Last updated on January 14th, 2025
Some of the best nuts in the world are grown in Italy. And, lucky you if you’re traveling here in the fall – it’s harvest time!
Nuts are so important to the Mediterranean diet, which includes a variety of plant-based ingredients that make up a part of Italy’s incredible cuisine.
I’ve been enjoying Italian nuts since 2012, and I’m happy to share:
- where each nut grows
- specific varieties within each category of nut
- when Italian nuts are harvested
- how to use nuts in Italian cooking
- dishes with nuts worth trying while in Italy
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What Nuts Mean To Italians
Nuts are very important for Italians historically, culturally and economically. They play a large role in supporting the economic agricultural system from north to south while also supplementing the domestic Italian food chain.
While hazelnuts, almonds, chestnuts, pine nuts, and walnuts are the most significant, pistachios and other less common nuts also play a role in Italian cuisine. These nuts are integral to many traditional Italian dishes and bring a rich, authentic flavor to both sweet and savory recipes.
Nuts are enjoyed daily by Italians either in the form of baked goods, snacks, regional specialties or even as a closure to meals instead of dessert. If you are ever invited to someone’s home in Italy, you may notice a bowl filled with nuts (in their shells to be cracked) that is passed around at the end of a meal. Italians love to end their meal with something whether it be a traditional Italian dessert, a small piece of fruit or just a couple of nuts.
Remember, food and eating together in convivialità, is one of the most important moments for Italians so even a small moment to crack a couple of nuts is embraced!
Health Benefits Of Eating Nuts In Italy
Nuts are said to be a powerhouse of nutrients and can offer numerous health benefits, especially if they are enjoyed freshly harvested (which you can do if you are in Italy in the fall months!). Here are some of the key health benefits typically associated with consuming nuts for Italians:
- Rich in Nutrients – Italian nuts are packed with essential nutrients including protein, healthy fats, vitamins (such as vitamin E and B vitamins), and minerals (such as magnesium, potassium, and zinc).
- Antioxidants – Italian nuts can contain high levels of antioxidants, which is said to help protect the body against inflammation.
- Healthy Fats – Nuts in Italy can be high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health.
- Low Glycemic Index – Most Italian nuts have a low glycemic index.
- Fiber – Nuts are rich in dietary fiber, which can help promote healthy digestion and prevent constipation.
No wonder Italians are said to be so healthy!
Quick Guide To Nuts In Italy
| Italian Nut | Region | Harvest Time | How Italians Use Them | Famous Dishes | My Favorite way to eat them |
| Hazelnuts | Piedmont, Lazio, Campania, and Sicily | Late August – Early September | Primarily in cookies, desserts and sweet treats or for snacking | gianduia, gelato,nocino (digestif) | Nutella |
| Almonds | Sicily, Puglia, and Sardinia | July – September | In marzipan and to make various traditional desserts and cookies | Cantuccini, marzipan, panforte, confetti | gelato di mandorla |
| Chestnuts | Tuscany, Piedmont, and Apennine mountains | Late September – October | Roasted and enjoyed for a snack, in cakes or other desserts, in gelato flavors or in soups. | Castagnaccio, minestra di castagne, polenta con castagne, tagliatelle con funghi e castagne, frittelle di castagne | castagne arroste (roasted chestnuts) |
| Pine Nuts | Tuscany, Liguria, and Puglia | September – October | In savory cooking dishes, cakes, cookies, in salads and sauces | Pesto alla Genovese, torta della nonna, gelato di pinoli | Caponata (a stewed sweet and savory vegetable dish from Sicily) |
| Walnuts | Campania, Calabria, and Veneto | October (some varieties in September) | Used in sauces, in baked goods, and served with charcuterie cheese platters. | cakes, cookies, pesto varieties like pesto di cavolo nero, risotto con pere e noci | salsa di noci (walnut sauce) over any pasta shape |
| Pistachios | Sicily | September | Used in both sweet and savory dishes like pastries, gelato, and pasta sauces | Pasta alla Brontese, cassate, torrone, Bucellato Siciliano | Cannoli |
| Macadamia | Calabria and Sicily | September – October | Less common in Italian cooking. Look for them in salads or used as garnishes. | N/A | N/A |
Hazelnuts (Nocciole)
Regions: Piedmont, Lazio, Campania, and Sicily
Harvest Season: Late August to early September marks the beginning of the hazelnut harvest
Varieties: Nocciola del Piemonte (Piedmont hazelnuts) refers to hazelnuts of the Tonda Gentile Trilobata variety, Nocciola di Giffoni refers to dried hazelnuts grown and produced within the province of Salerno, Viterbo and Rome, Nocciola Romana refers to dried hazelnuts of the Tonda Gentile Romana and Nocchione varieties.
