Last updated on July 22nd, 2024
Are you traveling to Italy in June? While you’re here, you might be interested in sampling some of our local fruits and vegetables. Unlike what you may be used to at home, in Italy you can’t get every fruit and vegetable throughout the year. Here in Italy – we eat what’s in season.
In this article, I’ll share which seasonal fruits and vegetables you’ll see at the market or on the menu in June in Italy.
Since you are traveling to Italy in June and perhaps overlapping with May or July, you may also be interested in
Foods to Eat in Italy in June – Don’t Miss Summer Italian Specials
5 dishes To Eat In Italy In May + My Favorite Seasonal Produce
In-Season Fruits and Vegetables in May
What to Eat in Italy in July
In-Season Fruits and Vegetables in July
Why Italians Eat Seasonally – A Complete Guide To The Italian Way Of Cooking With The Seasons
Jump to Section
Seasonal Produce in June in Italy
Summer in Italy is the height of its growing season. You’ll see a ton of variety in terms of seasonal vegetables, and also colors and flavors!
June is when we start to see the first tomatoes, peaches, and apricots. We are at the tail end of spring produce, so we still have lots of greenery at our tables.
Good To Know: What we see in June, we generally will see through the rest of the summer as well.
Seasonal Vegetables in June in Italy
Helpful Tip: For the best shopping experience, I suggest buying Italian produce at open air markets.
Learn more about Italian Markets:
How to Shop at Markets in Italy
10 Rules for Shopping at Markets in Italy
Incredible Food Markets in Italy
My Favorite Markets in Florence
Food Markets in Florence
Top Markets In Tuscany
Food Markets in Venice
Rialto Market in Venice
Salad
Salad is one of those Italian vegetables that are in season 12 months a year. We start to see more delicate varieties in June as the temperatures rise.
Baby Kale
Baby kale is all around markets as they harvest the last of their winter and spring crops. If you love kale, check out Italy’s most beloved recipes in Popular Tuscan Kale Recipes.
Baby Greens
Baby greens of all kinds are the end of farmer’s winter crops as they turn over their fields. They make for great salads!
Radishes
Keep your eyes out for small round radishes and longer, oval shaped radishes.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are available all summer long in Italy but in June, we can finally start to get them easily and make panzanella salad!
Fresh Herbs
Herbs that you find at markets and supermarkets in Italy in June are fresh and grown locally.
Peppers
It’s a bit early for peppers in Italy in June but we do start to get them at markets, especially smaller varieties.
Zucchini
Both light and dark varieties of zucchini are very good in June. It’s not quite hot enough for them to become easily bruised and sad looking.
Zucchini Flowers
Zucchini flowers usually start to show up in May and continue to be available throughout the summer in Italy. Look for them fried at restaurants under appetizers on a menu.
Italian Green Beans
Italian green beans are a wide variety of string beans that are meaty and hearty.
Onions
Look for spring onions even in June in Italy, especially the Tropea variety from Calabria.
Asparagus
Asparagus is still available in Italy in June during the first couple of weeks. The white variety is usually gone at this point but the green kind is still available, especially from local farmers at open air markets.
Peas
Peas are a spring Italian vegetable but we do get them for the first week in June before they are gone for the year. Shelling them is a chore but it’s worth it!
Fava Beans
Like peas, fava beans are sold for the first couple of weeks in June before we say goodbye for the year. Enjoy them raw with pecorino cheese for a No-Cook Picnic Lunch In Italy.
Seasonal Fruits in June in Italy
Italians, including myself, await June with hungry eyes each year for its bountiful fruit harvest. It’s been months of eating pears, apples and citrus in Italy which is why we all are ready for a change (ie. stone fruit!).
Tomatoes
All varieties start to come onto the scene in Italy in June. The small varieties are the best at this time of year but large beefsteak or heirloom varieties do come from Sicily.
Melon
Melon is a summer fruit in Italy readily available from June through September. Try it with prosciutto for a sweet and salty treat!
Loquats (Medlars)
Nespole in Italian are loquats or medlars, a small fruit that looks like an apricot but with a bitter flavor best described as a mix between apple and apricot.
Nectarines
Nectarines grown in southern Italy start to show up in Italian grocery stores in June. Before this, they were often grown in Spain.
Peaches
Just like nectarines, all varieties of peaches start to become really good in June in Italy.
Apricots
Apricots start to become widespread and easy to come across in Italy in June. You will see them through July as well so go wild!
Fragoline
Fragoline are a tiny variety of strawberry that grows wild in Italy at the end of May and June. You will find them at markets sold in small baskets. They are a must-try for first timers in Italy in June or you can try them at Vivoli gelateria in Florence, famous for their gelato flavor alla fragolina.
Cherries
Although we do see cherries also in May, they are truly at their best in June (and cost much less!).
Strawberries
June in Italy is the end of the strawberry season. You will only see them at the beginning of the month but not much past the first week, depending on the season.
Mulberry
Mulberries will start to become ripe in the woods in June. You may not see them in supermarkets but if you are hiking in Italy, keep your eyes peeled!
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.
