How to Eat Vegetarian In Italy – A Local’s Guide to a Meat-Free Trip

Last updated on August 23rd, 2024

Are you asking yourself if it’s possible to get by eating vegetarian in Italy? While most nonne (Italian grandmothers) don’t understand why anyone would opt out of eating meat, there are so many naturally vegetarian dishes in the regional cuisine of Italy.

Living in Italy since 2012 has given me ample time to try out and fall in love with Italian vegetarian food. In this guide, I will help you navigate your trip in Italy as a vegetarian, including:

• the best kept secret to eating vegetarian in Italy
• vegetarian food to try
• tips and tricks based on my first-hand experience
• helpful vocabulary for navigating Italy as a vegetarian

Every region in Italy is home to some delicious vegetarian food!

And if you are interested in learning about eating vegan in Italy, you may want to read
How to Eat Vegan in Italy – Tips From A Local 
Eating Vegan In Venice
15 Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants In Florence

The Best Kept Secret To Eating Vegetarian In Italy

Although I am not a vegetarian, I tend to eat a plant-based diet, especially when I am dining in restaurants in Italy. As a longtime resident in Italy, the best piece of advice I have for eating vegetarian here is to eat at regular restaurants. You don’t need to go out of your way to hunt down vegetarian restaurants in Italy because many of the historic Italian dishes were developed to be vegan and vegetarian!

Italy is historically a very poor country. It was only natural for Italians to develop eating habits based on la cucina povera, the concept of making healthy, wholesome meals out of seasonal, local ingredients at low cost. 

Italian cuisine naturally embodies a plant-based diet that reflects the seasons, local fruits and vegetables and plenty of legumes, starches and whole grains.

All restaurants will have vegetarian options available to you under the antipasti, primo, secondo or contorno sections of the menu. 

Appetizers might be salads, savory flans, quiches or cheese platters. First course will be made from starches such as pasta, rice, polenta or soups and the contorno section will be your best friend as a vegetarian in Italy full of side dishes that you can make a whole meal out of. 

Order roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, beans, and salads from the side dishes to make a whole meal out of seemingly nothing when you don’t feel like another pasta or rice dish.

Venice Travelers: You may want to consider my recommendations for vegetarian restaurants in Eating Vegetarian In Venice, Italy – My Top Five Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants + Tips.

Vegetarian Food To Try In Italy At Any Restaurant 

Below is a quick rundown of basic dishes to look for as a vegetarian in Italy. For my favorite vegetarian dishes to try by region, read Vegetarian Dishes to Try in Italy.

• coccoli – balls of deep-fried pizza dough – order with just stracchino cheese (no prosciutto)
• sformato – a vegetable flan 
• mozzarella
• pasta fresca – fresh pasta typically made with eggs
• ravioli – be sure it’s filled with cheese and spinach, not meat
• parmigiana di melanzana – eggplant parmesan 
• pomodori con riso – cooked stuffed tomatoes served with potatoes
• risotto – a creamy rice first course
• pasta pesto – pasta with pesto
• pizza – any kind made without meat toppings
• cecina/farinata – a thin chickpea flatbread 
• schiacciata – a flatbread made with olive oil and flour
• schiacciata all’uva – a sweet focaccia made with grapes in the fall
• focaccia – Ligurian flatbread
• taralli – small round crackers, great for snacks 
• bruschetta – grilled bread topped with tomatoes, olive oil and garlic
• crostini con fagioli – toasted bread topped with olive oil and white beans
• ribollita – a hearty bread and mixed vegetable soup 
• pappa al pomodoro – a bread and tomato soup
• panzanella – bread salad with summer vegetables 
• farinata con cavolo nero – polenta and bean stew with kale
• vellutata – a pureed vegetable soup (vegetables depend on the season)
• pasta e lenticchie – pasta and lentils
• cacio e pepe – spaghetti with pecorino cheese and black pepper
• pasta e fagioli – pasta and beans
• gnocchi alla romana – baked polenta rounds
• caprese – tomato and mozzarella salad
• mozzarella in carrozza – fried mozzarella sandwich
• arancini – fried rice balls 
• pasta e ceci – pasta and chickpeas
• spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino – spaghetti with garlic, oil and red pepper flakes
• polenta fritta/alla griglia/con funghi – fried/grilled polenta with mushrooms
• gnocchi
• minestra di ceci/fagioli – chickpea or bean soup
• minestra di orzo – barley soup
• minestrone – hearty vegetable soup
• acquacotta – a vegetable broth soup with bread (Tuscany)
• insalata siciliana – orange and fennel salad
• insalata di carciofi – artichoke salad
• insalata di lenticchie – lentil salad
• zuppa di lenticchie – lentil soup
• fagioli all’uccelletto – white beans stewed with tomatoes (Tuscany)
• gelato – stay away from cream flavors that may have eggs in them.
• sorbetto
• pici all’aglione – hand rolled spaghetti with tomato garlic sauce
• pizza – pizza made without cheese

Be Aware: Watch out for foods that may have hidden anchovies such as in salads and salsa verde (both the Tuscan and Italian versions).

More Veg Please: Check out my list of Vegetarian Dishes to Try in Italy.

Tips For Eating Vegetarian In Italy

Keep these tips in mind even if you aren’t at a specific vegetarian restaurant while in Italy to have the best possible dining experience:

• Based on my experience, there is no need to hunt down specific ‘vegetarian friendly’ restaurants because many Italian dishes are based on la cucina povera, embodying a plant-based diet and using seasonal ingredients. This is true no matter what region you are in. 
• In a typical trattoria or osteria, order appetizers, first courses, and side dishes to find the best vegetarian and vegan options. 
• If for some strange reason (I have personally never run into this problem) you don’t see vegetarian options on a menu, just ask the server. 
• Make a whole meal out of side dishes and appetizers without ordering a first or second course. There is no expectation that you order a first or second course if you have dietary restrictions. 
• For cheap eats, look for street food such as cecina, schiacciata, focaccia and pizza. 
• Shopping at markets in Italy for snacks is one of my top tips for being a vegetarian in Italy.  You can read more about shopping at markets in 10 Rules For Shopping At Markets In Italy, How To Shop At Markets In Italy and Incredible Food Markets In Italy.
• Grocery stores in Italy also have a ton of vegetarian options in terms of both ingredients for cooking your own meal and for keeping grocery store snacks (like lupini beans) on hand. 
• If you are pregnant in Italy and vegetarian, don’t worry about making sure your baby is getting enough. If you order just like you do at home, being sure to eat a well balanced meal, you should have no problems.

Eating in Italy Basics: If you are curious to know more about navigating dining in Italy, you may be interested in
How To Order Food In Italian
Tipping In Italy – When & How Much From A Local
What Is A Coperto?  All About Italy’s Cover Charge
A Visitor’s Guide To Eating In Italy
How To Order Food In Italian

Helpful Vocabulary For Vegetarians And Vegans In Florence