubt about whether or not something is gluten-free, just ask!
Italian Green Beans
Italians love their green beans in the summer. You will sometimes see them boiled and served with lemon and olive oil but many regions also stew them in a rich tomato sauce, which is much heavier but so delicious.
Make Them: This is a great gluten-free Italian side dish to recreate at home with. Try my recipe for Italian Green Beans.
Vignarola
Vignarola is a gluten-free Roman side dish made in the spring from artichokes, fava beans, peas and romaine lettuce. These vegetables are slowly cooked in garlic and olive oil until tender and soft, perfect with several other side dishes to make up a whole meal!
Fagioli All’Olio
Beans and other legumes are huge in Italy, especially in central and southern regions such as Umbria, Tuscany, Molise and Basilicata. This is because they are nutrient rich, grow well locally and don’t cost very much. Look for any kind of bean or lentil served drizzled with olive oil.
Make Them: Fagioli all’olio are another simple (and cheap) gluten-free Italian side dish to eat at home using my recipe for Homemade Tuscan White Beans.
Peperonata
Peperonata is a stewed gluten-free side dish made by sautéeing bell peppers, onions, tomatoes with herbs and maybe garlic, depending on the region. It’s served as a side dish but might also be used on a mixed appetizer plate or even served with pasta in southern Italy.
Piselli Fiorentini
Piselli fiorentini are spring peas cooked with bacon and served alongside traditional Tuscan food such as grilled pork or bistecca fiorentina.
Try Them: Where Locals Eat In Florence and Restaurants to Try on Your First Trip to Florence.
Make Them: With my recipe for Italian Peas With Bacon.
Cicoria Ripassata
Bitter greens are simply sautéed in olive oil with garlic and chili until tender, perfect for grilled meats. You might also see the term ripassata used with other vegetables referring to this method of sautéeing in olive oil.
Insalata Siciliana
This fennel and orange salad is a refreshing gluten-free side dish in Italy to try in Sicily in the winter when citrus and fennel are in season. To make it at home, use my recipe for Italian Fennel and Orange Salad.
Note: Salads may also be listed under contorni but not always. Read more about this in Italian Dinner Courses – A Guide For Travelers.
Caponata
Caponata is a southern Italian gluten-free side dish showcasing the Arab influence on Italian cooking. Stewed eggplant is cooked in a sweet and sour sauce of raisins, pine nuts, vinegar and olive oil, resulting in a sweet yet tangy side dish perfect for any kind of main dish including hearty swordfish, tuna steaks and grilled meat.
Patate Arroste
Roasted potatoes are a classic gluten-free Italian side dish that you will find across all 20 regions no matter the season.
Cecina
Cecina, sometimes called farinata or panelle is a chickpea flatbread or fritter enjoyed as a street food or appetizer in Italy. You might see locals ordering it at a pizzeria or other casual eatery as a side dish.
Make It: Learn how to make cecina with my Cecina (Chickpea Flatbread) Recipe.
Crauti
Crauti is essentially Italian Sauerkraut flavored with local herbs such as juniper berries, caraway seeds or anise, commonly served with sausages, hotdogs or other regional meats from Trentino-Alto Adige.
Patatine Fritte
Just like roasted potatoes, french fries are beloved by all Italians. If you have a severe gluten intolerance, be sure that the fries are not fried in oil that has been used with other foods.
Puree di Patate
Mashed potatoes are a popular gluten-free side dish in Italy that you might order with roasted meats in the winter.
Verdure Saltate
Verdure saltate are sautéed seasonal vegetables, usually leafy greens, in olive oil and garlic. Southern regions like to add a bit of hot pepper.
Cianfotta
This Italian gluten-free vegetable side dish is similar to the French ratatouille made from slowly stewing summer vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and tomatoes together until tender.
Puntarelle
Puntarelle, a type of Italian chicory, is sliced thinly into curls and dressed in a tangy and garlicky anchovy vinaigrette, perfectly complimenting heavier grilled meats.
Friggitelli
Friggitelli are small Italian green peppers that are pan fried until blistered. Look for them in southern Italy alongside fresh seafood on the coast or local sausages on the mainland.
Carciofi alla Giudia
Usually you want to stay away from fried foods as a gluten-free traveler in Italy but not here. These fried artichokes have no batter, making them safe.
Funghi Trifolati
Funghi trifolati are pan cooked foraged mushrooms, a paradise for gluten-free travelers in Italy. The type of mushroom will depend on the season and the region you are visiting. The best are usually made from porcini which are foraged in the fall.
Truffle Lovers: Read up on where to eat truffles in Italy, even for gluten-free travelers in Truffles in Italy.
Insalata di rinforzo
Insalata di rinforzo is traditional Christmas food from Naples made from pickled carrots, gherkins, pearl onions, sweet peppers, olives and celery mixed with a dressing of anchovies and vinegar.
Fagioli
In general, fagioli or beans are listed under the contorni section of menus at restaurants. Usually they are just boiled and served with olive oil, salt and pepper but every region has their own specialty.
Bietole al Pomodoro
Bietole al pomodoro is swiss chard stewed in tomato sauce flavored with soffritto, a mix of onion, carrot and celery.
Fagioli all’Uccelletto
This type of stewed white bean is made with tomato sauce and garlic and is most commonly found in Tuscany (specifically at places on my list of Where to Eat Bistecca Fiorentina in Florence). Hearty and rich, this gluten-free side dish is packed with protein and flavor.
Make It: Use either canned or dried beans to make Fagioli All’Uccelletto.
Verdure Lesse
Italians love a simple side dish and these gluten-free steamed vegetables couldn’t be more perfect for travelers worried about getting enough vegetables.
Verdure alla Griglia
Especially in the summer when produce is plentiful, you will find many restaurants serving plates of grilled mixed vegetables alongside other grilled foods such as shrimp, sausages, steak, pork chops and whole grilled fish.
Polenta
Polenta, if served as a side dish, will either be creamy or cut into squares and grilled. Both are delicious and most common in northern Italy.
Grilled Radicchio (Radicchio rosso alla Trevisana)
Grilled radicchio is a northern Italian specialty, especially in Venice, where it grows well on the lagoon. Bitter yet tender, this winter vegetable is a must-try for gluten-free travelers in Venice.
Good To Know: If you are gluten-free and looking for gluten-free grains, your best option is rice which is most likely going to be located under the primi (first course) section of a menu.
Italian Side Dishes To Avoid
For travelers adhering to a gluten-free diet in Italy should avoid the following side dishes because they may contain bread crumbs or other kinds of gluten:
- Gratin – of any kind including broccoli, cauliflower and potato
- Verdure gratinate – cooked vegetables with breadcrumbs
- Fritto – any kind of fried vegetables or meat
- Croquettes – small dumplings usually fried
And of course, you will want to steer clear of any kind of bread in Italy that is made with gluten. Most regional breads, including schiacciata and focaccia are off limits.
Allergies & Dietary Restrictions in Italy: If you’re traveling in Italy and have special dietary needs, be sure to check out:
How to Eat Vegetarian In Italy
How to Eat Vegan in Italy
Eating Gluten-Free in Italy
Eating in Italy While Pregnant
Eating Dairy-Free in Italy
