How to Make an Italian Gift Basket For A Verified Foodie - Gourmet Gift Basket Ideas

Last updated on December 3rd, 2024

Do you have a friend or family member who is a verified Italian foodie or loves Italian cooking? If you are looking for a special gift this time around, an Italian gift basket fits the bill!

Creating a gourmet Italian foodie basket is a wonderful way to surprise someone who appreciates the finer aspects of Italian cuisine. This list of carefully picked items is based on my experience as an Italian foodie living both in the USA and in Italy.

Read on to learn how to create an Italian gift basket for a verified foodie by making a selection from the following items that I have personally tried and use in everyday cooking. An Italian gift basket can be spendy but it doesn’t have to be. Include as many or as few items as you like.

This collection of gourmet items is sure to impress any Italian food enthusiast, providing them with a taste of Italy’s rich culinary heritage. Buon appetito!

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Dried Goods

These dried goods are great but completely optional. Choose one or skip ahead to the Italian canned goods section below.

Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Dried porcini mushrooms are an instant way to add deep, earthy flavor to a ton of traditional Italian meals without much effort. Rehydrate them for risotto, pasta sauce, stews and soups. Any Italian foodie will know how valuable these are!

Find them here -> dried porcini mushrooms

Bottarga

Bottarga from Italy is made from the roe of locally caught tuna that is salted and dried. It’s used like parmesan cheese, grated over pasta, beans, and rice. This is a must for Italian foodies who love those rich umami flavors.

Find it here -> bottarga

Italian Canned Goods

This is the largest section of goods to include in an Italian gift basket for a verified foodie. Any Italian lover or home cook knows how beloved and important these Italian pantry staples are to any Italian recipe.

Italian Capers

Italian capers are similar to dried porcini mushrooms in that they can be added to many famous Italian foods to kick up flavor. They are particularly good with chicken, salsa verde or in Tuscan salsa verde.

Find them here -> Italian capers

Tuna Fillets Packed In Olive Oil

Whole Italian tuna fillets packed in olive oil is a true treat, making it a top pick when creating an Italian gift basket for a verified foodie. In Italy, it’s quite easy to find but in the USA, it’s much less common. Use it in any number of recipes including pastas, Italian tuna salad or to bulk up salads with extra flavor.

Find them here -> Italian tuna fillets

Italian Artichokes

Jarred artichokes are a fun Italian ingredient to add to an Italian gift basket for a verified foodie because it can be used in so many different ways. You can use it to make a sandwich, serve with crostini at aperitivo time or use it on an antipasti platter at an Italian themed dinner party.

Find it here -> Italian artichokes

Truffle Products

Truffle products are amazing for any Italian food lover and as most of us know, they come with a hefty price tag. Alternatively, you could choose to include a Truffle flavored olive oil instead of a traditional extra virgin olive oil.

Find them here -> truffle products

Chili Peppers From Calabria

frontal view of a hand holding a jar of crushed calabrian chili peppers on a wooden background.

Spicy Calabrian chili peppers must be included if you are putting together an Italian gift basket for a verified foodie who likes a bit of spice. These jarred peppers can be added to literally any dish (just as real Calabrians do!). Try it on pizza, pasta or mixed into a tomato based stew for a real kick.

Find it here -> Calabrian chili peppers

Italian Anchovies

Close up of hand holding jar of acciughe.

Any Italian foodie knows that anchovies are key to so many good Italian recipes. It’s one of those secret Italian ingredients that add so much flavor but you don’t even know they are there.

Find them here -> Italian anchovies

Made In Italy Pasta

Be sure to include some “Made In Italy” bronze cut pasta in your Italian gift basket for a verified foodie. You might not be able to taste the difference but they will!

Find it here -> Made in Italy pasta

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Bottles of Bertolli olive oil on grocery store shelf.

Extra virgin olive oil from a renowned region like Tuscany or Puglia is a fantastic item to include in an Italian gift basket because it’s used almost everyday in Italian cooking. I enjoy several brands, all of which you can read more about in Best Italian Olive Oil Brands in America – Where to Buy Them and How to Store Them

Find it here -> extra virgin olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

A bottle of aged balsamic vinegar from Modena goes a long way. You can drizzle it on salads, serve with Italian cheese or use it on roasted vegetables. This brand is the one I buy both when I am visiting America and in the grocery store in Italy.