How To Use Them: Hazelnuts are used in various Italian sweets such as gianduia (chocolate hazelnut spread), torta di nocciole (hazelnut cake), and are also added to biscotti and other pastries, creams and gelato flavors (including non-dairy gelato flavors).
Dishes: Gianduiotto nougat pralines, bigne con crema di nocciola (small pastries filled with hazelnut pastry cream), nocino (digestif), Italian cookies such as Tozzetti, Ossetti da Morto, Brutti Buoni and Mostaccioli Romani.
My Family’s Favorite: Nutella
Almonds (Mandorle)
Regions: Sicily, Puglia, and Sardinia
Harvest Season: Almonds are typically harvested from July into September
Varieties: Pizzuta, Fascionello Romana, Cavaliera and Bonifacio (Sicily), mandorla di Toritto (puglia), mandorla di Avola (Siracusa)
How To Use Them: Almonds are the main Italian ingredient in marzipan, a Sicilian specialty, almond biscotti (cantuccini), and various traditional desserts like torta di mandorle. They are also used in savory dishes, stewed with vegetables or used to thicken sauces or served at an aperitivo.
Dishes: Cantuccini, marzipan, panforte (spiced dessert cake from Siena), confetti (almond candies)
My Family’s Favorite: gelato di mandorla
Chestnuts (Castagne)
Regions: Tuscany, Piedmont, and the Apennine mountains
Early Harvest: While the main chestnut season peaks in October, early varieties begin to be available in late September.
Varieties: Castagne di Cuneo (Turin), marrone della Valle di Susa (Susa Valley), marrone di San Zeno (Veneto), marrone di Serino (Campania), marrone di Monfenera (Treviso), marrone di Roccadaspide (Salerno), marrone di Combai (Treviso), marrone di Castel del Rio (Bologna), marrone di Caprese Michelangelo (Arezzo), castagna di Vallerano (Viterbo), castagna del Monte Amiata (Siena)
How To Use Them: Roasted and enjoyed as street food, in cakes or other desserts, in gelato flavors or in soups. You can also buy chestnut flour and cook with it.
Dishes To Try: Castagnaccio (chestnuts cake), minestra di castagne (chestnut soup), polenta con castagne, tagliatelle con funghi e castagne, frittelle di castagne (chestnuts fritters), castagne arroste (roasted chestnuts), necci (chestnut pancakes)
My Family’s Favorite: Roasted chestnuts as a snack in the fall
Pine Nuts (Pinoli)
Regions: Tuscany, Liguria, and Puglia
Harvest Season: Pine nuts are harvested in the late summer and early autumn.
Varieties: Pinolo del Parco di Migliarino-San Rossore (Tuscany)
How To Use Them: In savory cooking dishes, cakes, cookies, in salads and sauces
Dishes: Pesto alla Genovese, torta della nonna, gelato di pinoli, caponata
My Family’s Favorite: In pesto or in Sicilian caponata (a sweet and savory vegetable compote)
Walnuts (Noci)
Regions: Campania, Calabria, and Veneto
Harvest Season: Primarily in October, but early varieties can be found starting in late September
Varieties: Lara (Veneto), Noce di Sorrento (Sorrento), Noce di Feltrino (Trentino)
How To Use Them: Walnuts are used in sauces, in baked goods, and served with charcuterie and cheese platters. They are also enjoyed fresh as a snack or for dessert in many Italian households
Dishes: Salsa di noci, cakes, cookies, pesto varieties like pesto di cavolo nero, risotto con pere e noci (rice with pear and walnuts)
My Family’s Favorite: Any kind of egg pasta dressed in salsa di noci (walnut sauce)
Pistachios (Pistacchio)
Regions: Sicily
Harvest Season: September
Varieties: Pistacchio Verde di Bronte (Bronte at Mount Etna)
How To Use Them: Sicilian pistachios are a prized ingredient used in many Italian pastries, gelato, sauces and pesto varieties,
Dishes: Cannoli, cassate, torrone, Bucellato Siciliano (Christmas cake), pasta alla Brontese
My Family’s Favorite: Cannoli
Macadamia
Regions: Southern regions such as Calabria and Sicily (but with limited cultivated compared to other nuts grown in Italy).
Harvest Season: Fall
How To Use Them: Because macadamia nuts aren’t nearly as abundant as other nuts in Italy, they are also less common in cooking. Look for them in modern, upscale or Michelin restaurants in desserts, salads or used as garnishes.
If you enjoyed reading about how Italians use nuts and stay healthy eating them, you may also be interested in
Why Italians Eat Seasonally
Popular Italian Fruits
Do Italians Eat Pasta Every Day?
Olive Oil Health Benefits – According to Italian Nonne (Grandmothers)