Find it here -> balsamic vinegar

Italian Cheese

Close up of stacked large wheels of parmigiano reggiano cheese.

A wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano, while a bit expensive, is one of the best items to receive if you are an Italian food enthusiast. Parmigiano is the best cheese choice for a gift basket because it can withstand time outside the fridge (about a day) as long as it’s stored properly. Just keep it out of the heat and sun.

Find it here -> Italian cheese

Italian Grains

Farro

Farro is a staple in Italian cooking 12 months out of the year. In the fall and winter it can be used in soups and bean stews while in the summer you will find Italians eating it cold by the bowlful on hot days.

Find it here -> farro

Risotto Rice

Small bags of carnaroli rice for sale at the Rialto Market in Venice, Italy.

Risotto is a very important dish in Italy but it can only be made with a certain type of rice, that is, Carnaroli or Arborio.

Find it here -> risotto rice

Italian Desserts

Choose at least one Italian dessert item to include in your Italian gift basket for a verified foodie.

Modica Chocolate

Hand holds a yellow packaged bar of Modica lemon chocolate.

Modica chocolate from Sicily is made by processing the cocoa beans by hand, resulting in a rich Italian chocolate with a gritty texture. Popular flavors include citrus, vanilla, hot pepper and vanilla.

Find it here -> Modica chocolate

Amaretti Cookies

Amaretti cookies are not only a delicious cookie to snack on but they are also an ingredient in many Italian dessert recipes.

Find them here -> Amaretti cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

side view of three jars of nocciolata di rigoni a white shelf for sale.

Gianduia, chocolate hazelnut spread is Italy’s peanut butter. Italians eat it everyday, sometimes for breakfast, sometimes for merenda or snack or even for dessert. It’s one of my favorite foodie souvenirs from Piedmont.

Find it here -> chocolate hazelnut spread

Crema di Pistacchio

Not dissimilar to gianduia, crema di pistacchio is a sweet pistachio cream that can be used to make cookies, fill cakes or eat on toast or fette biscottate.

Find it here -> crema di pistacchio

Tools For Making Italian Food

These tools can make preparing Italian food easy and fun. Consider including one or two of these tools in your Italian gift basket for a verified foodie.

Pasta Cutting Set

top view of a ravioli stamp on a sand colored marble countertop.

If your verified foodie loves to make homemade pasta then consider adding this set (or opt for single tools) into the gift basket which will help them shape various kinds of traditional ravioli or cut sheets of freshly rolled pasta.

Find it here -> pasta cutting set

Gnocchi Board

A gnocchi board is a small tool used to help give ridges to gnocchi when making them from scratch. It fits easily into the basket and makes all the difference in the final product!

Find it here -> gnocchi board

Parmigiano Cheese Grater Boat

side view of hand holding a beige boat box grater for cheese in a marble background from side view.

This parmigiano cheese grater is my absolute favorite. I can grate the cheese right into the boat and then serve it as is. Just shake the spout and the grated cheese comes right out.

Find it here -> parmesan cheese grater boat

Additional Foodie Gift Basket Ideas

Recipe Journal

an open lined book with blank pages and indications to edit recipes and make notes.

A recipe journal or notebook is a great way for homecooks or foodies to document what they are doing in the kitchen. So much about learning to cook Italian food is about getting a sense of smell, taste and texture without exact measurements. A journal helps Italian cooks remember how they are tweaking recipes to their desires, ultimately creating their own Italian recipes to be passed down from generation to generation.

Find it here -> recipe journal

Italian Food

Elizabeth David’s book Italian Food is a treat for foodies who love to read. It’s more than just a recipe collection but also, it chronicles the author’s travels and culinary adventures across Italy. You can read it cover to cover or dip into it whenever you like, making it one of my favorite Italian cook books.

Find it here -> Italian Food

Cooking Class

You could include a gift card or special note that your recipient can redeem for a cooking class or lesson. Choose from options in your home country, online classes, or even classes in Italy (like these in Tuscany) if he or she will be visiting.

If you want to see more of my gift basket ideas, check out my Italian Gift Guides and Souvenir Guides, How To Make The Perfect Italian Pasta Gift Basket , How to Make an Italian Gift Basket For A Verified Foodie – Gourmet Gift Basket Ideas, DIY Italian Wine Gift Basket – How To Create The Perfect Gift For Wine Lovers From Scratch and 5 Italian Christmas Gifts For Chefs For All Budgets.